After Zacky woke Luke up, the two of them headed to the training ground behind their house.
"Okay," Zacky said, cracking his neck, "your first training today is going to be on your magic abilities."
Luke hesitated. "Umm... but we don't even know what element I have yet," he said innocently. In truth, Luke already knew he possessed both light and dark mana-thanks to what happened in the chamber with Lazarel-but he was still curious if he had any affinity for other elemental powers.
Zacky turned and shouted, "Hey, Rhody! Bring the mana reader!"
Rhody arrived shortly after, carrying a crystal-clear orb. "Alright, Luke! Ready to discover your true powers?" he said with excitement.
Luke stood at attention and saluted like a soldier. "Yes, sir!"
Zacky gestured to the orb. "Put both of your hands on the mana reader, Luke. Now, take a deep breath and-"
Before Zacky could even finish the instructions, the orb started to glow white. Luke had already activated it, instinctively following the same process he experienced during the chamber incident. Zacky blinked in disbelief.
"Wait, what...?"
Realizing he jumped the gun, Luke scrambled to explain. "Uhh... they taught us this in school! Sooo... yeah."
Zacky narrowed his eyes, clearly suspicious-but played along. "Oh? They teach that already? Impressive..."
"Y-yeah," Luke said nervously.
Zacky handed the orb to Rhody. "Alright, let's see what kind of mana you've got."
Rhody rubbed his hands together. "Now I'm really excited to see what our little boy is made of!"
Just then, Michie came outside, yawning and stretching. He noticed Luke with the mana reader. "Ohh boy, Luke's finally gonna get his magic today!" he said, smiling.
Inside the house, Maya and Eve overheard Michie. Still groggy, Eve murmured, "I never thought Luke would wake up this early..."
Maya replied, "Yeah, but if Zacky's the one waking him up, he'd jump out of bed in a heartbeat. Luke thinks he's cool."
Eve chuckled, "Oh yeah... he *can* work miracles." They both headed to the kitchen to start preparing lunch.
Back outside, Rhody took a close look at the orb.
"Wooow!" he gasped, jumping back, stunned.
Michie raised an eyebrow. "Stop overreacting." He leaned in for a look. "Don't act so surprised over a simpl-WOAH!"
Rhody smirked, "That's what I said!"
Both of them stood frozen, staring at the orb.
Zacky stepped forward, confused. "What the hell is wrong with you two?"
He picked up the orb and immediately went pale.
Rhody, now serious, whispered, "It's black..."
Michie added, "It's white..."
Zacky concluded, his voice filled with awe and disbelief, "...And it's both."
Luke looked down, clearly disappointed after learning he didn't possess any other elemental affinity aside from light and dark. He muttered in his head with a frustrated tone:
"Damnit... Why can't I have at least fire or water mana?"
Zacky approached him with a bright grin. "WELL! You've got a rare affinity, you know!"
Luke perked up a bit-realizing he hadn't yet asked about what light and dark mana were actually capable of. Seizing the moment, he looked at Zacky with curiosity.
"I have a question... What do light and dark mana do, exactly?"
Zacky straightened with confidence, clearly proud of his knowledge-especially since he wielded potent light mana himself. "Well, light mana specializes in healing, purification, weapon and projectile enhancement, creating barriers or shields, lighting up dark areas, and-my personal favorite-flashbanging enemies!"
Luke blinked. "That sounds... kinda boring."
Zacky raised a finger. "Oh! And I forgot the best part-you can shoot concentrated solar energy! You know what that means?"
He paused dramatically.
"LAZER. BEAMMMMM!"
Luke's eyes lit up like fireworks. "WHAT!? No frickin' way! Lasers!? I want one!"
Zacky smirked. "Heh. Then you better start training-because you can't use any of that... yet."
Luke deflated instantly. "WHAT!? Seriously!? Ughhh..."
Zacky clapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, power like that doesn't come easy. Training is absolutely required if you want to use those abilities."
