Successfully approaching the Crystal Flower, the Violets were suddenly swept away by the rapidly changing situation and ended up trapped inside the barrier.
“What on earth is happening outside?”
The anxious Violets were reassured by the external team members.
“Come on, focus. We don’t know what the situation is, but it doesn’t concern us.”
“Really?”
Clone 123, who was waiting outside the barrier, shared their vision. The commotion was unfolding far from the garden and forest, in the central area of the school.
According to what Adela had guided them, that place housed the Student Council Building, the Central Library, and the Teachers’ Building.
“Let’s just do our job. Hurry up and gather your things!”
The Violets, trapped inside the barrier, quickly packed the flowers and generated a reverse effect. Nothing was left inside.
“We’ve secured everything. Clone 123 and 43, hurry and withdraw.”
“Got it. Um… just a moment.”
“What are you doing, not coming?”
The two Violets keeping watch outside spotted a red flame rising.
“Let’s just take a look at that. Something’s off!”
“What’s wrong?”
“What the heck is that?”
A massive fire erupted from the Teachers’ Building, accompanied by the sound of an explosion.
Meanwhile, Adela, who had been sleeping in the dormitory, reflexively bounced out of bed at the sound of the explosion she heard in her sleep.
The sound of sirens followed, waking the entire school from its dreams. Feeling something was wrong, she quickly changed, gathered her armor and weapons, and headed outside.
In front of the dormitory, students in pajamas had hastily gathered. Rubbing their eyes, she quickly found the members of the Student Council guiding others nearby.
“I’m Adela! Have all the students been accounted for?”
“Yes! Student Council President, we just need to check one floor and it will be done.”
“Professors and guards will be arriving soon, so Student Council members, make sure everyone moves to the gym once the check is complete!”
As she was giving several instructions, the dark surroundings suddenly lit up in yellow. Turning her head, she saw flames rising from the center of the academy. Some startled students screamed in surprise.
“It’s a fire!”
“That’s near the Central Library! No, wait, is it the Teachers’ Building?”
Suddenly, Adela recalled the students who studied late at the library. While the evacuation of the dormitory students was nearly complete, what about those over there?
“Three of you, follow me. The rest wait until the check is complete and then quickly move to the gym!”
“Where are you going?”
“To the library! There might still be people who haven’t evacuated!”
After relaying the situation via messenger, she ran towards the blazing courtyard with the three students.
After putting in her earpiece, she accessed the emergency communication network. However, her mouth fell shut instinctively as the network was overflowing with frantic, gasping voices and questions from people in a state of confusion.
-Professor Myers! Where are you? Are you okay?
-This is Guard Team 1, engaged in combat with unidentified enemies!
-I’m fine! But the Headmaster is…
Out of nowhere, the sound of gunfire echoed, like beans being roasted in a pan. Adela activated her magical power and dashed through the darkness.
Unlike the Teachers’ Building, which was engulfed in flames, the Central Library was intact. Students had already fled outside with their backpacks long ago. After checking the reading room, she rushed outside.
“Check complete! No one is here.”
“Alright, let’s head to the gym now!”
When they exited the main door of the library, the professors who hadn’t left, the guards, and the hunters who had rushed in were engaged in battle in front of the Teachers’ Building.
‘Monsters? That can’t be right; there shouldn’t be a gate formed inside the school!’
Filled with suspicion, she sent the other students ahead before running towards the area where people were.
One hunter was rushing down with an elderly person on his back. Adela’s eyes widened.
“Headmaster…!”
A young professor saw Adela and scolded her. He had just sliced an unknown monster with his sword.
“Adelaide! What are you doing here? This place is dangerous!”
“The student evacuation procedures are all complete! I need information. What’s happening?”
“I don’t know either. It’s the first time in my teaching career that something like this has happened.”
The messy headmaster was being attended to after coming off his back.
After intercepting all the monsters that had spilled out of the building, someone slowly walked out from the doorway of the smoke-filled building.
“Is there still someone here? I thought everyone had evacuated.”
As soon as someone opened their mouth, an unidentified being emerged from the smoke.
Those who were about to speak were suddenly struck dumb.
The surrounding golden flames flickered strangely as a bizarre being walked through them.
