The battle raged on, the forest clearing transformed into a maelstrom of clashing powers and desperate maneuvers. Shadar and Lyra stood at the forefront of the assault, their long-range attacks forming a relentless barrage against Professor Willow. Shadar’s moonlit arrows pierced the dim canopy, each shot precise and deadly, while Lyra’s arcs of lightning crackled through the air, illuminating the chaotic dance of light and shadow. Their synchronized strikes forced Willow to shift his defenses constantly, each attack was calculated to exploit any fleeting weakness.
Close by, Alice, Isaac, and Markus engaged Willow in fierce melee combat, their combined efforts a testament to their unwavering determination. Alice moved with lethal grace, her katana slicing through the air in fluid, deadly arcs, each strike aimed to find a chink in Willow’s seemingly impenetrable armor. Isaac, now partially fused with the Terror Drake, unleashed a series of fiery punches and shadowy assaults, his draconic enhancements amplifying his offensive capabilities. Markus manipulated his Compass ability precisely, redirecting Willow’s spear thrusts and creating openings for his allies to exploit. Together, their coordinated attacks sought to break through the Sentinel’s formidable defenses, each blow a desperate bid for victory.
Meanwhile, Karma and June maintained their crucial support roles amidst the chaos. Karma deftly debuffed Willow’s powers, his Stockpile ability siphoning energy from the battlefield to weaken the Sentinel’s formidable aura. Each debuff he applied chipped away at Willow’s overwhelming strength, allowing their comrades to press forward with renewed vigor. Beside him, June focused on healing and sustaining the group, her phoenix flames radiating soothing warmth that mended wounds and quelled the burning pain inflicted by Famine’s curse. Her wings unfurled gracefully, a beacon of hope and resilience amidst the turmoil.
Charlotte hovered on the periphery, her presence a silent testament to her internal struggle. Fear of inadvertently weakening Shadar kept her abilities restrained, her usually fluid movements stilled by hesitation. Despite her hesitance, her eyes remained sharp, watching for any opportunity to aid her allies without compromising their fragile advantage.
A tense silence enveloped the forest clearing, broken only by the distant crackle of magical energy and the heavy breaths of the combatants. Shadar stood poised, his eyes scanning Professor Willow with unwavering focus. His hand hovered near his bow, ready to unleash another deadly arrow.
“Charlotte, on my signal, use your ability. Alice, be prepared,” Shadar ordered, his voice steady yet commanding.
Charlotte hesitated, glancing between Shadar and the formidable Sentinel. “Are you sure? This will temporarily weaken your trump card.”
Shadar nodded firmly, his expression resolute. “Even though I blocked the moon, your ability is equally a counter to his. Let’s create an eclipse.”
Alice tightened her grip on her katana, her eyes reflecting a mixture of determination and anxiety. The rest of the group could sense the gravity of the impending maneuver, the air thick with anticipation.
Shadar took a deep breath, then moved with swift precision. In a fluid motion, he leapt towards Willow, dark energy swirling around him. With a swift slash, he forged a blade of shadows, aiming to catch Willow off guard and slash at his back.
“Now, unleash your trump card,” Shadar commanded, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade.
Charlotte stepped forward, her hands glowing with latent power. “Ability, Nova Empress, now be burned by my Trump Card, Red Like Roses,” she intoned, her voice steady despite the stakes.
Instantly, the sky above them ignited with a searing light as a massive, burning sun manifested, its oppressive heat radiating across the entire forest. The air shimmered with intense heat waves, and the ground beneath their feet began to sizzle. Countless miniature sun-flowered petals bloomed rapidly throughout the clearing, each petal a radiant sun in miniature form.
The overwhelming light cast intricate shadows that danced and intertwined, rapidly amplifying Alice’s Shadow Puppet ability and Isaac’s shadow dragon lineage. The shadows thickened, intertwining with the darkness of Shadar’s Black Sorrow, which now reflected the intense light, creating an intricate tapestry of shadows that engulfed Willow.
