Noah sat on the same bench outside the faculty wing, arms loosely folded, gaze calm.
’Everything’s in place. Serina confessed. Cordelia’s safe.’
He exhaled slowly, letting the tension bleed from his shoulders.
The explosion rocked the air, the shockwave rushing through the stone corridor. The bench rattled beneath him.
Noah shot to his feet in an instant, eyes narrowing.
Then his mind caught up.
’No. No way. Already? This early? It’s starting?’
’Shit. It’s way earlier than last time. First Scenario is starting—now.’
Without wasting a second, he reached behind him, fingers closing around the familiar hilt.
His katana slid free with a clean whisper of steel.
His form shimmered—flickering sideways in a blink, an afterimage of silver mist left hanging in the air.
Another near-invisible sidestep, and Noah shot down the corridor like a ghost.
He burst out of the building—
Above the academy, towering in the open sky, the scene was like something out of a nightmare.
Three colossal Spirits battled in a cyclone of raw mana and elemental fury:
A Aqua spirit—an enormous whale the size of a warship, its body shimmering like living sapphire, runes of ancient water magic glowing across its massive flanks. Each wave of its fins sent cascading torrents into the clouds.
A Fire spirit—a dragon, obsidian-scaled and wreathed in molten flame. Its wings were searing arcs of fire; every beat of them sent shockwaves of heat through the sky. Lava dripped from its claws as it lunged and roared.
A Gaia spirit—a towering stag, its antlers woven with vines, blooming flowers, and crystal shards. Each of its steps sent ripples through the air, the ground beneath trembling as roots spiraled upward in defense.
They clashed mid-air—magic tearing the sky apart, each Spirit vying for control.
Noah gritted his teeth.
’So this is it. She tried to form a contract with all three... and now they’re fighting to claim her.’
A distant crash echoed—stone shattered.
Screams rose across the campus.
He tightened his grip on the katana, eyes locked on the chaos above.
The explosion shook the entire building.
Dust drifted from the ceiling of the faculty chamber. The long table trembled beneath the force of the blast.
For a moment—silence.
Then Trinity shot to her feet, voice sharp.
"What is happening now?!"
Serina Thornevale shrank in her chair, eyes wide, grabbing the edges of her seat.
Baron Revin looked equally pale, his gaze darting toward the door.
Professor Al stood up with surprising agility, adjusting his coat.
"That didn’t sound like an accident."
Professor Darius crossed his arms, face grim.
Trinity’s eyes flashed.
"Now that this is all resolved—we’re leaving."
She didn’t wait for permission.
The three professors—Trinity, Darius, and Al—hurried out of the chamber.
Cordelia hesitated only a second.
Her heart was pounding.
’It’s started already? The First Scenario? It’s too early...’
Without another word, she rushed after them.
As she reached the hallway, the sharp smell of burned mana filled her nose.
Students ran past in the distance, shouting.
Cordelia turned toward the front entrance.
The bench where Noah had been sitting was empty.
She stared for half a heartbeat.
’He’s already gone...’
A grim determination settled in her chest.
She took a breath—and sprinted toward the source of the chaos.
Cordelia ran through the winding outer paths of the academy, her heart racing.
Even from here, she could see the spiraling torrents of mana in the sky—massive, unstable, raw.
As she rounded the corner of the eastern courtyard, the full scale of it hit her.
Above the academy’s Training Hall, three titanic shapes tore through the clouds:
The Aqua Spirit, the enormous whale, its entire body rippling with ancient currents. With each movement, cascades of water fell in shimmering curtains.
The Fire Spirit, the obsidian dragon, roaring as it twisted through the air—leaving trails of molten light in its wake.
The Gaia Spirit, the great stag, its antlers reaching like a crown of nature itself. Roots and vines spiraled upward around the building, attempting to encase it.
Cordelia’s breath caught.
’They’re... bigger and more violent than in the novel.’
The sight alone sent a chill through her bones—but she kept moving.
On the ground, near the Training Hall entrance, chaos reigned.
