The forest was steeped in cold, damp air that seemed to seep into the body. A heavy, unpleasant silence enveloped the surroundings, interrupted only by the faint rustling of leaves underfoot and distant sounds of the woods. Isaac led the way, his steps brisk and tense, his whole demeanor radiating frustration. His face was marked with anger, and his clenched fists betrayed thoughts that churned in his mind, pushing his patience to its limit.

Suddenly, he halted abruptly, spinning around at the sound of Cornell’s voice behind him.

"We’re going back," Cornelius announced firmly, crossing his arms over his chest. His tone was unyielding, almost cold. "Jian can handle it on his own. We’ll only get in his way."

The words struck Isaac like a blow to the stomach. He stared at Cornelius, trying to comprehend how he could say something like that.

"We can’t leave her!" he erupted, his voice trembling with emotion. "Lucy is one of us. She’s part of the guild!"

"The guild member..." Cornelius sighed, shaking his head. His gaze was filled with resignation but also cold calculation. "This isn’t our fight anymore. Those people are after her, Isaac. It’s about her past, and we shouldn’t get involved."

Isaac stepped closer, his fists clenching even tighter. Determination burned in his eyes, mixed with fury.

"Do you really think that?" he asked with palpable reproach. "We’re friends! You don’t abandon friends like that."

Cornelius raised his eyebrows, a cold smirk crossing his face.

"Friends? I never considered you guys my friends," he said curtly. His voice was calm, almost devoid of emotion, which only infuriated Isaac further. "You and Lucy are just teammates to me. Nothing more."

Cornell’s words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Isaac. He blinked, as if unable to believe what he’d just heard. Yet his face showed no anger. Instead, it took on a stony expression, as though he’d built a wall around himself to block out anything more.

"So that’s how it is? Fine," he said quietly, his voice almost devoid of emotion. "Go back on your own. I’m going after Jian."

Without waiting for a response, he cast Cornelius one last look, filled with sorrow, then turned and strode ahead, disappearing among the trees.

Cornelius stood silently, watching Isaac’s figure fade into the distance. A shadow of hesitation crossed his face. For a moment, it seemed he might say something, but he quickly turned back toward the camp, clenching his jaw and suppressing uneasy thoughts.

The tension-filled silence of the forest returned, but the lingering discord between them hung in the air like an echo of their recent confrontation.

An old, abandoned railway station in the forest exuded a gloomy atmosphere. Rusty tracks and overgrown platforms seemed to be witnesses to past tragedies, forgotten by time. Inside one of the buildings, a masked man carried the limp body of a girl and laid her on a stone table. The interior felt claustrophobic, the walls adorned with shimmering symbols that pulsed faintly, and the air was thick with the acrid scent of burning herbs mingled with the dampness and mold.

A woman who appeared to be in charge looked at the unconscious girl with an expression of fanatic care. Her voice, soft and almost soothing, contrasted sharply with the cruelty of her intentions.

"Don’t worry, my child," she whispered, gently brushing the girl’s hair with her hand. "Soon, we’ll all be together again."

At her signal, another masked man approached the table, holding a ceremonial dagger. The blade gleamed ominously, and his hand gripped the hilt firmly, awaiting her command. The woman nodded, and the man raised the blade over the girl’s neck.

Before he could make the first move, the door burst open with a bang. A surge of intense energy swept through the air as Jian appeared in the doorway. His gaze was focused, his braid levitating slightly as if moved by an unseen wind. At its end glowed a circle of spiritual energy, casting vibrant red reflections on the walls.

"Stop this immediately," he said, his tone calm but icy and resolute.

In response, the masked people charged at him with swift, coordinated movements. But Jian moved with the grace and precision of a master. Spinning on his heel, his braid, reinforced by a sudden increase in weight, lashed out like a steel whip, taking down two assailants. In another fluid motion, he brought down a heavy wooden beam, pinning two more beneath it.

The masked leader, seeing the power of his opponent, ordered the others to attack in unison. Jian, however, held his ground. Concentrating, he touched several attackers with his fingertips, transferring his energy to them. They felt their legs grow heavy as lead, nearly rooting them to the ground.

Jian used the moment of disorientation to leap over one of the attackers. His braid moved like a living thing, striking down opponents in rapid succession. Still, the number of attackers seemed unending, and the woman at the table ordered the ritual to continue.

At that moment, Isaac burst into the room, his breath labored, and his face filled with determination. He took in the scene – Jian battling overwhelming odds, the masked woman, and the unconscious Lucy on the stone table.

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"What are you doing here?!" Jian shouted, barely fending off another attack.

"I couldn’t leave her!" Isaac yelled back, charging toward the table.

Jian, seeing his resolve, grabbed his arm and, with a swift motion, reduced his weight to hurl him toward the girl. Isaac landed lightly beside the table, ignoring the pain from the fall.

