[A/N – I made a slight change to the ending of the previous chapter. No need to re-read it—I've included the revised part at the beginning of this chapter.]
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"All the students return to the centre."
Alden scanned the announcent he had got on his ManaSync.
The sky was darkening, signalling the end of the day's exploration.
There should be a few more minutes before the attack begins.
Alden thought.
In the original novel, the ambush had started only after everyone gathered.
But just as he took a step forward—
Thunderous sound erupted.
The ground trembled beneath his feet.
The attack had already begun.
Chaos had arrived early.
What the hell?
It shouldn't have started this early.
But before he could think anything, his body started moving. He needed to go to Aziel.
He didn't worry about Amyra and Nyx's safety
They were strong.
Aziel was different.
He had died in the original novel. He was just an extra. But now, he was Alden's only best friend.
He couldn't let him die.
His steps turned quick as he ran towards the location of Aziel.
The group had decided to share location when they had split up in case they wanted to et up later.
Please be safe.
Alden didn't even think why the attack started earlier than scheduled.
Because now was no ti to think… it was ti to act.
____
Few Minutes Ago...
Sowhere deep beneath the ruins…
Crack.
A stone split as a boot crushed it underfoot.
"They're disappearing," a masked figure spoke, staring at the flickering magical device in front of him.
The device, ant to monitor their planted explosives, now showed more red than green.
Dozens of bombs had just gone silent.
"They're being disard," another muttered.
A third contractor stepped out of the shadows, voice low. "We've been compromised. Soone from the academy must be behind this."
"We wait no longer," whispered the leader. His voice crackled with authority—and faint traces of demonic corruption.
"Signal the others. We will strike now."
______
Elsewhere, in the shadows of the ruins…
Two robed demon contractors crouched behind a broken-down pillar within ancient ruins.
Initiate Advance Rank strength radiated out of them.
Thunderous sound erupted.
And the ruins trembled.
"Why are we moving early?" one of the demon contractors asked, frowning beneath his mask.
A tall figure, cloaked in a robe, turned to face him.
"The order changed," he said flatly. "Soone is disarming the bombs."
A gloved hand extended a ManaSync, glowing faintly.
"Attack any students you find."
Just then they saw a black-haired boy with crimson eyes sprinting.
The red-robed man smiled. It was not a kind smile. "It seems we got our first victim."
"Let get him." A man with ordinary brown eyes licked his dagger, signalling his partner to stay put.
He let the clueless boy walk past them. Just when the boy passed the pillar.
He erged out, his daggers glinting in cold light.
Even the partner of his who was hiding behind the pillar smirked.
His dagger sliced through the boy's body like cutting mist.
"You should have trained your senses, little boy," he muttered. "Take this as a lesson for your next life."
Just then—
His vision shifted, and the world turned upside down.
Huh?
What happened?
He caught sight of the boy he had just sliced …. It was vanishing like a mirage.
Illusion?
Then he caught sight of the real boy erging from behind him… His expressions were cold enough to freeze his blood.
Before he could react or say anything, his vision darkened. He died.
_____
Alden didn't stop running when he sensed the mana fluctuation from up ahead.
His Monarch of Mana was enough for him to sense even minute fluctuations even without activating his Spirit Domain.
Even without that, his senses far surpassed those at his level.
So he easily sensed two enemies hiding behind the pillar just ahead of him.
Ambush position. Initiate Advanced Rank, judging by their leaking aura.
He let them believe he didn't notice them.
The reason?
He wanted to finish it quickly. He wasn't going to waste his ti with these cannon fodders.
Hook them with bait, then strike.
Just as he passed by pillars. He felt a dagger coming towards his neck.
He didn't stop running like a clueless idiot.
And just as the dagger was going make contact—he activated the flicker step effect of his footwork technique.
A mirage of himself was left behind as he appeared straight behind the enemy.
There was not a single hesitation in his movents.
The clueless enemy struck the illusion and muttered sothing smug—right before Alden's blade sliced through his neck from behind, ending the threat in one clean motion.
Alden looked at the shocked expression as the head of the demon contractor neatly slid off his shoulder.
A crimson arc erupted from the headless shoulder. So of the drops sprayed on Alden's face.
But he ignored it.
It was you who should have trained your senses.
This was his only thought.
One down.
The second contractor snapped out of his daze at the sound, his eyes widening as he spotted his partner's falling body—and Alden.
"Monster—"
Funny of you to call that.
A blast of fire erupted from the man's hand, but Alden ducked and spun to the side. His figure lting within his shadows.
Shadow steps.
Before the contractor could react, Alden erged out of his shadow.
"I don't have ti for you," Alden muttered.
The contractor barely turned and raised his blade before Alden's sword slashed across the man's chest in a single, brutal arc.
Blood sprayed.
The man staggered and fell to his knees, still trying to cast.
Alden didn't let him finish.
His sword flashed.
Then silence.
Two down.
He turned toward Aziel's location again.
His expressions didn't even shift in the slightest.
Voidheart was active at full intensity even now.
__
Sowhere else.
Aziel and Cecilia were walking through ruins. Slowly researching.
Well, at least Cecilia was.
But Aziel was busy… gawking at her.
His eyes were practically glued on her.
"Say, Cecilia, what do you think about going sowhere… Just us two. On a trip."
"Hmm, why suddenly?" Cecilia looked at him. Her expression was slightly mischievous. "You're talking as if you're going to leave sowhere…soon."
"I don't know. I just wanted to spend so ti with you." He said, grinning.
Just then—
They sensed a movent.
Soone erged from behind a broken-down building.
Dain Voss.
"Huh? Dain, what are you doing?" Cecilia asked.
Dain didn't respond imdiately. His eyes locked onto Aziel with a strange look—too calm. Too steady.
Just before she could get a response.
A thundering voice erupted. The ground trembled.
And the air shifted.
Sothing was wrong.
But Aziel didn't notice.
Dain was still smiling.
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