CHAPTER 301: GIANT DEMON WAS DEFEATED.

CRACK.

A sickening sound echoed — ribs snapping like brittle sticks.

The giant demon’s eyes widened. Its entire upper body twisted unnaturally as the force lifted it off its feet.

A shockwave exploded outward.

The demon was blasted backward, smashing through trees, stone, and earth—

Its ribs shattered outward, fragments flying through the air as its body rolled across the valley.

Students shielded their faces from the dust explosion.

"W-what... was that...?"

"He broke its ribs—he sent that monster flying!!"

"Kael... did that?"

Zereth’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"...Interesting."

Kael stood still, fist lowered, breathing hard, his black eyes unfocused as if he still didn’t understand what he had done.

He couldn’t see the demon.

He couldn’t see the shocked faces.

He couldn’t see the fear in the students’ eyes.

Kael’s breath came out in rough, uneven bursts.

The ground beneath him trembled from the impact of his last attack, the Astral Punch that sent ripples through the air and shattered the giant demon’s ribs like brittle twigs.

His eyes, once calm and dull, were now pitch-black voids, reflecting no light, no emotion, nothing but a depthless fury.

People stared, stunned beyond words. Even those who had been screaming moments earlier were silent now.

"W-What is he...?" someone whispered.

"He wasn’t like this before..."

"Kael...? That’s Kael... right?"

Nobody answered. They were too afraid the answer might be no.

Kael didn’t hear any of them. He didn’t see anyone except the towering shadow rising in front of him.

The giant demon—despite the shattered ribs—was not dead.

It forced itself up, growling like an injured beast, claws digging into the ruined ground. Its breathing was ragged, but its eyes burned with hatred.

Kael looked down at his own trembling fist.

(Is this... my raw strength? Is this what I gained after all these days of training?)

His heartbeat felt heavy and slow, as though something ancient was pulsing inside him. A cold, unfamiliar presence stirred—dark, quiet, patient.

Not mana.

Not aura.

Kael didn’t understand it. He didn’t question it either.

A low metallic sound rang out as he reached to the ground and pulled his heavy sword from where it had landed earlier.

The weapon was as large as a grown man’s torso, thick, dense, and heavier than what ordinary students could even lift.

But Kael lifted it effortlessly now, gripping the hilt with one hand before tightening both hands around it.

The blade vibrated faintly... as if resonating with the darkness now coursing through him.

From the side, Elysia stared, goosebumps running across her skin.

"This... this is..." she whispered, unable to finish the sentence.

Cecelia—unconscious on the ground.

Edwin—bleeding, unmoving.

Other students—trembling like leaves.

And Kael...

Elysia swallowed hard, her hands shaking.

(Finally... he is showing his true strength.)

The giant demon roared and charged. Despite its injuries, the creature’s size alone made the ground tremble.

Its footsteps were like thunder, shaking loose stones and debris from the broken buildings around them.

Kael didn’t move.

He simply tightened his grip on the heavy sword.

When the demon was within reach, its claw swung downward, sharp enough to carve through steel.

But Kael stepped to the side—fast, too fast for someone who had been unconscious minutes earlier—and slashed his sword upward. A clean, vicious arc.

CLAAAANG!!

The strike collided with the demon’s arm, cutting deeply. Flesh split, black blood spraying through the air.

The demon roared and swung its other arm, a horizontal strike that would have torn Kael in half.

He ducked under it and slammed the pommel of his sword into the demon’s chin. The monster’s head snapped back with an audible crack.

Kael moved like a shadow.

Students watched with wide eyes, jaws hanging open.

"I’ve never... seen him lift that sword so easily," one whispered.

"That’s impossible. Even third-years struggle with that weapon."

"He’s moving like it’s made of wood..."

Kael leapt forward, swinging the sword again. The blade tore into the demon’s torso, knocking the massive creature backward several steps.

It slammed into a tree, splintering the trunk.

The demon roared and charged again, faster now, desperate.

Kael’s eyes narrowed.

He held the sword low, dragging the heavy blade across the ground. Sparks flew with each step.

The demon’s claw lifted, ready to tear into him.

Kael inhaled sharply—

"ASTRAL SEVERANCE!!!"

He swung.

A black arc ripped through the air—not aura, not mana, just pure force amplified by the dark energy inside him.

The attack struck the demon square across the chest, carving through muscle, bone, and the remnants of armor-like hide.

The demon was lifted off its feet—

Lifted, and thrown backward like a ragdoll.

It crashed into the ground more than twenty meters away, carving a crater into the earth.

Gasps erupted from the students.

"No way..."

"He used a technique... without mana?"

"That’s not possible!"

Elysia covered her mouth, eyes trembling.