Dozens of students were fleeing, many screaming. Some had fallen, others staggered in panic.
Amid the crowd, she spotted three figures standing firm—holding the line, helping the injured.
Varek Drenor—towering and broad-shouldered, already shielding two students with one arm.
Tirien Vale—lean and sharp-eyed, a small golem perched on his shoulder, arms flickering with protective runes.
Cordelia sprinted toward them.
Noah caught sight of her first. His crimson gaze met hers.
"You’re just in time," he said calmly, though tension laced his voice.
Cordelia stopped beside him, chest heaving. "What’s your plan?"
Noah kept his eyes on the swirling battle above. "Plan? Stop Lys. I need to get inside."
Cordelia frowned. "And the Spirits?"
"They’re guarding her," Noah said flatly. "Right now, it’s impossible to get close. We’ll have to fight through."
Cordelia glanced at the sky again. "And the professors? Aren’t they helping?"
Noah shook his head once. "First priority is evacuating the students. Until that’s done, we’re on our own."
Cordelia exhaled. "I see."
Noah glanced sideways. "Good. Then follow me. I need someone to cover my back."
Then he raised his voice, cutting through the chaos.
Both looked up immediately.
At the same moment, another figure darted in from the side—Amelie Valenhart, her green hair streaked with sweat, determination in her eyes.
"I’m coming too!" she called.
A moment later, another student appeared—a second-year girl, older, her expression cool. Mana flickered around her in multiple colors.
"Four elements," Tirien murmured. "She’s strong."
Noah’s grip on his katana tightened.
The group advanced as one.
Noah led the way, katana drawn, movements sharp and deliberate.
Varek followed close behind, arms wrapped in mana bands, ready for close combat.
Tirien whispered to his small golem, which scanned ahead with glowing eyes.
Cordelia walked just behind Noah, fire crackling softly in her hands.
And near the rear, the second-year girl stood out instantly.
She had long black hair, tied loosely behind her shoulders, and dark eyes that gleamed with unsettling focus—like a hunter calmly watching her prey.
Mana shimmered faintly around her—not just one color, but four distinct auras shifting in rhythm:
Shadow—a faint haze of darkness that clung to her feet and edges of her cloak.
Light—soft radiant pulses that flared when her hands moved.
Wind—sharp, cutting currents swirling around her legs, keeping her steps unnaturally light.
Necrotic—a cold greenish-black mist that seemed to hover near her fingers, silent and unnerving.
Cordelia glanced at her, feeling the pressure instinctively.
’She’s dangerous... stronger than most second-years by far.’
They reached the plaza in front of the Training Hall—and stopped.
The entrance was already half-encased in twisting roots and stone, pulsing with Gaia’s power.
In the air, Spirits of low and mid rank swarmed—twisting shapes of elemental energy and corrupted mana, drawn to the chaos of the Legendary Spirits above.
Small wind wraiths darted through the air, slicing with invisible blades.
Burning wisps hovered in clusters, seeking targets to ignite.
Stone elementals crawled across the courtyard, forming makeshift walls.
Water spirits lashed out with jets and freezing bursts.
Noah’s eyes narrowed.
"They’re protecting the Hall now," he said. "We’ll have to break through."
Cordelia nodded, flames blooming around her hands.
Varek cracked his knuckles.
"Good. Been wanting to punch something."
Tirien tapped his golem’s head.
"Prioritize shields. I’ll handle crowd control."
The second-year girl finally spoke—voice calm, almost cold.
"I’ll clear the flanks."
Without further warning, she raised both hands.
Shadow surged forward—twisting tendrils that snared a pack of wind wraiths in mid-air, dragging them into darkness.
Then a burst of Light followed—purifying a cluster of necrotic wisps in a single flash.
Her movements were fluid—Wind wrapped around her, making her glide across the battlefield, while thin streams of Necrotic energy seeped into any lingering enemies, withering them on contact.
Noah glanced at her, impressed.
’She finally appears.’