Though the area was no longer shrouded in pure darkness, the strategic eclipse disrupted Willow’s control over the moon. Under these conditions, his powers were stifled, rendering him unable to draw strength from the lunar energy he so heavily relied upon.
“How wonderfully clever,” Professor Willow taunted, a twisted smile curling his scarred lips. “Oh, this year is going to be fun. You’ve done well so far. Everyone in this battle is already guaranteed acceptance, so let’s fight to our hearts’ content. Please, do survive my next attack.”
With a flourish of his dark regalia, Willow’s voice resonated ominously through the forest clearing. In an instant, the ground convulsed as numerous spears erupted like deadly geysers, thrusting toward the combatants with lethal precision. The sky seemed to darken as these weaponized spikes rained down, transforming the once serene exam site into a nightmarish arena of death.
The air filled with the acrid scent of metal and blood as the spears plunged into the earth and flesh alike. Anyone not actively engaged in the battle, and those not concealed within Alice’s protective shadows, were swiftly eliminated as the spears found their marks with ruthless efficiency. The forest echoed with the sickening thuds of bodies meeting deadly projectiles, the ground slick with fresh blood and torn foliage.
Within the group, panic and adrenaline surged as they struggled to evade the onslaught. Isaac attempted to defend himself, but a spear tore through his side, violently ripping off his arm. Blood sprayed across the clearing, and with grim determination, Isaac gritted his teeth, channeling his powers to rapidly heal the severed limb. The wound closed with a burst of crimson energy, leaving him breathless but whole once more.
Markus faced a spear aimed directly at his eye. Despite his best efforts to shield himself, the projectile struck with brutal force. Markus was violently teleported back to the auditorium just before he would have been killed by the spear.
Charlotte barely had time to react. One of her majestic angelic wings was impaled by a spear, pinning her to the ground. Agony coursed through her as she struggled against the unyielding force holding her in place, her wings drooping helplessly as she tried to free herself.
Shadar wasn’t spared either. A spear stabbed deep into his leg, sending him crashing to the ground with a guttural cry of pain. His leg twisted unnaturally beneath him as he tried to crawl away, blood pooling around his limp form.
Meanwhile, Karma stepped forward to shield June, his own arm thrust in front of her as a spear found its mark. The pain radiated through his body, the cold steel tearing through his flesh, but his resolve never wavered. Despite the piercing pain, he maintained his protective stance, ensuring June remained unharmed.
“So seven remain,” Professor Willow taunted, a sinister grin spreading across his scorched face. “How odd. The exam should have ended by now. What an odd trick—tell me, where are you hiding them?”
Charlotte and Shadar stood defiantly, their eyes blazing with determination. “Go to hell!” they shouted in unison, their voices echoing through the tense silence of the battlefield.
In response, the sky darkened as a torrent of arrows—crafted from blazing sun and shadowy darkness descended upon them. The arrows shimmered with elemental fury, each one a deadly blend of light and dark energy, seeking to eliminate Willow with unerring precision. The ground quivered under the sheer force of their impact, sending shockwaves through the forest clearing.
Willow laughed, the sound echoing ominously as he surveyed the chaotic scene. “So one of you is hiding them, ensuring the exam doesn’t end yet. Fine, I’ll eliminate each of you.”
Isaac stepped forward, his eyes filled with a mix of rage and resolve. “Terror Drake, release,” he commanded, unfusing the demonic entity bound to him. The Terror Drake surged forward, a fearsome beast of shadow and flame, aimed directly at Willow. Its eyes burned with malevolent energy, and its claws gleamed with dark power. But with a swift, effortless motion, Willow’s spear sliced through the demon, cutting it in half and sending it disintegrating into a dark mist that dissipated into the air.
“Whoever it is, thanks,” Isaac laughed bitterly, adrenaline fueling his next move. “I’m making sure we beat this bastard.” Without hesitation, he charged at Willow.
