Academy War Hall
The high council of all academies gathered under celestial light.
Ancient scrolls spread open. Mana maps glowed across walls.
Master Tian spoke first:
> "The seal trembles. The demon army… grows impatient."
Yooha, standing behind Jin, glanced toward him.
His jaw tightened. His fingers were slightly shaking.
Bo whispered, "This is bad-bad. Like… poop-your-pants bad."
[Training Grounds – Later]
Meiqi created a healing rain over the field. Jin trained in silence, sweat mixing with lightning sparks around him.
But Yooha's blade—Silent Veil—started reacting on its own.
She held it up.
> A crack opened in the blade's gem.
A voice echoed faintly:
"Daughter of the Phoenix, it's time."
Her eyes widened. "Did anyone else—?"
But everyone had stopped.
Because right then—an explosion shook the west gate.
[Attack Begins – Shadow Strike]
Ghost Gordon made the first move.
Masked shadows poured into the academy's outer border.
Jin shouted:
> "TO POSITIONS! NOW!"
Yooha and Meiqi unleashed combo strikes. He Wang's beasts tore through the enemy. Bo… ran straight at them with a frying pan yelling,
> "YOU CHOSE THE WRONG ACADEMY TO MESS WITH!!"
Xie Luang: "Why the pan!?"
Bo: "The blade's getting polished!"
[Jin's Moment]
Jin's lightning turned white-hot.
He leaped into the storm, his blade—Laughing Blade—howling.
Then time slowed.
In that moment, he felt it—
A strike meant for Yooha, sneaking behind her.
He screamed, "YOOHA—!"
Cliffhanger
The screen faded to black with the sound of metal piercing flesh.
Was it her… or him?
Yooha turned, eyes wide, mouth forming his name—
"JIN—
To be continued…