The Fiend's extreme selfishness grated on Jester's mind. He no longer saw Rex as a human being. Now, only a monster remained from the existence. Jester didn't want to waste another breath.
Saying no other word, Jester straight-away activated his [Sprint!]. His body blurred. A sudden burst of speed launched him from the broken wall. Right at the approaching Fiend.
As he closed the distance, the [Thunder Nunchaku] whirred in his grip. A streak of glowing mix of wood and metal.
Rex was caught off guard by the sudden aggression and sheer velocity of the charge. He barely had time to flinch.
Jester twisted his torso mid-air. Activating [Stretch!]. His arm elongated. Reaching much further than it should. Sending the nunchaku cracking against Rex's metallic-scaled shoulder.
TANG! The blow resonated with a dull clang. But the Fiend barely staggered.
Rex roared. Emitting a grinding metal like sound. He charged as he swung his massive, mutated arm. Its elbow bristling with sharpened bio-metallic spikes.
Jester instantly activated [Shrink!]. His body compressed. Momentarily reducing him to half his size. Allowing the monstrous arm to whistle harmlessly over his head. The air shifted. The wind of Rex's blow ruffling his hair.
He reappeared at normal size behind Rex. Already winding up for another attack. The momentum from his dash and the previous strike was building.
He unleashed [Toon Momentum] ability of his weapon. A flurry of strikes. Utilizing extreme speed and unpredictable angles.
The [Thunder Nunchaku] became a whirlwind of strikes. Each impact was accompanied by a crackle of dark red energy.
WHAP! THWACK! POW!
It slammed into Rex's back, his legs, his other shoulder, then his head. The blows were relentless. Each one was built on the last. Designed to make use of the ricocheting effect faster and stronger.
Rex flailed, his single human eye wide with shock and pain, unable to interrupt the furious assault. The metallic scales sparked. And small chunks of grafted flesh began to tear.
In the middle of the assault, Vale's discordant music cut through the clash. The [Thunderstorm Lute] glowed with a bright purple light. Vale strummed a strange chord progression.
The air around Rex shimmered. Distorted. And his mind suffered even worse assault. It was Vale's [Mental Storm].
Rex staggered. Clutching his head with a clawed hand. His roar dissolved into a pained gurgle. His movements becoming erratic. Even more uncoordinated.
The [Mental Storm] hammered at his fractured mind. Overwhelming his senses with disorienting sounds and visions. It was a chaotic storm unleashed to sow chaos in his perception. Making him far more vulnerable.
Jester saw his opening. He maneuvered around the Fiend. Spinning the [Thunder Nunchaku] with all his accumulated momentum. The stick was glowing with an intense, crackling red. [Thunder Blast]!
BOOM!
He slammed the activated nunchaku into Rex's exposed upper back. Directly into the transparent patch of synthesized skin where wires snaked beneath.
The impact was not just collision damage. [Thunder Blast] was both physical and... sonic attack.
A concentrated burst of thunderous sonic energy also erupted outwards. The very air vibrated. Causing the remaining glass windows in nearby classrooms to shatter and the ground to tremble.
Rex screamed. A truly horrifying sound of agony. His metallic scales vibrated violently. His grafted flesh was stretching and tearing. Exposing raw, demonized muscle beneath.
He was thrown backward with immense force. Slamming into the floor with a sickening CRACK! Leaving a grotesque, fiendish silhouette imprinted in the ground.
The students watching from the classroom cheered. But their relief was short-lived.
From the hallway, three low growls echoed. Smaller, faster blurs of grey fur and matted hair surged into the classroom.
Three Wererat Demons. Toddler-sized horrors with glowing red eyes and razor claws. They skittered in. Their feral snouts were twitching.
They were miniature engines of malice. Far less formidable than the larger demons like the one they had defeated. But they were still a deadly threat.
"Be careful!" Vale shouted. Recognizing the new threat.
But it was too late. The Wererats lunged.
Liam, a lanky student from Fighter Specialization, moved forward with a determined expression. He met the first mini-demon head-on.
His [Silverstar Sword], designed for demon hunting, flashed. The Wererat tried to flank him. But Liam pivoted. Bringing the flat of his blade around in a powerful parry that sent the creature sprawling.
"I've got this one!" He grunted. His stance was solid. He followed up with a precise thrust. Aiming for the creature's heart.
But it deflected the thrust. And prepared for more attacks.
Finn, the usually nervous student from Rogue class, hadn't shown his hesitance so far. Instead, he reacted with startling speed. He charged to the second Wererat.
As it sprang at him with its claws extended, Finn sidestepped. A blur of motion. Letting the demon overshoot. As it landed, he brought his [Shadow Mallet] down in a surprisingly fluid arc.
