A sight of gore greeted the girls.

Blood was strewn on the tiled, wooden floor. The dead body of someone they knew quite well was drowned at the epicenter of a pool of red liquid.

The woman was one of their Dorm Masters, but now she was just a corpse—one that was riddled with several holes and had been butchered in so many places. She could hardly be called human anymore.

“G-girls! What are you doing here?! RUN!!!” A voice rang out, jolting the girls from their momentary shock.

Their faces turned in the direction in the direction of another of their Dorm Masters—Mistress Aloe Vida.

One of her arms was missing and blood dripped from her body. Holes also riddled some parts, miraculously none seemed to be in vital spots. She had somehow clogged her wounds with Magic so very little blood leaked out, but…

… It was obvious she was already spent, on the verge of collapse.

“W-what is…?” Renner tried to make out the situation.

Were the two Dorm Masters fighting? Why would they go so far? One of them was already dead. Why? Why would they…?!

“GIRLS RUN!” The desperate cry of their usually easygoing Dorm Master rang out.

Sia, who was underneath Renner, tried to rise in response to the older woman’s command. But, the stiff girl above her failed to budge. It was as though she was now stone.

The gore and blood petrified the two, but Sia was at least sensible enough to listen to her superior’s instructions. No, it was all she could do! If she didn’t shut her brain to obey, the girl feared she would give in to fright and vomit all over the bloodied floor.

“GRRRIIIIIKKK…” A hollow sound suddenly echoed through the area, causing both girls to cock their heads in the direction whence it came.

Their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets once the unbelievable entered their line of vision.

Inhuman creatures made up of darkness lurked. They were a lot of them, at least thirty… all scattered across the room.

They hadn’t noticed before since the bright hue of blood and gore had been more noticeable compared to the darkness that shrouded the creatures that appeared. These beings could only be described in one word.

“D-D-DEMON!!!” Renner and Sia screamed at the top of their lungs.

As though taking this to be their queue to strike, all the shadow beings lunged forward. Most went after the wounded Dorm Master, but a few charged in their direction.“NOOOO!!!” They heard the woman’s screams.

The girls were petrified by fear.

The bloodlust of the monsters was too much to handle. It was as if they were drowning in an endless abyss, with thousands of creepers crawling around their bodies.

These were monsters beyond monsters, evil beings that didn’t belong in the world!

Renner and Sia were both in their third years, so they knew about the history of the Kingdom, as well as the Demon War that occurred so many years in the past. Very little was known about it—almost to the point that it was treated as a myth.

Within their study books, though, there were few descriptions and illustrations that hinted at the existence of these sinister beings. The creatures that lunged at them were one of the monstrosities mentioned.

Shadow Demons—fiends of the night!

The girls braced themselves, realizing they could do nothing to escape their assured demise.

The end was nigh!

SHIIIIIINNNGGGGG!!!

Bright light surrounded the two girls, encasing them in some form of a dome. The few Demons that charged at them backed away right as they were about to strike, granting the powerless children within the barrier more time to live.

They were saved by a miracle!

No, it wasn’t a miracle. It was Magic. Both girls recognized this Spell well. It was one of their Dorm Master’s—Aloe Vida’s­—usual ones, which she used to interrupt the both of them whenever they took their fights a bit too far.

The dome seemed more powerful, sturdier than usual, but they couldn’t mistake it. Their Dorm Master had protected them! Then that meant—

Both girls sharply turned at the woman they were grateful to, eyes lit in hope that they had a chance to survive thanks to her power. Unfortunately, despair set in.

SQUELCHHH

SPURT

SPLURRGGEE

Blood.

An endless stream of blood burst out.

Mistress Aloe Vida had been impaled on so many sides, pierced by the dark spears that the Demons generated. The pool of liquid that was her blood grew bigger as more fluids dripped from her near-dead body.The woman managed to turn her head despite her weakened state, mechanically moving with her last strength. Her tired eyes were nearly shut as she looked at the two girls who were powerlessly cowering on the floor.

They were usually so full of energy, troublemakers in their own right. However, currently, they were nothing more than hopeless children who were filled with fright.

“R-Runn… L-livee…”

Her final voice was husky, heavy to the ears as her words trailed and she fell into eternal slumber. At that moment, Aloe Vida died.

The girls only shuddered, even more, watching as the woman’s helpless body plopped into her puddle of blood. They were too surprised, too saturated with fear to properly grieve.

“Hicc… Hicc…”

Sobs leaked out and tears fell. Slowly, the death of their savior registered.

The Demons didn’t give them the chance to properly mourn the woman, though. They simply turned their attention to the girls, having their bladed limbs ready to impale them next.

Renner and Sia gulped.

Their last vestige of hope—the barrier of light protecting them—began to flicker, and slowly faded away. Nothing existed between the powerless two and the monsters who were going to strike.

“Griikkkk…” Their oppressors cracked sadistic smiles through the broken slits on their faces.

The ‘Elite’ girls knew now, that it was truly over.

Even at the very end, they were unable to move. They still disobeyed their Dorm Master, even when it was her dying wish.

“M-mistress Vida… I’m s-sorry…”

“Hicc… I’m so sorry…”

They cried like little babes, scared but waiting for their deaths.

VWOOOOOOSSSHHHHH

A figure clad in light suddenly swept through the building, and in a flash, he cut down several of the Demons.

In seconds, the evil creatures who enjoyed their superiority got the tables turned on them—facing extinction as the being of light made short work of them.

The girls couldn’t even trail the being’s movements. All they saw were flashes of light, bright arcs, and swirls of power.

Not long after, the whole thirty shadows had been completely defeated. They turned into dust and faded away.

The being shrouded in light slowly dimmed the bright encasement that covered him and moved in the direction of both girls.

His blond hair and stern expression registered in their minds as their memories clicked after a few moments,

It was Jared Leonard!