Chapter 1377: Too Easy to Kill

There was no trouble as the students approached the portal. Dame was once again keeping a watchful eye on Bronto, just in case the man tried anything. Now it was time for all of them to return—to leave the nightmare behind.

None of them could have expected the assessments to spiral into this. What began as a simple selection process for the Cultural Exchange had turned into a battle for survival. Most had completely forgotten that this was even part of a competition. At this point, they were just grateful to be alive.

And yet, they all now carried a burden—a heavy secret about the events that had taken place.

“We’ll head in first,” Luka said. “Panla will take up the rear and make sure everyone makes it through.”

“Are you sure?” Liam asked, stepping forward. “The Guild is going to expect Bronto and the others to come back. As soon as they see you’re fine, they’ll realize something’s wrong and attack. I doubt they were ever planning on sparing the teachers.”

The teachers exchanged uneasy glances. Liam had a point. The safest plan might be for the transfer students to go first. Raze could shield them, and the others could handle any immediate threats from the Guild members on the other side.

Now that Bronto was out of the picture, there shouldn’t be anyone left stronger than him within the Underfang Guild. But numbers could still be a problem. Their sheer volume posed a real threat to the academy’s students.

“Can we let the teachers go first?” Yolden asked.

Everyone turned to look at him.

“I know it’s safer if you all go first,” he continued, “but I need to see it for myself. I want to know whether this whole plan was the work of just one traitor—or if the entire guild was in on it.”

Raze understood what Yolden was getting at. It would be proof to everyone. Whatever happened next would expose the truth behind the Guild’s intentions.

“It’s fine,” Raze replied calmly. “I’ll make sure none of you get hurt. But I’m telling you now… you’re going to be disappointed.”

With the plan in motion, the teachers stepped through the portal first. They moved quickly, one after another, with the rest of the group following just behind. Raze’s team made sure they stayed close to the ranked students, ready for anything.

Waiting on the other side of the portal were about ten mages. They stood idle but alert, fully expecting Bronto and the others to return soon.

“The portal is activating!” one of the Underfang Guild members called out. “Be ready—some of them might be injured from the beasts.”

“Well, if using the students as bait worked, maybe we’ll get through this without losing a single member,” another one chuckled.

But their confidence vanished the moment the first figures stepped through the portal.

The teachers.

Then the students.

One by one.

“What’s going on? Why are they coming back?” one of the Guild mages asked.

They hadn’t moved yet—still trying to process what they were seeing. But the looks on the students’ faces said it all. Fear. Caution. They knew something.

“They know,” one of the mages snarled. “They know! Eliminate them!”

There was a part of Yolden, even in that moment, that had been hoping otherwise. Hoping that maybe—just maybe—the Guild members would show some compassion. That they would treat them with care. That they would show remorse.

But no. As soon as those words were spoken, he knew.

They had been planning this all along.

The mages began casting spells, preparing to strike. Multiple attacks surged toward the group.

But Raze was already in motion.

With one hand raised, he unleashed the Wind Sphere—the same spell he had used on the beast. The shield enveloped the entire group, deflecting and dispersing the incoming attacks like they were nothing. The energy cracked against the wind barrier, but not a single spell passed through.

Then, in a swift motion, Raze stepped forward, tossing his hand forward and releasing a surge of lightning that zapped one of the Guild members to the ground in an instant.

Safa, Beatrix, Liam, and Dame immediately sprang into action. They darted from their positions with inhuman speed, each targeting one of the remaining mages.

And they didn’t hold back.

Powerful strikes. Precision attacks. Blades and fists moved with deadly purpose—each Guild member fell in a single blow. The room was cleared within seconds.

“Damn it,” Bronto muttered bitterly. “I knew this would happen. None of those idiots could stop him. We’ll need the Crebus Guild’s help if we’re going to do anything against him…”

Raze stepped over the bodies, his expression cold and determined.

“We need to clear the entire guild,” he said. “Liam, with your system, you should be able to locate everyone. Take care of them—but leave two alive. Make sure they can’t contact anyone.”

He turned to the others.

“Follow Liam’s lead. We need the Underfang Guild to appear operational from the outside. At least until the Magical Exchange is over.”

The group nodded and split off, following Liam as he navigated the base using his system’s scanning abilities. Meanwhile, Raze stayed behind, walking through the portal room with the remaining students.

As the students moved forward, their eyes shifted downward—to the bodies on the floor. The dead mages. The men who had just tried to kill them.

“There’s one thing about this that freaks me out,” Chiba said quietly. “I don’t feel bad that they’re dead. I know they were going to kill us. But the way we fought back…”

She looked at her hands.

“It was too easy. Like we’ve done it a hundred times before.”

Her voice was shaky, unsure.

It wasn’t the act of killing that frightened her—it was how numb she already felt to it.

This was the reality of life in Pagna. Warriors lived with death constantly at their heels. One misstep, one wrong word, one glance at someone stronger than you—and it could be over. That kind of world hardened people.

Alterian was softer. Too soft in comparison.

And the difference was starting to show.

“Alright,” Raze said, pulling out his communicator. “While they’re doing that, there’s one more thing I need to take care of. Someone who can help clean all of this up.”

He began dialing, on a special wrist watch device.

“I’ll contact Alen.”

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