(Astral techniques... with no mana...? That’s not a human thing.)

THE DEMON RISES AGAIN

But the fight wasn’t over.

The giant demon groaned, pushing itself up again, shaking with rage. Its body was torn, ribs showing, blood dripping like thick tar.

But it refused to fall.

Kael tightened his grip.

The demon roared and charged one last time, swinging both claws at once. A killing blow.

Kael exhaled, lifting his heavy sword over his shoulder.

"Come," he whispered.

The demon lunged—

Kael stepped inside its attack, both feet planted firmly into the earth.

He threw his head back and screamed:

"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Then—

"ASTRAL... PUNCH!!!"

Kael dropped the sword, pivoted, and slammed his fist into the demon’s abdomen with every ounce of strength he possessed.

The impact was catastrophic.

A shockwave exploded outward. Students were thrown backward. Dust shot upward in a storm.

The demon’s body folded inward as though hit by a collapsing mountain.

And then—

BOOOOOOM!!!

The demon flew back violently, smashing through several boulders, rolling across the ground until its body hit a cliff wall and finally stopped.

For a moment, nothing moved.

Only Kael stood there, chest heaving, fist dripping with black blood.

The giant demon twitched—then went still.

He had killed it.

With nothing but brute force and a fist glowing faintly with dark light.

Students stared at Kael as though seeing him for the first time.

"That... was raw strength?"

"No mana... no aura... just..."

"Is he even human?"

Elysia couldn’t speak. She took one small step back as Kael turned slowly, eyes still pitch-black, expression unreadable.

His chest rose and fell rapidly.

His arms trembled.

He looked like a man at the edge of collapse.

But what scared her most was—

He didn’t look aware of any of them.

"Kael...?" she called softly.

He didn’t respond.

(He’s... somewhere else.)

(Something else has its hands on him.)

Kael staggered forward, barely managing to stay on his feet. The dark power inside him flickered violently.

(...My body... it feels heavy...)

(Did I... really do all that?)

His limbs burned. His breath rasped harshly. Sweat slid down his face, mixing with dust and blood.

He looked at his hands—they were shaking uncontrollably.

But still, he tried to lift his sword again. The weapon trembled in his grip.

One step.

Another.

His vision blurred, but he kept moving, heading toward Cecelia and Edwin.

His knees buckled.

The sword dropped from his hand and slammed into the dirt.

Kael dropped to one knee, breathing loud, harsh, uneven breaths.

Students took a step back instinctively.

"Is... is he okay...?"

"He looks like he’s dying."

"No—look. His eyes..."

Kael lifted his head slightly.

His pitch-black eyes were fading... very slowly... but still dark enough to terrify anyone who met them.

Elysia stepped forward, swallowing her fear.

(I have to stop him from collapsing.)

But before she could reach him—

Kael planted his hand on the ground and forced himself up again.

His body shook violently.

Every movement looked like agony.

But he kept moving.

Crawling toward the unconscious Cecelia first.

(She helped me many times... I should check... if she’s breathing...)

His mind was slow, heavy, fogged. Even his thoughts felt like they belonged to someone else.

But the intention was still there.

He reached Cecelia’s side, touching her arm lightly.

"She’s... alive," he whispered, breath trembling.

Relief flickered across his face—but only for a second.

Because another presence appeared behind him.

A faint echo.

A shadowy pressure.

A whisper.

(More demons...?)

He clenched his teeth, fists tightening.

"I... I can still fight..."

But his body didn’t agree.

Everything inside him screamed in exhaustion.

Still—

Kael forced himself upright once more.

He turned toward the new threat forming in the distance.

"Tsk, tsk... let’s end this very quickly," Zereth murmured.

Kael had just smashed the giant demon into the cliff wall, its lifeless body collapsing in a heap of dust and broken stone.

He stood there breathing hard, chest rising and falling, still gripping his heavy sword with trembling hands.

His vision blurred, his ears rang, but he could still sense danger... somewhere close.

A faint shadow stretched across the ground behind him.

Kael blinked, confused.

Then—

"Kael! Behind you!!"

Elysia’s voice shattered the silence, sharp with fear.

Kael turned slowly, his exhausted body struggling to respond—

And there, standing just a few steps behind him, was Zereth.

Calm. Unmoving. Smirking.

His eyes glowed faintly, staring at Kael the way a predator watches a wounded animal.

Kael’s shoulders stiffened.

His grip tightened.

He didn’t even have the strength to lift the sword properly... but Zereth’s presence alone forced every remaining muscle in his body to react.

And Zereth tilted his head slightly, as if amused to see Kael still standing.

A cruel smile touched his lips.

"Now," Zereth whispered, stepping forward, "shall we begin?"