The scene shifted to a battlefield filled with chaos and desperation. Rai sprinted through the crumbling ruins, pursued by a relentless horde of Hellrisers. Unlike the intelligent Corp, these beasts were mindless, driven by an insatiable thirst for blood.

Rai, tears streaming down his face, wailed in terror: "I don’t wanna die! Not like this! I still have so much to accomplish!" His voice cracked, comically reaching high-pitched tones, as exaggerated streams of tears trailed behind him.

Kromus trailed closely, dispatching Hellrisers one by one with precise blasts of frost magic. "If you’d stop running like a headless chicken, I could do this faster!" Kromus shouted, his irritation evident.

Rai continued to sprint until his path was abruptly cut off by a towering wall. He skidded to a halt, his face morphing into a comical mask of exaggerated horror. "A dead end?! Oh, come on!" he groaned, flailing his arms. Turning around, he faced the encroaching horde, his knees shaking like jelly.

With desperation in his eyes, Rai clenched his fists, channeling all his prana into his right hand. "Alright, Rai! Time to be a hero... or at least not dead!" he declared to himself, his voice trembling.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he twisted his body and hurled a punch with every ounce of strength he had. The force surged forward, and Rai braced for impact. But instead of the squelch of a defeated Hellriser, he heard a muffled grunt.

Confused, Rai peeked through one eye, only to see his fist firmly planted in Kromus’s face. The ice mage stood frozen (figuratively), his frosty hair ruffled and an incredulous expression plastered across his face.

Rai gasped, looking around and realizing the Hellrisers had already been eliminated. "W-what just happened?!" he stammered.

Kromus rubbed his nose, his expression a mix of pain and exasperation. "What happened is you punched me, you absolute buffoon!" he snapped.

Rai stepped back, bowing repeatedly in apology. "Sorry, sorry, sorry! I thought you were—uh—one of them!" He paused mid-bow, then added: "But hey, at least I didn’t die, right?"

Kromus, his face turning a frosty shade of red from sheer irritation, yelled, "You absolute moron! Do you have any idea how close you were to getting yourself killed if I hadn't been here?" His icy breath almost seemed to freeze the air as his fury overflowed.

Rai, scratching his head nervously, grinned sheepishly and replied, "Well, it's all fine now, right? See? I'm still standing, safe and sound!" His tone was carefree, almost childlike, as if narrowly avoiding death was a minor inconvenience. He patted Kromus on the shoulder like they were old friends catching up over lunch.

Kromus glared at him, his icy aura crackling faintly. "Safe and sound? You're a walking disaster waiting to happen."

Before Kromus could escalate his tirade, a desperate yell echoed from behind them. Both of their expressions instantly turned serious, their instincts kicking in. Without needing to exchange words, Rai began channeling prana into his fists, his muscles tightening as a faint silver aura shimmered around him. Kromus, on the other hand, coated his fist in jagged ice that morphed into a weapon resembling a spiky flail.

They both in tandem broke through the wall outside to see what was happening.

Outside, chaos reigned as Harchell, battered and bruised, struggled against a colossal creature towering over her. Its molten black body radiated heat, and fiery veins glowed beneath its jagged exterior. The beast roared, shaking the very ground beneath their feet.

Rai's jaw dropped as he pointed dramatically at the creature. "What the hell is that thing?!"

Kromus, standing beside him, grimaced. "That," he said, his tone heavy with urgency, "is an Infernal Beast."

Rai's face instantly contorted into an over-the-top question mark, his mouth hanging open in clueless disbelief. "An infernal what now?"

Kromus sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "These things aren't like Hellrisers. They’re not human souls corrupted by sin. They're pure demons, born from the depths of the Abyss." He glanced at Rai, who was nodding vigorously, as if taking mental notes.

Then, with an exaggerated salute, Rai replied, "Got it, loud and clear!"

Kromus turned to check on the battlefield, only to realize Rai was already staring intently at the beast. His playful demeanor was gone, replaced by a rare focus. The silver aura of prana shimmered around him, and his usually wide eyes narrowed with determination.

Rai swooped in just in time, catching Harchell in his arms. Her elegant white hair glimmered under the light, and her pointed ears turned a soft shade of red as she looked up at him. "Oh, my knight in shining armor, you've come to save me," she purred, her voice dripping with mature seduction as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Rai, slightly flustered but maintaining his composure, responded with a warm smile, "Yeah, now sit back and rest. I’ll handle this."

Harchell leaned in slightly, her lips curving into a playful smirk as she twirled her index finger on his chest. "My, my, how manly of you," she teased, her tone a perfect blend of sultry and amused.

Rai gently set Harchell down, then turned to Kromus with determination. "Mr. Frosty, sir, please take Harchell to safety." Before Kromus could even begin to protest, a voice rang out from behind them. "There you are, Rai!"

The group turned to see Gale, Rose, and Baruss landing gracefully beside Rai. Gale let out a relieved sigh. "I'm glad you're alright, Rai."

