Lumiel's eyes slowly opened, seeing a red-haired woman above him and hearing two voices talking nearby. He realized he was lying on Lady Nishia's lap.
"Lumiel! What happened? Why are you crying?" Lady Nishia asked in a worried tone.
Lumiel blinked, his vision blurry, and for a moment, he saw Lylia's figure in place of Lady Nishia. "I'm okay, mama... my head just hurts a little," Lumiel said with a soft smile, reaching up to touch Lady Nishia's face.
Flustered by the unexpected gesture, Lady Nishia instinctively slapped Lumiel, sending him rolling two meters away.
"LUMIEL JUST WOKE UP, WHY DID YOU DO THAT, LADY NISHIA?!" Skye shouted in shock.
"I-I'm sorry! It was all instincts, I swear!" she stammered.
Now sitting next to them with a red, swollen cheek, Lumiel asked, "How long was I out?"
"For an hour," Skye replied.
"That's quite long... Oh, what happened to Seraphine?"
"She woke up 10 minutes ago when you did. She's just looking around the statues."
"I'm guessing she's still angry at them. Haha."
Lumiel stood up and called everyone. "Let's finally finish the Simulation Gate."
They entered a massive gate. Inside, it looked like a ruined church. At the end of the corridor stood a broken-down statue, ancient and untouched for centuries.
Halfway through the church, the giant doors suddenly shut. The statue began cracking, as though something inside was struggling to escape.
"Everyone! Be wary about the boss! Don't show fear!"
Skye, visibly trembling, muttered, "I-I don't think I can do that, Lumiel..."
A phantom-like creature emerged from the statue — it was a lich.
"Let's defeat this boss so we can finally get out!" Lady Nishia declared.
The lich clapped its skeletal hands. A glowing green light shimmered between them. As he pulled his hands apart, a staff formed from pale wood twisting around a green crystal orb emitting an eerie glow.
The lich summoned thousands of undead.
"Nishia! I'll take care of the undead! You and Seraphine attack the boss!"
They nodded. Skye asked nervously, "W-what about m-me, Lumiel?"
"You're staying with me."
Skye felt a strange comfort. "I don't know why, but that made me feel a bit better. Thanks, Lumiel," he thought, crying silently.
"Hoy Skye, what're you crying for?"
"Nothing. I'm just glad you're here," Skye said, tears still streaming.
As the undead approached, Lumiel activated his Heaven Affinity.
"Heavenly Slash, 10x!"
He managed to defeat 50 undead. Then, a ding echoed.
[System Notification: Skill Recognition — Heavenly Slash was able to be used up to ten times — Would you like to evolve current skill: Heavenly Slash to Heavens Judgements: Y or N]
Lumiel pressed Y without hesitation.
[System Notice: Skill Evolved. New Skill Acquired — Heavens Judgements.]
[Skill Recognition: Heavens Judgements — After lifting up the sword with Heaven Affinity, anything and anyone the user desires to cut gets cut. Up to 250 targets in a 5-meter radius. Can be used again after 3 minutes.]
With his new ability, Lumiel wiped out the remaining undead.
Meanwhile, Seraphine tried to bind the lich with her ribbon, but it passed through. Lady Nishia's sword and body also phased right through the creature.
"What the hell is going on?" Lady Nishia exclaimed.
"Why can't we touch him?" Seraphine asked.
They kept trying to attack, but nothing worked. The lich's staff glowed ominously. Before they could react, it fired a decaying ray. The two girls ran, narrowly avoiding it.
Seeing them in danger, Lumiel finished the last undead and sprinted toward them. The beam was almost upon them. Lumiel shouted in desperation, sprouting angelic wings from his back.
[System Notice: New Skill Acquired — Guardian Angel's Protection — Was created by the determination to protect.]
[Skill Recognition: Guardian Angel's Protection — The user grows translucent wings of an Angel that can block anything. Can only be used to protect.]
"Angel Wings, Spread!"
Lumiel shielded Lady Nishia and Seraphine from the beam. Then he launched an attack with his Earthen Affinity.
"Earth Rend!"
The attack passed through the lich, merely blasting a hole in the ceiling.
[System Notice: Warning — Enemy Lich can only be attacked with the Holy Attribute of the sword's Heaven Affinity.]
Lumiel remembered Alvado's story. "That's right... maybe I can use that."
"Words of Encouragement!" Lumiel shouted. "Everyone! Keep fighting! If we keep fighting together, it will lead to success!"
Everyone glowed with a golden light, including their weapons.
[System Notice: New Unregistered Ability Unlocked — Words of Encouragement: A skill used by every hero to increase confidence, strength, and give the Holy Attribute to deal with demons.]
Lumiel activated Holy Dawn and held the lich in place. "I'll hold the boss! Everyone, attack!"
"I'm actually hitting the boss now! What happened? Never mind — let's finish this!" Lady Nishia yelled.
"Skye! You're the only one who can finish the boss! Think that you're holding a blade and imagine slicing the boss in half!"
"Wha—"
"JUST DO IT! I believe in you!" Lumiel shouted, smiling while struggling to hold the lich.
Skye lifted his arms as if holding a sword and imagined the boss being cut in half. A glowing blade formed. He slashed downward, slicing the lich cleanly.
[System Notice: A Person Named: Skye — Used a hero's ability, but his body was unable to handle the power. The person is now unconscious.]
Above them, a voice echoed.
[Simulation Completed. Thank you for your participation. Preparing to open a gate to the outside world.]
A gate opened. Lumiel carried Skye as they exited. Beyond the gate, a crowd cheered and welcomed them after clearing the S-Rank difficulty Simulation Gate.
Everyone was smiling — except one.
Seraphine did not celebrate. She looked defeated.
[System Notice: A Dangerous Anomaly is behind. Quickly run or defeat the enemy.]
Lumiel turned and saw Seraphine. Her figure twisted, shifting like a demon. She noticed Lumiel watching, then shed her disguise. Flesh-like ribbons burst out, draining random students of their life force.
"Oh mister... I'm sorry for deceiving you all this time. But you see, I'm quite angry about my defeat," she giggled, revealing her true form.
[System Notice: Appraisal Complete]
Name: Seraphine
Gift: Soulbind Marionette
Type: Hidden-Class — Deceptive
Description: A manipulative power disguised as harmless. Allows user to bind targets, subjugate their will, and drain life force through physical or spiritual contact. Victims gradually lose strength, resistance, and free will. Highly effective against the weak-minded or injured.
"You'll pay for this, Seraphine!"