episode_0056

Chapter 56: The Raid

“Haaah… When will this end?”

Garsian, a Knight dispatched to the Academy, let out a big yawn. Since the unpleasant incident during the practical training, the Academy’s security had been reinforced, naturally increasing his schedule and causing a lack of sleep.

Alison, another dispatched Knight, poked Garsian in the side, cautioning him. “Be careful. Don’t you know you’ll be in big trouble if the Commander-nim catches you doing that?”

“Then they should reduce the workload. I’m exhausted from night patrol even this morning.” “Just bear with it a little longer. It’ll be over soon anyway.”

Both were enduring the same hardships. As they encouraged each other and held out, their eyes caught sight of a figure approaching in the distance. It was a Dark Elf with captivating bronze skin.

Sharp features and short hair swaying around her shoulders exuded an arrogant beauty, while her flawless, sleek physique instantly captivated the men’s gaze. A comfortable leather jacket and leather pants overtly revealed the curves of her entire body.

Gulp! Garsian, who gulped down his saliva at her immense allure, extended his hand, blocking her path. “Stop! A match is currently underway here. What is your business?”

The Dark Elf smiled sweetly at the question. “My younger sibling is competing in the match. I ended up being a little late.”

“Your younger sibling…?” Garsian’s mind slowly processed this. The people currently competing are the 1st and 3rd rankers of the year. Naturally, there couldn’t be a Dark Elf among them. Therefore, the other party’s words were a lie.

Just as he reached that conclusion, Alison drew his sword and shouted, “Garsian! Be careful! Raid—”

Slash! No, before he could even finish his sentence, the Dark Elf’s dagger, which struck swiftly, severed his neck. Garsian tried to counterattack quickly, but the dagger, twirling with graceful movements, repeatedly stabbed his abdomen. His shredded intestines spilled out with a wet plop.

“Guh… Hah!” Garsian flailed his hands, trying to scoop his intestines back in, before collapsing. At the same time, similar commotions erupted around them.

The Dark Elf plunged her dagger down one more time to ensure he was dead, then entered the gymnasium and reported through her comms earpiece. “This is Shakra. The south gate of the gymnasium has been secured.”

—Good. Block all passages on your side. Kill everything you see. Eradicate the Empire’s sprouts before they can grow. Understand?

“You don’t have to tell me, I already know. Especially the male student named Abel, I shouldn’t let him get away, right?”

—That’s right. Then contact me when you find the target. I’ll send reinforcements.

With that, the transmission ended. CRASH! At the same time, a gigantic sword made of demonic energy descended from the sky, and obliterated a portion of the Academy’s center.

Beneath that spot, the heart of the immortal demonic beast, Levios, was sealed. In other words, it was a place guarded by the Academy’s Dean, Gion Cruise.

Not long after, an earth-shattering clash occurred, and the entire Academy began to reverberate loudly.

Shakra grinned at the shockwave that made her entire body tingle. “Calisto. You’re really going wild with excitement.”

Demonic Sword Calisto. A sacred relic and apostle of the Dark Cult, it parasitizes bodies, seizes control, and bends them to its will. It is a living history itself, having existed since the Dark Goddess first descended tens of thousands of years ago.

Calisto wouldn’t be pushed back at all, even against Gion Cruise. If anything, the opposite might be true.

—Enter. At that timely command, Shakra entered the gymnasium, feeling pity for the students.

“Poor children. Blame yourselves for enrolling in the Academy.”

Because she intended to kill everyone she saw, with the exception of the Dark Cult members. Shakra’s dagger gleamed menacingly.

*

“Aaaah! Save me!” “I don’t want to die! Mommmm!” Inside the gymnasium was utter pandemonium.

The Dark Cult’s raid, which began with the immense shockwave from outside, claimed countless lives. Those in a panic begged for their lives and rushed towards the exit.

But all they did was run into the waiting Dark Cult attackers and die. Even those who could have resisted, thanks to the difficulty of moving through the crowded mass, fell in vain.

“Ah, Abel! What should we do? Where should we go…?” “Calm down, Uni! Let’s think clearly.” “That’s right! We must stay calm!” “That’s right. If we get excited, we won’t accomplish anything. There’s definitely a way.”

“…Yas. Why are you suddenly saying something sensible? You’re not a spy for the Dark Cult, are you?” “What are you talking about? I do my part when it matters!”

Alisa’s suspicion and Yas’s indignation. Listening to their conversation, I leaned my body and looked down at the arena. I don’t know if it’s because they’re infiltrating from the outside, but there are no attackers in the arena itself. Of course, that’s only a matter of time, but if we move through the waiting room, we might be able to escape relatively safely.

I moved immediately. As I put my foot on the railing, ready to jump down at any moment, Abel shouted. “Ru-Ruan! What are you doing?” “I’m going to jump down. That place looks the safest.”

“Huh? Now that you mention it, there aren’t any enemies there, are there? Since Skadia and Deborah are also there, it’d be good to join them and leave together! Everyone, let’s go down!” “Yes! Abel!” “Alright! Let’s go quickly!” “Let’s go!” “……”

Opinions converged instantly. Alisa was silent, perhaps displeased that it was my suggestion, but she quietly followed, judging that there was no other choice.