Baruss clapped Gale on the shoulder, then gestured up at the massive beast looming above them. "What on earth is that thing?"

The group followed Baruss' gaze, their faces pale with fear as the towering creature's radiant red eyes bore into them. The Infernal beast let out a terrifying growl, slashing its massive claws at the gathered group. Rai acted quickly, scooping Harchell into his arms and leaping out of the way just as the attack raked through the air. Everyone else dodged in unison, but Gale hesitated for a moment too long. Baruss was quick to react, catching him just in time.

"Get your head together, man! You wanna die or something?" Baruss snapped, frustration in his voice. Gale, shaking off his momentary lapse, nodded resolutely. "Yeah, sorry about that. I'm good now."

Rai's voice cut through the tension. "Guys, that's an Infernal Beast. Unlike the Hellrisers, this is a pure demon beast." He turned to Kromus, urgency in his tone. "Take her to safety."

With the situation escalating, Rai prepared for the coming battle, his focus sharpened and his aura silver and crackling with prana.

Kromus, taken aback by the intensity in Rai’s eyes, stood momentarily stunned. The goofy boy he had known was gone, replaced by a man with a fierce determination to overcome the beast before them. A dilemma raged within Kromus. On one hand, he couldn’t leave the students to fight alone, but on the other, Harchell was too injured to be left unattended.

Sensing the conflict in Kromus’s mind, Rai broke the silence. “I know you have a good sense, Kromus. Look at that creature and tell me I can’t beat it.”

Kromus’s gaze shifted to the infernal beast, and then back to Rai, locking eyes with him. In those eyes, Kromus saw the burning fury, the resolve that had been building in Rai ever since the Hellrisers had shown up. Rai had had enough of these chaotic monsters wreaking havoc on the world and the people he cared for.

Kromus, reassured by the fire in Rai’s eyes, realized there was nothing to worry about. Though the beast was stronger than the Hellrisers, it was slower and lacked intelligence, a fact that worked in their favor. With Rai and the rest of the group all being Level 5, it wouldn’t be a problem.

Kromus let out a deep sigh. “Just don’t get yourselves killed,” he said, his voice filled with gravity. His piercing gaze met Rai’s, a silent warning behind it.

Rai gave a firm nod, handing Harchell over to Kromus.

Kromus carried Harchell away from the battleground, her eyes still fixed on Rai, admiration clear in her gaze. “You see it in him too, right Kromus?” she asked softly.

Kromus glanced at her in confusion. “Huh? See what?”

Harchell smiled warmly, her voice filled with sincerity. “His pure heart—nothing but love for those around him, no matter the hate they throw at him.”

The realization struck Kromus. He remembered how Rai had run from the Hellrisers not in fear, but with the intention of finding a way to deal with them without killing them. Despite being surrounded by violence, Rai’s heart refused to embrace bloodshed. Even if the Hellrisers were no longer human, they were once people, and that fact weighed heavily on him.

Kromus chuckled softly, his voice rich with respect. “Well, it seems you’ve chosen a good man, then.”

Harchell beamed, her smile deepening. “Yes, I have.”

Kromus raised an eyebrow mischievously. “But don’t you think he’s a little too young for you?”

Harchell playfully rolled her eyes, her tone amused. “Oh, Kromus, we both know humans mature physically at 12. By the time they finish their ten-year journey at the academy, they'll be emotionally mature too. And honestly, have you noticed? Rai is already emotionally mature in a lot of ways. It’s like he skipped some of the awkward growing-up phases."

Kromus nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah, you’re right. He does seem a bit... ahead of his age. Makes me wonder what kind of life he's had to make him mature this early.”

Harchell smirked, teasingly, “Maybe he’s just always been ahead of the game.”

Kromus snorted, his usual gruff demeanor softening. "Could be. I don’t think he’s ever just been a regular kid."

Meanwhile, Allseer, rolled up into his crystal ball form, couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. Among the students he had assessed today, there was an underlying sensation that irked him—a nagging thought that he had overlooked something important.

He pondered silently, the weight of his thoughts heavy within the confines of his crystal form.

After a moment of contemplation, he decided to set the unease aside. With a slight shimmer, he transformed, the crystal ball shifting and glowing with energy. It was time to go and check on the students, to ensure everything was as it should be.

The battle raged on with intense energy as Rai, Rose, Gale, and Baruss locked in fierce combat with the towering Infernal Beast. Rai’s silver aura shimmered brightly as he focused all his prana into his legs, his silver energy surging as he launched himself forward. With a thunderous roar, he delivered a powerful kick straight into the beast’s face, sending it reeling backward.

At that very moment, Rose, levitating high above the creature, gathered her fiery magic. She conjured a massive fireball and hurled it down toward the beast with precise aim. The fiery sphere collided with the beast’s body, erupting in a burst of flames that momentarily blinded everyone with a blaze of intense heat.