A/N: Yeah yeah, I know it's late… but technically, the day isn't over 😌 So here's your second chapter—served just in time.
Enjoy! 😤📚
**
Step.
Step.
The sound of footsteps echoed across the hall, steady and sharp, growing louder as the thick dust slowly began to settle.
The air was heavy, still filled with the unpleasant energy and blood, but through the fading smoke, a figure emerged.
It was a boy.
His clothes were torn, stained with blood, but strangely, not a single injury could be seen on his body.
His eyes were locked ahead, burning with cold logic. He was sprinting towards the demon, whose body was already slumped, badly injured, yet still radiating a terrifying presence.
"H-huh...?"
"How..is this..?"
"Wait, isn't that... the last-ranked student?"
These were the collective thoughts of everyone, confusion and disbelief clear in every voice. Except the second year students, everyone else knew Ash.
He was quiet and silent boy who only minded his business, he never interacted with anyone else. Yet now, he stood at the center of everything. The demon was hurt, the portal destroyed, and somehow, he was the one responsible for both.
No one could believe what they were seeing.
But Ash didn't care.
He didn't hear the whispers. Didn't care about the looks., He had activated Omni Thought again, and his thoughts moved with mechanical calm,
He did not want to give any second for Miraak to recover, so he activated the skill again.
In both of his hands, he had formed two Multi-Core Lightning Spheres—unstable but deadly orbs made of compressed lightning and layered mana cores.
This won't be enough, he thought, No matter how hard I try, I can't kill him alone.
Although Miraak was an Elite demon just like Liera, the difference between them was like the gap between the sky and the earth. And the biggest reason for that difference… was Bloodline.
For demons and angels, Bloodline wasn't just about family—it was their very source of power.
The terrifying power of Nullification that Miraak used wasn't a learned ability. It was a gift—no, a birthright—bestowed upon him by his bloodline.
The power was not ordinary, it traced back to the Seven Overlord Demon bloodlines' —that stood beneath the Demon King, who ruled over all with the Royal Bloodline.
To fight a demon outside these bloodlines? That was one thing.
But to face someone from one of them?
It was like the difference between fighting a house cat and fighting a lion.
I'm still a Novice. I might be fast, but power-wise, I'm nowhere near him.
He clenched his jaw tightly.
Even Ray couldn't finish them off without sacrificing something. If I try to fight one-on-one, I'll die.
But he wasn't alone anymore. Not this time.
If everyone attacks together—if we can just find a single opening... we might be able to bring him down.
"ATTACK IF YOU SEE AN OPENING!!!"
he shouted, his voice loud and clear, aimed directly at Amelia, Lyra, Grace, and Aurora—the four girls who stood out among the others, the ones he knew had enough strength to hurt a demon if they worked together.
He didn't stop running.
From the edge of his vision, he noticed Elysia, sprinting in another direction, heading toward Zerak, her aura glowing faintly with power.
His stomach twisted.
Please... just stay safe, he thought, the words aching silently inside him.
He pushed his legs harder, running even faster.
Ash wasn't using any special movement skill. He wasn't using mana to boost his speed. This was just his raw physical ability. For a mage, his speed was insane
Damn... who said demons are hot tempered, Ash cursed, look at this fucker, he is as calm as a lake.
But deep down, Ash had always liked lakes.
Not for how still they were, but for what they could become.
Because he knew—A single stone is enough to create a ripple.
And sometimes, a ripple was all it took to break the calm.
With that thought grounding him, Ash gritted his teeth, his muscles tensing, and hurled one of the Lightning Spheres with everything he had.
The compressed sphere of mana shot forward, spinning through the air with a high-pitched screech. It sliced through the air like a comet blazing across the night sky—loud, wild, and unstoppable.
***
He's fast.
That was the first thought that crossed Grace's mind as she watched Ash sprint ahead, his feet pounding against the ground like a heartbeat echoing through the battlefield.
Even amidst the tension in the air, her hands moved without pause, casting a soft golden glow over Aurora's body—healing what little damage she could, steadying her comrade for what was to come.
Aurora's gaze, like hers, was locked ahead.
Is it really possible for a mage to run that fast?
She blinked, questioning her own eyes.
Ash wasn't using any spells, nor using any equipment. He was just… running. And still, he was faster than many students they had seen in classes.
And yet, more than speed, it was the presence and charisma he carried that made her heart race.
What was that lightning streak earlier? How did he even move like that? Was he always hiding this kind of strength...?
A flood of questions crashed through her thoughts, but she forced herself to stay calm. This wasn't the time to lose focus.
She clenched her fists tighter and forced her curiosity down into the back of her mind, saving it for later—for a moment when they weren't staring death in the face.
Then, her eyes widened again.
Ash, still running, raised one of the glowing spheres of crackling lightning, where unstable cores were spinning inside, arcs of electricity snapping out in every direction like they were hungry to destroy.
The way it hummed in his grip… like it was barely being contained.
And then—
He threw it.
