Right after Kurt''s interference, a voice resonated throughout the entire school, not just within their ssroom but echoing across every hall and corridor of the academy grounds.


    "Students, please retire to your dormitories. The teachers'' meeting won''t be ending anytime soon," Luther''s stern voice carried a weight that left no room for debate.


    It filled every corner like an unyieldingmand, ensuring everyone heard it.


    In the now-silent ssroom, Jack let out a quiet breath. The skirmish he''d stirred had caused more of a scene than he''d intended. He nced at the holy acolytes still frozen in fear or pain from his earlier demonstration.


    Killing them would only bring more trouble, he thought as he turned to leave. At least I got to show a few idiots their ce.


    Without another nce, he stepped through the doorway. Behind him, Kurt followed closely, his excitement bubbling over into rapid chatter.


    "Did you see what you did back there?" Kurt gushed, practically bouncing. "I mean, really hit the nail on the head! Their faces—oh, man—they were about to wet themselves! Seriously, how did you do that?" His enthusiasm bordered onical as he mimicked some of Jack''s earlier moves in exaggerated fashion.


    Jack cast him a brief sideways nce, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.


    Kurt. A talkative fool, but not a bad guy, he thought. Thankfully, his idiocy makes him easy to manipte.


    Kurt continued to chatter as they walked, oblivious to Jack''s calcting gaze. Jack couldn''t help but feel a twinge of amusement at the boy''s persistence.


    I''m not one to be prideful, but this guy... He keeps feeding my ego, Jack thought with a faint snort.


    When Kurt finally paused for breath, Jack answered, his tone nonchnt. "I''ve already mastered aura maniption."


    Kurt''s eyes widened in disbelief. "You''re kidding me! I thought we were all just starting to learn it. How did you suddenly master it?"@@novelbin@@


    Jack shrugged. "I picked it up from Hay during the test. It wasn''t that hard. All I had to do was match my aura to his and go with the flow."


    Kurt stared at him as if he''d just grown a second head. "That''s insane! It takes years to master something like that. Can you help me out? Give me a hint or something?"


    Jack stopped walking, sighing as he turned to face Kurt. "Fine," he said, cing his hands on Kurt''s shoulders. "Concentrate. Try to match your aura to mine."


    Kurt immediately closed his eyes, his face contorting in focus. Jack released a slow breath, letting his green aura re up—a fiery, untamed wave that pulsed withtent energy.


    "Feel that?" Jack asked, his tone calm yetmanding.


    "I think so," Kurt murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. Slowly, a faint red glow began to shimmer around him, soft at first, then growing stronger, swirling like smoke around his body.


    Jack''s brows lifted slightly in approval. Not bad for a beginner, he thought.


    "Keep following it," he instructed, watching as Kurt''s red aura began to stabilize, harmonizing with his own.


    But just as Jack was about to withdraw his hands, the system''s cold, dispassionate voice interrupted.


    [Corruption activated.]


    Jack''s aura turned predatory,shing out like a wild beast. It surged toward Kurt''s red glow, devouring it with terrifying speed.


    "What the—? No, no, no! What''s happening?" Jack shouted, yanking his hands away, but it was toote.


    Kurt let out an agonized scream, his voice raw and primal. His body convulsed violently, bones cracking and shifting beneath his skin.


    [Bonding has begun.]


    The system''s announcement added a chilling weight to the scene. Jack''s heart pounded as he watched in horror.


    Kurt''s once vibrant skin turned deathly pale, his veins darkening as though filled with ink. His eyes flickered with eerie blue mes, spilling out in ghostly trails from the corners. His body twisted unnaturally, his spine arching as if something monstrous was trying to w its way out.


    Jack stumbled back, his mind racing. "What''s happening to him? Why is this different?"


    With a sickening crack, two bones burst from Kurt''s back, curling outward like jagged, skeletal wings. The transformation didn''t stop there. His limbs contorted, his nails elongating into sharp, talon-like ws. His once-human form was warping into something grotesque—a creature of pure nightmare.


    A scream rang out from a nearby student who had been walking back to the dormitory. "A howler!"


    Panic spread like wildfire as other students caught sight of the scene. Shouts and gasps echoed through the corridor as they fled in terror, retreating toward the ssrooms.


    [Bonded servant: 3/10. ]


    [Undead Howler. ]


    [A soul shattered, forced to death. Left in continuous torment for years. This soul has now lost itself to darkness.]


    [Congrattions. You have be a Necromancer Bone caster! check stats for new skills!]


    Jack''s breath hitched. He wasn''t sure whether to feel triumphant or horrified. His thoughts were interrupted by a faint, familiar voice—a cry that pierced through the chaos.


    Please... rescue me!


    Jack froze. It was Kurt''s voice, faint yet desperate, emanating from the twisted creature before him. A faint wisp of light escaped the howler''s deformed body, spiraling into the air like a lost soul.


    "Can I reverse this?" Jack muttered, his mind racing. Kurt hadn''t deserved this. I need him alive, not as some damned monster, he thought grimly.


    Master-servant bond cannot be revoked.


    The system''s response felt like a p in the face. Jack clenched his fists, frustration bubbling to the surface.


    The soul of the innocent will now travel into the Pith. Do you wish to free this soul of its torment?


    "Yes!" Jack snapped, his voice sharp. "Do it now!"


    This soul will be returned.


    Once shattered, a soul can never return to what it once was.


    The wisp of light returned to the howler''s body, and the monstrous transformation began to reverse. The jagged bones retracted, the pale skin regained its color, and the blue mes in Kurt''s eyes flickered out.


    With a low groan, Kurt copsed to the ground, unconscious but alive. Jack let out a shaky breath, relief washing over him—only to have it shattered by a cold, cutting voice from behind.


    "A howler? I knew those lunatics couldn''t keep their experiments under control."


    Jack turned slowly, his heart sinking as he recognized the figure. Standing there, bathed in an aura of radiant light, was a woman whose presence exuded authority and power.


    Runes spun into the air around her, glowing with golden energy. Her gaze locked onto Jack with unrelenting intensity.


    "By my light, all evil shall perish!" she dered, her voice ringing like a divine judgment.


    Jack tensed, his mind racing for a way out. This was not how he''d nned his evening to go.