NOVPUBA FEW MOMENTS AGO.
Running along the pavement between the Hostels and the Cafeteria were Class One and Two. Class One was further ahead than the latter, while the golden lady remained in between.
Their presence was masked in the subtle arms of the Golden Lady, her steps sending slight quakes along the path. Leaving a trail of giant footings along the way.
Her presence brought a feeling of comfort to the Class One students as they headed to the target location– the Lecture Theatres, as it had proven to be one of the last safe places within the Academy.
Behind the Giant lady were Class Two, their attention mostly subsided with the presence of their class monitors and Deputies.
It was a lot better to trust leaders who had been put in that position through their votes. That way, a capable leader was a norm, and as such, their trust in them was evident.
Behind them were the Son Goku twins, Carl Dunham and the two Lecturers who had been with Professor Kazim at the time.
For a while now, the two Lecturers had been turning behind, observing their environment for intrusions or, better still, the Professor who went missing.
"Still no sign of him?"
"none that I'm aware of."
The second lecturer replied, Lecturer Chan. He was a man under Professor Kazim. A Lecturer from the Combat and Physical Fitness Faculty.
"He must have encountered more attackers and is holding them off."
"We assumed as such."
Carl muttered under his breath, his tone low and rough.
A sigh escaped his lips, images of his moment with Rita playing in his mind.
At that moment, Brett glanced down from his puff of cloud, a frown forming on his face.
"You realise you two are nothing on paper?"
Carl shook his head, his expression turning cold as he looked up at the twins.
Rhett flinched for a moment, a subtle confusion on his face as he glanced down.
"I wasn't talking to you, Brett."
"Oh, please, you're literally begging for someone to talk to you. You've been sulking like a baby since we left the Hostel."
Carl clicked his tongue in annoyance, snapping his head to the side.
"Yo–You won't understand."
Rhett raised a brow, glancing at Brett.
"Why's he sulking?"
Brett glanced at his elder twin and shrugged, pulling off his glasses as he looked up at the sky.
He rubbed the corners of his eyes, water dripping down slowly.
"I won't be surprised if we all go home later today. We're all in our nightwear in the rain, we're basically asking for a cold."
He glanced down, cleaning the lens and placing it in his pocket.
A deadpan silence descended amongst them, pierced by the occasional quake from the walking golden lady.
Their thoughts were spiralling within them, locking them away from reality while they pondered on the events thus far.
'Things are escalating quickly…and the so-called System Uprisers are yet to show up.'
His lips curled down in a frown.
His gaze flickered as he glanced up.
Silence remained, rain beating on the cemented pavement, draining the students, and enveloping them in a cold summit.
It poured with intensity, thunder claps occasionally ringing in the air. Less intense and fewer than before, but it remained. Persistent.
Brett seemed to raise his brow, confusion spreading on his face like ink.
"Hey?"
He muttered after a few moments of silence, causing the group to slowly turn to him.
Carl groaned slightly.
"Do you have more to say to me?"
"Um, no…not really. But I do have a question."
His statement caught him aback, and many others as well, as they glanced around.
Carl shook his head.
"What is it?"
"We–Well, I never pull my glasses unless I'm in the hostel or at home, so am I seeing this right? There seems to be a floating….mountain?"
The group winced at his question.
A subtle chuckle exuded from Carl's lips as he slowly turned towards the direction he glanced at.
Instantly, he froze midstep, stopping in his tracks while the Lecturers gasped.
"Wha–What is that?!"
The chattering erupting from the students caught Carl's attention, too, as he glanced at them.
Their attention. Had been drawn to the sight a few distance away, one that was just beside the pavement, left of it.
His expression squeezed, confusion and startlement intertwined in perfect harmony as he darted his head about.
"Gu–Guys?! Steam? There's a fight going on over there?!"
The twins halted as well, the cloud dispersing as they landed on their feet.
Rhett rushed to the end of the side of the pavement, his eyes flared open in excitement.
"Wow! Is that magic?! What sort of Earth spell is that?!"
"Um, brother…that sort of magic should be difficult to conjure without a pool of mana. It had to be someone from the 10th circle or a level 100."
"Don't be stupid, all of them have been sealed. Only the fourth and fifth years have such powerful entities."
Lecturer Dyer said with a sigh.
He was the second lecturer who had been with them at the time.
His arms folded.
The March to the Cafeteria came to an unprecedented halt as the students stood to watch, but the golden lady commenced hers. Walking past the students and heading to the cafeteria.
Some of the startled students wasted a few seconds of observing before hurriedly running after her.
The purpose of her summoning was yet to be fulfilled, and as such, she continued on her way.
Those who remained only lingered for a few seconds before resuming, but those who lingered longer remained until a second hill formed.
A ridge of magnanimous size, stretching towards the pavement, casting its dark shadows against it.