The person, dressed in what looked like a military uniform, exuded an indescribable atmosphere, raising doubts about whether that being was indeed ‘human.’
The face, resembling a mask, shimmered with a grotesque glow and shifted shapes. Captivated by the strange aura, people stared in awe.
One hunter was the first to regain his senses. He was the one who had rushed in, carrying the headmaster on his back. He pointed at the being and shouted.
“That’s it! That one… it’s an intruder!”
Upon hearing that, everyone at the scene aimed their weapons. Adela also nocked an arrow and aimed at the opponent.
“What’s your identity?”
The creature tilted its head and pointed at the unconscious headmaster.
“That’s none of your business. Hand over the old man.”
Adela frowned at the being’s voice, which sounded distorted, mixed with noise.
People reacted strongly.
“The headmaster? Don’t make me laugh, you bastard! Who are you? Are you from the Obsidian Legion?”
“The identity can be revealed later. For now, let’s subdue you.”
In response to the people’s hostility, the creature answered once more.
“This is a command, not a request.”
When the man raised his arm, dozens of monsters surged up from the ground.
“Actually, I didn’t even need to command you. I’ll just take it myself.”
“Monsters? How?!”
As the astonished people gasped in disbelief, the creature casually motioned for an attack. The courtyard at midnight was about to erupt with the heat of battle.
If not for the sudden roar that split the wind.
From the dark sky, a sound that tore through the air sharply rang out. The noise quickly became clear enough for even civilians to hear. The battle came to a halt. The creature muttered in surprise.
“What is this energy…?”
Everyone around, including the creature and the others, looked up at the sky with astonished eyes.
“What is that sound? A fighter jet?”
“It’s flying low. Where did it come from?”
At that moment, voices expressing surprise continued to erupt over the communication network.
-This is Guard Team 2! The Inspection Bureau… the Scholarship Officer has been dispatched!
-What does that mean? The Inspection Bureau? Why is the Scholarship Officer here all of a sudden?
-‘We have identified the bizarre situation at the academy. We will provide immediate support,’ they said.
Adela and the professors were left dumbfounded by the immediate response.
-Ah, new information…. It’s just arrived?
A black figure dashed swiftly across the pitch-black sky.
Someone pointed a finger at the sky.
“Look over there!”
They focused their magical power in their eyes.
A human form falling through the air was caught. The figure, cutting across the inky darkness, plummeted right before the unidentified intruder.
-BOOM!
Dust flew up, and the bizarre creature barely managed to evade the crash as it was startled.
“Ugh…!”
Immediately after the deafening sound, the intruder slammed against the wall of the classroom building.
From behind the smoke and fire, a figure appeared.
“It’s good that I’m not late. What a relief.”
The man’s gaze fell on the headmaster of Aegis Academy. After giving a slight nod to the academy officials watching him, he swapped the iron mallet he had been holding for a sword.
“Who are you…?”
“Millia is here. What’s the situation?…Got it.”
Ignoring the surrounding questions, he calmly murmured as if reciting a spell.
“Federal Time: October 7th, 25th Year, 00:07.”
The deformed figure that appeared looked like a human.
The man pondered.
If things had gone as planned, that being would have appeared several months later.
The incident would have likely occurred quietly, unnoticed by anyone.
“From now on, we will execute an emergency intervention regarding Aegis Awakened Specialized Academy.”
He didn’t care.
Too much had already changed, and many more would undoubtedly twist to come.
The man declared calmly.
“Due to the emergency situation, the academy’s consent will be obtained later.”
The weary-eyed black-cloaked man slowly stepped forward through the flames and smoke.
“Therefore, let’s proceed.”
The Scholarship Officer of the academy city began administrative actions.
The Violets couldn’t comprehend the scene before them.
“What is that?”
“That guy, he’s the Scholarship Officer!”
“Isn’t that Seijis? What’s he doing here?”
Faced unexpectedly with the protagonist of the future, the Violets’ heads were filled with question marks.
An unknown enemy, an intruding Scholarship Officer.
Unluckily, even if the hundreds of Violets combined their minds and activated their mental network to the maximum, they couldn’t perfectly interpret the scene in front of them.
