Henry: "…What? That wasn't his full power!? Dammit, how could he be so strong?"
Lucas: "Why aren't our friends awake yet? They should have woken up by now!"
Dakota: "They'll be waking up soon. We just need to stall for time until then."
Henry: "I don't think we can stall for long, Dakota."
Dakota: "...You're right. But we don't have a choice, Henry. So, get ready. We're about to experience hell."
The Djinn finished powering up, its dark aura swirling around its muscular frame. Without warning, it vanished, only to reappear in front of Lucas.
Dakota: "Lucas, watch out!"
The Djinn's fist slammed into Lucas's face, sending him flying like a ragdoll. He crashed into a nearby wall, coughing up blood. Dakota and Henry barely had time to process the attack before the Djinn charged at them next. Instinctively, they raised their shields.
The Djinn's punch collided with their magical barriers, but the shields shattered instantly under the immense force. The shockwave left them reeling, both stumbling back, their expressions contorted in fear.
For the first time in years, both Dakota and Henry felt genuine terror.
Dakota: "Shit! This is bad! Our shields are broken! They need at least ten minutes to repair… And let's be real, we don't have ten minutes. We'll be dead by then. Fuck! This is really bad!"
Henry looked over at Dakota, whose face was pale.
Henry: "Dakota!"
The sharp tone in Henry's voice made Dakota snap his head toward his friend. To his surprise, Henry was smiling—a smile filled with determination.
Henry: "Don't worry, Dakota. Just like we got out of the mountain alive, we'll get out of this alive too. Trust me."
Dakota blinked, momentarily taken aback by Henry's words. Then, he chuckled bitterly.
Dakota: "You're right, Henry. No way some high-ranked Djinn could kill us". Especially you. After all, you're the main character. The universe wouldn't allow anyone to kill you except Balazer… or me. But don't worry, I wouldn't do something as stupid as that.
Henry: "Dakota—"
Dakota: "Shit, he's coming! Get ready, Henry!"
With a shared yell, the two charged at the Djinn, fire magic swirling around their fists. They unleashed twin fireballs at the Djinn, and the clash between their attacks sent shockwaves through the arena. The explosion from the impact nearly shattered the protective barrier surrounding the battlefield.
When the dust cleared, it was evident that the Djinn had taken significant damage—but so had Dakota and Henry. Both were bloodied and battered, their clothes torn and faces smeared with dirt and sweat.
Dakota: "Ahh, fuck… This pain… This is the worst pain I've ever felt in my life."
Henry: "I agree… Aggh… It's terrible. But the Djinn… It's still not dead."
Both of them struggled to stand, their bodies trembling.
Dakota: "...Yeah, I know. We can't give up yet. Not until this thing is dead. I just hope someone from our group has woken up by now."
Henry: "I hope so too. We need their help. But until then, we have no choice but to fight."
Suddenly, the Djinn began to laugh—a deep, guttural sound that sent shivers down their spines.
Djinn: "You humans… You're fascinating. Even in the face of death, you refuse to give up. You've piqued my interest. If you had more time, you could have become the strongest humans in history. But alas, it's unfortunate. Your story ends here."
Dakota: "...Like I said, we're not dying today. You are."
Djinn: "Oh? With what power? You can barely stand, and your mana reserves are almost empty. What's your plan?"
Dakota: "I have a plan, but I'm not about to tell you."
The Djinn smirked, taking a step toward them.
Djinn: "A plan, huh? Very well. Show me what you've got."
With a roar, the Djinn charged again. Dakota and Henry activated their flame transformations, flames engulfing their bodies as they unleashed their last reserves of strength.
They met the Djinn head-on, both aiming for a decisive strike with their flame-infused fists. Their attacks collided with the Djinn's, creating another massive explosion. Both were sent flying backward, crashing into the barrier. This time, neither of them had the strength to stand.
The Djinn, however, still had energy left. It slowly walked toward the duo, its footsteps heavy with purpose.
Djinn: "You two… You were the strongest humans I've ever fought. And you're only fifteen… I can't imagine how strong you could have become in the future. What a shame. You'll die here before reaching your prime."
Dakota coughed, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. But he smirked weakly.
Dakota: "Die? Look behind you, you idiot."
The Djinn froze, its eyes narrowing. Slowly, it turned its head—and its eyes widened in shock. Behind it stood the rest of Dakota and Henry's team, fully awake and ready for battle.
Lucas: "You messed with our friends. Now you're going to pay."
Ava: "Say goodbye, you bastard."
The entire group unleashed a combined attack, pooling their mana into a massive wave of destruction. The Djinn raised its arms in a desperate attempt to block, pouring all of its remaining energy into a shield. But it was futile. The combined attack tore through the Djinn's defenses like paper, engulfing it in a blinding explosion.
When the light faded, the Djinn's mangled body collapsed to the ground, unmoving.
Lucas: "We did it… We killed a high-ranked Djinn!"
Cheers erupted from the group as relief washed over them.
Henry: "Finally… It's over. We actually killed it. Are you happy, Dakota?"
Dakota leaned back, laughing weakly.
Dakota: "Pfft. Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"
The group began hugging each other, celebrating their survival. For a moment, everything seemed peaceful.
But Dakota's expression suddenly darkened.
Dakota: "Wait… What's this energy I'm feeling?"
Henry: "Huh? What's wrong?"
As the group celebrated, none of them noticed the Djinn crawling behind them, its body battered but alive. With its last shred of strength, it prepared to self-destruct, intending to take them all down with it.
But before it could act, Dakota appeared behind it, his hand glowing with energy.
Dakota: "Well, well. Look who's still alive."
The Djinn froze, its face twisted in terror.
Ava: "What the hell? I thought we killed it!"
Dakota: "Nope. It barely survived, probably thanks to its shield. But don't worry—I'll finish the job."
The Djinn trembled, its eyes wide with fear.
Djinn: "W-What are you going to do to me?"
Dakota grinned darkly.
Dakota: "Oh, nothing much. I'm just going to make sure there's nothing left of you."
He raised his hand.
Dakota: "Explosion."
A massive burst of fire engulfed the Djinn, its screams echoing through the battlefield before being abruptly silenced. When the flames died down, nothing remained of the creature.
Dakota: "There. Now it's definitely dead."
He turned back to his friends, who were staring at him in awe and relief.
Dakota: "What a fight… What a way to end the first year of the academy."