"Kyle Marshall?"

Lesley looked at the young man who had just arrived to save the Shamans. As her emotion was triggered, she released a baleful aura of the Death God and the chaos of the Wrath!

Nonetheless, instead of confirming his identity, the young man, who bore the name of one long thought dead, raised his hand.

A wave of purifying energy emanated from him, the power resonating with the very essence of balance and order.

It swept through the field like a cleansing wind, dispelling the chaotic energies of Wrath's power and the curse that was being emitted by the Death God's Aura.

The Mystics and Shamans watched in amazement as the dark miasma receded.

Their hope was rekindled by this unexpected savior.

"Our Savior!"

"Is he a Holy Priest!"

"He must be the young Saint of the Church of the Fortune Goddess!"

"We're saved!"

The Shamans exclaimed as they felt the Holy Energy being emitted by the young man. They had no idea that it was the Shadow Immortal!

Of course, Lesley was the one who was even more shocked as she knew this young man.

'How did he survive? He should've become a fuel!'

Lesley then had an idea as she paused for a moment.

'No, maybe he has a twin that entered the Magrath Academy?' Lesley thought as she also felt the strong Holy Energy from the young man.

This means that he was probably a student of the Holy Arts Academy, or a priest had probably taken him to become an acolyte.

Nonetheless, it was without a doubt that her confidence was shaken.

Seeing how he casually cleansed the Aura she released, she knew that this young man would be a tough opponent without her whole squad backing her up.

She took a step back, her mind racing with questions and the impossibility of what she was witnessing.

However, she had no time to investigate Kyle's revival or whether he had a brother

Since he saved the Shamans, it means that he was an enemy She had to be satisfied for now and attack again once this person left! But she knew that it wouldn't be easy!

***

Bang!

Gareth, his form still echoing the might of Thorgrym's spirit, charged at Kyle with a ferocity born of desperation.

He also saw how the young man easily dispelled Lesley's Aura! It wasn't something that any Priest or Holy Knight could accomplish!

If he would make a guess, this young man was most likely a Half-Immortal of the Holy Arts Faction!

If his whole squad was here, he wouldn't be terrified of its presence as they could use Forbidden Arts to close the gap in their strength and summon a mystical being that could turn the tide. Unfortunately, they were too rash to come here after just receiving the blessing of the Deadly Sin!

They weren't even that proficient in using its power!

"Haaa!"

His move shook the ground as he created a strong momentum to send the young man flying!

Moreoever, it was his bid to protect his captain and turn the tide of an unwinnable battle.

'Captain Lesley! Escape now! This young man is most likely a Half-Immortal! If not, he must possess an Arcana to push away both Aura from your two Blessings! This is not normal! Hurry!' Gareth said through telepathy. He was about to use telepathy as he could still control a part of his body even with the possession made by Thorgrym's Spirit thanks to an Artifact he was using.

However, it doesn't matter to Kyle.

He stood unshaken, his black eyes fixed on the oncoming threat.

As Gareth unleashed a flurry of blows, each one powerful enough to shatter stone, Kyle moved swiftly to meet his attacks.

His agility was such that he seemed to drift between the spaces of Gareth's attacks! Without using any movement spell, Kyle was like a specter untouched by the brute force that sought to crush him.

With a swift step, Kyle closed the distance, his movements could barely be followed by the Mystics' eyes!

Bang!

He countered with a simple palm strike, a move devoid of any magical enhancement, yet it landed with the precision of a master martial artist.

The impact sent a shockwave through Gareth's body, halting his momentum and leaving him staggered.

"Y-you! Are you looking down on me?!"

Gareth roared, as he didn't feel any sign of Holy Power or any Arcane Energy from that strike!

Without a doubt, it made him even more mad!

He took a deep breath as he gathered more power. He refused to succumb to his enemy, and he lunged again with reckless abandon.

But Kyle, ever the immovable force, met each attack with effortless deflection. He bravely met the onslaught without using any magic and just relied on his pure physical prowess.

It was as if he was trying to prove something, or perhaps he was simply playing around with his opponent.

The clash was a sight to behold. It doesn't feel like a fight between two Arcanists!

It was a display of raw power against disciplined skill.

Gareth, embodying the untamed fury of the Giant's Realm, found himself outmatched by Kyle's innate superiority.

It was a close combat, something that he should excel at However, he found himself being led by the young man. Indeed! The young man was dictating the flow of their deadly battle!

"You're going to die if I just hit you once!" Gareth shouted as his frustration was building up. Nonetheless, he was happy that the young man was taking his time, as this would allow Lesley to escape

As the duel progressed, it became clear that Kyle was toying with his opponent, and his every move was a lesson in the art of combat.

"You'll regret this!" Gareth said, but Kyle simply smirked.

He struck not to kill but to disarm, to neutralize the threat that Gareth posed!

The other Mystics also noticed that the young man seemed to be planning to capture Gareth Because of that, they immediately gathered their remaining strength and planned to help Kyle the moment an opportunity arose.

Soon, with a series of non-lethal blows, he systematically dismantled Gareth's defenses, leaving the warrior vulnerable and exposed.

Gareth, his spirit waning, fell to his knees, his breaths coming in ragged gasps.

At this time, the Mystics hesitated as they felt that binding Gareth with the Arcane Chains they prepared felt unnecessary.

Gareth was already too weak! Even Thorgrym's Spirit left, after seeing how Gareth's body had reached its limit.

Thud

Kyle stood over him He was like a figure of indomitable strength, his presence alone commanded silence to everyone in the battlefield.

"Stop resisting." He commanded. Along with these words, his aura was finally revealed. This was the first time he had done this!

Furthermore, it was a power of Holy Energy! It was as if he was about to cast his Holy Smite!

***

In the meantime, Lesley had already escaped and had only left a Shadow Eye This spell allowed her to witness the battle just now.

She had watched how the young man who resembled Kyle defeated her Vice Captain known for his physical prowess!

There was no doubt that her decision to escape was right!

With a final glance at the man she believed to be dead, she dispelled the Shadow Eye as it might be traced back to her location.

The Shamans and Mystics rallied around Kyle, their savior

"Sir, thank you for saving us We could bind this Dark Magician for you. If you want to bring him with you or imprison him, we could help you on that." Eldrin said as he observed the young man.

Yet, Kyle's response was not what they anticipated. With a benign smile, he inquired, "Were you among those who laid siege to Vermont Academy?" The question hung in the air, innocent yet laden with an unspoken weight.

Eldrin and his fellow Mystics, momentarily caught off guard by the question, quickly recovered their composure.

They stood a little taller, their chests puffed with a sense of righteous duty.

"Yes, that was our doing," Eldrin confirmed, his voice steady and sure. "At the behest of the Holy Arts Faction and the Church of the Fortune Goddess, we joined the fray against the Academy that brings darkness to the land."

The others nodded in agreement, their faces alight with the fervor of their convictions.

Without a doubt, all of them are proud of what they've done.

The group awaited Kyle's approval, expecting words of praise or at least acknowledgment of their shared cause.

But the warmth that had once graced Kyle's features was gone, replaced by a chilling sternness that seemed to lower the temperature around them.

All of them immediately felt something was off They were sure that he would be happy as he was supposedly part of the Holy Arts Faction!

However, with a fluid motion that was almost casual, Kyle extended his hand, palm upturned.

The air seemed to thicken as heavy tension built up.

Then, Kyle whispered an incantation.

"Dominion Thirst" He uttered, and a ripple of power surged forth.