If fate exists, it was a mess of complicated threads that intertwined to bind this world in five knots.
To understand the battle against that creature and the Scholarship Officer, the Violets had to get past at least the third knot. Unfortunately, they couldn’t grasp those things right now.
Amidst the burning buildings, the two beings clashed.
The spectacle was closer to a natural disaster than a fight. Each strike shattered the ground, and every movement whipped up a gust of wind. Their actions surpassed the speed of sound.
Once the monsters guarding the front were swiftly eradicated, the creature summoned new subordinates that surrounded the Scholarship Officer.
The Scholarship Officer reached out toward the empty air. A massive machine gun, matching the height of an adult male, smoothly appeared. A long ammunition belt lay stretched on the ground.
With one arm holding the machine gun, he unleashed a barrage of fire upon the approaching enemies. The monsters caught in the steel-core explosive rain were obliterated without a trace.
“…What the?!”
Realizing that his actions merely bought time, the creature formed a sigil and unleashed an incomprehensible magic. A torrential downpour of metal hurtled towards the creature’s location. The high-speed projectiles collided against what appeared to be an impenetrable barrier and ricocheted. It was a high-speed motion barrier.
The machine gun held in the Scholarship Officer’s hands vanished. A dark metallic complex crossbow appeared in his right hand. A beam of light infused with blue magical power pierced the barrier.
The creature swiftly released the barrier and dodged. The light beam chased the creature like a shark on the hunt, piercing its left arm. In the midst of the jolt, a merciless cleaving tore through its body.
“Argh!”
Blue smoke rose from the damage-riddled creature. Its body quickly healed. A flaming sword burst forth from its wrist.
“Was there such a hunter? Is it human?!”
“It’s neither magic nor a unique ability!”
-CLANG!
As the spectators watched on in stunned silence, dozens of strikes were exchanged. In the blink of an eye, the creature’s wrist was severed. As it staggered back, a sledgehammer greeted it. The creature crashed through the outer wall of the building, and the Scholarship Officer followed it into the classroom building.
“That person must be the newly changed Scholarship Officer…”
“How can a human be that fast?”
Adela and the academy staff could only watch the entire spectacle unfold. Trying to jump in to help amidst it would only prove to be a hindrance.
“Professor, what should we do…?”
“I don’t know either.”
Coincidentally, the Violets shared the same sentiment as them.
“Was the Scholarship Officer always that adept at fighting?”
“He was strong, but um…”
In the face of the approaching storm, there was little that could be done. The Violet Network fell silent.
Inside the classroom building, the continuous sounds of battle suddenly ceased, and the creature re-emerged from one side of the structure. The Scholarship Officer pursued right behind it. The two beings continued their fierce exchange without pause.
As the creature prepared a spell, the twin pistols in the Scholarship Officer’s hands erupted in fire. Trying to take the fight to close quarters resulted in a merciless melee involving axes, hammers, dual swords, and other weapons. Distance was created as grenades flew in and shock magic reinforced the Ether Protection.
Whatever tricks the creature employed, any attacks it launched were met fluidly by more assaults.
-BOOM!
In an instant, the Scholarship Officer charged forward with a cavalry spear. The creature impaled on the spear and the Scholarship Officer crashed through one of the library’s walls. Sounds of destruction, explosions, and chaos continued from within, prompting one professor to sigh.
“Oh, the library…”
“Is that what’s important right now? Look at that.”
Shortly after, the outcome of the battle was decided.
-CRASH!
The creature broke through the window on the second floor of the library and fled. The pursuing Scholarship Officer swung his glowing sword.
Five white lines appeared in midair. While the creature hesitated, a crescent-shaped surge of sword energy bombarded it.
“What the hell… Aaaaah!”
Disarmed and with its limbs severed, the creature collapsed to the floor. After confirming the adversary was neutralized, Seijis roughly grabbed the creature by its collar and hoisted it up. The creature groaned despite its severe injuries.
“I had no idea there was such a thing in the academy city. I’ve been properly beaten.”
Seijis’s lifeless gaze scanned the creature.
“What are you…?”
“You don’t need to know.”
Despite suffering serious fatal wounds, the creature continued to laugh mockingly.
