Chapter 389: Dead Immortal Luke’s eyes widened in horror as the Academy barrier collapsed in a single instant, its protective glow breaking apart like shattered glass dissolving into the night sky. The sudden silence that followed hit him harder than any explosion, but he forced his breath to stay steady and composed himself immediately. Shock had no place in a Grand Mage’s mind. Instead, he looked toward Aria with a glare. "I didn’t sense you," he said in a terrifyingly annoyed voice. "Even right now... you have no mana or aura." Aria spun the Reaper Blade lazily in one hand and removed the cigarette with her other hand, puffing off smoke. "I’ve heard quite a lot about you, Grand Mage Luke," she replied with a casual smile. "One of the Empire’s most important mages. A man whose reputation crosses kingdoms. So believe me when I say... I know I can’t defeat you in a fair fight. If it weren’t for all these precious students you’re shielding, I’m sure you would have blown this entire island sky-high by now." Luke didn’t bother responding. Two fingers extended toward her, and in the next moment a massive surge of fire magic engulfed the entire office. The explosion tore the walls apart, shredding ceiling, windows, bookshelves, and floorboards, leaving nothing but an open gash in the building that exposed them directly to the star-filled sky. From this vantage, Luke saw curses flooding onto the Academy grounds now that the barrier was gone, and he instantly questioned why Torrent hadn’t arrived yet. Aria, however, seemed unfazed. She had already appeared beside Ald, the traitor still coughing on the floor. With one smooth motion, she hoisted him over her shoulder like luggage. "But as you can see," she said with a mocking smile, "you’re quite slow. Is it because you’re old?" And before Luke could even blink, her silhouette blurred and vanished, ripping through the hallways with pure physical speed... there was no mana or aura in her movements. Luke could have pursued her. But with dozens of students fighting for their lives below and curses pouring into the Academy now, the choice was obvious. He flew upward, high above the rooftops, and let his eyes close as he drew out torrents of raw mana. The students below paused mid-battle, staring as immense spirals of luminous magic condensed in the sky around him. Curses hesitated, trembled, and backed away instinctively from the overwhelming pressure. He extended a hand and murmured, "Barrier." A radiant dome erupted outward, far stronger and more intricate than the crystal-based one the Academy had relied upon. Curses touching it combusted instantly, their silhouettes dissolving in flames. Luke poured everything into its structure, reinforcing layer after layer. The only drawback was clear... "This one keeps everything outside from coming in," he muttered under his breath, "but I can’t discriminate between Academy residents and outsiders..." He didn’t finish the thought. Something whistled through the air so fast he barely perceived it. He instantly raised a secondary shield, but the strange blade that shot toward him tore through it like paper. The Reaper sword, launched by Nari impaled him directly through the stomach. The pain was unlike anything he had ever felt; it wasn’t just physical agony but the sensation of his very soul being scorched. His barrier flickered, lost structure, and began to collapse. His hands twitched violently when he tried to grasp the blade’s hilt, only for searing pain to tear through his body again, forcing him to let go. The weapon ripped itself out of him, leaving him unable to even summon basic mana. The world tilted and he fell. Sybil caught him before he hit the ground, her wind magic bursting outward in a protective shockwave that flung curses in all directions. She landed with him cradled in her arms and lowered him gently. "Rain! Heal him!" she yelled desperately. Rain slid to Luke’s side, her hands trembling as she pressed them against his chest. Holy light flickered for only a second before dying. Her heart dropped. ’What the hell?’ she thought. [That is the Reaper Curse. Regular Holy magic will not work. You need to use Divinity.] Rain’s pulse spiked. ’Divinity? But I—’ [Your body cannot house it. Even with the highest Holy affinity in this world, you cannot become a divine being.] Rain’s eyes filled with frustration and fear. ’So I can’t save him? Is there no other way?’ she demanded. [I can give you a small amount of my divinity, but your body will experience extreme pain.] ’Do it!’ she answered instantly. There was no hesitation from her. She didn’t ask about consequences. The only way they would survive today is if this Grand Mage was alive... The goddess remained silent, but divine energy plunged into Rain a heartbeat later. It tore through her body like molten metal. Blood flowed instantly from her nose and mouth, and her vision blurred from the internal damage. Even so, she lifted her hands and pressed them to Luke’s chest again, determined not to let him die. Before the healing could take effect, a massive burst of cursed energy exploded across the courtyard. Sybil shielded Rain and the other girls using her wind magic as the smoke cleared to reveal Nari stepping in as if strolling through a park. She held her umbrella lightly above her to avoid the cursed blood raining from the blast. Aria stood beside her, dragging Ald along like a useless doll. The battlefield froze under Nari’s gaze. "Ah..." Nari said, her eyes flicking from Rain’s bleeding face to Luke’s collapsing state. A spark of curiosity appeared in her eyes then she knelt gracefully. "Grand Mage Luke, I imagine you didn’t expect to find yourself in such a situation. I can remove this curse from your body, you know. And your student..." She smiled slowly. "Lorraine. Remember her? We have her." Luke’s eyes widened. Every instinct in his body screamed that Nari was a devil wearing human skin. "Now," she continued, her voice was venomous, "be a good boy and assist us, or all the students here will—" Her expression faltered as all curses in the vicinity began popping. "What the hell...? What happened to Hex?" Silence thickened the air. Then the sound of footsteps sounded. Everyone turned. A woman with long silver hair emerged from the smoke. Her body was slashed in multiple places, blood coating her skin and clothes. One of her eyes was carved open, a long wound passing directly through it. Despite all of that, her presence radiated beauty. She walked until she was close enough, then tossed something toward Nari. It rolled once... twice... and stopped at Nari’s feet. Hex’s severed head. Around it sat the torn band that controlled the curses. The courtyard seemed to collectively forget how to breathe. Nari froze in disbelief, her face paling as she whispered. "What... the... absolute... fuck?" She stared at the head, at the symbol of authority over every curse on the island, severed as if by an annoyed executioner. "How," she muttered. "do you even kill an immortal?"