Chapter 145: Dao of Slaying Ghosts: Final Judgement!

The serpent crashed into them with devastating force, the water around them exploding in a violent torrent. The impact sent shockwaves through the sphere, causing it to tremble and nearly collapse. Captain Hato smirked, confident that his attack had done its job.

But his confidence quickly turned to shock as he noticed something unusual.

From within the water, a powerful aura began to emerge. The dark waters that had once held them captive started to recede, as if being repelled by an unseen force. And then, through the churning waves, Professor Aanya appeared, her eyes burning with righteous fury.

"Impossible…" Captain Hato muttered, his voice laced with disbelief. "How are you still standing? How could you—"

But before he could finish, Professor Aanya raised her hand, her voice cutting through the chaos with unwavering strength. "Dao Slaying of Ghosts: Precise Cut!"

A blinding light erupted from her hand, slicing through the water like a blade of pure righteousness. The energy surged forward, shattering Captain Hato's magic in an instant.

The water serpent disintegrated, and the dark waters that had surrounded them evaporated into nothingness.

Captain Hato staggered back, his eyes wide with shock. "No… This can't be…"

Professor Aanya, her voice filled with resolve, stared him down. "You underestimated the power of righteousness, Hato," she declared, her voice echoing with the strength of her conviction.

"You may believe that strength is the only law, but true strength comes from protecting those who cannot protect themselves. It comes from standing up for justice, no matter the cost."

Ruchir, though weakened and in immense pain, managed to stand beside her, his resolve unbroken. "Captain Hato," he said, his voice steady despite the exhaustion.

"Your path is one of destruction, of selfishness. But our path… our path is one of protection, of selflessness. You may be powerful, but you've lost sight of what truly matters. That's why you'll never win."

Garret, regaining some of his composure, forced a grin. "Yeah, you hypocrite! You can't hide behind your strength forever!"

Robert, too, found his voice, though it was tinged with exhaustion. "Captain Hato… strength alone doesn't make you right. It only shows how far you've fallen."

Captain Hato's face twisted with rage. "Enough of this nonsense!" he roared. "In this world, only the strong survive! And I'll prove it by destroying you all!"

But before he could launch another attack, Professor Aanya stepped forward, her aura blazing with newfound power.

"Your reign of terror ends here, Hato," she said, her voice filled with unwavering resolve.

"You may be strong, but your strength is hollow. And I'll show you the true power of righteousness!"

Captain Hato, his fury boiling over, watched as Professor Aanya prepared to strike.

He could feel the tide turning against him, his own strength waning as his enemies grew stronger. But he refused to back down. He refused to let them win.

The battle was far from over, and as Captain Hato steeled himself for the fight to come, he knew that this would be the final clash. The outcome would determine the fate of them all.

But deep down, in the depths of his soul, Captain Hato could feel the first seeds of doubt taking root. And it was a doubt that, despite all his power, he could not shake.

The battle resumed with a ferocity that shook the very foundations of the chamber. Professor Aanya stood tall, her presence commanding, as she prepared to face Captain Hato with renewed determination.

Her aura blazed with the righteous power of her Dao of Slaying Ghosts, a magic that had already shown its might in the previous exchange.

Captain Hato, despite his earlier confidence, now wore a scowl of frustration and desperation, his arrogance faltering under the relentless pressure of Aanya's assault.

"Let's see how you handle this!" Captain Hato roared, summoning a torrent of dark energy.

"Demonic Wave!" he shouted, unleashing a powerful wave of black water that surged towards Professor Aanya, its force threatening to drown her in its depths.

But Professor Aanya was prepared. With a calm, steady motion, she raised her hand, and the air around her crackled with energy. "Dao of Slaying Ghosts: Exorcism Ray!"

A beam of pure, righteous light erupted from her hand, cutting through the dark water like a knife through butter. The Demonic Wave shattered under the impact, the remnants of the dark energy dispersing into nothingness.

Captain Hato's eyes widened in shock as the light struck him directly, sending him crashing into the far wall. His body shook with the force of the impact, but he refused to go down.

"You think you've won, witch?!" he snarled, forcing himself to his feet. "You think you can overpower me?!"

Professor Aanya didn't reply. Instead, she stepped forward, her eyes cold and unwavering. "You've lost, Hato," she said, her voice cutting through the chaos like a blade. "The moment you turned your back on righteousness, you sealed your fate."

With a powerful leap, she closed the distance between them, her hand crackling with energy. "Dao of Slaying Ghosts: Spirit Reaper!"

