Barbara was flung backward and crashed onto the ground, landing hard on his rear.

Rage exploded across his face. "Volt! What are you doing? Why won't you fuse with me?"

"I… I didn't do anything!" Volt shouted back, equally shaken. His eyes were filled with confusion and panic. He truly didn't understand what had happened.

Alfred frowned and turned toward Barbara. "Calm down. This isn't something Volt can control. I'm afraid there really is a problem with your soul fusion skill now."

Barbara slowly stood up, breathing heavily. Across from him, Volt's expression darkened as a vague but terrifying realization formed in his mind.

Alfred fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "Volt's martial soul has most likely mutated. Because of that, your martial souls are no longer compatible enough to form a fusion."

Volt looked toward Ray, his gaze conflicted and heavy.

Ray's expression wasn't any better. Could it really be because of our dual cultivation? Has my bloodline affected his Bone Dragon King…?

Barbara's eyes flickered between the two of them. He was sharp, and the answer was already taking shape in his mind. "Is it because the two of you have been cultivating together?"

Volt let out a long sigh, one that seemed to release days of pent-up pressure. "I can't think of any other reason."

Alfred said, "That's enough for today. Ray, Volt, you two come with me. I need to examine your martial souls."

"Yes," they answered.

The examination itself was simple. Alfred used his soul power to scan their bodies, carefully observing the changes that occurred when they released their martial souls.

"Volt," Alfred finally said, "I'm almost certain the issue is caused by Ray's influence. From an individual standpoint, this is actually fortunate for you. Your martial soul is mutating toward a higher level under the influence of his bloodline. As for how far it will go, even I can't say."

Volt stiffened.

"If you continue cultivating with Ray," Alfred continued, "your martial soul will continue to grow stronger. However, you will most likely lose the ability to use your soul fusion skill with Barbara. That is the price. You'll have to decide which path you want to take."

Volt stood frozen, as if struck by lightning. "Then… if I stop cultivating with Ray, will I return to normal?"

Alfred nodded grimly. "It should be possible. You've only cultivated together for a few months, and Ray's soul power is still weaker than yours. The mutation hasn't fully stabilized. If you stop now, your martial soul should slowly revert. His bloodline influences similar martial souls within a certain range, though. If you choose to stop, I'll arrange for your rooms to be farther apart."

Volt lifted his head and looked at Ray, emotions churning violently in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Volt," Ray said sincerely. "I never imagined things would turn out like this."

Volt shook his head. "How could I blame you? No one could have foreseen this." He turned to Alfred. "Teacher, may I go back and think about it before deciding?"

Alfred nodded. "Of course. This isn't something you should decide lightly."

Volt gave Ray one last deep look, then nodded slightly before leaving.

"There's one more thing you should know," Alfred added quietly. "Ray's bloodline is still growing stronger. If you continue cultivating with him, your martial soul could eventually surpass the strength granted by a soul fusion skill. And that power would belong to you alone. Keep that in mind."

"Thank you, Teacher."

After Volt left, a heavy bitterness settled in Ray's chest. He had never expected their mutually beneficial cultivation to lead to such consequences.

No matter which choice Volt made, someone would lose something.

Barbara… would lose his fusion partner.

From that day onward, a strange silence hung over Class Zero.

Barbara grew quiet. Volt became even more withdrawn than usual.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and the second part of their final exam arrived.

"Follow me," Alfred said indifferently. "We'll begin the second part of the exam now."

"Teacher," Volt suddenly spoke, standing up.

Alfred turned. "Yes?"

Ray's heart clenched as he looked at Volt. These past two days, Volt had avoided him completely, returning to his room the moment class ended.

"I've decided," Volt said flatly. "I won't cultivate with Ray anymore."

Barbara stared at him, eyes wide.

Alfred studied him for a moment. "Have you truly thought this through?"

Volt nodded firmly. "Yes. Continuing with Ray might allow me to reach greater heights, but it would be at the cost of everything else. Barbara and I grew up together. We're practically brothers. I can't abandon him for my own future."

He paused, then continued, voice steady. "We already have two soul rings and a soul fusion skill. We're already considered geniuses. That's enough for me."

Then Volt took a deep breath and looked at Ray, Raziel Phoenix, and Lily. "Teacher… I also want to transfer academies. Barbara will transfer with me."

"What?!" Ray exclaimed.

"As long as I stay here, I'll continue to be influenced by Ray's bloodline," Volt said quietly. "Even these last two days, I've still felt the pressure. Leaving is the only way."

"Volt, I can keep my distance," Ray said urgently. "You don't need to leave the academy—"

Volt smiled gently and shook his head. "Don't be foolish. This isn't your fault. The change happened to me. Our friendship won't change, but we can't cultivate it together anymore. Maybe leaving for a while will let me return to normal."

He bowed deeply to Alfred. "Teacher, please help settle the withdrawal procedures. My father and I will compensate the academy for the resources used this semester. I'm sorry for the trouble."

Two droplets fell to the floor as he bowed.

Ray stood there, stunned.

They weren't just classmates. They were comrades who had fought side by side, a team that had slain a hundred-year Man-Faced Demon Spider.

And now… Volt was leaving.

The realization struck Ray harder than any soul beast ever had.

Here is a clean, emotionally focused rewrite that keeps the plot intact while tightening the pacing, sharpening character psychology, and smoothing the prose. No events have changed.

Volt hadn't exaggerated.

If he continued staying here, cultivating alongside Ray would inevitably bring him immense benefits. Yet over the past two days of separation, he had finally understood how deeply that influence had already sunk in.

He couldn't sleep.

He couldn't calm his mind.

Meditation, something that had once come naturally to him, now felt forced and unstable. His thoughts were in constant turmoil, like a lake stirred by unseen currents.

Only after these two restless days did Volt arrive at a terrifying realization.

If he continued cultivating with Ray, there was a very real chance that he would no longer be able to separate himself from him.

Not emotionally. Not spiritually.

Perhaps… not even in will.

Bloodlines and martial souls influenced one another. That was an undeniable truth. The stronger one's soul power grew, the stronger that influence became. Right now, Volt was still a rank higher than Ray, yet he was already being affected to this degree.

What would happen when Ray surpassed him?

The thought chilled him to the bone.

Despite his young age, Volt understood the danger clearly. Add to that his bond with Barbara, and the answer became unavoidable.

The decision was agonizing, but it was the only one he could make.

"Volt!"

Barbara suddenly rushed forward and wrapped his arms tightly around him. His composure was shattered completely, tears streaming freely down his face.

Barbara had been suffering too.

Without their soul fusion skill, he would become nothing more than an ordinary Soul Master. His cultivation speed would slow, his value within the clan would drop, and his future would narrow. Strength determined status, and he knew it all too well.

Yet Volt's words had swept those fears away.

Friendship… truly outweighed everything.

Alfred stood nearby, still and silent like a statue of ice. Yet Raziel Phoenix caught it. For just an instant, a trace of sorrow flickered deep within Alfred's eyes.

"So be it," Alfred said flatly. "Since you've made your decision, I'll handle the academy and your clan. Perhaps… this really is the correct choice."

He paused briefly, then asked, "Do you still wish to take the second part of the final exam?"

Volt forced out a strained smile. "Teacher, I'm sorry. Neither Barbara nor I are in the right state of mind today."

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