The red aura pulsed around the Guildmaster, growing thicker, more intense. The air crackled. Without a word, she moved.She didn't charge recklessly. Instead, she exploded forward, targeting Xander first. Her speed was blinding, the crimson energy trailing behind her like ribbons of light. Her sword became a blur, striking not with brute force alone, but with pinpoint accuracy aimed at perceived weaknesses in his stance.Xander grunted, barely bringing his weapon up in time to parry a strike aimed at his shoulder. Sparks flew as metal clashed. The force of the blow sent tremors up his arm. He staggered back a step, surprise flashing across his face.Claus moved to intercept, his augmented fist swinging in a wide arc. The Guildmaster didn't meet it head-on. She spun away, letting his momentum carry him past, then pivoted instantly, her sword slicing horizontally through the air where he had just been.The blade missed Claus but continued its path, hitting the corner of a nearby ruined

Kyle's vision cleared just in time to see a zombie charging at him, mouth gaping wide, vines pulsing along its rotting face. "The fuck?" he yelped, scrambling to his feet. His head still spun and he nearly toppled over, legs shaky. The zombie lunged, claws out. He twisted his wobbly body, throwing a wild punch. His fist slammed into its jaw with a crack, sending it flying back into a pile of rubble. He blinked, surprised that actually worked, but there was no time to think. Chaos erupted around him. Zombies poured from the streets, attacking anything that moved. Hunters fought back—some slashing with swords, others blasting mana—but a few were still dazed, clutching their heads Those ones didn't last long. A scream cut off as a zombie tore into a fallen Hunter nearby. Kyle scanned the mess for Ken. No sign of him. "Probably helping his team," he muttered, shaking off the dizziness. Then a thought hit him hard ,'Franca.' He bolted toward the building where Layla had taken her, w

A few hours passed before Kyle jerked awake with a splitting headache. He blinked several times, his vision gradually clearing as he took in his surroundings. The abandoned building, the broken zombie corpse nearby, the dried green blood on his knuckles. "Shit," he muttered, pulling himself up and wincing at the pain shooting through his ribs. His mind snapped back to the mission, to Franca, to the tower. He stumbled to the door and burst outside. The streets were empty. No zombies, no Hunters, nothing but silence. "How long was I out for?" He glanced at the sky, trying to gauge the time. The quiet unsettled him. No distant sounds of battle, no roars, nothing. He ran toward the tower, hoping to find the other Hunters there. His legs felt stronger than before, powered by the energy he’d absorbed from the zombie. The streets passed in a blur as he pushed himself faster. When he reached the area where the Guild teams had gathered, he found nothing but signs of battle—broken weapons,

’Ok, this is way more dangerous than whatever I did before, I might even die... well, what the hell, let’s get the show on the roll.’ He thought as he activated his power. The mana running through the connection was fouler than anything he’d absorbed before. It felt like acid burning through his veins, worse than the zombies. Pain shot through every inch of his body. It was like being torn apart from the inside, his cells screaming as the toxic energy flooded in. But he kept pulling, determined not to let up. The zombie remained motionless, watching with empty eyes as Kyle slowly killed himself. His veins began to glow green under his skin, his core reaching capacity far too quickly. "Stop it!" Franca screamed, tears streaming down her face. "You’ll die! Everyone I care about dies. Please, don’t do this too!" Kyle's body convulsed as more mana poured in, but he managed to reach out and take her hand. Blood trickled from his nose and ears, yet he smiled through the pain. "It’s ok,

A woman in a crisp white suit stepped into the medical tent. Two beastmen flanked her—tall, muscular figures with sharp claws and fur rippling over their skin. Kyle had never seen anything like them before. Her voice was soft, almost gentle, but something about her made his spine tingle with unease. She nodded at them. "Greetings." Kyle noticed Reiner and Zara stiffen, bowing their heads slightly. It was weird—too respectful for Guildmasters who ran their own guilds. Who was this woman? She walked toward him, her eyes sharp and curious. "So, this is the rising rookie? Interesting." Her gaze felt like it pierced right through him, like she could see the dual cores humming inside his chest. Then her eyes shifted to Franca’s body on the stretcher. A faint smile curved her lips, as if she sensed something from it. She stepped closer, but Kyle moved in front of her, planting himself between her and Franca. "Don’t," he said, voice low. The beastmen growled, shifting forward