Chapter 407

The breached main gate.

For the students and staff who had been defending the academy with all their might, it was a bolt from the blue.

They were so bewildered that they were momentarily dazed.

What snapped them back to their senses was the enemy army flooding in like a tide.

Countless skeleton soldiers, brandishing their weapons, rushed in all at once.

They weren’t the only ones.

*Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!*

The giant also began to advance with earth-shattering footsteps.

A situation unimaginable until just a moment ago.

It was all because of the appearance of the demons.

With the demons invading from within, creating cracks in the defenses, and tying down the strong combatants, the frontal defense had weakened.

Natasha had breached that weakened defense in an instant.

It was the first major crisis the defenders had faced.

And in a crisis, those who lead and those who act are more crucial than ever.

Fortunately for the students, the current top-grade 4th years were individuals who could perform that role better than anyone.

Because this wasn’t the first time they had experienced such a chaotic situation.

“Evacuate all the juniors immediately!”

Student council president Alfred shouted loudly.

The 4th years had already discussed it among themselves since the preparation stage.

If a dangerous situation arose, they would evacuate all the juniors, and the 4th years would act as a suicide squad to buy time for the retreat.

Everyone had agreed.

It was an emotion that went beyond mere responsibility as upperclassmen.

Having experienced no small number of crises until now, they knew.

That in a crisis, those who volunteer for dangerous roles are also essential.

And in moments of crisis, Max was almost always at the front.

The senior who had always led the students from the front, risking danger, and created breakthroughs.

That senior had shown them clearly.

What to do in a crisis.

And now, it was their turn to play that role.

As the top upperclassmen and the grade called the Golden Generation.

“Commoners, take the juniors and go up to the castle!”

Of course, the roles were different.

The 4th-year Common Class.

Did they not want to fight risking their lives alongside their classmates?

But they knew.

That they, who were not very strong, would only be a burden in such a dangerous situation.

That would rather hinder their classmates.

There was a different role they could play.

A role other than combat.

Taking care of the juniors and evacuating with them was one of those roles.

“Alright!”

The 4th-year Common Class moved.

They began to retreat, especially taking care of the juniors who were frozen in confusion due to their lack of experience.

However, there was a problem.

Because the situation itself had changed from the crisis they had initially anticipated.

A plan that had only considered enemies from the front.

But now, demons, an incredibly large threat, had infiltrated.

Only by holding back those demons could a safe retreat be possible.

Alfred was also clearly aware of that situation.

However.

‘Damn it, I don’t know how many there are.’

Alfred’s brow furrowed.

Not knowing the number meant that an accurate response was impossible.

But now was not the time to be fixated on that.

Now was unconditionally the time to move.

Moving even a second earlier would open up even a slightly better path to survival.

“Professors, please ensure a safe retreat!”

Alfred shouted.

They had their roles.

For the rest, they had no choice but to rely on the professors.

The professors also knew very well what that safe retreat meant.

They had to protect the students from the demons’ attacks somehow.

Only then was a safe retreat possible.

“Let’s go, Professor Karen!”

Regina said.

It wasn’t a cold choice to abandon the 4th years who had volunteered as a suicide squad.

She too was more worried about the safety of the 4th years than anyone.

However.

That was a role they had decided on with firm resolve beforehand to minimize damage in an emergency situation.

It was respecting that resolve.

And it was also for the lives of other equally precious students.

Because someone had to move for those students.

“Alright!”

Professor Karen, knowing that too, immediately nodded.

However, she couldn’t just leave.

“Let’s draw out the demons first!”

The demons couldn’t be left here.

It would be too perilous to leave the enormous threat of demons to the 4th years, who would already be struggling with the enemies flooding in from the front.

“Yes, Professor!”

Regina’s thoughts, of course, coincided.

The method to draw out the demons.

Her thoughts on that method also.

That method was to inflict great pain on the demons.

Because an enraged demon would rush at the one who inflicted pain.

“Power Gravity, Power Gravity.”

Professor Karen cast powerful spells in succession.

A high-level magic that amplified the gravity of a certain space tenfold in an instant, crushing the opponent.

Since she cast it overlappingly, the demon’s body couldn’t help but be miserably crushed.

-Ki, Kieuu!

The demon’s pain-filled scream.

Yet, the sight of it enduring without being completely crushed and trying to straighten its crushed waist somehow showed that they were monsters beyond imagination.

“Phew.”

Regina was also catching her breath and preparing her attack.

-Kikuku!

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

A demon rushing in, unleashing a torrent of attacks.

Its arms, transformed into blades, slashed through the air.

A frenzied barrage of attacks, leaving no room to breathe.

It was a situation where one’s entire body seemed about to be torn to shreds by blades at any moment.

If the opponent hadn’t been Regina Erenbert.

*Swish.*

Regina’s sword was leveled in a straight line.

A thrusting stance.

Her eyes, as calm as ice, were searching for an opening.

No, she was preparing to forcibly tear open an opening.

-Fine Snow.

A faint blue light flickered on Regina’s sword.

Sword Ki.

Not just any Sword Ki.

Refined Sword Ki, like a thread condensed to the utmost.

One of Erenbert’s secret sword techniques, which pierced through everything with the power of maximally condensed Sword Ki.

*Shik!*

A very short, thin sound.

It was a thrust without any unnecessary movements.

That thrust pierced straight through the demon’s storm-like barrage.

*Stab!*

-Kiaa!

A scream erupted from the demon’s mouth.

Because its heart had been pierced.

If demons even had hearts.

But Regina didn’t stop.

Because she knew that wasn’t enough.