With a mere snap of his fingers, Willow summoned two massive spears from the earth. The ground trembled as the weapons erupted, each spear finding its target with lethal accuracy. Charlotte and Shadar were pierced instantly, their bodies sent back to the auditorium in a flash of dark energy. Their screams echoed briefly before being swallowed by the oppressive atmosphere Willow commanded.
Isaac, momentarily stunned by the loss of his comrades, recovered swiftly. As he lunged to attack Willow once more, countless ghoul hands materialized around him, launching relentless strikes. Isaac dodged and weaved through the onslaught, the spectral claws scraping against his armor. Despite his agility, Willow was always one step ahead, his movements a blur of dark grace.
In a split second, Willow delivered a crushing kick to Isaac’s stomach, sending him sprawling backward. Pain radiated through Isaac’s core as he gasped for breath, the force of the blow momentarily halting his advance. Willow stood tall, eyes gleaming with dark amusement, savoring the struggle of his remaining opponents. The forest seemed to hold its breath, the air thick with the scent of scorched earth and the metallic tang of blood.
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Karma and June remained in the background, their roles as support critical yet perilous. Karma continued to debuff Willow’s powers, each siphoning a bit of energy weakening the Sentinel further, while June focused on healing their wounded allies, her phoenix flames casting a warm, healing glow amidst the surrounding darkness.
Blood dripped from Isaac’s head, each drop a stark reminder of the brutal confrontation he’d endured. His vision swam with darkness, the world around him a hazy blur. Summoning every ounce of willpower, he forced himself to stand, his legs trembling beneath him. As his eyes adjusted, he scanned the clearing, his gaze landing on the remaining allies, Lyra, Karma, June, and Alice.
“I really hate this,” Isaac groaned, frustration lacing his voice. “Honestly, every damn plan has gone through the fucking window.”
Karma chuckled, a hint of mischief in his eyes. “Oh no, here comes his bad temper.”
Isaac glared, his pain momentarily forgotten. “For fuck’s sake, this exam is bullshit. How many goddamn abilities are you going to bring out? Honestly, if you’re this strong while sealed away, how am I ever going to kill those damn Crows?”
Professor Willow stepped forward, his presence commanding and unsettling. “The Crows? That’s your goal in all this. How fascinating,” he remarked, bowing mockingly. “I’ll tell you the truth—I used to be a member. Codename, Judge.”
Isaac’s eyes narrowed, hatred simmering beneath his weary exterior. “W-what? What did… you say?”
Karma raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing in his gaze. “Oh no, here we go.”
Willow continued, his voice smooth and controlled. “Though I joined about a week after the incident, I was indeed a member of the Crows. I ended up leaving due to… circumstances.”
Isaac’s fists clenched, his resolve hardening. “But you’ve seen him, haven’t you? Their leader?”
Willow’s laugh was dark and hollow. “I’ll tell you what I know if you can actually beat me.”
Without waiting for a response, Isaac staggered forward, his stamina waning but his determination unwavering. He charged at Willow, the remnants of his strength fueling his assault.
Alice swiftly acted, weaving shadows around Willow’s ankle to immobilize him. Together, Isaac and Alice launched their attacks. Alice’s katana sliced through the air, aiming for Willow’s head, but he deftly blocked her strikes. Isaac, drawing upon his ability, formed a razor-sharp blade and thrust it toward Willow’s torso. Despite his efforts, the blade glanced off Willow’s formidable armor, failing to pierce through.
“Alice, step back. Trust me. Lyra, one more,” Isaac commanded, his voice strained but resolute.
Alice leaped back, eyes darting between Isaac and Lyra, while Lyra’s expression mixed nervousness with fierce determination. She began to channel her energy, preparing for a decisive move. Meanwhile, Karma positioned himself, ready to unleash his Stockpile ability for one last Skyfall.
Isaac dashed forward, summoning a swarm of mid-class ghouls to bind Willow. He conjured two additional blood blades, their crimson edges gleaming ominously as they clashed against Willow’s defenses.
“It’s ready. Get out of the way,” Lyra yelled, her voice cutting through the chaos.
“Just send it, now,” Isaac urged, desperation evident in his tone.