We jumped from the railing, landed nimbly, then joined Skadia and Deborah. “Both of you, let’s get out of here quickly!” “U-Uh-huh!” “…This way.”

Unlike the flustered Deborah, Skadia, as if she had been waiting, led the way to the waiting room passage. She had known.

That to deal with the enemies they would encounter while exiting the waiting room, more fighting power was needed, excluding Deborah. She must have judged that Abel’s group, having experience working together, would be enough. However, that was a misjudgment.

The Dark Cult’s attackers had put their heart and soul into this operation, and thus, they wouldn’t allow even the slightest gap for escape. Beyond the waiting room passage, a group surged out. At a glance, each one was close to Level 150.

“…I made a mistake. I should have hurried more.” Skadia bit her lip, as if regretting her arrogant judgment.

Just then, some of the attackers shouted. “There’s the top priority target!” “Don’t let him get away!” “Die!!”

They stared directly at Abel and charged forward with reckless momentum. I felt my heart sink.

‘Abel is the top priority target?’ Currently, Abel is just one of many students in the upper ranks. Yet, if they’ve made him the top priority target, then as expected, there’s an incarnate being in the Dark Cult, and he holds a high position, capable of orchestrating even large-scale operations.

The sense of crisis hit me more intensely than ever before. I glanced at Pernia, and her face was stiff, as if she too felt a chill from the attacker’s words.

In that desperate moment. “How dare you target my students!” CRASH! Sara appeared from somewhere, plummeting before us like a comet.

She turned to us and commanded. “You all, run away.” “Professor…” “I said run!”

Despite her stern command, the group couldn’t move easily. It was because they weren’t sure if it was alright to leave Sara alone. As time passed, the number of attackers would only increase, and no matter how strong she was, if she reached her physical limits, she would inevitably fall. As everyone hesitated, Skadia calmly made them face reality.

“Let’s run. If we stay, we’ll only be in the way. It’s actually helping her by running as far away as possible.” I added my own words. “I agree. Let’s run. We have to get out of here, even a little. Otherwise, we won’t be able to escape.”

At that, Skadia flinched for a moment and glanced at me, but soon, as if realizing it wasn’t the time, she looked back at the group. Abel nodded gravely.

“They’re right. We’re just a hindrance. Let’s run!” As the majority of the group agreed, the remaining members also cast their votes in favor. Ultimately, we left Sara behind and ran towards the waiting room passage on the opposite side.

‘There’s no need to worry about Sara.’ Sara’s current level is approximately 280. Whether by stats or by realm, the possibility of the attackers harming her is close to zero. She merely sent us ahead because it would be too difficult to fight while protecting all of us. The group, unaware of this, felt guilty for abandoning Sara and running away.

Thus, with conflicting emotions, we crossed the waiting room, and finally managed to exit through the south gate. “We’re out!” “Let’s go get help quickly!” “If we go outside, we can call Teacher-nim!”

Just as the group was expressing their hopeful observations, a Dark Elf walked out from a blind spot. “Oh my? We have a winner, don’t we?”

She seemed to slowly survey the group, then let out a cheer upon seeing Abel. The movement of her tongue, softly licking her lower lip, was reminiscent of a snake. Everyone flinched back in surprise.

This was because Shakra unleashed her aura, as if she had no intention of hiding it. Its level was vastly superior even compared to the attackers they had faced in the waiting room.

Like a predator before its captured prey, she leisurely surveyed the group, then opened her mouth with a playful smile. “My dear friends? Shall big sister make a suggestion?”

“…A suggestion?” “Yes. That male student there. He’s Abel, right? If you leave only Abel behind, I’ll spare all of you. How about it?”

“No!” Before anyone could even consider the suggestion, Uni shook her head vehemently.

Shakra turned her gaze to the others. “Do you all think the same? Friends are precious, aren’t they? But are they more precious than your lives? I don’t think so. What’s it going to be? Will you run away? Or will you die together?”

No one could easily make a decision. The skeptical thought that she wouldn’t spare them anyway, and the hope that perhaps they *could* survive. Those two thoughts clashed fiercely.

I observed the situation, deep in thought. ‘What should I do now?’ Of course, if I didn’t want to die, I could activate ‘Rape Declaration,’ but if I did, the group would find out that I was the Masked Man. Even if others didn’t know, Alisa might try to kill me if she realized she had been deceived.

‘Surrendering is also not an option.’ Shakra wouldn’t spare them anyway, even if they betrayed Abel here. Then the only choice left for me was…

“You’re all thinking so hard, aren’t you? But if you don’t decide quickly, I’ll just kill all of you. Big sister doesn’t have much patience, you see.” As the silence stretched, Shakra, losing patience, pressured them once more. Just as Abel was about to step forward himself.

“Abel. I’m sorry!” I made my decision, turned my back, and ran into the passage we had come from. Dumbfounded stares pierced the back of my head. I felt all of it clearly as I ran through the passage without hesitation. Until their gazes completely vanished.