Chapter 48: The Sound of a Slap and the Roar of Thunder
While the battlefield at the mansion was drenched in blood and magic, a different kind of cruelty was unfolding at the city's Academy.
Hana sat in her math class, her eyes repeatedly drifting to the empty seat next to her. Why didn't Mina come today? she thought, feeling a hollow pit in her stomach. School is so boring without her... and lonely.
"Hana!" the teacher's voice snapped like a whip. "Since you're so busy staring at empty chairs, why don't you come to the board and solve this equation?"
Hana's heart sank. She stood up, her legs feeling like lead, as the whispers started. The classroom was filled with the snickering of girls who had waited for a moment like this.
"Teacher, she doesn't know anything," the class topper mocked, flipping her hair. "Let me do it. Don't waste the class's time on her."
"Quiet," the teacher barked, thrusting a marker into Hana's trembling hand. "Solve it. Now."
Hana stared at the numbers on the board. They blurred and danced before her eyes. She reached out, her mind a blank slate of panic. Ten minutes passed. Twenty. The silence was only broken by the muffled giggles of her classmates.
"I... I don't know how," Hana whispered.
SLAP!
The sound echoed through the room. Hana's head snapped to the side, her cheek burning a bright, painful red. The teacher hovered over her, face contorted in rage. "I've been explaining this for thirty minutes! Are you deaf or just stupid? Get back to your seat!"
Hana didn't cry—not yet. She walked back to her desk, the stinging on her face a bitter reminder of the world's cruelty.
The Cursed Mansion
Back at the mansion, the air was thick with the scent of ozone and death. Ren downed the glowing potion Kimo had given him, feeling a surge of warmth knit his cracked ribs back together. Near him, Lira was leaning heavily on Mika, her face pale but her eyes determined.
"Ren, Mika—stay with Lira!" Kimo commanded.
Adam Lee stepped forward, his aura shifting. Suddenly, his eyes ignited with a piercing Blue Thunder. Static electricity danced across his skin, and with a roar, he leaped into the air. When he landed, the ground shattered under the pressure of his Vane energy.
The lightning discharge was so powerful that one of the Witches was incinerated instantly, her body turning to ash before she could even scream.
The Real Witch—the leader—narrowed her eyes. She flicked her wrist, sending a barrage of cursed knives toward Kimo. Kimo moved with the grace of a seasoned predator, dodging the blades and firing his revolver in one fluid motion. The bullets struck the Witch, forcing her back, her physical form flickering.
Adam lunged again, but the Blue Thunder was fading from his daggers. His movements slowed, his breath becoming labored. "Adam, stop! Don't overdo it!" Kimo warned.
The toll of the Thunder was visible—Adam's vision blurred, and he staggered. Sensing an opening, a Witch appeared behind him, her blade leaving a long, jagged slash across his back.
"ADAM!" Mika screamed.
Ren didn't think. He sprinted forward, his Golden Revolver aimed at the Witch. She dodged his shot with ease, but Kimo was already there. With a cold, calculated strike, Kimo's blade took the Witch's head clean off.
The team was now surrounded by the remaining two Witches. Adam struggled to his feet, clutching his bleeding back, while Lira pushed herself away from Mika. "I can still fight," she hissed.
Lira threw her last enchanted knife at the Real Witch, but the creature simply raised a hand, reflecting the blade back with double the speed. It was heading straight for Lira's chest.
"Lira, move!" Mika dove in front of her, shoving Lira out of the way.
Mika couldn't dodge in time. Three knives buried themselves deep into her arm. She let out a pained cry, falling to one knee. The Real Witch smiled—a twisted, horrific expression.
Ren's eyes turned cold. The sight of Mika bleeding triggered something inside him. He didn't wait for Kimo's command. He charged at the Real Witch, while Kimo and the wounded Adam moved to finish the last servant.