“One more time, Skyfall!” Lyra shouted, her voice echoing with power.
A monstrous bolt of lightning, infused with every hue of the rainbow, tore from the heart of the storm. Pastel cracks of electricity branched outward, each fork shimmering with the combined energies of her dragon heritage and Karma’s Stockpile. In that instant, the storm’s wrath materialized into a cosmic hammer, descending upon Willow with immense force.
The bolt struck him dead-on, bathing the sky in a blinding light that momentarily halted all action. Isaac kicked off Willow, propelling himself backward, trying to dodge the blow. The sheer force of the blow obliterated his legs, sending him sprawling to the ground. Pain radiated through him, each breath a struggle against the agony coursing through his body.
But Willow wasn’t eliminated yet. Severely damaged, he stood tall amidst the devastation, his form battered but defiant. The forest around them seemed to pulse with the aftermath of the unleashed powers, the air thick with tension and the scent of scorched earth.
As the light dimmed, it became clear that both Willow and the remaining students were weakened, their bodies bearing the scars of their relentless battle. Isaac, though incapacitated, remained conscious, his spirit unbroken despite the crippling pain. Willow’s smoldering presence loomed over them, a testament to his enduring resilience.
“I’m… I’m not done yet,” Isaac rasped, his voice trembling with determination as he slammed his hands to the ground. “Summon mid-class demon, Frost Fang!”
A chilling gust swept through the air as icy energy spiraled around him. The ground beneath his feet cracked and frosted over as the summoned demon’s essence fused with his body. His legs morphed, becoming the powerful, lupine limbs of a white wolf. Frosted fur shimmered like crystalline snow, and tendrils of cold energy radiated from his transformed limbs, causing the air to crackle with freezing intensity.
Isaac staggered slightly, his breath labored and his body trembling under the strain. Blood trickled from his eyes, streaking his face like crimson tears. His chest heaved as he steadied himself, his voice a ragged whisper. “I would’ve… loved to summon a high-tier demon… but I barely have the energy for this.”
Willow observed him with a bemused smirk, his expression oozing condescension. “So desperate,” he said, his tone laced with mock pity. He snapped his fingers, the sound sharp and commanding. “What happened that day… it still has quite the leash on you, doesn’t it?”
The ground around them shuddered as a circle of blackened spears erupted from the earth, their jagged edges gleaming ominously in light. The spears formed a menacing ring, isolating the two combatants from the rest of the world. The air inside the arena grew heavier, oppressive, as if the spears themselves carried the weight of countless souls.
Willow stepped forward, his movements slow and deliberate. His piercing eyes locked onto Isaac, and his smirk deepened. “Let’s make this interesting, shall we?” he said, spreading his arms in a mock invitation. “One versus one. No interference. Just you… and me.”
He gave a slight bow, the gesture dripping with theatrical arrogance. “I am Adam Willow, former member of the Crows. The very organization that slaughtered your family.”
Isaac’s fists tightened, his knuckles glowing faintly with frost as his icy legs dug into the ground. The tension between them was palpable, the chill of Frost Fang’s energy clashing with the suffocating heat of Willow’s malevolence.
“Come at me, brat,” Willow taunted, his smirk twisting into a sinister grin. “Show me the strength of your rage.”
Isaac’s icy legs propelled him forward with blinding speed, the frost beneath his feet cracking and scattering shards of ice in his wake. His eyes burned with fierce determination as he closed the distance between himself and Willow.
Willow’s smirk widened. With a casual wave of his hand, a dark, malevolent aura coiled around his spear before surging forward in a sickly wave.
Isaac’s demonic eye flared, its emerald glow intensifying as he read the flow of Willow’s movements. With a deft sidestep, he narrowly avoided the curse, feeling its cold, withering energy graze the air beside him. The ground where it struck instantly withered, leaving a patch of dead earth.
“Nice try,” Isaac growled, skidding to a halt. He raised his hand, summoning a swarm of low-class bat demons. The air filled with the sound of leathery wings and shrill screeches as the creatures materialized around him, their forms semi-translucent and flickering like shadowy apparitions.
