A demonic figure appeared before them. A low-tier demon, its aura thick with malevolence. Despite its rank, its strength was equivalent to a human with Tier 3 body refining.
Kazuki coughed blood from the earlier strain of using a Tier 3 skill, but there was no time to rest.
The demon attacked immediately, relying on brute strength. Elsa, already alert, boosted Kazuki's agility, letting him barely dodge each strike. The demon then unleashed a pulse of dark energy, re-possessing the students and teachers once more.
Kazuki narrowed his eyes. This ends now.
"Elsa, put all my boosts on strength."
"On it!" Elsa responded.
Kazuki's aura flared. As the demon charged, Kazuki didn't dodge this time — he met the attack head-on, channeling every ounce of strength into a single devastating punch. The demon was sent flying, crashing into the wall.
Without wasting a second, Kazuki commanded, "Now, take everything away except Holy Purification!"
Elsa complied. Kazuki's aura shifted from a golden-yellow to a brilliant white as he activated Holy Purification once more. The light engulfed the demon's form, purging it. Demons, being pure evil, didn't survive purification. Its body disintegrated into Spiritual Force, which Kazuki absorbed.
Along with it came a new skill — originally Sinister Manipulation, now transformed through purification into Holy Manipulation. While not as fearsome as its demonic counterpart, it remained a valuable Tier 3 skill.
The school returned to peace. The students and teachers, free from demonic control, looked around in confusion and fear. Panic started to spread as they realized a giant barrier of Spiritual Force still sealed the entire school.
Everyone began to cry out — except Kazuki. He remained calm, clutching his side to conceal the minor injuries from the strain.
He addressed the crowd, his voice steady."Don't worry. In a few hours, when it's time for everyone to go home, our guardians will come for us. And among them is my brother, Arthur. He can easily destroy this barrier."
Hope returned to the terrified faces around him.
Kazuki smiled to himself, already planning what he'd say when Arthur arrived.