"Kill her!" Theo shrieked at the top of his voice. "Tear her apart, Vorgath! Do something!"
The Descending 3-Star Demon roared and lunged. Its claws, wreathed in suffocating Gloom, slashed through the air with enough force to shear through solid rock.
Astensia stood firm like a mountain, unreactive to the Demon's charge. Then, when it was close enough, she simply raised her shield.
CLANG!
Vorgath's claws struck the divine steel and shattered instantly on impact. The Demon howled, recoiling as black blood sprayed from its fractured fingers.
"Hideous demon," Astensia whispered. "I have killed hundreds like you."
She stepped forward, pushing her strength into the arm that wielded her shield.
⸢ Knight Skill: Shield Bash ⸥
She slammed the rim of the shield into the Demon's chest. There was a sickening crunch as ribs pulverized. The massive beast was lifted off its feet and hurled backward, skidding across the arena floor.
"What are you doing?!" Theo screamed, tearing at his own hair. "Get up you useless trash! Get up and fight!"
The Flayed Man-eater scrambled to its feet, oozing Gloom, and opened its maw to fire a concentrated beam of corruption.
Astensia spun her greatsword. The blade stole light from the holes in the wall, then used it to block against the demonic beam.
⸢ Knight Skill: Deflect ⸥
She swatted the beam aside like it was an annoying insect, sending the blast into a nearby pillar, which disintegrated instantly.
The crowd woahed in unison.
Theo's eyes widened. "What the hell is this? Just how powerful is this woman?"
Suddenly, Astensia vanished. And in almost the exact second, she appeared before the Man-eater.
⸢ Knight Skill: Divine Severance ⸥
With her greatsword, she drew a single, vertical arc of light that sliced at the Demon.
The Man-eater frantically used its hand to block, but the arm was gone in the same second.
Astensia's sword had severed it cleanly at the shoulder.
The Demon leaped up, crying in pain as it tried to slam Astensia from above with a Gloom blast.
But Astensia swinging motion continued as she raised her sword again, just in time while her body completed the pivot.
The blade caught the other arm, severing it by the ankle this time and ultimately dissipating the Gloom Blast.
The hand fell on the ground with a thud, and the Demon followed after, collapsing into its knees as it wailed in agony.
"No!" Theo gasped, stepping back. "That's impossible... that's a Descending Demon!"
Astensia raised her greatsword high. The blade began to glow with a blinding, executioner's light. She aimed directly for the Demon's neck.
"FINISH IT!" someone in the crowd roared.
Astensia's muscles tightened. She brought the blade down—
"STOP!"
A figure threw itself into the path of the blade.
Astensia halted the massive sword inches from Theo's nose. The wind pressure from the stop blew his hair back, cutting a shallow gash on his cheek.
Theo was on his knees, his arms spread wide over his mutilated demon. Tears were streaming down his face, mixing with the snot running from his nose.
"Don't!" Theo sobbed, his voice trembling so hard he could barely speak. "Please! Don't kill him! He's a 3-Star! My strongest Demon! If I lose him... if I lose him, my Rank drops! I'll be a nobody all over again!"
The arena went deadly silent.
Astensia loomed over him, a golden goddess of war looking down at a pathetic mortal. Her blue eyes narrowed behind the helm.
"You have punished the innocent," she said, her voice cold and resonant. "You unleashed this monstrosity upon a defenseless boy. Why would you, the guilty one, not also be punished?"
"I'm sorry!" Theo wailed, clutching at her greaves. "I'm sorry! I'll do anything! Just spare him! Please!"
Astensia didn't move. She slowly turned her head, the winged helm shifting to face Lancet.
"What does my master say?"
Lancet stood frozen, his heart pounding in his throat.
He stared at Theo. The arrogant senior who had beaten him, mocked him, and had threatened to make his life hell. A dark part of Lancet wanted to give the order.
'Do it. Cut them both down.'
But he knew the obvious risks.
Destroying a student's summon wasn't a complete win. Theo would have to answer to his Class Group Instructor. And for it, Lancet would be dragged before the disciplinary committee.
Illegal duels were punishable by expulsion and debt. Presently, he was a Bronze Rank with no political backing. He couldn't afford that heat. Not yet.
"Please!" Theo begged, turning his tear-streaked face to Lancet. "Lancet! Spare him! I beg you!"
Lancet looked at him, his expression muted. "Are you going to back off?"
"Yeah! Yeah!" Theo nodded furiously. "I will! I swear it! I'll tell everyone to back off! No one touches you! No one touches your roommates!"
He whipped his head around to his stunned lackeys.
"Dace! Gully! You idiots hear me?! Back out! We're done! We never touch him again!"
Dace and Gully nodded rapidly, terrified by the golden knight standing over their leader.
Up in the stands, Kasto grabbed the railing, his knuckles white.
"Holy shit!" Kasto whispered. "Theo's really on his knees because of Lancet. He actually got him to back off."
Anita covered her mouth, her eyes wide.
In the other crowd, Luke watched silently. His arms were still crossed, but his eyes were no longer bland.
Even he couldn't hide his shock.
The crowd muttered amongst themselves.
"Is Theo... bowing to a first year?"
"That guy really summoned Astensia... No wonder the 3-Star was defeated in seconds."
The mutters spread through the crowd like wildfire.
Lancet let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Stand down, Astensia," he ordered.
The Knight moved instantly. She withdrew her blade, spinning it once before sheathing it on her back with a metallic clack.
Theo collapsed forward, sobbing in relief. "Thank you... thank you..." He turned to his Demon. "Get up, you idiot."
He fumbled with his grimoire until he arrived on the Demon's page. Extending a trembling hand, he sent the mutilated Faceless Flayed Man-eater back into the pages so it could heal.
The arena began to clear as the stunned students whispered among themselves.
Astensia turned and walked toward Lancer. Up close, she was even more imposing. The smell of Grace and steel clung to her.
She stopped and knelt on one knee, bowing her head.
"My work is done, Great Summoner," she said softly. "Do you require anything else of me?"
Lancet stared at her. He was still reeling. He had written her. He shouldn't be so bedazzled since she was his creation.
Nevertheless, seeing her... seeing the way she had dismantled a 3-Star Demon with zero effort... it was terrifying.
"No," Lancet whispered, his voice hoarse. "Not right now."
"Then I shall return to my silence until you require of me again."
"Okay," Lancet said. "Return."
Astensia closed her eyes, and her armor began to glow. She began to evaporate upward.
Ribbons of golden light peeled off her form, rising into the ceiling like reverse rain, until the Ironwill Knight was gone, leaving only the stunned silence of the underground training arena.