"Understood. Brutus and I will hold the line," Finn nodded to Kyle''smand.


    "Celine," Kyle continued, shifting his attention to the water mage, "Spread water wherever possible to amplify my attacks."


    Celine adjusted her gloves, her calm demeanor unchanged despite the growing tension. "Got it. I''ll make sure the terrain works in our favor."


    "Lina," Kyle addressed the fiery warrior, "You''re with me in the center. Focus on concentrated strikes. Don''t waste mana on weaker beasts unless absolutely necessary. Let''s keep the field clear of high-threat targets."


    "Finally!" Lina''s lips curved into a grin, and her eyes gleamed with excitement. "Time to show these beasts what real firepower looks like."


    "Zara, stay back but remain vignt," Kyle instructed. "Prioritize healing and replenishing our mana. I have potions for you, so don''t hold back. And if someone gets overwhelmed, pull them back before it''s toote."


    Zara gave a small nod. "I''ll do my best."


    Kyle looked at each of them, his gaze lingering to ensure they understood. They were a good team, and he trusted their abilities. But he sighed internally as he nced at the hastily fortified defenses around the vige.


    ''No time to set up rune traps,'' he thought with frustration, mentally scrapping the ns he had hoped to execute.


    A quick nce at hism confirmed it was 11:51 AM—though the sun was out and shining brightly.


    That made Kyle''s go deep in thought. ''Is there a connection between the beasts'' timing and the sun?'' Kyle shook his head, setting the thought aside. There was no time to dwell on theories.


    "Everyone, move!" Kyle barked, snapping his team into action.


    Kyle unsheathed the [Frozen w]. He had been longing to use it in battle and the time had finally arrived. Orion had yet to work on the weapon yet, but it was still formidable on its own.


    "I wonder how many beasts will fall from our de today," Kyle whispered to the katana as it was listening.


    ''This would have been the perfect time to test the [Veil of Silence],'' he thought, recalling the mask stored in his inventory.


    Kyle could remember its main effect. He had this nagging feeling that the mask would improve alot when that bar filled.


    [Soul Reaper: Your power grows with every soul you im.]


    [Vanquished Souls: 0/1000]


    Unfortunately, he still had a long way to go. There was no way he could kill in the academy, here however, a multitude of beasts awaited. But this wasn''t the time. Exposing the mask would ruin his ns for it.


    That didn''t mean that Kyle nned to abandon this opportunity. He had ns on how to use it and could only wait for the night toe.


    Kyle refocused on his surroundings and the horde of beasts were already in sight. The first beasts emerged from the treeline—a mass of snarling wolves, wing boars, and snapping reptiles. Most weremon creatures, but their sheer numbers made them formidable.


    "Here we go!" Kyle shouted.


    The beasts charged at the defenses, their momentum immediately slowed by Finn''s mud walls.


    Some skidded and fell, their ws unable to gain traction on the slippery surface. Others attempted to climb but were knocked back by Brutus, who roared and swiped with its stone ws.


    Celine immediately summoned [Water st] and a jet of high-pressured water shot forward, striking a wolf mid-leap and sending it crashing into itspanions.


    She followed up with [Water Waves], spreading the liquid to coat more of the battlefield.


    "Perfect, Celine! Keep that up!" Kyle called.


    Lina didn''t wait for instructions. She unleashed [Fireball], targeting a cluster of beasts attempting to circle around the walls.


    The explosion sent fur and flesh flying, and the remaining creatures were left staggering. She grinned and immediately cast [Scorch], engulfing another in mes that continued to burn even as it writhed in agony.


    Kyle stepped forward, his katana shing with icy light. He moved with precision, dancing through the battlefield and cutting down the beasts one after the other.


    Each sh of the [Frozen w] sent a beast to death, while those that hanged on to life where frozen due to the frost effect, making them easier targets for Lina and Finn.


    Despite the chaos, Kyle refrained from using any spells. He had told his team to conserve their mana and he had to maintain that facade, even though his infinite mana reserves begged to be unleashed.


    The battle raged on, but their coordinated efforts overwhelmed the horde. Zara remained vignt, healing minor injuries and replenishing mana as needed.


    The beasts'' numbers began to dwindle. Finn''s defenses held strong, forcing the creatures into predictable paths.


    Brutus crushed those that broke through with his strong paws and ws, while Celine''s water spells kept the terrain slippery and disoriented the enemies.


    Kyle was the most noticeable in the battlefield. His movements seemed super human as he and his katana carved through the horde with brutal efficiency. He had managed to y over half of the beasts single-handedly without relying on any spells or runes.


    Lina came the closest to matching Kyke''s precision. Her mes roared across the battlefield, leaving scorched earth and charred remains in their wake. Sheughed as she fought, reveling in the thrill of battle.


    They continued with their massacre and finally, thest of themon beasts fell, its body copsing in a heap near the treeline.


    Kyle exhaled slowly, lowering his katana. "Good work, everyone."


    Lina smirked, brushing soot from her arms. "Good work? We crushed it out there! Did you see thatst fireball? I don''t think even ashes are left."


    "Yeah, yeah, we get it. You''re the best at setting things on fire. The rest of us held our own, you know," Finn added with an eye roll.


    Zara smiled softly, wiping her brow. "It was a team effort. Everyone yed their part."


    "Yeah... You all did great. We couldn''t have handled that wave better."


    They began to rx and Kyle opened his mouth to ry what happened next, but then he froze and his smile faded.


    The others noticed the shift in his expression and fell silent. In the sudden quiet, they all heard it—a new wave of footsteps.


    These were heavier  and Kyle could feel the presence of stronger mana signatures amongst them.


    His grip tightened on the [Frozen w], and he muttered under his breath, "Oh crap."