The battle had already crossed the line of exhaustion.
Breathing was heavy. Movements were slower. Even the strongest among them could feel their bodies giving up—but no one stepped back.
Daniel stood at the front, his grip tight on his weapon, eyes locked on the ghost standing before them.
It wasn't normal.
It wasn't even close.
Every attack they launched—every coordinated move—was being blocked, countered, or simply overpowered.
"Stay together!" Felix shouted, trying to keep the formation stable.
Zoya and David attacked from the sides. Lucy and Lily supported from the back. Noah covered the blind spots. Mary stayed close to Daniel.
Still… it wasn't enough.
The ghost smirked.
"Is this all your strength?" it said coldly.
Daniel clenched his teeth.
No.
This couldn't be the end.
Not here.
Not like this.
And then—
A voice.
Inside his mind.
"Use me."
Daniel froze.
His heartbeat skipped.
"Use my power… or you all die."
It was Throns.
The weapon.
The presence inside him.
Daniel shook his head slightly. No… not now…
But the voice grew stronger.
"You are my owner. You can use my power. Stop hesitating."
Another attack came.
Daniel barely managed to dodge, sliding back across the ground.
He looked around.
Everyone… was struggling.
Mary had small cuts. Felix was slowing down. Lily was barely standing.
They couldn't keep this up.
"This is your only chance."
Daniel closed his eyes for a second.
Then opened them.
Decision made.
"...Fine."
The moment he accepted—
Everything changed.
A surge of energy exploded through his body.
Daniel's feet lifted off the ground.
He rose into the air.
Light formed behind him—soft at first, then growing brighter… stronger… almost blinding.
Everyone stopped.
"Daniel…?" Mary whispered.
He looked… different.
Calm.
Focused.
Powerful.
Like something beyond human.
Even the ghost stepped back slightly.
"So… this is why he sent me," it said, narrowing its eyes.
Daniel didn't reply.
But inside—
He could feel everything.
Every movement.
Every shift in the air.
Every intention.
The ghost moved—
Daniel already knew.
He dodged effortlessly.
Attacked instantly.
Fast.
Precise.
Unstoppable.
"What…?" the ghost muttered, shocked.
Daniel wasn't just reacting.
He was predicting.
Throns' power flowed through him, guiding him.
His weapon changed shape with every need—blade, chain, spikes—shifting perfectly according to the situation.
It wasn't just power.
It was control.
Absolute control.
Daniel moved like he had done this a thousand times before.
And then—
Flashes.
Images.
Memories… that weren't his.
A battlefield.
A warrior.
Legendary fights.
A presence far stronger than anything Daniel had ever seen.
"The first master…" Daniel whispered under his breath.
For a moment—
It felt like he wasn't himself.
But someone else.
Someone greater.
The fight intensified.
The ghost attacked with full force now, realizing the threat.
But Daniel was ready.
He blocked.
Countered.
Struck.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Time blurred.
The others watched in shock.
"This… is Daniel?" Noah said softly.
Mary's eyes didn't leave him.
But her expression wasn't just shock.
It was worry.
Because she could feel it.
This power…
Was dangerous.
Finally—
With one last strike—
The ghost was defeated.
Silence.
Heavy breathing.
Broken ground.
The fight… was over.
The cameras around the forest had already been destroyed during the battle.
No one outside knew what had just happened.
Daniel hovered in the air for a second longer.
Then—
The light faded.
The power withdrew.
And his body… gave up.
He fell.
"Daniel!" Mary shouted.
She ran forward and caught him before he hit the ground completely.
He was unconscious.
His breathing was weak.
Mary held him tightly.
"Daniel… you idiot," she said softly, her voice shaking. "You don't have to do everything alone…"
The others slowly gathered around.
Relief… mixed with concern.
But then—
A sound.
A presence.
Everyone turned.
The ghost.
It was standing again.
"We're not done yet…" Felix said, stepping forward.
But something was different.
The ghost felt stronger.
Heavier.
Like it had evolved.
"This is bad…" David muttered.
Mary looked at Daniel, then at the team.
Her expression changed.
Firm.
Determined.
She gently placed Daniel down.
Then stood up.
"Daniel is not alone," she said.
Everyone looked at her.
"We are here."
One by one—they stepped forward.
Side by side.
A line.
A team.
Felix nodded.
"Together."
They raised their weapons.
Energy began to build.
Different powers.
Different strengths.
But one goal.
To protect.
To finish this.
"Now!" Felix shouted.
They attacked together.
Perfect coordination.
Every move connected.
Every attack supported the other.
The ghost tried to fight back—
But this time…
It was overwhelmed.
The combined power hit.
And finally—
The ghost was defeated completely.
No movement.
No presence.
Gone.
Silence returned.
But this time—
It felt… lighter.
They had won.
But the victory didn't feel complete.
Something was still wrong.
Moments later—
Voices echoed through the forest.
Teachers.
They had arrived.
Mrs. Stone and the others looked around—shocked by the destruction.
"What happened here…?" one of them said.
They rushed toward the students.
"Is everyone okay?"
They checked injuries.
Helped them stand.
But then—
A question.
"Where is the Yellow Team?"
Everyone froze.
They looked around.
No signs.
No presence.
Nothing.
"They were here…" someone said.
"They should be here…"
The teachers immediately moved toward the last known location of the Yellow Team.
They searched carefully.
Examined everything.
And then—
They found something.
Signs of struggle.
But no bodies.
No blood.
No clear end.
Mrs. Stone's expression grew serious.
"They're not dead," she said.
Everyone looked at her.
"They've been taken."
Silence fell again.
A different kind of fear now.
Because this—
Was bigger than just a battle.
Much bigger.
And somewhere… in the shadows—
Something was still watching.