Athanasia: My Hacker System

"No, don't do that!"

Ben instantly warned Nikolas.

"We tried before, and ended up getting a scary lightning attack from that dome."

"Lightning, you say?"

Nikolas' eyes shone with interest.

"Let me then try it myself. After all, lightning is my playground."

Ben couldn't say anything to stop his teacher, and had to watch the man try and eventually fail. The lightning strikes that landed were quite numerous, severe, and on a whole different level than what John suffered before.

"That dome is impregnable," Nikolas returned with a dark face, "tell me, did John tell you anything about how to deactivate it?"

The two exchanged silent glances before they explained the concept of the machine pieces that created the dome. Hearing this made Nikolas' eyes shine brighter.

"Five of you, go and circle the entire dome," he gave the order, "if you meet any strong resistance, just retreat and call for aid."

"But Nikolas, most of our combatants are in there."

One of the teachers pointed towards the inside, and Nikolas didn't feel any worry.

"Did you forget? We have the headmaster fighting with us," Nikolas calmly said, "just go and leave this to the headmaster and me."

The five teachers had to comply, leaving only ten to protect the kids. Seeing them leave like that made Elena quite worried.

"Teacher, the one responsible for this attack will come again with bigger numbers."

"You know who is behind this?!"

Nikolas turned and sharply glared at Elena. And with a slow nod, and what she said next, he instantly knew what she was talking about.

"It's the same snake that tried to take Cissel's life before."

"That bastard?"

Nikolas' body trembled out of immense rage.

"He didn't stop at trying to hurt my students, and now he wants to destroy the academy?"

Nikolas then went to the side and started what seemed like a long series of calls with everyone. Elena exchanged eyes with Ben while whispering to him:

"That's weird."

"What's weird?"

Ben asked, and Elena motioned her head towards Nikolas.

"He should have received the message we sent earlier."

Her eyes narrowed, and a scary thought flashed into her mind, one that she didn't want to believe.

"Stay vigilant," as Ben couldn't tell what was going on, she added, "it seems we'll awaken John quite earlier than we intended to."

Just as Nikolas finished his calls, he returned with a face fuming with rage.

"The headmaster is in a tight situation," he turned to the teachers around, "he is asking for help. He was going to get a large group of strong fighters to join us. But it seems the enemy got to him first."

"What?"

"The headmaster?"

"What do you want us to do?"

Nikolas put on a struggling look before he slowly sighed.

"Seven of you… Go and help the headmaster. The other two will stay with me here to safeguard the students."

Elena exchanged a silent and meaningful glance with Ben, and the latter narrowed his eyes.

For a reason, since they came and saved their lives, Nikolas kept sending their saviours away. It felt subtle at first, but now the initial twenty teachers were reduced to only three.

"Now, how about you go and scout the area for us?"

Before Elena and Ben could think of something, Nikolas suddenly turned towards the two.

"We can't wait here and expect the enemy to arrive at any moment," he calmly added, "we need eyes out there. Give us any valuable information, like how many of them are coming, from where they are coming, and how long till they will arrive here…"

"Teacher, may I ask a question?"

Elena, all of a sudden, didn't move a muscle away. Instead, she took a few steps closer to her sleeping friends. And Ben slowly followed her direction and actions.

"Anything," Nikolas beamed with a kind smile, "you know I was always kind to my students."

"When the attack happened, where were you?"

Elena kept moving, one step at a time, while talking with her teacher.

"Well… I was far outside the academy," Nikolas put on an apologetic face, "I know I should have been with you, instead of being in the city. But who knows, this would have happened? All these academies attacking us, alongside weird warriors? That's insane!"

The moment she heard these words, she held no speck of doubt anymore. Yet her face kept smiling, while she dropped the bomb.

"You know… The teacher I know was with the headmaster at the meeting," she calmly said, yet the next instant, she flashed and vanished, accelerated and crossed the remaining distance towards John.

"Not this easily, dear."

Yet before she would land next to John, a firm arm grabbed hers. When she turned, she saw Nikolas, or someone who was acting like Nikolas, grabbing her arm.

His face started to contort, as if he was wearing a mask that was made out of plastic, getting melted down and disfigured when it met fire.

"I'm curious, though," the male deep voice changed to a sharp-toned female voice. Then a female face appeared, one of such beauty and fiery figure that made Elena pale in comparison. Even the hot Natalie would feel ashamed next to her.

"I've studied your teacher for a couple of months now, and I was pretty sure I can mimic him perfectly."

As she changed appearance, the other two also did the same. Two other fiery girls appeared, all looking hot, not losing to the one holding Elena's arm.

"Well…"

Elena paused, as if she were searching for a suitable answer.

"Let's just say our Nikolas isn't that caring or kind. If any, he is quite cold and ruthless, most of the time… Now!"

Just before she would continue her words, she instantly shouted. And Ben acted.

A tornado appeared, surrounding and isolating them from the outside world. Seeing this didn't make any of the three ladies worry. Instead, one of them laughed, as if she were seeing the most amusing play ever.

"It's futile," she evilly grinned, "we already analysed your powers thanks to our common friend. Your tornado won't stop us, and we know it can't differentiate between friends and foes…"

"Not anymore!"

The enraged shout from Ben came to startle the three ladies. The next thing that happened was for one of the ladies to get sucked by a smaller tornado, with her body flying in circles all the way to the very top, while sustaining severe wounds.

At this moment of distraction, Elena instantly threw her sledgehammer, while shouting with her loudest voice:

"Wake up!"

And then John opened his eyes.