The four remaining men stood rooted to the spot, their faces etched with shock and disbelief as they stared at the scattered remains of their comrade. The gruesome sight was incomprehensible, sending a cold wave of fear crashing over them.
"What the hell... how can this be happening?" one of them finally choked out, his voice quivering with a mixture of fear and confusion. His eyes were wide, darting between Lucy and the place where his friend had just been.
"This... this isn't possible!" another stammered, his voice rising in panic. His gaze flicked back and forth between Lucy and the charred ground, as if expecting to wake up from a nightmare. "He was a three-star mage! We all are! How could one girl do this?"
"She's just a new disciple," another man muttered, shaking his head in denial, his voice thick with disbelief. "The best a new disciple could be is two-star, at most. How could she have this kind of power? It doesn't make any sense!"
