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nMaya, Philip, and Crystal prepared to face off against two cunning Imps.

nThey stood on the stage waiting for the signal from an event official who held the key to release the caged Imps.

n“Remember to follow the plan and adjust according to the Imps’ movements and illusions…” Philip muttered.

n“Yes… Maya, don’t get too excited and reveal your secret spells.” Crystal whispered as she knew that the Featherstar Family had a secret spell that was exclusive to their family.

nIf she used that Spell, the battle may end quickly, but in turn, her teammates wouldn’t have to do anything at all. Furthermore, Maya could suffer backlash in the Spell as she was still too young to use a high-grade Tier 2 Dark Spell.

n“Of course! We’ll stick to the plan.” Maya replied with a chuckle.

nSoon, the Monster Hunt officer l announced the start of the hunt!

nMaya, her eyes glowing with excitement, stepped forward to start the battle.

nShe swiftly activated her Spell as shadows coalesced around her hands, forming a swirling vortex of dark energy.

nWith a sweeping motion, she released the Dark Nova, a devastating blast that engulfed the Imps in an abyss of shadows.

nThis quick Spell disrupted the Imps from casting mid-grade Illusions since they had to hastily cast a Spell to protect themselves…

nUnfortunately, Maya’s Dark Noval Spell wasn’t that great against Imps who were essentially living in the darkness. Nevertheless, Maya wasn’t worried as she maintained her casting her Spell.

nPhilip, his gaze intense and unwavering, held out his hand, his voice dripping with a sinister tone.

n“Blood Curse!” At the same time, crimson energy gathered around his fingertips. Then, he unleashed the Curse Spell, causing the Imps to writhe in agony as their life essence slowly drained away, weakening them with each passing moment.

nThe illusions they released and the disguise they planned to do were quickly halted…

nCrystal, her presence cloaked in shadows, moved with eerie grace.

n“Tsk… That Blood Curse almost hit me…” She softly muttered. She then activated her Darkness Coil, as dark tendrils materialized, wrapping around the Imps, restricting their movements and sapping their strength.

nAs they thought that it would end like this, the Imps suddenly turned red as they burst with a powerful aura!

nThe Imps of the previous battle didn’t go like this!

n“They’re going berserk! Change of plans! Fight them with our next combination!” Maya shouted. 𝑖𝑟𝘦.𝒸𝘰𝑚

nPhilip and Crystal also had no time to question why the Imps started bursting with power. They could only adapt and continue on with the hunt!

nThe battle raged on as the Imps fought desperately to counter the students’ relentless assault.

nMaya conjured Spirit Hand, creating spectral appendages that lashed out at the Imps, striking with precision and force.

nThe Imps’ attempts to retaliate were also met with her Darkness Manipulation, as she twisted their illusory attacks into harmless shadows. It was a complicated use of Darkness Manipulation that disrupts visible illusions.

nPhilip, his gaze unwavering, unleashed Severe Ailment upon the Imps, infecting them with a debilitating curse. Their movements slowed, and their strength waned.

nPhilip then utilized Light Absorption after he noticed that Maya’s Darkness Manipulation started getting overwhelmed by the Illusion Shift Spell of the Imps…

n‘Aren’t they a bit too strong? They weren’t like this with the first team…’ Philip couldn’t help but complain in his head.

nCrystal, her form melting into the shadows, launched a surprise attack with Shadow Step, darting between the Imps with lightning speed.

nBoom!

nShe struck them with the power of Gloom Force, a concentrated burst of dark energy that left the Imps reeling, their defenses shattered.

nAs the battle continued, the students realized that the Imps weakened a lot and they were no longer bursting with energy.

nEach spell cast, each move executed, demonstrated their mastery over the forbidden powers they wielded.

nThe Imps, realizing the gravity of their predicament, desperately used deceptive tricks and illusory tactics to survive…

nUnfortunately, Maya, Philip, and Crystal saw through their charades. Their current Darkness Manipulation and Light Absorption Spells allowed them to have the ability to pierce through the veil of deception.

nMaya’s Dark Nova severely injured one of the Imps… Philip’s Blood Curse drained the life force of the other Imp, leaving it weak and feeble. Crystal’s Darkness Coil had then constricted both Imps, leaving them helpless against the relentless onslaught.

nFinally, after a few more seconds, the Imps were defeated.

nThey lay on the ground, lifeless.

nMaya, Philip, and Crystal stood silently as they exchanged glances…

nAs they caught their breath, they couldn’t help but comment about the battle just now…

n“They’re a bit stronger than we thought…” Philip muttered.

n“I think they were drugged… That berserk isn’t normal for Imps unless they consumed some medicine beforehand…” Maya softly said, agreeing to Philip’s statement.

n“That’s what I thought… It’s not a coincidence. We’ll probably know more if we watch the next battles. I don’t feel right about this.” Crystal added. She felt bitter that they didn’t kill the Imps faster than they initially planned.

nThe Imps’ skin got tougher, their vitality increased, and their illusions seemed like an Intermediate Rank already.

nUnfortunately, they couldn’t really complain about the behavior of the Imps they faced to the officials. They couldn’t prove anything either, so the officers could just say that they had triggered something on the Imps that made them go berserk.

nInstead, it’s better to watch the other battles first.

n***

nAs Vale observed the Imps crumbling before the might of his friends’ dark spells, a sense of unease settled within him.

nHis gaze shifted to the indifferent faces of the judges and officials. Their lack of reaction caught his attention, raising suspicions in his mind.

n“Something’s wrong…” Vale thought silently, his brows furrowing. “Those Imps were clearly stronger than the ones we faced before. Tsk… Could it be that we’re being targeted once again?”

nVale’s mind raced with thoughts, his instincts telling him that there was more to this battle than met the eye. He couldn’t shake the feeling that their prestigious Vermont Academy was being deliberately undermined, perhaps by rivals aiming to put them at the bottom of the rankings.

nAs he thought of words to comfort his friends, he suddenly heard the Headmaster’s words.

n“Vale…” The Headmaster’s voice resonated.

n“You have to be careful in the upcoming duel tournament. Your well-being is of utmost importance. If the situation calls for it, it’s better to concede and prioritize your condition for the Tower Ascension.”

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