"Stop them while I finish these!" Jian commanded, refocusing on the fight.

Isaac quickly got to his feet, facing the masked woman. Her gaze was icy, almost indifferent.

"Why did you kidnap her?!" he demanded, trying to block her movements.

The woman smirked mockingly.

"It's not a kidnapping, it's a surprise adoption!" she replied with a clear note of irony.

"You’re completely insane!" shouted Isaac, trying to stop the man standing next to him, but the woman wouldn’t let him.

Meanwhile, the ritual had already begun. The masked man leaned over Lucy, the blade of a ceremonial dagger gleaming in his hands. He focused his energy, immobilizing the girl, who was unable to move. Then, with near-ritual precision, he began carving intricate symbols into the nape of her neck, guiding the blade along her skin. Each cut resembled a fragment of a mysterious pattern, and Lucy’s body jerked violently with every movement of the knife.

Lucy suddenly snapped out of her stupor, letting out a scream filled with pain and terror that echoed off the walls. Blood began to stream down her neck, staining the stone table scarlet.

The attacker continued, seemingly unfazed by her suffering. The dagger, guided with precision, etched the final lines of the symbol. At last, the man raised the blade high, ready to deliver the final blow – to drive it into her back and complete the ritual.

But before he could strike, his body suddenly stiffened. The blade froze mid-air, and his eyes widened in shock. Moments later, he collapsed to the ground, lifeless, a small hole in his head emitting a faint trail of smoke.

Isaac turned toward the doorway, where Cornelius stood, holding a glowing spiritual sniper rifle.

"I knew you couldn’t handle this without me" he said, smirking.

The enemies, seeing their comrade’s death, began to retreat. The woman who had just been fighting Isaac cast him one last icy glare before fleeing through a side exit.

Jian exhaled heavily, then looked at his companions.

"We’re leaving. We need to inform the school and the authorities" he said, his voice firm.

Isaac lifted the unconscious Lucy into his arms.

"You’re safe now" he whispered to her before she lost consciousness again.

The trio left the building, unaware of the man who had been there all along, silently observing. Leaning against a wall, he held a phone displaying a chat from the NoHealing guild.

"Things are getting interesting" he murmured with a smile, glancing at the messages.

When they returned to the camp, tension hung in the air. Lucy was still unconscious, her breathing shallow. Barbara immediately began tending to her wounds in one of the abandoned buildings they had converted into a makeshift base. Her delicate hands moved with precision, her face a picture of intense focus and care. Jian watched for a moment before stepping outside to contact the director.

After a brief phone call, Jian returned to the others.

"The director knows everything" he announced curtly. – The trip has been canceled. We’re heading back to the city, but not until morning. A vehicle will pick us up at dawn. Stay vigilant; the enemies might return at any moment.

The night was slowly drawing to a close, and the group huddled in the building, trying to recover their strength. Isaac, however, unable to sit still, stepped outside. He leaned against the wall of the old house, staring into the darkness of the forest. His thoughts lingered on the events that had unfolded.

"What are you doing out here?" a calm voice sounded behind him.

Isaac turned to see Cornelius approaching with a nonchalant expression.

"I thought you preferred being alone" Isaac said, though his tone was warm. "Thanks for showing up back there. Without you… I don’t know if we could’ve handled it."

Cornelius shrugged as if what he had done wasn’t a big deal.

"I’m not going to pretend I didn’t do anything" he said with a faint smile. "But seriously, those guys were strong if even the instructor couldn’t handle them."

Isaac looked at him with curiosity.

"That weapon… Where did you get it? I’ve never seen anything like it before."

Cornelius sighed, leaning against the wall next to him.

"I’ve been able to summon it for a while now. I just never saw the need to show it" he replied calmly. "Every awakened individual has the ability to summon their spiritual weapon. Its form depends on what’s imprinted in their soul. In my case, it was a sniper rifle. That’s what they say, anyway… but I don’t believe in fairy tales about souls. I think awakening is just human evolution."

Isaac pondered his words, staring into the distance.

"I see. Everyone has their own way of seeing the world, but it’s really fascinating… Maybe one day, I’ll summon mine."

Their conversation was interrupted by a third voice.

"Everything all right?" asked Simon, stepping out of the building. His calm and composed demeanor was like a balm for the tense atmosphere.

"All good" Cornelius replied with a nod.

A silence settled over them, each of them contemplating what the next day might bring. But the moment of peace didn’t last long, as the sound of an engine echoed in the distance. When they looked toward the forest, they saw an armored bus slowly approaching, its headlights cutting through the darkness.

"Time to head back" Simon said, turning toward the entrance to inform the others.

Isaac and Cornelius stood silently for a moment longer before following him, ready to face whatever awaited them in the city.