NOVPUBIn Purgatory Corridor Academy, a gigantic classroom resembling an arena, bright spotlights lit up the four walls.
This classroom was not designed in the typical square shape, rather it bore the structural semblance of an oval-shaped arena. The circular seats, akin to those of an audience, stacked up layer upon layer, with the highest row nearly touching the ceiling.
At this point, half of the fourth class period had passed.
In the center of the arena, a demon was engaged in an intense battle.
Quietly sitting and waiting in the back row of the audience were a pair of siblings.
[Time remaining: 3 hours and 30 minutes]
[Task 1: Academy exploration must exceed 60%, current progress 748%]
[...] 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓅𝓊𝒷.𝓬𝓸𝓂
They were silver-level challengers from the Arolan Kingdom. Earlier, there had been suspicions about the presence of the Demon Race among the challengers. Now, they silently watched as the task objectives in the Shadow World shifted.
It felt as though the numbers had gone berserk.
At the beginning of the fourth class period, the progress was just 40%. After that, it started to rise at an absurdly high rate.
Though, after exploring the school, the siblings did conclude that given the size of the school, a complete exploration would yield a progress rate beyond 100%.
However, correspondingly, the Shadow World had calculated that 100% was the reasonable limit that all challengers could achieve in 12 hours.
But it was clear that the situation had surpassed normality.
The progress percentage was seeing a momentary jump after every few seconds, continuously growing!
The siblings could not comprehend what on earth was happening!
When the third class period ended, everything was normal. Based on the progress rate, it was easy to deduce that three teams were successful in clearing the difficulty level 3 classrooms, collectively contributing to an increase of 18%.
Through the investigations conducted during the previous classes, they had also gleaned some information— an unexpected guest was expected to inspect the academy tonight. And this unexpected guest seemed to instill fear even in the senior teachers.
Without a doubt, the [Task 2: Tonight’s Unexpected Danger] referred to the "inspector".
Their exact identity, the intent behind their visit, and the connection they have with humans like them, who are lurking in Demon Academy, could only be pieced together after exchanging information amongst the three challenger teams. Only then could they obtain the key to solving the mystery.
This was the proper mechanism of the Shadow World.
However.
Despite their tireless efforts in leaving clues and codes to establish contact with the other four challengers during intermissions, it seemed as though they had no intention of rendezvous with the siblings!
In the world of Shadows where challengers start scattered and identities concealed, they wouldn’t be able to identify each other unless they make an effort to meet.
When such a situation arises, the most effective strategy would be to abandon entering the classroom during the fourth period and instead, do everything to find the other challengers and seek their cooperation.
Contrarily, to their dismay, the school had just now issued an emergency regulation—
[All students must return from the functional area to the educational region and must not leave during the fourth period. A large number of teachers will start patrolling the corridors. Any students found will be compelled to go to the classroom, and those who disobey will be executed without clemency. Simultaneously, all classrooms with difficulty level 3 will be closed during the fourth period.]
This ridiculous regulation seemed to have thrown the Shadow World into overdrive!
The siblings had no choice. In order to survive, they had temporarily entered a level 2 difficulty classroom to pass the class period.
"Big brother, what if someone made a mistake and triggered the danger mechanism too early…"
The pitch of the girl’s voice trembled as she searched for a glimmer of hope in her vacant eyes, but she found none.
"..."
The brother bit his lip, unsure of how to respond.
He too was filled with an inexorable fear and anxiety that was about to consume him. But as an older brother, he knew he couldn’t contribute to his sister’s panic any further.
"... Don’t worry."
He whispered, trying to reassure her.
Ever since the end of the first class, he had been observing changes in the exploration progress, using it to deduce when other teams entered which difficulty level classrooms…
Although two challengers methodically progressed through the classes according to schedule, they showed no intentions of collaborating with others. It was rather peculiar, as if they didn’t care whether they cleared the Shadow World.
The other two, despite having the ability to clear level 3, chose not to enter classrooms during the second and fourth periods! They seemed to be running nomadically in the functional area, impossible to find!
"Lady Goddess... We did not do any wrong. Why were we brought to such a Demon Academy... If you’re willing to shelter us, please send someone to save us…" The girl whispered a desperate prayer.
Praying to the gods was usually the last resort of those who had lost all hope.
Just then, the classroom door was pushed open.
The sound of the lock echoed in the classroom, unusually sharp to the ears.
Following that, a horde of demon teachers strode into the room, their footsteps firm as if clearing the way for someone behind them.
This sudden intrusion caught the attention of all the demon students in the room, as if a pause button had been pressed on time.
Then, from behind the door, a radiant demon with black hair and green eyes, seemingly of a higher rank, stepped in.
His steps momentarily faltered.
He scanned the room.
"Take all the students in the classroom to the principal’s office."
The Radiant Demon promptly ordered an end to the ongoing classes and arranged for all students to be escorted to the principal’s office.
It felt as if the prisoners were being transported to a concentration camp.
The siblings in the back row felt a sense of absolute despair.
The inevitable had finally come to pass.
However, they couldn’t understand why the Shadow World’s mechanism had got distorted in such a way that it provoked the principal to personally annihilate them!!
The Radiant Demon seemed to feel the tension in the room and furrowed his brow.
"Do not worry, students. There isn’t any danger in the principal’s office, it’s quite spacious. The school is facing a surprise inspection, and this classroom poses the risk of non-compliance. It’s just a temporary precaution. Once the fourth period is over, you all can return to the campus. The school will also compensate each student with three Credit Coins. You have my word."
The Radiant Demon raised his hand, signaling all demon students to keep calm, and swiftly addressed them.
Suddenly, all the demon students quietened down. Their expressions eagerly anticipated the unexpected boon.
They naturally did not question the principal’s words.
Because, if this principal—who had many senior professors accompanying him—wanted to harm them, he wouldn’t need to resort to such an elaborate plan.
The siblings, who were holding their breaths in the back row, shared a glance. Their eyes were filled with anxiety and confusion.
It seemed as though the principal was trying to help?
Even protect them?
However, no matter how you looked at it–
Radiant Demons—especially the principal of the Demon Academy who has demons obeying him respectfully and radiates an aura of enigma—would not possibly aid the challengers.
His mystifying demeanour and the awe-inspiring authority he commanded among the demons proved him to be the most evil and terrifying leader of the Demon Race in the Shadow World!
There must have been some problems within the school, causing the stages of the Shadow World to be appropriately tampered with, providing a sliver of hope for the siblings.
Though the mechanism of the Shadow World became more cryptic as they delved deeper–
Currently, it seemed like the siblings had found a tiny path towards survival.
