The ground trembled under the terrible tremors, a vast magical energy spreading across the academy grounds. Astral winds howled as the energy converged in a single direction, compressing into a burning entity—or at least, that’s what it looked like to Damon. But this fire was different. It wasn’t red or orange. Instead, it was made of ghostly writhing shadows, flickering with an eerie purple glow. The flames rose high into the sky, writhing as if in agony, its form shifting and collapsing inward before violently expanding outward. Then, like a celestial explosion, its body shattered, breaking apart into meteors of burning darkness that rained down upon the earth. Each fragment carried a terrifying aura, and as they struck the ground, they morphed—some taking the shapes of monstrous beasts wreathed in dark flames, others forming humanoid figures with blazing eyes. The larger they were, the more overwhelming their presence became. At the center of them all stood the largest, radiating power equivalent to a Fourth-Class advancement. Damon clenched his jaw. He had only sensed something similar once before—when he stood in the presence of Marabell Defonté. Pushing himself off the ground, he realized he had landed on top of Evangeline. He barely spared her a glance as he lifted his hand from her chest and got to his feet. There was no time for embarrassment—she didn’t seem to notice either, her golden eyes fixed on the nightmare unfolding before them. The other students were frozen, terror gripping them. "W-What is that...?" "Are we under attack?" "Is that a Shadow...?" "It has to be the demons! The demons are attacking the academy!" A fairy girl with short blue hair pointed at the entity with horror in her voice. "I-It’s... the Dark Spirit—Rashi Ignath..." At the mention of the name, panic spread like wildfire. "R-Rashi Ignath?! The spirit that nearly destroyed the capital in the past?!" A wave of despair crashed over the students, their fear palpable. "We’re all going to die..." "The professors will stop this! They have to!" Damon narrowed his eyes. No. The professors weren’t the reason this spirit was here. The potion had worked. Rashi Ignath had been summoned, but instead of a single, unstoppable force, it had been broken into smaller, more manageable fragments. That was the plan he had made with Lilith Astranova. The academy could handle these scattered pieces, especially with the noble families’ military forces present. The potion’s secondary effect ensured that the spirit would be banished within twenty-four hours. It would weaken over time, depleting itself the more it fought, unable to regenerate. Damon reached into his pocket, his Remorseless skill sharpening his focus. He felt the small, glass-like dagger tucked in his clothes. Now, all he needed to do was find the host vessel—cut out a fragment of the spirit. His eyes darkened. He no longer had time to look for Sylvia. He could only hope she was safe amidst this chaos. Turning on his heel, he sprinted toward the door. But before he could leave, a hand grabbed his wrist. "Wait!" He stopped, glancing back at Evangeline. She was holding onto him, her face tense with anxiety. "Where are you going?" His gaze turned cold. He had no time for this. His plan was already in motion—the Dark Spirit’s soul fragment was within reach. "Let go. I don’t have time for this," he said flatly, shaking her off. But she grabbed him again, more desperately this time. "Wait, please! It’s about Sylvia!" Damon froze. Her? He turned, his expression darkening. "This better be good." Evangeline bit her lip, hesitating before nodding. "You were right about me... but I need your help. Please," she whispered. "You asked if Sylvia had a spirit affinity. I can’t reveal her secrets without her permission... but now it’s life and death. I’m worried about her." Her voice trembled, her lips pale. "We need to find Sylvia." Damon’s jaw tightened. "What do you think I was trying to do?" Leona’s beastkin ears twitched. "We need to go—this is bad. If we stay anywhere close, we’ll die for sure." Xander, who had been watching the chaos in the distance, nodded, his face pale. Read exclusive chapters at freewebnovel The students around them had the same idea, fleeing toward the exits, desperate to put as much distance between themselves and the monstrous spirits now rampaging through the academy. Evangeline’s hands shook, her breath uneven. Then, she did something Damon didn’t expect. She bowed her head to him. "Please," she whispered. "I need your help... Sylvia might be in danger." Damon’s heart drummed against his ribs, a relentless beat that even Remorseless couldn’t completely dull. His emotions were muted, yet the weight of the possibilities pressed down on him, suffocating. No—he could already see the outcome. "She has spirit affinity, doesn’t she…? It must be quite high. Maybe the highest..." Evangeline bit her lip but didn’t answer. Bound by her promise to Sylvia, she couldn’t betray her confidence. But her silence spoke louder than words. "Sylvia is from Iorvas… as you know, it has the most spirits of any of the nine continents." She paused, letting him piece it together himself. And he did. Born in Iorvas. A massive amount of spirit affinity. She must have attracted spirits—drawn them to her side, loved by them in ways ordinary people couldn’t understand. But how spirits expressed affection varied wildly. Some were kind, like people. Others played pranks. Some were outright violent, their love destructive. And, most of all, spirits were easily offended. Capricious. Volatile. Like children with no concept of right or wrong. If she had that much affinity, it made sense why she was sent to Aether Academy. The academy’s barriers—and its proximity to the Evil Forest—kept most spirits away. It was a safe haven for her. "She must have been kept sheltered… in a place where spirits couldn’t reach…" Damon’s thoughts came to a screeching halt. Sheltered. His stomach twisted as realization sank in. That was Sylvia’s sore spot. That was what he had said to hurt her. She hadn’t been sad or angry because he stabbed her. No, what truly hurt her was when he called her a sheltered princess. And if it really had cut that deeply… Then she would have a gap in her heart. A vulnerability. A weakness that could make her susceptible to spirit possession. By a Dark Spirit, no less. And it was all his fault.