Suddenly, a black-colored fireball whizzed through the air toward them and exploded with a deafening roar, sending shockwaves that knocked them back.
"What was that? Where did it come from?" Kai asked, his voice trembling slightly as he looked around in panic.
Wei's eyes narrowed, and he pointed toward the sky. "I think it came from there," he said, his tone steady but tense.
Kai followed Wei's finger and froze. A monstrous beast with glowing red eyes hovered ominously in the sky, its wings flapping slowly as if savoring the destruction below.
"OOH, Zombie!" Kai shouted, his eyes darting back to Wei's face.
Wei turned to Kai with a sharp glare. "I am not a Zombie. I am Wei," he said, his voice filled with irritation.
Kai stepped back slightly, his expression confused. "What? Wei, are you dead?"
Wei clenched his fists, his voice rising in frustration. "No, fool! None of us is dead."
Kai squinted at Wei's face and took another step closer. "Then what happened to your eyes?"
Wei blinked, his brows furrowing. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice quieter but wary.
Without waiting for an answer, he summoned a mirror. His eyes widened as he stared at his reflection.
"What? Never seen your own face before?" Kai asked, tilting his head with a smirk, trying to lighten the tension.
Wei snapped the mirror shut and vanished it into thin air. His mask appeared in his hands, and he quickly slipped it on to cover his face.
Ryu and Tony came rushing toward them, their expressions a mixture of worry and relief.
"Are you guys okay?" Tony asked his voice firm but laced with concern.
"Yeah, pretty much," Wei answered curtly, the mask muffling his voice slightly.
Ryu's eyes narrowed as he noticed the mask. "Why are you wearing that mask?" he asked, his tone curious but sharp.
Before Wei could reply, Kai chimed in. "He's turning into a Zombie."
"What?" Ryu exclaimed, craning his neck to get a better look at Wei.
Wei raised a hand to silence them. "I will tell you everything later, but now we have to defeat Jin and save everyone."
Tony looked hesitant. "Isn't there any other way?"
Wei shook his head slowly. "I'm afraid not," he said firmly.
His eyes scanned the area, his mind racing. "We need everyone's help. Where is MyungJin?"
Tony's face lit with realization. "While in class, Master Feng took him to the real EX Agency," he said quickly.
Before anyone could respond, a guttural groaning sound echoed through the air. The group instinctively turned their heads upward. Their breaths caught as they saw Jin—or what Jin had become. His body was grotesque and monstrous, his twisted form hovering in the sky as he summoned creatures with a deep, otherworldly chant.
"What is he doing?" Ryu asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Summoning his army," Tony replied grimly, his fists clenched. "I don't think our master can handle all those monsters."
"Neither do the students have the potential to fight creatures like these," Kai added, shaking his head.
Wei straightened up, his tone decisive. "I have a plan. Kai, you have to keep Jin busy. Tony, help the masters to kill those monsters. Ryu, gather all the students and lead them to a safe place. I'm going to get some help."
The group looked at him, determination flashing in their eyes.
"Alright," they said in unison, their voices resolute as they prepared to act.
Kai summoned his wings, the radiant glow illuminating his determined face. With a powerful thrust, he soared into the sky, his movements swift and precise. Flying at incredible speed, he closed the distance in an instant and landed a punch squarely on Jin's jaw.
Kai darted away before Jin could react. Jin looked around, his eyes scanning every direction, but Kai was nowhere to be seen. Then, out of nowhere, another blow landed, this time to Jin's ribs. Kai moved like a phantom, striking and disappearing before Jin could counter.
On the third strike, Kai didn't vanish. He grabbed Jin's neck with a firm grip, his wings beating furiously as he carried him toward the river. Jin's frustration was evident; his glowing eyes burned with rage as his body trembled with fury.
Jin roared, his voice shaking the ground, and a shimmering shield of fire formed around him, crackling with raw energy. Kai hovered in the air, assessing the barrier. With a deep breath, he launched himself forward to strike again, but his attack was deflected. He tumbled midair, barely regaining balance.
Jin spotted Kai this time and raised his knife, the blade glowing ominously. In one swift motion, he hurled a barrage of fire at Kai. The flames roared as they closed in, but Kai twisted and turned, narrowly avoiding the inferno. His wings shimmered with heat as he panted, his mind racing.
"I have to break his shield to attack him, but how?" Kai muttered to himself, his brow furrowed in concentration.
Kai flew high, putting a considerable distance between himself and Jin. His eyes locked onto his opponent, and determination filled his face. With a burst of energy, he rocketed forward at full speed, the air around him crackling from the sheer force.
Jin saw him coming and unleashed another fiery blast. Kai, undeterred, pushed through the flames, cutting through them with the sheer force of his momentum. As he closed the gap, he delivered a devastating kick to Jin's chest.
The impact shattered the fiery shield with a deafening crack. Jin was sent hurtling backward, crashing into the river with a massive splash. Kai hovered above, breathing heavily, sweat dripping from his forehead.
"I think he'll feel better when he wakes up," Kai muttered to himself, his voice laced with exhaustion.
Suddenly, the tranquil water beneath him began to shift. The clear surface darkened, turning into an ominous black. Kai's eyes widened in shock as ripples of dark energy spread across the river.
Jin emerged from the water, his monstrous form even more fearsome. His eyes glowed with a menacing red hue, and dark flames danced around his hands. With a wave of his arm, a dome of fire materialized, trapping Kai inside.
Kai darted toward the barrier, but the fiery walls were unyielding. Jin raised his arms, sending streams of fire spiraling around the dome. The air inside grew hotter, and Kai gasped, realizing the oxygen was vanishing rapidly. His wings faltered as he struggled to breathe, his vision starting to blur.
Meanwhile, Tony was with the masters, fighting the creatures that kept coming. Each punch he threw turned a creature into stone instantly. His fists glowed faintly with power as the creatures froze mid-roar, their bodies hardening before shattering into pieces when the masters struck them. Tony's movements were quick and precise, his focus unshaken despite the chaos around him.
Ryu, on the other hand, was gathering the students, urging them to follow him as he led them toward safety. He stayed alert, constantly looking around to ensure no one was left behind. Suddenly, a creature charged toward the group and kicked Ryu, sending him flying backward. Just as he was about to hit the ground, something stopped him. He didn't fall. Instead, he hovered mid-air for a moment before steadying himself and landing gently on his feet.
"What? How?" Ryu whispered, his breath catching as he looked at his hands. Something felt different.
The creature turned its attention toward a nearby student, preparing to attack. Without thinking, Ryu raised his hand toward it. The creature froze in place, unable to move. Ryu's eyes widened as he realized he had stopped it. He raised his hand higher, and the creature was lifted off the ground, its limbs flailing helplessly. Wherever Ryu moved his hand, the creature followed, like a puppet on invisible strings.
Determined, Ryu clenched both his hands together. The creature twisted in the air before splitting apart, its body disintegrating as it hit the ground. Ryu stared at his hands, the realization of his newfound power sinking in.
"It looks like I've unleashed my inner power, just like my friends," he muttered, his voice calm but filled with determination.
He quickly refocused on the task at hand, rallying the students and ensuring they reached the safe zone. Once every student was secured, he turned back toward the battlefield. The air was thick with the sounds of fighting and roaring creatures, but Ryu felt a new resolve as he ran back to join the fight.