122 TAKING HEADS FOR THE DEAN
"Damnit, we're surrounded by the stupid conjurations!" one of the enemy fighters yelled, desperation creeping into his tone as the ravenous hounds pounded their conjured shields.
"Hold the line! They can't break through the shield!" another replied, though his voice betrayed uncertainty.
But Yun-Yun's lips curled into a chilling smile. "Let's see how long that shield lasts."
"What's taking so long? Finish him off and come help us!" one of the attackers shouted desperately to their leader who was fighting Leo.
"Fools!" the leader barked back, his voice laced with irritation. "So many of you against one, and you still need my fucking help?"
Though his words were harsh, his frustration masked a grim truth—he couldn't afford to split his focus. Leo was proving far harder to defeat than he anticipated.
The leader narrowed his eyes at Leo, his tone turning sharp. "You're just a Tier 2. How is your conjuration this strong? And how in fucking hell can you summon body transformation magic at this tier?"
Leo's lips curled into a cold smile. "Why should I explain anything to you? You won't live long enough."
With that, Leo surged forward, his spectral dragon roaring as it enveloped him in a ferocious charge. The leader braced himself, the bear apparition surrounding his form roaring back, its massive paws raised for a counterstrike.
"Do you honestly think a Tier 2 can break through my body transformation? You must be fucking delusional," the leader scoffed and cursed, confident in his defenses.
But in the next instant, his confidence was shattered.
Leo's claws tore through the bear apparition with pinpoint precision, slicing through its defenses like paper. His attack landed squarely on the leader's chest, his claws sinking deep.
The leader gasped, his voice trembling. "H-How did you...?"
"I can see your weakness," Leo replied coldly.
Leo noticed imperfections in the leader's bear transformation magic as he observed his magic codes. His mastery of the magic wasn't complete, and many parts of the apparition wasn't integrated properly. He hasn't mastered his bear transformation fully yet.
"Even if I have weaknesses in my body transformation you shouldn't be able to break it that easily", he screamed in shock.
"Well, I cheated. I reprogrammed your magic and moved the weaknesses to one spot amplifying its deficiency. With a powerful strike that weak spot could be easily penetrated", Leo murmured to himself.
Leo hacked the leader's body transformation magic, moving and concentrating his weakness in one point (the codes) allowing him to break through his defense easily.
The leader staggered, his expression a mixture of disbelief and pain as blood poured from his wounds. "No... this can't be..." he whispered, before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.
The rest of the group recoiled in horror, their resolve crumbling. "This isn't happening!" one of them screamed as panic overtook them.
By then, Yun-Yun's ravenous hounds had broken through their magic shield.
The spectral beasts surged forward, their jaws snapping and claws tearing into the terrified fighters. Leo joined the fray, his powerful claws slicing through the remaining enemies with merciless efficiency.
One by one, they fell. They were no match for the combined might of Yun-Yun's summons and Leo's ferocity.
As the battlefield fell silent, the scent of blood hung heavy in the air. Suddenly, the shadows seemed to thicken and pulse. Dark, formless beings materialized around the fallen attackers, their movements unnervingly fluid. They descended upon the lifeless bodies, their spectral forms drinking in the blood and essence of the dead.
"You don't have to summon your demon magic this time," Yun-Yun said, her tone firm but edged with concern. "You're not in immediate danger."
Leo sighed, his gaze fixed on the faint traces of demon energy lingering in the air.
"I know," he replied. "But I'm still too weak. Only demon magic can help me grow stronger. Last time, I almost died because I underestimated the dangers of this realm."
His voice grew quieter, yet more resolute. "The next time I face something like that, I might not get out alive. I need demon magic to make me stronger."
But deep down inside Leo's heart, he wasn't thinking about getting strength to preserve himself. It was the desire to gain more power.
"Once you've tasted power, you'll want more."
Yun-Yun studied him for a moment, her expression was unreadable.
She knew the risks—demon magic always carried consequences. But as much as she hated it, she couldn't deny the truth in his words. This realm was dangerous, and survival demanded power.
"I understand. But remember power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. You may not lose your mind and consciousness to a demon, but your mind may be lost to corruption, if you rely too much on your demon magic", Yun-Yun advised.
That was a little too deep for Leo to absorb at the moment.
"We'll deal with it when we come to that", Leo replied confidently.
-----
They gathered the bodies of their fallen enemies, stripping them of treasures and valuables. Once finished, Leo drew his blade and, with swift, precise cuts, decapitated the corpses before storing the severed heads into his magical space.
"Why do you need their heads? It's grotesque," Yun-Yun asked, her face betraying mild disgust.
"It's an order from the dean of the academy," Leo replied without flinching. "I'm tasked with eliminating the geniuses from the rival schools although I wasn't sure if he was serious or just pulling my legs…"
Then he added with a cruel smile, "Since these idiots are already dead I might as well bring their heads back to the dean to scare him for more rewards."
Yun-Yun didn't press further. She knew better than to question the rules of this brutal world. Savagery was the law here, and opposing that current was a fight few could afford.
As they continued looting, Leo's attention was caught by something unusual. He paused, his fingers brushing against an unseen object.
"What's this?" he asked.
Yun-Yun approached, her brows furrowed. "I don't see anything."