Silence.
No one moved.
The silver particles left by Mr. Stone's sacrifice drifted across the battlefield like falling stars.
Daniel remained on his knees.
His eyes were fixed on the empty place where his master had stood.
"...Master..."
His voice was barely a whisper.
No answer came.
Only the wind.
Mary slowly walked toward him.
Tears streamed down her face.
She placed a trembling hand on his shoulder.
"Daniel..."
He didn't react.
It was as if the world around him had disappeared.
Bill stood with his head lowered.
His sword slipped from his hand.
For decades...
They had fought together.
Trained together.
Argued over the smallest things.
Protected countless lives.
And now...
He was alone.
Bill closed his eyes.
"...You stubborn old fool."
A tear rolled down his cheek.
"You couldn't wait for me..."
Across the battlefield...
Even the Ghost Soldiers stood frozen.
McLone stared at the place where Mr. Stone had vanished.
Her expression had changed completely.
There was no smile.
No pride.
Only silence.
She whispered to herself,
"So... this is why humans are feared."
The Executioner lowered his axe.
"He gave everything."
McLone nodded slowly.
"...He won."
Suddenly—
The sky rumbled.
The shattered black crystal dissolved into dust.
The dark clouds began disappearing.
Sunlight slowly broke through.
The pressure crushing everyone's bodies vanished.
Students looked around in disbelief.
"...We survived?"
"...Is it over?"
"No..."
Bill answered quietly.
"Not yet."
Daniel finally stood.
Slowly.
His tears had stopped.
But his eyes...
Had changed.
There was pain.
There was grief.
But behind both—
There was resolve.
He picked up his sword.
The blade reflected the sunlight.
Then he looked directly at McLone.
"You took my teacher from me."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
McLone tightened her grip on her spear.
"I didn't kill him."
Daniel nodded once.
"I know."
Silence.
"But you're the reason he had to die."
The battlefield trembled.
A black aura slowly surrounded Daniel once more.
Different from before.
It wasn't wild.
It wasn't uncontrollable.
It was quiet.
Cold.
Heavy.
Everyone felt it.
Even Bill.
Even David.
Even McLone.
Mary stepped beside him.
Without saying a word.
Felix limped forward.
"...You didn't think we'd leave you alone, did you?"
Lucy stood behind them despite her exhaustion.
Noah rested a hand on Daniel's shoulder.
Lily nocked another enchanted arrow.
Zoya's icy aura spread across the broken ground.
David wiped the blood from his nose.
"The whispers..."
Daniel looked at him.
"What are they saying?"
David closed his eyes.
For the first time in hours...
The whispers spoke with one voice.
"They're saying..."
He opened his eyes.
"...Finish this."
The Great Eight stood together.
Not as students.
Not as children.
But as Ghost Killers.
Bill looked at them.
A faint smile appeared despite his grief.
"...Stone."
"You really did leave them in good hands."
McLone took a deep breath.
Then slowly smiled again.
"So this is your answer?"
Daniel raised his sword.
"This battle ends now."
McLone planted her spear into the ground.
"Then come."
The remaining Ghost Soldiers roared.
The surviving Ghost Killers answered with a roar of their own.
The final clash of the Academy War had begun.
And this time...
They weren't fighting for victory.
They were fighting for the man who had given everything to protect them.
Mr. Stone's final lesson echoed in Daniel's heart.
"Strength alone cannot save people."
"Kindness alone cannot save people."
"You need both."
Daniel took his first step forward.
Then the second.
Behind him—
The Great Eight charged as one.
The battlefield erupted once again.
To Be Continued...