She brought her hand down in a swift motion, and a massive scythe of light formed in the air, slicing through Captain Hato's defenses with brutal efficiency.

Hato cried out in pain as the scythe struck him, the light burning through his flesh and searing his bones. He staggered back, his body trembling as he struggled to stay upright.

"This… this isn't fair!" he screamed, his voice tinged with panic. "The heavens aren't fair! How can I lose to you?!"

Garret, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but cheer. "That's right, give it to him, Professor!" he shouted, a wide grin on his face. "Show him what real power looks like!"

Robert, standing beside him, couldn't resist a teasing remark. "Looks like someone's playing cheerleader," he said with a smirk.

Garret, undeterred, puffed out his chest and retorted shamelessly, "Hey, someone's gotta hype up the team! Besides, I'm just doing my part!"

But Ruchir, leaning heavily against the wall, barely able to stand, was too focused on the battle to pay them much attention.

The pain in his body was excruciating, his energy reserves nearly depleted, but he refused to let it break his spirit. "We have to end this… for everyone's sake," he thought, his vision blurring.

Meanwhile, Captain Hato was struggling to maintain his composure. The relentless assault from Professor Aanya had pushed him to his limits, and the realization that he was losing began to take its toll.

His eyes were wide with desperation, his hands shaking as he tried to summon more energy. But nothing seemed to work.

"This… this can't be happening," he muttered, his voice cracking with emotion. "I… I'm supposed to be the strongest! The heavens can't be this cruel!"

His voice grew louder, more frantic, as his emotions spiraled out of control. "It's not fair! It's not fair!" he screamed, tears of frustration welling in his eyes. "I did everything right! I trained harder than anyone! I sacrificed everything! Why am I losing?!"

But Professor Aanya showed no mercy. She raised her hand one final time, her voice as cold as steel. "You've lost because you chose a path of destruction, Hato.

You've lost because you abandoned righteousness. And now, you will pay the price."

"Dao of Slaying Ghosts: Final Judgement!" she declared, and the room was filled with a blinding light. A massive, spectral blade formed above Captain Hato, its edge glowing with righteous fury.

With a single motion, Aanya brought the blade down, and it cleaved through the air with a thunderous roar.

Captain Hato had no time to react. The blade struck him with the force of a thousand storms, tearing through his body and leaving him shattered and broken.

His skin cracked, his organs ruptured, and every bone in his body felt like it was on fire.

The sheer agony was unbearable, and he collapsed to the ground, barely conscious, his body a ruined shell.

As the light faded, Professor Aanya stood over his fallen form, her expression grim. "It's over," she said quietly. "Your reign of terror has ended."

The room fell silent, the tension dissipating as the realization of their victory set in. Garret, unable to contain his excitement, let out a loud cheer.

"We did it! We actually did it!" he shouted, pumping his fists in the air. "Take that, you overgrown tyrant!"

Robert, despite his usual stoicism, couldn't help but smile. "I'll admit, I didn't expect it to end like this," he said, glancing at Garret. "But I guess you were right to be our cheerleader after all."

Garret grinned and gave Robert a playful shove. "Told you so! Never underestimate the power of positive energy, my friend!"

As the two bantered, Professor Aanya knelt beside Ruchir, her expression softening as she saw the pain etched on his face.

"Ruchir, you did it," she said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You held on, and we won because of you."

Ruchir managed a weak smile, though his exhaustion was evident. "I just… did what I had to do," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "It was… worth it."

But just as the group began to relax, a sudden, oppressive aura filled the room. The temperature dropped, and the air grew thick with a malevolent energy.

Everyone froze, their eyes snapping to the source of the disturbance.

Captain Hato's body, lying broken on the ground, began to twitch. His skin, once pale and cracked, now turned a deep, blood-red hue.

His muscles bulged, and two sharp, devil-like horns erupted from his forehead. A dark, swirling aura of blood spread out from him, filling the room with a sense of impending doom.

The sight was horrifying. Hato's transformation was nothing short of monstrous. His eyes, now glowing with a hellish light, opened, revealing a gaze filled with unrelenting rage and hatred.

But he said nothing. His presence alone was enough to send chills down their spines.

Professor Aanya, sensing the immense danger, quickly stood and readied herself for whatever was to come. "Stay back," she warned the others, her voice tense. "This isn't over yet…"

But as they all stared at the transformed Captain Hato, a deep, primal fear gripped their hearts.

They had fought hard, they had won… but now, as they faced this new horror, they realized that their battle was far from over. The nightmare had only just begun.