The ground cracked under the weight of the monstrosity that had emerged. The B+ rank abyssal beast loomed above the ruins, a fusion of sinew and shadow, with jagged protrusions that pulsed with crimson light. Its body shimmered like a nightmare given flesh, and the longer one stared, the more its form seemed to twist and shift, as though reality itself rejected its existence. Its roar split the air, a guttural tremor that shook the broken academy walls, and for a moment it felt as though the entire world held its breath.
Around it, the very sky darkened, clouds spiraling unnaturally as if chained to its will. A suffocating aura pressed down on every living thing in its presence, a tide of despair so heavy that even veteran seniors watching from the shattered courtyard found their legs buckling. This wasn't just another enemy. This was a herald of something far worse.
But amidst the chaos stood Celestial Tempest.
Bolt stepped forward, sparks of electricity crawling across his arms, his aura flaring violently in response to the oppressive abyssal force. His fists were clenched so tightly that blood seeped from his palms, mingling with the arcs of lightning that hissed against his skin. His voice, raw and unwavering, cut through the suffocating silence.
"We're handling this. No one interferes."
The seniors watching from the academy's edges shifted uneasily. Some whispered that Bolt was reckless, others muttered that Celestial Tempest had already suffered enough. But when his eyes locked on them, sharp as lightning and unshakable as steel, no one dared to argue.
This was his promise. His oath. They had chosen this path. And he would see it through.
"Celestial Tempest!" Bolt roared, his voice carrying across the courtyard. "Formation!"
They moved instantly, their bond honed through trial and fire.
Akane's flames flared, igniting around her body, her aura burning with ferocity even as her hands trembled. She charged forward, hurling arcs of fire to harry the beast's movements. Aether leapt upward, winds swirling around him, guiding the team's positioning and trying to offset the suffocating heaviness in the air.
Sylva pressed her palms to the fractured ground, forcing roots and jagged stone to erupt upward, spearing toward the beast's legs to slow its advance. Darian stood at her side, water forming serpentine streams that lashed against its torso, a tide meant to bind and suffocate.
Damian cloaked himself in shadow, eyes narrowed, his powers straining against the deeper abyssal corruption pressing down on him. Ren's blade gleamed in the fading light as he stood ahead of the formation, his stance grounded, steel ready to intercept the beast's strikes.
Valea's hands glowed faintly, threads of light weaving into a shield across the group, a fragile but necessary wall against the creeping despair. And Kaori stood closest to Bolt, her spirit energy rippling like waves, her eyes locked on the monster as if she could sense its every intention.
The beast moved first. Its claw, larger than any man, swept across the field with speed that belied its size. Ren was already there, blade flashing, the impact of steel against abyssal flesh ringing out like a bell. The clash sent him skidding backward across broken stone, his arms shuddering with the force.
"Too strong!" Ren gritted his teeth, steadying his stance again.
Akane surged forward, unleashing a torrent of fire that wrapped around the beast's torso. For a heartbeat, the flames consumed its frame—until it stepped forward, unscathed, its hide blackened but regenerating almost instantly. The fire sputtered as its abyssal aura ate away at her blaze, and Akane's breath hitched.
"It's eating the fire—" she gasped.
Aether's voice cut through, calm even under pressure. "Don't stop. Press harder. It bleeds."
Sylva thrust her hands down again, jagged stone spears piercing through its leg, forcing the beast to stumble a step. Darian's water surged at the same moment, wrapping around the exposed wound, freezing instantly to hold it in place. For a moment, it worked—the monster's body jerking as its movement stalled.
"Now!" Bolt shouted.
He charged forward, lightning exploding around his frame, fire licking his fists. The ground shattered under his steps as he leapt, driving a fist straight into the beast's torso. The impact detonated in a thunderclap, electricity crawling across its body, arcs of flame searing into its flesh. For the first time, the beast let out a shriek of pain.
Bolt landed hard, rolling across stone, his chest heaving. He glanced up just in time to see the crimson light building in its throat.
"Breath attack incoming!" Kaori cried, her spirit senses screaming.
Valea raised both hands, her body glowing with light as she conjured a radiant barrier across the group. The abyssal energy tore forward, a wave of shadow and corruption so violent it warped the air itself. The blast struck Valea's shield, the impact deafening as cracks spidered across the glowing wall. She screamed, forcing every ounce of her strength into holding it.
"Valea!" Darian rushed to her side, weaving streams of water into the barrier, reinforcing it as the blast shook the courtyard.
Bolt clenched his fists, rage burning hotter than the lightning coursing through him. He would not let another teammate fall. He would not let Kairos take anything more from them. He leapt forward again, channeling raw power, his body colliding with the beast's head mid-attack. Lightning and flame exploded outward, disrupting the blast, scattering its corruptive energy across the ruins in jagged bursts.
The monster reeled, but it was not finished. Its arm swept upward, slamming down into the earth with force that sent shockwaves tearing through the academy grounds. Whole buildings collapsed, stone shattering, and screams rose from distant students still evacuating.
Bolt's eyes widened. His rage boiled over. "Enough!"
The Celestial Tempest regrouped, battered but standing. Akane's flames sputtered, Sylva's roots were blackened, Darian's streams faltered, Ren's blade chipped, Damian's shadows trembled, Valea's glow dimmed, Kaori clutched her chest in pain from the beast's aura—and yet still, none stepped back.
Bolt's aura flared like a storm breaking the night. His voice roared across the battlefield.
"We are Celestial Tempest! And as long as we breathe, this academy will never fall! Even if it takes everything we are—we will end this nightmare!"
The seniors watching froze. His words struck something deep within them, admiration piercing through their fear. This was no ordinary student. This was a leader forged by fire, storm, and blood.
The beast roared in answer, crimson light burning brighter in its chest.
Bolt's heart pounded. His teammates' eyes met his, each one battered, bleeding, trembling—but unyielding. They would not retreat.
He surged forward again, arcs of lightning blazing across his frame, flame bursting at his heels. Ren followed with blade raised, Akane's fire surged once more, Aether's winds gathered like a storm, Sylva's roots shot upward, Darian's waves crashed forward, Damian's shadows bound what they could, Valea's light lanced across its wounds, and Kaori's spirit energy wrapped around them all, binding their auras into one force.
Together, they struck.
The impact was cataclysmic. Bolt's storm collided with the beast's chest, their combined forces detonating in a blast that lit the skies. The roar shook the heavens. Dust and light blinded the battlefield. For a moment, hope swelled in every watching heart.
But when the smoke cleared, the beast still stood. Its body smoldered, chunks of shadow peeling, yet its crimson eyes glowed hotter than before. It raised its claw, abyssal flames spiraling around it, preparing its true strike.
Bolt's vision blurred. His body screamed. And still, his eyes burned with fire and lightning.
The battlefield froze.
The beast's claw descended.