Damian’s axe met the first C rank creature’s neck with force that should have required both hands and full body weight.

But his body control made the strike casual, almost lazy, the blade passing through reinforced bone and muscle like they were paper.

SLASH!

The head separated cleanly, spinning through the air, white eyes still showing no awareness even in death.

His Slaughter Intent wrapped around the axe like a living thing, the crimson flames making each strike cut deeper, hit harder and kill more efficiently than raw force alone could achieve.

SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!

Three more creatures fell, their bodies collapsing mid-charge, dark flesh opening in sprays of blood that looked black in this dimension’s lighting.

A creature lunged from his left, knife-claws extended, aiming for his exposed ribs.

Damian didn’t even look.

His axe reversed trajectory mid-swing, the flat of the blade catching the creature’s skull and caving it in with a wet crunch, the body flying backward to crash into others behind it.

SLAM!

Another approached from the right.

His boot lashed out, his kick catching it in the knee, the joint bending backward with sounds of tearing ligaments and shattering bone.

As it fell, his axe came down, bisecting it from shoulder to opposite hip.

He was laughing now.

Not the uncontrolled mania from before, but genuine amusement at how easy this was, how his body moved with perfection born from the training he had undergone with Vash, how these C rank creatures that terrified everyone else were just more meat for the grinder.

"COME ON! IS THIS ALL YOU’VE GOT?!"

His challenge echoed across the battlefield, voice carrying mockery and invitation in equal measure.

The creatures responded by charging harder, mindless aggression unable to process fear or recognize futility.

Behind him, students were finally moving.

****

Students stood frozen, watching Damian massacre C rank creatures like they were nothing, their minds struggling to process what they were seeing.

Then Ben Royce’s voice boomed across the formation, his competitive spirit offended by Damian’s solo performance, his pride demanding they prove Imperial heirs weren’t useless spectators.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU ALL WAITING FOR!?"

His fire ignited properly for the first time since the first battle, orange flames wrapping around his greatsword, his Inferno Blade weapon art active despite depleted reserves.

"LET’S KILL THESE FUCKERS!"

The words broke the spell.

Jonathan’s golden wings erupted from his back, his Divine Aegis activating, his fury overwhelming physical limitations.

Cassius’s black Aura exploded outward, darkness-principle Aura making him vanish and reappear in the horde’s flank, his spear already killing.

The other Imperial heirs followed, Alexander’s shields manifesting, Raymond’s wind-barriers forming, Sophia’s telekinesis lifting corpses as weapons, David’s healing Aura ready to keep everyone functional.

And behind them, one hundred sixty students charged.

Not with fear or with hesitation.

But with rage awakened by Damian’s speech, with determination forged through survival, with the desperate courage of people who’d accepted death and chosen to face it screaming rather than cowering.

"AHHHHHHH!"

The formation crashed into the horde like a tsunami meeting a wall, the impact creating sounds that would haunt dreams, metal striking flesh, Aura vaporizing bone, screams of fury mixing with shrieks of dying creatures.

Edrin, Lysa, Ronan, and Zavier held back from the initial charge, maintaining position behind the melee fighters, watching as the ranged attackers formed lines behind them.

Edrin’s voice emerged quietly, meant only for his team.

"Keep an eye on the Imperials. If any of them show intention to move against Boss at any time..."

He didn’t finish, the implication clear.

Zavier’s grip on his spear tightened, that darkness returning to his eyes briefly.

"Don’t worry, Four-Eyes. They won’t get past my eyes. Just remember to stop thinking for once and start attacking."

His tone carried mockery and affection in equal measure.

"Don’t always keep using your brain... use your swords too."

Ronan chuckled, his massive frame already moving forward.

"Both of you can stay here and have your little moment. I’m going to smash some monsters!"

Then he was gone, charging to catch up with the main formation, his earth-enhanced fists already swinging.

Edrin and Zavier exchanged glances, then followed, unable to remain behind while everyone else fought.

Lysa remained behind, sighing as she watched them go, shaking her head with fond exasperation.

"I wish Ariana was here. She’d keep these idiots from doing anything stupid."

The thought emerged as a whisper, carrying longing for her friend’s spatial abilities, for the kind of overwhelming power that made battles less terrifying.

But Ariana wasn’t here.

They had to work with what they had.

She turned to the ranged fighters clustered behind her, her voice carrying command despite her gentle nature.

"Let’s go. We need to provide covering fire for the melee fighters."

Her ice-blue arrows began forming, other students following her lead, ranged attacks flying overhead to support the melee fighters.

****

The fight became a meat grinder.

Students and creatures mixing together in close-quarters brutality, the kind of combat where superior skill mattered less than pure determination and willingness to take damage while dealing it.

SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!

A commoner boy’s sword cut through a creature’s throat, dark blood spraying across his face, the thing still trying to attack even while dying. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

CRUNCH!

A Noble girl’s warhammer pulverized a creature’s skull, brain matter mixing with rain, her face showing fury rather than the disgust such violence should produce.

RIP!

A creature’s claws tore through a student’s shield, finding the arm behind it, severing at the elbow, blood fountaining.

The student – Noble family, maybe eighteen – stumbled backward, staring at his missing limb in shock, his mind unable to process the injury.

Two creatures lunged for him, smelling weakness, their white eyes gleaming.

BOOM!

A heavy weapon holder’s axe intercepted, removing both creatures’ heads in a single swing, saving the injured Noble despite their different social classes.

But casualties were unavoidable.

"AHHH!"

A Noble student, his family crest still visible on his torn uniform, went down screaming as creatures swarmed him.

RIP!

His legs came off at the knees, knife-claws cutting through enhanced flesh like it was nothing, blood pooling immediately.

Thud

He fell backward, landing in mud, creatures beginning to feast on his still-living body.

’Is this it? Am I the first one to go?’

The thought emerged with clarity despite agony, his mind processing death’s approach with terrible awareness.

’After everything... after surviving this long... I’m just going to be eaten?! NO! I REFUSE TO BE JUST A FUCKING MEAT!’

His face twisted, pain and rage mixing into something approaching madness.

"I’LL TAKE YOU DOWN WITH ME!"

His scream was primal, as his Aura began cycling faster, faster, building toward something critical!

"FUCK YOU!"

He exploded his own core!

BOOM!

The explosion vaporized everything within five meters... himself, the creatures eating him, nearby monsters that had been approaching.

A perfect sphere of destruction, his final act taking seven enemies with him into death.

Students nearby felt the shockwave, saw the crater and understood what had just happened.

Their expressions hardened with their teeth grinding together and fists clenching weapons tighter.

Not because they wanted to die.

But because they’d been shown that death could have meaning, could be useful, could be a weapon rather than just an ending!