Maka fell to the ground, with Soul not far behind her.
'How the hell is this a remedial lesson?' Maka thought, feeling the pain from Stein's wavelength attack.
Her, Soul, Black Star, and Tsubaki were given this because of their latest failed mission and were losing like never before!
"You are putting up a bigger fight then I expected." Stein said, "Expected from someone such as you... I'm sure your parents would be proud... well... maybe not your mother."
This got Maka's blood boiling.
"Don't you talk about my mother!" she shouted.
"Why not? You aren't even using the greatest power you have, the power she gave you." Stein said, wheeling over and whispering, "Come on, let go of your Soul Protect. Give me a real challenge."
Maka's eyes widened.
"Y-y-you know-"
"Indeed." Stein said, turning his screw, "I also know that's the reason you fail at doing Soul Resonance, because you know your partner would find out the truth if you did."
"Get away from her." Soul said, struggling to get up from the ground. "Get your hands off my meister."
"Why don't you make me?" Stein asked Soul.
Soul ran at Stein, but was quickly and easily flipped to the ground.
"Soul!" Maka screamed.
Stein watched with a smirk, grabbing his cigarette out of his mouth. Maka ran over to Soul.
"Soul, are you okay!?" She asked.
"Ugh, damn bastard." Soul muttered, "We need to beat him... I just don't know how."
"I... I do." Maka said, "I need you to turn into a scythe... and please... trust me."
Soul gave Maka a strange look, but listened. He turned into his weapon form and Maka grabbed him. She looked at Stein with an angry look.
"You wanted a fight? Fine." Maka said, "Soul Protect... Release!"
A white glow surrounded Maka before it broke like glass, sending a rush of wind throughout the area as Soul, Black Star, Tsubaki, and Stein sensed something CHANGE with Maka.
"Maka?" Soul said.
"Soul... please... trust me." Maka said.
Maka looked at Soul's reflection and saw him smile and give her a nod.
"Let's go, Soul Resonance!" They said.
With her soul no longer being protected, there was nothing stopping them from being able to do it.
Soul felt their souls connect, feeling a rush of energy like never before while feeling something new! Something that wasn't there when they tried Soul Resonance before.
Stein watched, seeing Maka's true soul for once. Large, powerful... intimidating.
'Wonderful, I expected nothing less given her bloodline.' Stein thought.
Maka held Soul up.
"The legendary skill of the Scythe Miester!" Maka said as Soul changed, forming a much larger blade, "Witch Hunter!"
Maka swung Soul, but Stein put up his hands and blocked it with his own soul wavelength.
"Putting all your power into one strike?" Stein asked, "Even for a powerful witch such as you, that is a risqué move!"
"A powerful witch?" Tsubaki and Black Star asked.
"Maka?" Soul said, looking to his partner before focusing more on the attack.
Stein smirked and pushed back, breaking the soul resonance and sending Maka and Soul to the ground. Stein walked over and looked at Maka.
"You're still awake I see." Stein said, "Strong... just like your mother."
Soul turned back to his human form and put his body over Maka's.
"Stay away from my Meister." He said with a glare.
"Hmm, you'll protect her? Even though she's a witch?" Stein asked.
"I don't give a damn, she could be a Kishin for all I care, but I will protect her... because I won't let anything happen to my Meister." Soul stated.
"Fine, I'll start with you then." Stein said.
Soul closed his eyes, ready for a knife to end up in him, instead... he got a hand on the head.
"You earned a passing grade." Stein said.
"Huh?" Soul let out.
"Passed?" Maka asked.
"Indeed. All four of you have passed the extra credit assignment." Stein said with a friendly smile.
"You mean this was all a test!?" Soul shouted.
"Indeed. Lord Death wanted to see how good you four are at working together." Stein said before looking at Maka. "He also wanted to see just what Maka was capable of without her soul protect."
Maka, who looked traumatized, hugged herself on the ground.
"Seriously?" She asked softly.
"Oh, yes, he's known you were a witch for a while." Stein said.
Maka let out a small strained noise.
"Soul Protect, on." She said, putting the spell back.
"Wait, so Maka has been a witch this whole time? Fighting against kishins and other witches?" Black Star asked as Tsubaki helped him up! "Maka, how could you be this awesome and outshine me?!"
Soul helped Maka up and she dusted herself off.
"I... I'm only half witch." Maka said, glancing away. "And right now, I want to go home."
"It's been a long night, why don't you stay here for the night?" Stein suggested with a creepy grin.
"That's a big fat no!" Three of the four students yelled.
"I released my soul protect, I want to get out of here before any other Meister comes and tries to kill me." Maka said.
"Hmmm, I suppose that's a good reason but I wouldn't worry. My home is pretty secluded, nobody is around for miles." Stein said to her.
'Except Sid.' Stein thought.
"Well for me, it's better to be safe than sorry." Maka said. "Come on, Soul, let's go."
"Can't you just magic us away?" Soul asked, his hands in his pockets.
"Yes, but I won't." Maka said, "Besides, I put my soul protect back on, can't use magic with that on."
"Really? That's kind of lame, isn't it?" Soul asked as Maka began walking away. "What if you need to use your magic for something?"
"I don't like to rely on it." Maka said to him.
"That's pretty uncool." Soul said, walking up to her. "We could do so much better at fighting Kishins if you used your-"
"MAKA CHOP!" Maka shouted as she slammed a book right down on Soul's head.
Maka liked to consider this her most powerful "Spell".
"Ugh!" Soul groaned before he collapsed in the ground, nearly unconscious.
"I think my fighting is good enough." Maka said as she put her book away.
"Where did you even get that?!" Soul screamed.
"That's my little secret." Maka said, "I have to keep at least ONE secret. My biggest one is out."
"I guess that's fair." Tsubaki said as Stein re-entered his home.
"No it's not! I, the Great Black Star, want to know more about this! If we're going to fight against witches, you need to show us more of your powers! Screw whoever might come after you, I'll just kick their ass for you!" Black Star shouted with pride before Maka threw her book in his face!
"Shut up! Stop screaming it!" Maka shouted at him.
"Now now, settle down." Sid the zombie said, reminding everyone that he was here, "There's a reason Lord Death wanted you to do this, he wanted to see just how strong you are."
That made Maka stop in her tracks.
"W... what if he wanted to know if I was a threat?" She asked, turning to Sid. "What if he thinks I'm dangerous enough to be hunted down like other witches?! What if-"
"Maka, calm down!" Soul said, getting up. "Lord Death wouldn't do that. Stein said that Lord Death has known for a long time and if he wanted you dead, he would've done it before now."
"Plus, even if he did, we're not going to let that happen. You're our friend, Maka. We'd never kill you just because you're half witch." Tsubaki said.
"Yeah, we'll talk to him tomorrow, figure this whole thing out." Soul said, rubbing his gut. "Now let's go, I'm starving. I haven't eaten all day."
"I agree." Black Star said with a groan, still in pain from the "Maka Flying Chop."