Luke crossed his arms with a pout. "FINE."
Zacky laughed. "That's the spirit!"
From the sidelines, Michie turned to Rhody. "Is it just me, or is Zacky really motivated today?"
Rhody chuckled. "Of course he is-Luke has the same potent light mana as him. You know how Zacky gets."
Michie tilted his head. "But Luke also has strong dark mana, right?"
"Yeah," Rhody said with a nod. "A very interesting mix, if you ask me. That boy's gonna be something else."
Suddenly, Maya appeared behind them and casually joined the conversation. "Yup. He's going to be a strong and unstoppable warrior someday."
Michie nearly jumped out of his skin. "DAMN IT! Can you please stop being so stealthy all the time!?"
Maya stared at Michie and said, "You're overreacting."
Michie, clearly annoyed, replied, "I'm just gonna go outside to cool off a bit. I'll be back."
Then the training for Luke's magic abilities continued.
Zacky turned to Luke and said, "Okay Luke, watch closely."
He lifted his right hand, inhaled deeply, then closed his eyes. As he exhaled, a soft yellowish flash of light began to shine in his palm. He aimed it toward a dried rose nearby. As the light grew brighter, the rose petals slowly turned a rich red, and the flower gradually returned to life, becoming a healthy, blooming rose once again.
Zacky looked at Luke with a proud smile. "See? I just performed a healing ability."
Luke stared at the rose, unimpressed. "Yeah... great job, unc," he said with a sarcastic tone.
Zacky raised an eyebrow, clearly irritated by Luke's response. "Hey! Healing is a life-changing ability-like, literally."
Luke replied with even more sarcasm, "Well, the rose didn't change a single bit. It still stabs you with its thorns."
Zacky groaned. "That's a flower, Luke. It's not a sentient being-it's a plant! And its thorns does not stab you unless you intentionally touch it!"
He sighed and crossed his arms. "Okay, you know what? I'll just give you a book for now. Make sure you read it and understand how to cast spells, alright?"
Luke's eyes lit up with excitement. "Sure! I'm good at reading, and I promise I'll try my best to understand!"
As Luke went inside, Maya glanced at Zacky and said softly, "Luke is growing so fast."
"Yeah... too fast," Zacky replied with a faint smile.
Just then, Michie returned to the training ground carrying a sealed message. "Hey Zacky, the guild invited us to a meeting!"
Maya nudged him. "Oh, you better go. It might be something important-maybe even a reward for that demon."
Zacky let out a tired groan. "Fine..."
Michie then called out for Rhody, and together the three of them-Zacky, Michie, and Rhody-set off for the guild headquarters.
The moment they arrived, dozens of hunters and adventurers turned their heads toward them. Whispers began to spread through the crowd.
"Hey, do you know those beasts?" a hunter muttered. "Yeah, I heard they took down a Demon Lord a long time ago."
An adventurer scoffed. "Really? I saw them struggling against a succubus, let alone a Demon Lord."
The murmurs grew louder until two men in black suits appeared, silencing the room. They approached the three and escorted them to the guildmaster's chamber, where other S-rankers had already gathered.
Inside, the air was heavy with authority. Several A-rank and two S-rank adventurers greeted Zacky with respect-everyone except one man, seated at the far side of the table. His name was Torn.
"So... the three Bishops decided to grace us with their presence," Torn sneered, his voice dripping with disdain.
Zacky remained silent, his expression calm but unreadable. Meanwhile, Michie and Rhody stayed outside; only Zacky was permitted entry to this meeting.
Torn stepped forward, his lips curling into a smirk. "Well... Zackiel, that's your true name, isn't it? Maybe you should throw away that childish nickname, Zacky. Zackiel!"
The second time Torn uttered the name, something inside Zacky snapped. In an instant, he closed the distance and clamped his hand around Torn's throat, lifting him effortlessly.
