My breathing was uneven as perspiration trailed down my face.

I shivered as I felt the menacing beings creep around the building I was in. Their movements were uncoordinated, not befitting professionals. However, the killing intent they had far surpassed any I had ever encountered in this life.

It was almost as if they weren’t human!

‘Shit, what’s this?!’

I made a blunder.

I had thought the enemy sought to ambush me, but who would have expected him to prepare such an elaborate scheme? At this rate, the other students were going to get caught up in this mess.

“Wha—!!!” I quickly sprang to my feet upon realizing that our dorm had been breached.

I sensed three of the evil presences inside the building. They were still on the ground floor, but it was only a matter of time before they made it up.

‘The Dorm Master’s quarters should be situated downstairs…’ I reasoned, wondering if the usually lackadaisical man had noticed the presence of whatever evil crept below.

I didn’t have time to waste… if I didn’t act now, then…

Glancing across the room, I spotted all the necessary things I needed to take. I wasn’t confident in my current abilities, and the fact that I couldn’t foresee this event made me even less certain that fighting was the right choice. However, it was already too late to retreat!

“I can only move forward!” Gritting my teeth, I prepared myself and frantically prepared my resources.

My traps were wasted.

My elaborate plans were ruined.

All that was left… was my ability to compensate.

BOOOOOMMM!!!

I heard a large sound emanate from the ground floor. The force of whatever impacted was enough to shake the whole building. I nearly fell as a result of the tremors—but after using my Mana effectively, I regained my perfect form and prepared desperately.

Since my attention was divided, I couldn’t completely tell, but a fierce fight was going on downstairs. It was most likely between the group that had entered the dorm and the staff responsible for our building.

I didn’t particularly like him, but since his strength was real—at the very least, up to the standard of a Mage—I tolerated the man.

Even if the enemies were strong, surely, he could buy a few minutes… right?

‘Shit… damnit!’

My senses picked up more enemies. The ones who had swarmed the building began converging at the point where the loud sound originated from. I heard the howls of the wind and felt more evil auras emanating from beneath me.

It all happened too fast!

More explosions erupted, and for a few seconds, the entire dorm shook violently—almost as if it would collapse.

Finally, the commotion ceased, replaced by a temporary dead calm that seemed to pierce my very soul. If I was naïve, perhaps my mind would have concluded that our Dorm Master had won. However, I still sense the strong presence of the enemies. They seemed to be increasing in power and numbers.

“Ahhhhh!!!”

“What the hell?!”

“What the heck is going on downstairs?”

“Should I check it out?”

“The Dorm Master will handle it, right?”

“What if something really dangerous is going on?”

“I actually feel something scary.”

“I should just stay in my rooms… just in case.”

I began hearing the several grumblings of the students in their respective rooms. Usually, the building walls were soundproof, so no matter what a student did within their rooms couldn’t be leaked out. For me to hear sounds must have meant that they were opening their doors, most likely to sneak a peek outside.

After feeling such a terrible quake, it was no surprise. Some of the braver students were most likely going to check it out. But…

‘None of you should move!’ I gritted my teeth as I finished my preparations.

Bam!

I flung open the door of my room and darted across the dark hallway.

The dimness around me was no problem since all my senses were currently heightened. My elevated body made its way downstairs as I jumped down the stairs in a hurry. One of the figures was already in the hallway of the first floor. I had to corner it… fast!

FWOOOOSSHHHH!!!

My lightweight body glided through the air easily, thanks to my enchanted outfit.

Fortunately, I was fast enough to block its path, just before it could reach any door in the vast hallway. My body trembling slightly, and my eyes fixed on the opponent, I prepared myself to give it all I had no matter the identity of the enemy… until it registered to me!

The figure appearing before my eyes… I couldn’t believe it!

“S-shadow Demon?! How?!”

However, before I could even question the existence of this creature, it launched several parts of his shadow-like body, creating multiple spears to impale me.

My eyes bulged and I forced myself to recover from the shock. Willing my body to move, I was fast enough to evade the multiple strikes even though the Demon caught me by surprise.

I leaped back, creating some distance between us, but the monster sharply took the initiative and dived at me, wilding both arms as though they were sharpened claws. Its face cracked to form a malevolent smile, and its darkened body blended with the darkness.

It truly was the kind of Demon I remembered!

Multiple questions appeared in my head, but I temporarily locked them all away. Now was not the time to dwell on the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’. I had to fight! I had to win!

That was all that currently mattered!

WHOOOSSHHH

I strengthened my body once more and dived headfirst into the approaching Demon.

It seemed to delight in my recklessness and brought forth several spikes around his body to impale me from all sides. The sharp, black needles lunged at me with devastating speed.

I didn’t falter in my motion, though. Using Spellcraft, I created several barriers to block each and every one of the spears that were about to assail me—focusing on the enemy in my line of sight.

“Die, monster!”

I extended my hand and touched it with my Mana-coated hand.

SHIIIIINNNNGGGGG