Lockdown and Isolation

"I gave you cover and you were just going to blast them with Thunderbolt?" Zhao Manyan said.

*A proper Lightning Element Intermediate-Level Mage apparently had no reason to fear a handful of minor demons.*

"Can't do that — Thunderbolt's too powerful. It would destroy their bodies along with everything else, and I have no intention of becoming a murderer," Mo Fan said.

"Just now, when she collided with that Light Element magic, she shed her skin on her own. I think these possession-type monsters are terrified of Light Element magic," the oval-faced girl said.

Mo Fan glanced at her.

Zhao Manyan gave a dry laugh. "Let me introduce her — this is my girlfriend."

"We've met," Mo Fan said flatly.

Only a few days into the school year, Zhao Manyan had already brought his girlfriend back to the dorm, and they'd shared several meals together. Mo Fan just couldn't remember her name.

"Huh? This is literally the first time I've seen you," the girl said, eyeing Mo Fan in confusion.

"Ahem, ahem — the important thing right now is dealing with our current situation. These six Greenish-Yellow Demonesses are still here..." Zhao Manyan changed the subject with convenient timing.

Unfortunately, before he could finish, two deep claw marks carved themselves into the not-very-sturdy door.

The marks crisscrossed left and right, shredding the wooden door into several ragged strips, and the three of them — still mid-discussion — were suddenly exposed to the full view of all six Greenish-Yellow Demonesses.

Every face in the room changed.

Mo Fan completed his magic first, Lightning Seal markings crackling to life across his hands.

Zhao Manyan immediately pulled his girlfriend behind him, golden flecks of light already forming at his fingertips.

Both of their expressions turned deadly serious. This was no longer a time for jokes.

"Light Radiance: Purify!"

The golden fleck at Zhao Manyan's fingertip was flicked forward, the Light Radiance taking shape as a slow-moving projectile that flew straight into the gaping mouth of one of the Greenish-Yellow Demonesses.

The Greenish-Yellow Demoness had no idea what she'd just swallowed. The moment Zhao Manyan's fingers clenched, the creature's belly swelled outward, and needle-thin rays of light began seeping through its every pore.

The creature doubled over, clutching its stomach in agony. The light had a devastatingly scorching effect on it — especially since the Light Radiance had plunged directly inside its body, purging every last drop of parasitized blood in one thorough sweep.

The Greenish-Yellow Demoness writhed on the ground, its own claws tearing at the vile scales covering its skin, as though desperate to give back the girl's form — the one it had stolen.

The Lightning Seal Mo Fan had been controlling floated nearby, still not launched.

That thing he'd fought so hard to bring down — and Zhao Manyan had one-shotted it with the lowest-tier Light Radiance skill.

*Light Radiance: Purify was only a level 1 Light Radiance!*

"These parasitic Demon-Beasts seem extremely averse to light. Fan Mo — looks like you've found yourself a useful ally... oh, I should call you Mo Fan." Lingling's voice came through the Bluetooth earpiece.

"Mm." Mo Fan gave a nod.

The Lightning Seal had already transformed into a flurry of serpents streaking toward the Greenish-Yellow Demonesses ahead. Mo Fan knew perfectly well that even with Light Radiance this effective, there was no way to handle all six of them at once.

"Watch out!" The girl went pale as several more Greenish-Yellow Demonesses came lunging with twisted, savage expressions.

The creatures were fast. Mo Fan and Zhao Manyan had each engaged one, but there was nothing to stop the remaining four — they launched off the walls and came hurling straight at their faces.

Mo Fan had just begun to pull back when it hit him: Principal Zhu had told him the Blood Beast Boots could actively unleash a kick with the force to shatter solid rock.

His Mental Intent flared. He felt his Magical Energy being drawn away — then almost instantly, a wild and explosive force surged through both his legs, his calf muscles swelling with raw power.

Mo Fan picked his moment, leapt, and threw a spinning roundhouse kick.

A blood-red glow erupted the instant his foot connected. The beast-force struck the lunging Greenish-Yellow Demoness square in the head, detonating a crimson shockwave that amplified the kick by more than tenfold.

**BOOM!!**

**Crack~**

First came the thunderous impact — then immediately after, a bone-splintering sound that made the skin crawl.

The Greenish-Yellow Demoness's face warped grotesquely, its whole body blasted backward down the entire length of the corridor.

"Ice Vine: Cover!"

While Mo Fan was still savoring the sheer satisfaction of that kick, the oval-faced girl had finished casting her spell.

Frost descended swiftly, blanketing the floor.

Layer upon layer of ice glazed every surface, then crept steadily up the walls until the entire corridor was frozen solid.

The effect of Ice Vine: Cover wasn't dramatic on its own — but it slowed the remaining three Greenish-Yellow Demonesses considerably. Their claws had previously let them cling effortlessly to walls and ceilings, darting across any surface with startling speed. After the Ice Vine: Cover, their grip was gone entirely. One of them slipped off the wall outright and crashed straight into a companion whose muscles had been paralyzed by Mo Fan's Lightning Seal.

Basic-tier magic alone couldn't kill these Greenish-Yellow Demonesses — but with Zhao Manyan's Light Element magic in the mix, it was a different story. The moment a hit connected, the target crumpled in helpless agony.

Zhao Manyan's casting speed was impressive to match. A second Light Radiance completed, and another one went down.

Working as a trio, the six Greenish-Yellow Demonesses were dealt with one by one. It was a near thing — but they came through.

When Mo Fan saw the golden radiance rising from Zhao Manyan's body and settling into the shape of a golden shield around him, something clicked on his face.

"So you really are an Intermediate-Level Mage. Why didn't you act during the freshman Beast Battle?"

That golden shield — the Sacred Shield of Light — was the Light Element's intermediate magic. Mo Fan had long suspected his dormmate was hiding serious power; watching him deploy an intermediate Light Element spell now confirmed everything he'd guessed.

"What use would a Light Element Intermediate-Level Mage be in a tournament like that? Besides, why would I pull the rug out from under my own brother?" Zhao Manyan shot back.

Mo Fan thought it over and had to admit he had a point. An Intermediate-Level Light Element Mage was enormously valuable in a team fight, but one-on-one, they were little more than a free punching bag.

Both of them turned their attention to the Greenish-Yellow Demonesses now shedding their skins.

Women's basketball uniforms were loose and stretchy — that probably explained why the girls emerging from the shed forms were still wearing their jerseys, just slicked with thick, viscous fluid that was genuinely revolting.

"Damn, what kind of monster does this to perfectly fine young women?" Zhao Manyan muttered, a chill running across his skin.

"A parasitic, contagious Demon-Beast. The number of people infected inside this gymnasium is far from small."

"Does the school know?"

"They've been notified. They should be taking action by now... Wait — do you hear that?" Mo Fan said.

"I hear it too. Sounds like automatic doors activating."

Mo Fan had just started toward the source when Lingling's voice came through in his earpiece.

"Mo Fan, all exits from the gymnasium have been sealed."

"Sealed??" Mo Fan stopped short.

"It's the school's and the Hunters' Alliance's decision. They can't let a single person carrying parasitic blood escape — the fallout would be catastrophic. A full lockdown and isolation protocol is now in effect!"