"Listen here, you damn bastard!" Zacky growled, his voice filled with fury. "Say my name again, and I'll burn this room to ash-then torch the entire building until the fire devours the island!"
Then 2 S-ranks rushed to restrain him, and though he eventually loosened his grip, Torn couldn't stop himself. Straightening with a sneer, he mocked, "Zackiel... the once-great paladin who abandoned his name and glory, hiding behind the title of Bishop!"
Zacky's patience shattered. He whispered, "Gravity Control."
The room groaned under the crushing force. Every Adventurers and hunters was slammed against the walls, pinned in place like helpless insects. A menacing yellow aura radiated from Zacky, filling the chamber with dread. He stepped forward slowly, each footfall heavy, his eyes locked on Torn.
"You wouldn't..." Torn stammered, his earlier arrogance vanishing.
"Oh, I would," Zacky said, voice low and seething. "And I'd enjoy it. I doubt the Guild Master would care if one arrogant fool was erased."
"Please, Master Zacky!" a young B-rank cried, struggling against the pressure. "Spare him! He's still... still learning his place!"
"Learning?" Zacky snarled. "All I see is a pathetic fool too blind to understand respect!"
Mana surged violently from him, flooding the entire guild hall. The building itself trembled, and every adventurer outside felt the overwhelming storm of his power. He drew back his fist, crackling with light, ready to end Torn once and for all-
The doors slammed open. The Guild Master rushed in, sweat dripping down his brow, his breathing ragged. His face was pale, his hands trembling as he raised them.
"Zacky! Stop! Please-restrain yourself!"
For a moment, the rage burning in Zacky's eyes threatened to consume everything. But then he saw the Guild Master's exhausted face, the strain etched into every line of his expression. The sight pierced through his fury.
Zacky exhaled slowly, his glowing fist lowering. The suffocating aura faded, and the crushing weight lifted from the room. With one last glare at Torn, he released his spell.
The chamber fell silent, everyone still shaken by the glimpse of Zacky's true power.
After Torn's near-death, the A-B-rank hunters and adventurers slowly settled down, still shaken. None dared to meet Zacky's eyes, and more than a few subtly sheathed their weapons, unwilling to appear threatening in his presence.
The Guild Master let out a long, weary sigh, rubbing his temples. "Alright, Zacky... can you explain to me what the hell just happened?"
Zacky crossed his arms, his expression calm but unbothered. "I just felt like tearing someone to pieces."
The Guild Master blinked, exasperated. "Right. You know what? Forget it. Let's move on to the actual agenda so we can all go home. Any objections?"
The room answered in unison. "No."
"Good. Then let's begin."
The Guild Master straightened, his tone turning grim as he laid out the report. "There's been confirmed intelligence of an orc army preparing to attack Japan. Numbers estimate close to a million, marching toward Saitama City-a heavily populated area. If they break through, casualties will be catastrophic."
Zacky raised an eyebrow. "So the Japanese government needs our help?"
"That's correct," the Guild Master replied.
Zacky let out a short, incredulous laugh. "You're telling me that one of the most advanced, well-armed nations on the planet needs us? We're barely the size of Hong Kong-maybe Luxembourg!"
One of the younger A-rank generals nervously cleared his throat. "Erm... technically, we're larger than them. Bigger than Taiwan, almost the size of Thailand, actually."
Zacky shot him a look. "Fine. Bigger. Still doesn't explain why Japan needs us."
The Guild Master leaned forward, his voice heavy. "Because they're not just recruiting us. They're reaching out to other nations as well. Their forces are short-handed after last year's goblin invasion drained their manpower. This time, they can't afford to fight alone."
Zacky smirked, his expression hardening as the weight of the situation settled in the room.
After a long exchange of plans and strategies with the A-B-rank generals, the meeting finally drew to a close. The Guild Master leaned back in his chair, exhaustion etched across his face. "Thanks for showing up, Zacky. And maybe-just maybe-try not to make a mess when I'm not around."
