With the students completely protected by a wall of earth, the Cockatrice once again started to rampage and struggle from Mr. Jacobs' grasp. With its prey visibly decreased, the cockatrice was enraged.
The cockatrice opened its beak, releasing a wave of fumes towards the wall.
"Glasses fish!"
"On it!"
Even before Mr. Jacobs called for her, Beatrice already had her skills activated and ready to go at any time. She rotated her hands before pointing his palm upwards, causing a gale of wind to lift up her hair and skirt, but it would seem that she was used to this, as she was wearing shorts beneath.
The fumes that came out from the cockatrice's beak quickly dispersed to the skies as the wind forced them away.
And as soon as there was no longer any smoke to be seen around the cockatrice, a silhouette suddenly appeared on top of its head.
It was Gerald, his fists clasped together above his head. And with a smirk on his face, he slammed his fists downwards. The cockatrice's head instantly shot downwards, but before it could reach the ground, Harvey was already there.
He rotated his body, kicking the cockatrice's head to its side. Mr. Jacobs quickly let go of the cockatrice's foot before he could be thrown away along with the cockatrice. The cockatrice rolled a couple of times, its head flailing like a mace as it hit the ground.
But still, even with its neck obviously broken, the cockatrice was still able to move. Lifting itself up with its leg and flapping its wings, wanting to escape. But alas, before it could fly away, its neck was cleaved, almost splitting it in two.
Gemma quickly backed away so as to not get any blood on her, using the dirt on the ground to dust off the blood on her claws. It's a new uniform, after all. It would be a shame if it got stained by blood as soon as she got it, she thought.
And so, the cockatrice, which made its grand entrance, died as quickly as it came. The life in its eyes slowly disappearing as blood continued to spurt from the gash on its neck. It was trying to crow, but alas, the only thing that came out of its beak was the last of its breath.
Mr. Jacobs could not help but let out a sigh. The Lauder brothers… what a pair of monsters, he thought.
President Hannah, on the other hand, clapped her hands loudly. She had been preparing to offer her support but didn't get the chance to do so as the cockatrice was immediately disposed of.
"Did you freshmen see that!? That is the might of the Student Council!" She yelled, her screams enough to deafen Greta and Janice, who were also waiting to get the chance to offer their support beside her.
But alas, the audience that President Hannah ever so desired was completely covered in a wall.
"..."
But still, her shouts were loud enough for them to hear as the wall of earth slowly crumbled and returned to the ground.
"Is… is it over?"
"That… was quite fast, wasn't it?"
"Does that mean we will be able to go home now!?"
"It looks so much smaller now that it is dead, doesn't it?" One of the students approached the lifeless cockatrice, carefully stepping near it. But confirming that it really was no longer moving, the rest of the students also circled on the cockatrice.
"...Smaller?" Mr. Jacobs knitted his eyebrows as he also looked at the cockatrice, which was, indeed, a lot smaller now. That's… weird, he thought.
"It's normal," Beatrice let out a deep breath as she adjusted her glasses, "Young cockatrices are known for expanding their body when they feel threatened. It's normal for young ones that are usually found in Rank… D portals."
Beatrice paused with her last words as she quickly turned her head towards the Portal. Hearing her words and realizing the meaning behind them, the students near her also slowly looked at the Portal one by one. Their breaths slowly got heavier as the celebration that was plastered on their face turned to dread.
...But they were in a Rank C Portal, they all thought. What… exactly is happening right now?
And, as if the heavens were answering their questions themselves, a shadow loomed over them, momentarily covering them in darkness.
"Oh… w… what?" It was then that one of the taller students stuttered. His eyes turning grey, followed by the crackling of his skin as it too turned grey in color.
"Glasses fish!"
Beatrice once again summoned a gust of wind, pushing the almost invisible cloud of smoke that threatened to shower over them.
"F*ck!" Mr. Jacobs could not help but scream as he rushed towards the student that was slowly turning into stone, covering him with his body. "Lang Fish Junior, wall, now!"
"I… I can't…"
"What!?"
"I'm out of SP!"
"Damn it!" Mr. Jacobs quickly retrieved something from his pocket and threw it towards Lang Fish Junior, "Absorb that, quick!"
"This… Yes!" Seeing the Clear Crystal on his hand, Lang Fish Junior quickly sat on the ground and placed the crystal on his forehead.
"Lauder brothers, protect this tree!" Mr. Jacobs hollered as he gestured for Harvey and Gerald to cover the tall student that turned into stone.
He then crouched down, the huge and chiseled muscles on his leg pulsating.
"You're not going to get me fired!" He howled as he jumped to the sky, leaving a small crater on the ground. Mr. Jacobs was like an arrow, shooting straight towards the flying cockatrice with his fists fully loaded.
But before he could reach the flying cockatrice, his vision suddenly shifted as he felt his body being swept to the side.
"T… there's two!?" Mr. Jacobs quickly turned his head downwards, only to see another cockatrice pushing him away. Seeing the students get smaller and smaller on the ground as they got farther away, Mr. Jacobs could not help but howl as he hugged the cockatrice's head.
"F*ck!" He howled as his arms trembled. He grit his teeth hard, with the veins of his neck almost popping out as the cockatrice struggled from his grip. And after a few more seconds of Mr. Jacobs' howl echoing in the air, a loud crack resounded as the head of the cockatrice snapped, followed by its descent to the ground.
Mr. Jacobs quickly pulled the cockatrice and got on top of it, gritting his teeth from the impact that was about to come as they hit the ground. There was, however, only one thing in his mind…
...the students. If any of them die, he would surely lose his job.
A thunder then reverberated in the forest as the trees were pushed to the side, with the cockatrice's weight, it would seem the ground itself almost became soft, allowing Mr. Jacobs just bounce off the cockatrice's body as soon as they landed on the ground.
"!!!"
But he quickly put up his guard as he heard the leaves rustle behind him.
"Y… you? What are you doing here?"
***
"Greta, Janice, protect the skinny student until he recovers!"
"Got it!"
With Mr. Jacobs out of the commission, President Hannah took the reigns as she was the oldest student here.
"You, the one with the glasses, don't fight. Focus on pushing away the fumes let out by the cockatrice!"
"Yes!"
"Gerald, leave the petrified student with your brother, I need you and Gemma here!"
"...Don't do anything reckless, okay?" Gerald whispered to Harvey before running to President Hannah's side.
"It's going down! The students who can't provide anything, just hide in the forest…
...the Student Council will protect you!" President Hannah said as she raised her hand in the air, her hair then slowly waved as the air around her started to get warmer.
And then, with a bright flash, flame suddenly burst forth in her hand. The flame danced until it was in the shape of a sword. Her right arm too was on fire. But it would seem that she was unaffected by it, as the only thing that reflected in her eyes was the brilliance of her sword of fire.
"Van!" She then shouted, "My first order to you as an official member of the Student Council, protect the rest of the students!"
"..." However, no one answered.
"Van?"
President Hannah looked around, only to see that Van was nowhere to be found. The gallant sword of fire on her hand slightly flickered as her eyes started to twitch.
"Where the hell is Van!?"
President Hannah screamed, drowned by the crowing of the cockatrice as it descended to the ground.