Chapter 2337 Backstabber The three Magus handlers stood together, their presence looming over the cave like an ominous shadow. They were part of the same Magus Alliance unit, stationed under the "Starfire" space cruiser, so their familiarity with one another was clear. Their sudden appearance, after all the chaos had settled, only fueled the anxiety of Hall 33's acolytes and half-bloods. Hans, still fuming from his defeat, snarled as he turned toward them. "These... these lowlifes dare to do this to us! Teach them a lesson!" One of the Magus, the handler for the Nephilim acolytes, gave an awkward smile before sighing heavily. "Huh... I thought you were all elite acolytes... how could you lose so miserably?" Hans's face twisted in rage. "You! How dare you speak to me this way! A Magus like you!!! Is this how you act after taking our mon—" Before he could finish his sentence, an invisible force slammed into him, silencing him instantly. His body hit the ground with a dull thud, silencing him. The Magus's demeanor shifted dramatically, his eyes darkening with an intimidating haze. His voice dropped to a dangerous growl. "You should not speak in such a manner... that's disrespectful." As the oppressive atmosphere in the cave thickened, Hardy's anxiety spiked. The realization dawned on him: the three Magus handlers had likely been accepting favors from the Nephilim faction. It was clear now that Hall 33 was in serious trouble. These weren't just ordinary Magus—they were elites, at least in the Half Moon or Full Moon realm. Their power was far beyond what the remaining 20 acolytes could hope to handle. Keeping his outward composure, Hardy reached out to Shinta telepathically. Shinta's reply came calmly, almost too calm for the gravity of the situation. Shinta's voice carried a sigh, filled with the same unwavering resolve she always seemed to have. Hardy, along with the others, had come to trust Shinta's intelligence. Hardy expected her to defuse the situation with clever diplomacy, talking her way out of this situation. But to his utter surprise, when Shinta finally spoke, her voice was filled with a tone so disrespectful it left the entire group stunned. Shinta's cutting words sliced through the air like a blade. "Well, it seems even elite magus can't resist licking boots for the rich... Please tell me, how much are you getting paid for selling your soul? ...Oh... my bad. Judging by your face, it probably wasn't much..." The Nephilim handler let out a chuckle, clearly amused. "Haha! Kids these days, so bold…" He moved as if to retaliate when the magus next to him leaned in and whispered something. "That's the one called Shinta." The words made him pause. His expression shifted briefly as recognition flickered in his eyes. Whatever he had planned initially seemed to change. His eyes gleamed with a sudden realization as he turned to the other handlers and gave a firm nod. "Let's proceed as planned." The magus in charge of Hall 33, who had been lingering near the back, silently moved to guard the cave entrance, his gaze cold and calculating. Meanwhile, the other two magus stepped forward with an authoritative shout. "You lot have endangered your fellow acolytes. We're here to restrain you until the rest of the exam is over!" Their words hit Hall 33's acolytes like a hammer. Kingrig, always fiery in temper, spat in rage. "No, You are not!!" His fists clenched tightly, his body already bristling with energy. The others quickly followed his lead, preparing for a fight despite the overwhelming odds. The tension mounted, with power flaring up from each of them, ready to defend themselves at any moment. In stark contrast, the captured Nephilim acolytes grinned smugly. They could already taste their victory, relishing the thought of seeing their enemies shackled by their own handlers. The battle erupted in a storm of spells and fury. Shinta led her half-bloods group into a confrontation with the Nephilim handler, while Hardy and the other Hall 33 group threw themselves against the second magus. But despite their bravery and strength in numbers, the disparity in power was overwhelming. The magus were leagues above them. Within a minute, half of the acolytes crumbled under the relentless barrage of magical attacks. Powerful spells crackled through the air, cutting down acolytes with ruthless precision. Only the golden-ranked acolytes could withstand more than a single hit, their bodies shimmering with defensive energy, but even they struggled against the overwhelming force. Shinta fought fiercely, every movement sharp and calculated. Rajh, the tiger half-blood, and Kehinde, the wolf acolyte, flanked her, each striking in tandem to keep the Nephilim handler off balance. But it quickly became apparent that something was off—the Nephilim handler attack toward Shinta was laced with lethal intent. Each strike came closer, pushing her to the edge. "Wow, you are seriously corrupt!" Shinta spat between strikes, her voice laced with disgust. "Aren't you afraid of the academy's backlash? They won't let this slide!" The magus chuckled darkly, his lips curling into a wicked grin as he parried her blows with ease. "For a half-blood like you? Not really... besides ...accident tends to happen" His tone was almost gleeful, as if relishing the thought of what was to come. Shinta fought valiantly, but the Nephilim handler's overwhelming power began to take its toll. She dodged and parried as best as she could, but her strength was waning, and it was clear that she was on the brink of being seriously wounded. Just as the handler's spell was about to land, a sudden shift in the battle caught everyone off guard. In an unexpected twist, the ominous magus assigned to Hall 33, who had been standing guard near the entrance, launched a powerful attack—not at Shinta, but at the Nephilim handler. His strike hit with a precision that severely wounded his supposed ally. The betrayal left the other magus reeling, clutching at his injury in disbelief. Before the wounded magus could recover, Shinta seized the opportunity. Her earlier struggles gave way to a sudden, coordinated assault as her half-blood comrades—Rajh, Kehinde, and the others—moved in perfect unison. With their synchronized strikes, they managed to incapacitate the Nephilim handler, their attacks landing with precision. "You…" the handler wheezed, still in shock as he collapsed, his eyes darting between his supposed ally and the half-bloods. "How..?! Why?" Shinta stepped forward with a confident smile, her eyes gleaming. "Backstabber being backstabbed... poetic, isn't it?" With one magus incapacitated and another switching sides, the last remaining magus quickly realized he was hopelessly outmatched. Spells flickered defensively from his hands, but it was futile—he was hopelessly outnumbered. His defenses crumbled as the combined force of Hall 33 and the halfbloods overwhelmed him. The battle was decisively over. Shinta addressed both acolytes and Magus captives, a smirk playing across her lips, her voice filled with amusement. "Well, well… what should we do with you all?"