“Our comrade faced overwhelming consequences just the other day; you were responsible for that too. Do you think you can stop us by doing this?”
“…”
“Your kind are gnawing at the pillars of your own home voluntarily. You’re calling forth your own destruction. We’re merely giving you a gentle nudge.”
The Scholarship Officer saw no need to respond.
However, at some point, he realized inwardly that he was secretly agreeing with the enemy’s assertion. A series of names he had organized in memory came to mind.
The vile hunters and various secret societies. The tyrant Casador, Chairman Laihan, Laplacian, Astraea…
Those who had the power to change the situation were mostly unwilling or had distorted beliefs that ruined everything.
Rotten federal officials.
Restraid, Arshit, Magnavis, Luminexa, the foolish leaders of the Four Great Clans.
The sorcerer Valefor, Colonel Sycamore, the crazed secret sects.
And then, that name which had instilled an enduring sense of despair, Violet. The countless witches.
As the unactualized past of the future suddenly resurfaced, he gritted his teeth, suppressing the rising fury.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“What…?”
As the Scholarship Officer let go, the creature’s upper body fell to the floor.
“I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
The creature, about to speak, glimpsed the black combat boot pressing down on the ground.
Its head crunched like a snack, disintegrating into particles and dissipating like dry ice.
A severe cough overcame him. Quickly, he covered his mouth with his hand. Black blood seeped out. The Scholarship Officer felt he had overexerted himself and swiftly wiped away the blood invisibly.
Only then did the academy officials approach. Ignoring the barrage of questions about the new Scholarship Officer, he turned his head. A graceful blonde girl with an air of elegance, her violet eyes filled with suspicion, stared at him.
“It’s been a while, Miss Adela. This is our second meeting.”
“You were the one who helped me last time. I didn’t expect you to be the new Scholarship Officer…”
Adela’s gaze shifted towards the body of the creature lying beneath the Officer’s feet.
“What in the world is that?”
“That is a person. And yet, not quite a person.”
“What does that even mean…?”
“I can’t explain further. I can’t divulge that information right now. Though you know one of the parties involved.”
His gaze fell on the unconscious headmaster of Aegis Academy.
A gust of wind rushed in. A black vertical take-off and landing aircraft embossed with the Inspection Bureau’s emblem slowly descended and landed.
“Miss Adela, I will be in touch again later. There’s much to discuss, so I’ll see you then.”
The Scholarship Officer turned and headed back towards the aircraft.
As the rear ramp opened, a girl with red hair holding a tablet dashed over, oddly sporting animal-like ears on her head.
“Scholarship Officer! Scholarship Officer! Why did you come to Aegis Academy in the middle of the night? You’re not going to explain, are you?”
“I’m sorry. Millia, it’s not the right time. I’ll explain everything. So…”
Leaving behind the people’s questions, the ramp closed. Once again slicing through the wind, the aircraft vanished into the darkness.
‘What could he possibly want to talk about?’
Adela’s mind was filled with questions. She pondered all night but could find no answers.
After the battle, the Violets also spent the night deliberating and discussing.
What they witnessed was beyond comprehension, even for their reasoning. The creature, the battle, the Scholarship Officer…
“I don’t get it. What is it?”
“Was there something like that in the original work?”
Her head began to ache. Still, she found comfort in the fact that they managed to obtain something. One by one, the Violets succumbed to sleep.
“At least we gathered all the Crystal Flowers, right?”
“Whoever that creature was, we should thank it.”
In any case, they achieved their goal. The Violets hadn’t faced any direct harm.
However, one thing was certain, a fact easily understood even by the Violets.
On that fateful night when Aegis Academy faced an unforeseen ambush, the Violets confronted vestiges from the future.
*
There was one thing the Violets did not know.
The repercussions of the ambush on the academy were immense. Faculty members managed to cover up the unidentified being that invaded the academy, but the fact that the Teachers’ Building was engulfed in flames and the Central Library was half-destroyed could not be concealed. Ultimately, the academy claimed it was due to a gas explosion and a failed experiment as an adequate façade.
During this process, the existence of the Crystal Flowers that had vanished from the garden and forest was inadvertently buried. It was quite a stroke of luck for the Violets.
