The cursed gauntlets Dame wielded weren't just any relics, they were creations of Raze, embedded with a very particular, eerie power. Among their many abilities, one stood out most: they could absorb the essence of those who had recently passed away. Through this, the spirits and powers of the dead could be temporarily summoned, lending their strength to the wearer.

But it had always worked a little differently with Simyon.

Simyon's immense physical strength wasn't just natural, it came from a mythical-tier cursed item bound to him. At the same time, Simyon had learned to channel his magic into the item, producing a unique effect: the Lightning Body.

This technique didn't just harden his form into something nearly unbreakable like a weapon, it also made him incredibly fast, thanks to the combination of lightning magic and refined Qi. It was a dangerous, elite-level enhancement.

And yet… Dame had never quite understood why, even now, he could use the Lightning Body after absorbing Simyon's spirit. Perhaps it had something to do with the cursed earring also bound to Simyon, overlapping with the gauntlet's absorption.

Regardless, it had become one of Dame's strongest trump cards. Between his arsenal of cursed items and the Hybrid Form, the Lightning Body remained his most efficient weapon. Its true value lay in its magical source. Since the lightning body came from an enchanted artifact, every time he used it, pure mana was released into the air.

This was Dame's backup plan, his last resort in case everything went wrong during the battle assessment. And now, seeing the kind of beasts surrounding them, he knew it was time to act.

The punch he had landed moments ago had been supercharged, infused with his Qi and crackling lightning. It struck the bird-like creature directly in the skull, sending a surge of energy ripping through its body. When it hit the ground, its head caved inward, and electricity pulsed violently through its twitching limbs.

Redrick, still stunned from nearly being taken down himself, could hardly believe his eyes.

That transfer student... did he really just do that? Redrick's heart was racing. It took three teachers working together to take one of those things down. And he did it in a single hit? What even is that lightning ability, he didn't use that against Piba. Has he been hiding this strength the whole time?

"I know you've got questions," Dame said, cracking his knuckles. Sparks danced around his arms. "But right now, the best thing you can do is back me up, support me the best way you can!"

He didn't wait for a reply. Dame kicked off from where he stood, blasting forward like a lightning bolt. He crashed headfirst into another one of the bird monsters, then, with both hands, forced its beak wide open. In one fluid motion, he shoved another creature straight into its gullet, electrocuting both from the inside out with a violent surge.

Redrick shook off his daze. He knew what he had to do now. Reigniting his fire spells, he began launching attacks toward the rest of the creatures that were closing in, trying to prevent them from surrounding Dame, because that's exactly what they were doing.

Elsewhere, things were getting worse. The birds weren't letting up. They leapt from rooftops, beaks open, claws extended. Beatrix stood her ground but knew she was being pushed. Her earth magic was powerful, but she couldn't hold back the flood forever.

That's when something shifted inside her.

Squinting at the incoming threat, she reached out a hand, and her hair began to subtly change. Then, from her palm, crimson shots of Qi exploded like bullets, slamming into the beasts. One of them was knocked so hard it crashed through a rooftop and disappeared from sight.

I still can't use all of her powers, Beatrix thought. I'm worried it might change me completely… but this is a start. If I combine my Qi with the Bloody Woman's energy, it turns into something like projectile Qi. I'm not ready to release her fully, not yet. But this is the path. Just like Raze told me.

Meanwhile, things were becoming desperate near Luka.

The beasts had grown smarter. They were learning. After observing the teachers' abilities, they began choosing their targets carefully. Four of the bird creatures had zeroed in on Luka, circling him before unleashing high-pitched screeches all at once.

Luka threw up walls of wind to shield himself from the attack, but the sound waves were constant, ripping into him from every angle. His organs started to tremble. Blood dripped from his ears, and even his mouth.

We should've never stayed here, Luka thought, his body shaking. Something felt off with the guild from the beginning… Did they ever actually explore this portal themselves?

But then, a sudden warmth washed over him.

His breathing steadied. The pain eased. His bleeding stopped. His body was… healing.

He looked around, confused, then noticed a glowing aura radiating across the battlefield.

That's… Safa? Luka thought. Is her Light Magic really this strong? It's reaching me from across the entire field, and not just reaching, it's healing me instantly. I'm not even affected by the sonic blasts anymore.

Safa's aura flowed outward like sunlight, touching everyone. It calmed the students' nerves, and those who were wounded by the screeches began to recover rapidly.

"The transfer students… they're really saving us?" Chiba whispered, half in awe.

"It appears that all of them… were holding back their strength," Piba said with a proud grin.

"Well, I don't care why," Chiba replied. "Because of them, we might actually make it out of this alive."

But there were still two who hadn't acted yet.

"Is this okay, Raze?" Liam asked quietly. The battlefield roared around them, but for a moment, time felt still. "Them using their powers like this… Should we be doing the same?"

Raze didn't turn. His eyes remained on the chaos unfolding ahead.

"I'm not the one who controls your actions," he said. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "If you've decided to use your power to protect others… then that's your decision to make."

***

For updates on MWS and future works, follow me on:

*Instagram: @jksmanga

* Patreon: jksmanga