Some students screamed in shock, falling flat on their bottoms as they walked backwards.
Soon, they had quickly run after the others, too startled to remain.
Carl Dunham, the Son Goku twins and the two Lecturers were amongst the few that lingered more.
Rhett whistled loudly, his head nearly falling over as he tilted it upwards to get a better glance.
"That thing is as large as the mountain back home."
Brett scoffed. "It's not nearly the size, but it's equivalent to the weights Dad uses."
"Hah!" Rhett muttered in agreement as he nodded.
Carl's face twisted slightly, flinching at their statement.
'Scary.'
He turned around towards the Lecturers.
"Can we leave? It's obvious that whatever is going on there would be too much for us to handle."
The Lecturers nodded.
"I'm assuming it's one of the Great Families responsible for this."
"But which? Adam Teras definitely wouldn't involve himself unless it endangers his life or pets, Jang Kang Lin is still yet to resume, the Vassal households have no such power….and Thalia Jun…."
Brett explained, his expression slowly easing after his statement.
"Thalia Jun?" Rhett repeated.
"What do we know about Thalia Jun?"
Lecturer Dyer turned to Lecturer Chan.
"She graduated from the Institution of Law at an early age, but she had no ridiculous status like her siblings. She was the calmest among them, especially during the Entry Test."
Chan shivered, a cold, shrill running down his spine.
"The Entry Test. We don't talk about it, but you're right."
Rhett and Brett glanced at them in silence, images of a past best forgotten flashing in their heads as they looked away.
'Yeah, best forgotten.'
Just then, a gust of air caught their attention.
A breeze, strong and precise, with the subtle flow of mana and aura. A rush of adrenaline and the sudden appearance of a vast number of people, which caught them by surprise.
They turned in alarm, their gazes landing on the presence as it eased up on immediate recognition.
"Jane Lucia? Darrell Silvan."
Jane, Darrell, Cricken, Elsie, Sophie and Meadow.
These were the five students who appeared in their midst, their expressions weary, gazes tired, nightwear torn from their brawl.
A subtle aura emanated from them, bloodlust gained from the countless opponents faced along the way.
Yet, they stood firm and strong, and the tension of the battle was washed away with their victory.
The Lecturers glanced at Meadow in unison, their expressions turning thin.
"Princess?" Lecturer Chan muttered, hesitation laced in his tone as he attempted to step forward.
Meadow held her arm out, inciting him to remain in his position.
She glanced further away, her gaze landing on the walking Golden lady.
"Let's go, Cricken."
The boy nodded, picked her up and rushed after the other students, leaving the others behind.
Darrell watched in silence, a stiff chuckle escaping his lips.
"Now that that's over….should we start searching for the missing students?"
"We can, but we don't have any leads."
Jane replied with a shrug.
Darrell froze for a moment, a scowl creasing his forehead as he glanced away.
"You realise a princess is missing?"
Jane raised a brow. "Two."
Darrell tilted his head in confusion. He raised a finger, counted silently, then raised a brow in realisation. "Yes, two."
"Yes, and so are many others."
Jane replied with a sigh.
He glanced at the Lecturers.
"It would be best if the Lecturers go with the students. We from the Great Families will handle this…"
He pointed at the flying hills.
"...and start the search for the missing students."
Lecturer Chan glanced at Dyer, hesitation lingering in their expression.
"We can stay…."
"You could but with all due respect. You both…"
He glanced around at the other Lecturers.
"And a few others will merely be a hindrance to what we must do. Please understand that this is merely a duty that we must fulfil, and not children playing the hero."
With a slight frown, the Lecturers glanced at him.
They remained silent for a few seconds, but then walked away, silently.
The others followed suit, walking towards the Cafeteria when Chan stopped.
He glanced back at them.
"Where's Professor Rona?"
"She's with Professor Kazim. We met him locked in a rather one-sided showdown, so they've evened– or outnumbered the odds.
They're fine."
He tilted his head for a moment, nodded and turned away.
With the Lecturers leaving, Carl felt a subtle pressure spring up while he remained.
He glanced at the students gathered, the pressure brewing even further.
"Hah! I guess I should be on my way as well"
"Oh, not you, Carl. You may not be strong, but you wouldn't mind students protecting you, and we need all the help we can in finding the missing students."
He went silent.
'Alright. That didn't hurt at all.'
"Do you even know who went missing?"
Jane glanced at Darrell, their expressions growing cold.
They glanced at him and replied.
"Sort of."
Sophie walked past them, her attention drawn to something else that didn't take part in their conversation.
Her body screamed from within, adrenaline that surged to an all-time high.
It empowered her, clawing at her from within.
'Is that what I think it is?' She thought, a silent decree as her lips curled into a smile.
'A demonic human, huh? Delicious.'