“Go!” Isaac commanded, his voice sharp. The bats dove at Willow, their forms twisting erratically as they aimed to overwhelm him.
Willow’s expression didn’t falter. With a graceful step backward, he wove through the chaotic swarm, his movements impossibly fluid. Each bat that neared him disintegrated with a mere flick of his hand, their dark energy dissipating like smoke. “A distraction, how quaint,” Willow muttered.
From the other side, Isaac sprang into action, his icy legs leaving a frosty trail as he moved. In his hand, a blade formed from his own blood, its crimson edge pulsing with energy. He closed in on Willow, swinging the blood sword in a powerful arc aimed at his opponent’s blind spot.
Willow’s sharp instincts saved him. With a swift leap, he ascended into the air, narrowly avoiding Isaac’s strike. As he hung momentarily gazing down at his opponent, his smirk returned. “You’ll have to try harder than that,” he said mockingly.
Willow’s hair writhed unnaturally, lengthening and twisting like serpents. From the strands, jagged spears formed, their metallic surfaces gleaming ominously. “Let’s see how you handle this,” Willow said, launching the spears downward in a deadly rain.
Isaac’s demonic eye flared once more, analyzing the incoming projectiles with rapid precision. “Living Weapon,” he growled, his voice tinged with exertion. The air around him shimmered as a mid-class demon materialized—a massive, humanoid figure made entirely of shifting black metal. The demon’s body morphed seamlessly into a towering shield that Isaac used to block the onslaught.
The spears struck the Living Weapon with deafening clangs, their impact sending shockwaves through the ground. Despite the relentless assault, the demon shield held firm, its surface rippling as it absorbed the force of the attacks.
As Willow descended, the spears from his hair dissipated, leaving him vulnerable mid-air. Just as Isaac prepared to counter, a strange, soft texture appeared around Willow’s body. Wool, ethereal and glowing faintly, materialized, cushioning his fall. He landed gracefully, the wool dispersing as his feet touched the ground.
“As I said, how many damn abilities do you have?” Isaac asked, his voice laced with frustration as he wiped sweat from his brow.
Willow tilted his head, a small smirk playing on his lips. “More than enough to keep you on your toes,” he replied smoothly.
Isaac’s gaze faltered for a moment, his breath hitching as a faint whisper brushed against his ear. “Hey, Isaac... kill him. Kill him.”
His body stiffened, his grip on his blood-forged weapon tightening. Another voice followed, louder this time, a sinister echo that seemed to come from within. “Do it, Isaac. Stab him. Over and over.”
His vision blurred, the edges of his sight darkening as the voices grew more insistent. Isaac swayed slightly, struggling to keep his balance. “Maybe Karma’s right,” he muttered under his breath, his tone tinged with exhaustion. “Going multiple years without sleep really does mess with you.”
Willow raised an eyebrow, his smirk fading slightly as he noticed Isaac’s unsteady stance. “Are you... good?” he asked, his usual calm giving way to a flicker of genuine concern. “Maybe you should just give up and go see Doctor Sanguine. You look like you’re about to keel over.”
“It’s fine,” Isaac said through gritted teeth, his jaw tightening as he shook his head, trying to clear the fog from his mind. “I just need to ignore the voices. They... show up sometimes.”
The whispers grew louder, overlapping into a cacophony of malevolent intent. “Kill him, Isaac! He’s one of them. He deserves it. Kill him!”
Isaac’s hands trembled, his grip faltering as the weight of the voices bore down on him. The air around him seemed heavier, pressing against his chest like an invisible force.
Willow’s expression softened into something resembling pity. “That’s definitely not normal,” he said, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “You know, this place should really invest in a psychiatrist.” He gestured vaguely at Isaac.
Isaac’s vision cleared for a moment, and he locked eyes with Willow. The voices still screamed in his head, but he forced himself to focus. “I’m fine…perfectly fine,” he said, his voice low and resolute, though the cracks in his composure were evident.