Mana Eater

Ray could tell that Lancy was putting all his power into the strike. Sweat was starting to run down Lancy's face as he struggled to move his sword, but this was Ray's only chance. Focusing all his Ki into the palm of his hand, he grabbed the blade, determined not to let go.

The problem was that this left his whole body vulnerable. With no Ki protecting the rest of him, his face began to burn. It felt like it was melting off. His vision blurred, the overwhelming heat making it hard to focus.

<Fire attribute +1>

<Fire attribute +1>

<Fire attribute +1>

...

The notifications kept sounding off in his head. Each one sent a pulse through his body, his Ki forcefully absorbing the fire's power. As more notifications came, the fire started to weaken, its once-intense heat dulling bit by bit.

"What is going on?!" Lancy shouted, trying to pull back the blade. His panic was evident, the realization creeping in that his strongest weapon was failing him.

Desperate, Lancy began kicking Ray's body again and again. Each kick sent a shockwave of pain through Ray's ribs, his body convulsing, but he wasn't going to let go until he had absorbed all of the fire.

"You dog! Why won't you just die?!" Lancy screamed, his strikes becoming more frantic. His voice was a mixture of rage and fear. He tried to yank the sword away, but Ray's grip remained firm.

Finally, the notifications ceased. Ray released Lancy's sword, causing Lancy to stumble backward. His body was battered. His gauntlets were dented beyond recognition, and he could feel warm liquid pooling inside them—most likely his own shattered bones. His face was half-burnt from the fire, and a few ribs had cracked from the relentless kicks.

Everything hinged on this moment. There were two things he needed to confirm. First, whether Mana Eater would work on a beast crystal weapon. If it did, the elemental attribute would be stripped, rendering the weapon useless. Now that this was proven, he had to check one more thing.

Clenching his fists together, he started to focus. The gauntlets began to glow a molten orange-red, heating up until flames erupted, engulfing his entire arms. From his shoulders to the gauntlets, down to his fingertips, fire wrapped around him completely.

The second test: whether he could infuse his Ki with an elemental attribute. In theory, Mana and Ki were the same—just different methods of harnessing energy. Just as others used Mana to create fire, now Ray possessed both fire Ki and Mana. If his assumption was correct, he could activate the cells in his gauntlets and create a fire weapon of his own.

"You really are a demon. We were right to try to get rid of you," Lancy spat, his voice trembling.

He tried to manipulate the flames around Ray's gauntlets, but his face dropped in horror. Mana Eater didn't suppress or borrow fire—it stole it, adding it to Ray's own body permanently.

In a flash, Ray dashed toward Lancy, knocking the sword from his hands before grabbing him by the face and lifting him into the air.

"No! No! No!" Lancy screamed.

First, his face began to melt. Then his entire body was burned to a crisp. The power quickly faded from Ray's body, and he collapsed onto the ground, the weight of exhaustion crushing him.

Gary slowly walked toward him, clearly injured himself. His movements were stiff, and he clutched his side, likely nursing broken ribs of his own.

"Ray! Your arms and face look terrible. We need to get you to a hospital," Gary said, his voice shaking, tears welling in his eyes.

Ray wanted to respond, but his lips had partially melted together.

Then suddenly, shadows began to form. He vaguely made out a human figure before the shape became clearer—Sir K had arrived.

"Gary! Where are the attackers?" he demanded urgently.

"They're all gone," Gary replied. "But Ray needs help."

Sir K scanned the area. Fire marks and ashes littered the ground. The trees, arranged in a rough circle, had darkened from the heat. Only the attackers' equipment remained.

Picking up a fragment from the ground, Sir K examined it. It was a piece of the red mask Lancy had been wearing.

"So, it's them. I need to inform Wilfred."

As Sir K analyzed the battlefield, four Black Sash Knights—third-year students—appeared. They picked up both Ray and Gary, preparing to take them somewhere.

Ray's eyes grew heavy, his body screaming in pain. The last thing he could do was close them.

When Ray finally opened his eyes again, the sight was familiar. White bedsheets. A clear ceiling. He was in the hospital once more. Something heavy rested on his leg. Looking down, he saw Slyvia, asleep on his thigh.

"She's been there all night," Gary's voice came from the side.

Turning to his left, Ray saw Gary also lying in a hospital bed, wrapped in several bandages. It had become a common occurrence for both of them.

Just then, Slyvia's eyes fluttered open.

"Ray…" she murmured, a bit of drool escaping the corner of her mouth.

Her face flushed red as she quickly wiped it away. "Ray, you're finally awake."

"How long have I been asleep?" he asked.

"It's been three days."

Ray reached up to touch his face, recalling the burn marks and the pain of his melted lips. But now he was speaking perfectly fine. Looking at his hands, he saw they were completely healed.

"Don't worry, you're all healed up."

"But how?" Ray asked, confused.

"That's the thing, Ray. We don't really know. Your body just started to heal itself. The burn marks, your internal injuries—everything. The doctors were in shock. Your body is strange. The readings they found… it's almost like you're a…" Slyvia hesitated.

"Like what?" Ray pressed.

"Your body heals like a beast's would. As long as you get enough rest, your Ki naturally repairs all your wounds."

Slyvia then met Ray's gaze. "Ray, we saw your body when you came in here. We thought you might look like that forever. What happened to you two?"

Ray and Gary recounted everything—the three masked attackers, Lancy among them. Slyvia didn't seem surprised.

She explained that when the fire started, she had been attacked by one of the masked men, who had gone straight for the whistle. When she and the others searched for Lancy, he was nowhere to be found, leaving them no choice but to return to the city.

As the three of them pieced together the events, the hospital room door opened. Ray was surprised to see all their roommates enter, along with Kyle and the two red-headed twins from the Dragon Knight training. Once they had all gathered, Sir K stepped in and closed the door behind him.

Something serious was happening, and Ray had the feeling that whatever came next would change everything.