The orb cut through the air like a meteor from the gods. It lit up the hall as it crossed the air, leaving behind a trail of blue-white light like it was tearing through the very sky.
The demon raised his hand slowly, as if this attack was just another annoying fly buzzing near his ear.
"Curse of Nullification," he muttered, voice low but clear.
And in that instant, Grace's heart dropped.
Oh no—!!
"That won't—!"
The words got stuck in her throat.
She wanted to scream—It won't work! Think of something else!—but the words never left her lips.
Because a heartbeat later—
BOOOOM!!!
A blast of thunder exploded outward, rattling the earth beneath her feet. A blinding flash lit up the entire battlefield, white and electric-blue and absolute.
Grace's eyes snapped wide, round and stunned like an owl caught in headlights.
So did everyone else's.
She didn't even realize her hands had stopped glowing.
She wasn't the only one frozen.
All across, everyone including Zerak stared at the place where Miraak had stood—some with awe, some with confusion, and many with disbelief.
She blinked hard, regaining focus as her lips trembled with a whisper.
"…that wasn't supposed to work…"
It wasn't supposed to be possible.
No one expected that kind of power from someone ranked dead last.
***
I knew it. It worked… heh.
Ash smirked mentally, even if it was faint. Deep down, he hadn't been sure—whether the curse immunity granted by the Rune of Life applied to his mana as well.
But seeing the aftermath of the explosion, he finally had confirmation.
The Curse had failed to nullify his spell.
And that meant... his spell and power, however limited, had just broken through the ability of one of the 7 Overlords.
Without losing momentum, Ash dashed straight into the smoke and dust that still covered the surroundings like a thick blanket. His eyes narrowed as he spotted a blurry silhouette ahead—a figure half-hidden in the fog.
He didn't wait.
Without pause, he threw his second Lightning Sphere, It left his hand with a sharp crack, flying through the air like a bolt of divine punishment.
The way it moved, crackling with arcs of light and storm, it almost looked like a Rasengan— as if Naruto had charged it with fury instead of wind.
BOOOOOOM!!!
Another blast echoed across the field.
Another roar of thunder cracked through the air, louder and sharper than the first. The shockwave scattered the dust, revealing the chaos within.
Ash had already deactivated Omni Thought the moment he launched the second orb.
It had only been around 10 seconds, but his head was throbbing like a war drum. His vision blurred at the edges, and his breathing grew uneven.
Still, he bit down hard on his tongue, forcing himself to stay awake.
As the smoke began to thin, he saw it.
Miraak—now surrounded by a cracked, trembling black barrier.
Thin glowing lines spiderwebbed across it, signaling it was close to breaking. And within seconds, with a brittle cracking noise, 5he barrier shattered with a sound like brittle bones.
But behind it… was another barrier. Smaller and stronger
And when that one dropped too, Miraak's battered figure was revealed at last.
His body was bloodied, skin scorched, and there was a deep wound size of circle on his stomach, though he had managed to block the second sphere, the first had struck him directly—his arrogance had cost him, and now, it showed.
"HOW DARE THIS LITTLE BUG—!" Zerak roared in fury, his face contorted with rage as he took a step forward.
But before he could charge at Ash, a new group cut into his path—Ray, Irvin, Ethan, and other second-year students surged in from the side.
"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" Irvin growled, appearing right at Zerak's flank.
His body was healed, almost fully recovered.
As the son of a Saint, he had access to high-grade recovery potions, and during the moment Miraak was injured and Zerak was distracted, he—along with Ray and Ethan—had used that chance to recover.
Irvin's legs were wrapped in rock and metal, hardened like a living weapon. With a shout, he spun and struck Zerak's side with a brutal kick.
BAAM!!
Zerak staggered from the impact, gritting his teeth. His focus, which had been entirely on Ash, shattered.
Still, that moment was enough.
Ray flickered through the space between them, the signature ripple of Flicker Step tearing the space as he appeared before Zerak in an instant. His blade gleamed with spatial energy.
"Void Severance!!"
Zerak barely managed to cross his arms to defend. The impact carved deep into his flesh—dark blood sprayed out, splashing across the floor. The sheer force pushed him back, his boots skidding along the ground.
Before he could stabilize—
Whoosh!
An Ice Spear which was cast by second year student cut through the air toward his face, forcing him to react. He slapped it aside with a contemptuous backhand—CRACK!—shards exploding outward.
But it was never meant to hit.
It was bait.
"Shadow Step."
Ethan leaped from the darkness, twin daggers glowing. He struck exactly where Ray's blade had landed—right into the open wound.
"ARGHHHH!!"
A guttural cry ripped from Zerak's throat. His body twisted in pain.
Before he could retaliate, Ethan vanished again—shadow to shadow—reappearing beside the others, smirking.
"Don't even think about ignoring us, you oversized freak!" Irvin shouted, rage burning in his eyes.
Zerak's eyes burned with unholy fury.
His brother was injured. His pride was shattered. And now—now—he was being held back by a group of children?
His voice cracked like thunder.
"YOU FILTHY BUGS!!!"
***