-Fine Snow. Barrage.

*Stab, stab, stab, stab, stab, stab!*

The continuously unfolding secret sword technique riddled the demon’s body like a honeycomb.

A body becoming tattered like a rag.

-Kiaaaaaak!

But the demon did not fall.

It did not die.

It was as if it were immortal.

But there was no way it was truly immortal.

Regina knew that too.

If she had had time, she would have tested until the very end to find out how to kill it.

But now, there was no time for that.

“Let’s retreat now, Professor Karen!”

“Alright!”

Professor Karen and Regina retreated.

The demons immediately pursued them fiercely.

They seemed properly enraged.

Confirming that, Regina’s expression relaxed slightly.

Of course, she was still worried about the remaining students.

However.

‘He’s here.’

Her husband, Max Celtrine.

That person would come.

Because that person was here, it would be alright.

Definitely.

* * *

“Sir Sigmund!”

Sister Marianna raised her voice at the suddenly changed situation.

Students hastily beginning to retreat towards the Castle of Illusions.

This meant one thing.

That the main gate’s defense had been breached, and enemies were flooding in.

“We must protect the retreating students!”

Sigmund seemed to have already made a decision.

That now, protecting the retreating students from the demons’ attacks was the priority.

“Then?”

“We have to hold these bastards here so they can’t turn their attention!”

They were already facing two demons.

To keep those demons from slaughtering the retreating students, they had to continuously engage them.

That was the best they could do now.

However.

“Ugh, Sir Sigmund! Another demon!”

Marianna’s eyes wavered greatly.

Because she had witnessed another demon flying in.

It was then.

A thick ice wall blocked the demon’s path.

“I will also do my best to help!”

It was Elaine.

She too had been fighting a demon and had retreated here for now.

Because it was a request Max had made in his letter.

To help with the safe retreat of the students in an emergency situation.

“Oh, that’s welcome news.”

“Thank you, Sister Elaine.”

A sense of relief, however small, appeared on the faces of the Guardian Knights.

Because when even one person’s help was desperately needed, someone who could provide great assistance had appeared.

Elaine bit her lip firmly, her eyes filled with determination.

‘I still don’t know how to defeat them. But…’

Fighting to defeat and fighting to protect were different.

Powerful defensive magic.

If she focused on using that, it was certainly possible to block the demons’ path.

Now was the time not to spare her mana.

Elaine quickly chanted a spell.

And.

*CRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRACK!*

An ice wall of enormous size shot up into the sky above her head.

* * *

Holding out.

That didn’t necessarily mean forming a solid defensive line and blocking from one spot.

Not a single 4th year had thought such a thing would be possible in an emergency situation in the first place.

They had to hold out somehow, utilizing the defender’s advantage as much as possible.

The defender’s advantage.

That was being able to prepare in advance.

The iron fences blocking the path were, of course, one of them.

“Retreat to the 3rd defensive line!”

Alfred shouted.

A defensive line constructed by stacking iron fences to narrow the path.

It seemed impossible in Lepheria Academy, famous for its vast grounds, but it wasn’t.

Because both Max and the Saint knew beforehand where the enemies would head.

The place where the Saint was.

That was precisely where the enemies would head.

The Saint’s prior refuge in the Castle of Illusions wasn’t merely a choice for safety.

Being able to narrow the enemy’s path.

That was also one of the reasons.

The 4th years hurriedly began to retreat to the 3rd defensive line.

The 1st defensive line near the main gate and the 2nd defensive line after that.

They had abandoned two defensive lines in succession too early, but they had no choice.

Because the enemy’s attack was that fierce.

At least the iron fences had hindered the enemy’s advance, allowing them to buy this much time.

And it wasn’t just iron fences they had prepared.

“Pull!”

*Creeeeak!*

Leon, who was fleeing, pulled the rope with all his might.

Then.

*CRRRRAAAAAASH!*

A heavy object fell from the top of a building, crushing a group of undead.

It was a trap that dropped heavy objects.

Such devices were installed in various places along the path to the next defensive line.

“Well done!”

“Just keep it up like that!”

The 4th years cheered.

However, it was nothing more than a momentary lift in spirits.

Because the enemy’s forces were still plentiful over there.

And.

…There was something too bothersome.

“Hey, you bastards! Why the hell did you bring the demons with you?”

Alfred’s resentful shout.

“W-What do you mean, they’re following us!”

Emily’s indignant shout.

“Same here.”

Ethan was even more brazen.

“It looks like your side brought a demon bastard too, though?”

Camian, on the contrary, launched an attack.

It was an attack with reason.

Because the demon that had latched onto Leon before the main gate was destroyed was relentlessly following and harassing the 4th years.

“Hey, so one became two!”

“Responsibility is half.”

“Ugh.”

Alfred couldn’t win against Camian in words, who had been trained through practical conversations with Max.

“Alright, even if we die, we’ll each take responsibility for one!”

The 4th years’ situation by no means looked easy.

* * *

In front of the main gate.

The place where the enemies should have been was empty.

The miserably destroyed main gate and iron fences told the story of what had happened.

“It means they broke through.”

My expression hardened.

The best-case scenario was to hold out at the main gate and strike their flank and rear.

That scenario had gone awry.

However, I hadn’t expected things to always go well.

Whatever situation arises, I just have to respond accordingly.

“Should I go first?”

“No, it’s dangerous.”

I shook my head at Riviera’s words.

The Heavenly Lord was too dangerous an entity.

No matter how much Riviera was the Blood Witch, I couldn’t rashly send her alone.

“From now on, let’s proceed with utmost caution.”

I started walking again.