Ten mystical cultivators stepped forward, their presence alone causing a wave of shock among the students.

These were not ordinary practitioners... they were among the top mystical cultivators, individuals whose very aura carried authority.

As the exorcism commenced, the atmosphere grew intense.

At intervals, the Celestial Master sprinkled holy water, each drop sizzling faintly upon contact with the ground. The priest began chanting ancient scriptures, his voice deep and resonant, echoing through the chamber.

At the same time, several spellcasters continuously recited divine names, their synchronized voices weaving together into a powerful, almost hypnotic rhythm.

The mystic cultivators moved in unison, their robes fluttering with every motion as they condensed glowing spheres of energy in their palms.

One after another, they hurled those pulsating orbs toward the ghost.

Each impact released a sharp burst of light and a faint burning smell.

The ghost shrieked.

Its voice was not human... it was jagged.

The sound scraped against the ears, making several students flinch and cover their heads.

It struggled violently against the restraints, chains clanking and rattling, metal groaning under unnatural force.

Yet even in its chaos, its gaze remained fixed.

On Lana.

One by one, the students began to sense it... something was wrong.

Before Lana could voice her thoughts, a wave of dizziness struck her.

’What... is happening to me?’ she thought, gripping the edge of her chair as her fingers trembled.

And as if it had been waiting for that exact moment... the ghost moved.

With a sudden, violent jerk, it broke free from its restraints.

Chains snapped. The sharp sound echoed like a gunshot.

For a split second, silence followed. Then chaos erupted.

Several students gasped, some nearly screaming, their bodies instinctively recoiling in fear.

On the other side of the glass, the ghost slowly rose to its feet, its head tilting unnaturally before it began walking toward the partition.

Each step it took felt heavy... deliberate...

Seeing this, the Celestial Masters, priests, and mystic cultivators immediately intensified their efforts.

Symbols flared, talismans burned, and holy water hissed as it struck the ground.

A few of the mystic cultivators rushed forward, engaging it in close combat.

But it was useless.

In front of a three-thousand-year-old ghost, their strength meant nothing.

The next moment...blood sprayed.

The first cultivator was torn apart before he could even react.

Then the second. Then the third.

They fell one after another, their bodies collapsing lifelessly, their eyes still wide with shock. There was no struggle, no resistance... only instant, brutal death.

A suffocating silence fell over the students as terror rooted them in place.

Axel’s fist clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His jaw tightened as he glanced toward one of the teachers. Without a word, he signaled.

The teacher nodded grimly.

But it was already too late.

In the next instant, the ghost, now fully manifested within the girl’s body, appeared right in front of the glass partition.

It let out a piercing scream, the sound reverberating through the room like a shockwave.

Then...crash.

The glass shattered.

Fragments exploded outward, shards slicing into the girl’s own skin. Blood trickled down her arms and face, but she didn’t react. She didn’t even blink.

Instead... she smiled.

That same twisted, unnatural smile.

She stood there, bloodied and still, staring at the invisible barrier that protected the students.

Behind it, the children had already begun retreating, their backs pressing against the walls, fear consuming their every movement. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

The ghost let out a low chuckle, then spoke.

The language was strange, ancient... unfamiliar.

At first, no one understood.

But Lana did.

Her breath trembled as she whispered, "She’s speaking Greek... She’s saying, ’Lowly humans... you all are just obstacles.’"

The moment those words left her lips, the ghost’s gaze snapped toward her.

For a brief second, something like appreciation flickered in its eyes.

Then, it changed.

Its pupils darkened, glinting with a predatory hunger, as if it had just found its prey.

Lana felt her heart slam against her chest.

She met its gaze, her teeth clenching as she forced herself to stand, even as her legs felt weak.

’I can’t... back down now...’ she thought, but her body betrayed her.

The mystical energy within her was draining.

Fast. Each second left her weaker than before.

The ghost, however, seemed in no rush to attack. Instead, it began examining the invisible barrier, tilting its head slightly as if studying it with curiosity.

Then it reached out. Its finger touched the barrier. A sharp crackling sound rang out.

The entire barrier trembled.

Panic spread instantly among the students. Some let out choked cries, their bodies shaking uncontrollably, the stench of fear thick in the air.

"Reinforce the barrier!" one of the teachers shouted urgently. "Pour your mystical energy into it! As long as you hold it, it won’t break!"

Hearing this, the students quickly raised their hands, their fear forcing them into action. One by one, streams of energy flowed into the barrier, stabilizing its trembling surface.

Lana tried to do the same. But it was useless.

Her energy continued to drain, slipping through her grasp like sand.

Meanwhile, the ghost watched.

Amused.

It stood before the barrier, completely still, its lips curled into a faint smile. It did not attack again. It did not even blink.

It was waiting. Waiting for them to exhaust themselves.

And slowly... they did. Half an hour passed.

Sweat dripped down their faces, their breaths grew heavy, and their energy reserves began to run dry. Only then did realization dawn upon them.

The ghost had been playing with them.

A cold shiver ran through the room.

’Why... is it so intelligent?’ someone thought, dread creeping into their mind.

Exchanging frightened glances, they felt despair closing in.

At that moment, Lana suddenly moved.

With trembling hands, she pulled out a large stack of talismans, energy restoration and exorcism talismans, glowing faintly with power.

"This is all I have left," she said, her voice strained but firm. "Use them. This ghost... it’s targeting me, so don’t hold back."

The pile was massive... at least a hundred talismans.

Hope flickered in the students’ eyes. They reached out eagerly, but in the next instant...they vanished.