The demon evaded the mallet. But, the target of his mallet was always its shadow.
"Got nailed in place, Ugly!" Finn yelled. His mallet struck the shadow on the ground. Mystically stopping the movement of the Wererat.
Not far from them, Noah also acted. The heavy-set Barbarian apprentice let out a guttural roar. Pure intimidation was radiating from him.
The third Wererat, momentarily hesitant due to the roar, found itself face-to-face with Noah's [Blazing Cauldron]. The cauldron was used like a melee weapon.
Noah swung it like a war hammer. The red-hot bottom of the cauldron magical flame struck the demon in a searing blast.
The Wererat shrieked. Its singed fur was smoking. It darted back immediately. Turning into a whimpering mess.
"Come on, vermin! Taste that!" Noah bellowed. His eyes were gleaming with fierce frenzy.
The rest of the class didn't hesitate. Maya, the student from Sorcerer Department, dipped her [Firemaker Paintbrush] into an invisible palette of magic. With a flourish, she painted a streak of crimson in the air.
"Watch out, Finn!" A line of superheated flame erupted from the painted line. Searing towards the immobilized Wererat that Finn had mystically nailed.
Gareth, another Sorcerer apprentice, activated his [Illusionary Gyroscope]. The intricate device spun rapidly. Humming with arcane energy.
He flicked his wrist. And a swirling vortex of visual distortions manifested. Multiplying Liam into several illusionary clones. Causing his Wererat Demon opponent to halt its attack in confusion.
Bethany, the student of Acolyte Department, stayed still. Her [Healing Gemstone] glowed softly in her hand. While not directly attacking, she kept a wary eye on her classmates. Ready to heal whenever it is needed.
The remaining fourteen students, a mix of Power Classes and temperaments, joined the fray. Some, like the student from Hunter Specialization, launched ranged, strange projectiles with their [Phantom Slingshot].
Others without direct combat gear also contributed. One student used his [Combat Flashlight] to temporarily blind a Wererat. Another used her [Soundwave Whistle] to emit a high-pitched shriek that momentarily stunned... everyone.
The students of the class had just faced worse situation previously. These wave of three weak demons were hardly a challenge for them.
Outside, the struggle continued relentlessly. Ms. Cyantrace and the two assisting teachers were still combating the Elephant Demon. The rest of the faculty, the other sixteen transcenders, were still facing the remaining demons.
Back in their side of battle, Jester ignored the sounds of the ongoing melee behind him. His focus was solely on Rex. The Fiend sprawled face down on the ground. But he was far from defeated.
His grotesque body began to twitch. Strange wires under his transparent skin glowed with an ominous red light. Attempting to knit together the torn flesh and metallic scales.
He lifted his body and glared at Jester. His single human eye was burning with psychotic fury.
"Quite tough, aren't you? Just like a badly baked cookie." Jester muttered.
He immediately took an aggressive stance. Ready for Rex's retaliation. Vale stood slightly behind him. His [Thunderstorm Lute] was ready to unleash another [Mental Storm]. Or any different type of storms.
Rex pushed himself off the ground. A low growl rumbling in his chest. His posture was still hunched. But the metallic scales were already sealing. Albeit imperfectly. Patches of raw, red flesh remained exposed. Pulsating with an unhealthy light.
"You think this hurts me, Joker? This is nothing!" His voice was distorted. A wet gurgle mixed with metallic rasping. "The devil… she forged me in pain! I am… much stronger than you two!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah! Keep deluding yourself." Jester replied in mocking tone.
Rex roared and lurched forward. Surprisingly fast despite the damage he had just received. His clawed hand transforming into a jagged, bio-metallic blade. One that elongated menacingly.
As he swung it, the blade glowed with an eerie, shadowy energy.
Jester moved. He used [Sprint!] again. Weaving under the sweeping attack. The shadow blade sliced through the air where he had been a moment before. Leaving a lingering trail of corrupted energy.
Rex was dangerous. But quite predictable. His moves were fueled by rage. And whatever demonic power coursed through him. And he moved stupidly for direct clash. Every time. No strategy. No tactics.
Vale didn't wait. His fingers danced across the lute strings. A fiery, high speed melody was filling the air.
"Taste my [Fire Storm], Fiend!" He calmly said.
WOOSHH! CRACKLE! BOOM!
A sudden, chaotic wave of fire an heat suddenly erupted around Rex. Engulfing the Fiend in blazing fire vortex.
The Fiend recoiled and screamed loudly. His movements were interrupted. His metallic scales and cursed flesh were scorched violently.
The power of the attacks was quite overpowered, for the current level of Initiate Transcender (Tier-2). The ten star rating on Vale's Soulheart Gear was truly not a joke.