Zacky smirked faintly. "Sure. But do me a favor-tell Torn that if he ever acts arrogant again, I'll end him."
The Guild Master's eyes narrowed. "No. Nobody's killing anybody in my guild."
"Fine," Zacky muttered with a tired sigh, clearly done with the conversation.
He pushed open the doors and rejoined Michie and Rhody waiting outside.
"Have fun in there?" Michie asked, his lips curling in amusement.
"Almost," Zacky replied dryly.
Rhody chuckled, shaking his head. "Man, I wish I could've seen your power again."
The three of them left the guild hall, their steps casual despite the weight of the meeting.
Meanwhile, back inside, the Guild Master let out a deep sigh of frustration before suddenly barking, "TORN!"
Torn stepped forward, his earlier bravado gone, his voice subdued. "Yes... sir?"
The Guild Master fixed him with a glare. "Why did you do it?"
"I just-" Torn began, but the Guild Master cut him off, rising to his feet and staring him down.
"What was the point of that?" he snapped.
"I... I just wanted the truth, sir," Torn answered nervously.
"The truth?" The Guild Master's voice rose with anger. "Fine. You want the truth? Zacky could wipe this entire island off the map *by himself*. Not only that-he could kill around 50 S-rank hunters and adventurers without breaking a sweat!"
Torn swallowed hard, his voice trembling. "B-but then... why did they struggle against the succubus?"
"Think, Torn!" the Guild Master barked. "Why did they act weak?"
"I... I don't know, sir."
"It's because they weren't just being humble. They were *training* the two young A-rank adventurers!" the Guild Master said, slamming his fist on the table.
"The elf and the dryad... sir?" Torn asked cautiously.
"Yes!" the Guild Master snapped. "The best way to draw out their potential was to let them believe they were desperate! Tell me, Torn-how did Zacky heal his wounds in only a week? That succubus's poison is so potent that if *I* had been struck, I'd still be in agony right now-probably dying!"
Torn lowered his gaze, shaken to the core.
As the three walked down the lantern-lit street, the air still carried the faint scent of smoke from the guild hall. Rhody stretched his arms behind his head and smirked.
"Man... I almost felt bad for that succubus. Almost."
Michie chuckled. "You? Feeling bad? Please. You were enjoying every second of it until she sprouted those wings."
"Hey, her transformation was the only interesting part," Rhody shot back. "Everything before that felt like swatting a fly."
Zacky sighed, though a small smile tugged at his lips. "You two complain too much. That fight wasn't about us-it was for Maya and Eve. Did you see how Eve reacted when her mana started to run dry? She didn't freeze. She pushed herself harder instead."
Michie nodded thoughtfully. "True. She's learning to control her flow better. Maya too-her timing with that binding spell was... decent. Not perfect, but enough to create an opening."
"Exactly," Zacky said. "They're adapting under pressure. That's the only way they'll survive what's coming. If we keep shielding them from danger, they'll never grow."
Rhody shrugged. "Sure, but it's still tough to hold back. I mean, I could've split that succubus in half the moment she appeared. One swing. Gone. Yet there I was, pretending to be drained."
"Your acting was horrible, by the way," Michie teased. "I almost laughed when you 'collapsed' from low mana."
Rhody grinned. "Hey, at least I sold it better than you did, Mister 'Oh no, my barrier is cracking.'"
Even Zacky chuckled at that. "Both of you are hopeless. Still... it worked. They believed it. And because they believed it, they fought harder than ever before."
The trio fell quiet for a moment, the weight of unspoken truths lingering between them. Then Michie broke the silence.
"Do you think they'll be ready for what the succubus warned us about?"
Zacky's expression hardened, his eyes "The demon invasion? No. Not yet. But with the right push... they will be. And when the next demon lord shows up-"
Rhody's grin widened. "-we'll finally get a real fight."