The whole scene seemed utterly hopeless. Miss Edelweiss and her subordinates were valiantly keeping the other two demons preoccupied, but a new horror had emerged. This one wasn't just any demon—it was a monstrosity that towered 50 meters tall, dwarfing the city's tallest buildings. Its hulking form moved with a slow, lumbering gait, but the devastation it caused was no less catastrophic. As it emerged from the gate, each step toppled buildings, smashed vehicles, and left craters in the earth. The black liquid seeping from its grotesque form corroded everything it touched, leaving behind a toxic, smoldering wasteland.
And then it roared.
The sound was deafening, a guttural scream that echoed through the city, sending shivers down even the bravest spines. Windows shattered for blocks, and the very ground seemed to groan under the weight of its presence.
"Has the evacuation been completed yet?" Miss Kyouka demanded, her usually commanding tone tinged with a rare note of urgency. Her sharp eyes flicked to Chisaki, who was furiously typing on a tablet.
"It's late, and people are panicking," Chisaki replied, adjusting her glasses. "Evacuating at night is already hard, but Miss Cho-hee just confirmed—almost everyone is out of the city now. We're clear to move as we need."
"Good." Miss Kyouka nodded, a spark of determination flaring in her gaze. She turned to me, her expression unreadable but intense. "Gleren, I'm entrusting you with that enormous, revolting beast."
Her words left no room for argument. She gestured to the monitor showing a live feed of the colossal demon. It was even worse up close: the oozing black liquid shimmered like crude oil, only more sinister. Whatever it was, it stank of corruption and malice. I could almost smell it through the screen.
"Lovely," I muttered under my breath, but I nodded. Still, there was a bigger issue.
"The gate," I pointed out, breaking the tense silence. "It's not closing. If we don't deal with that, this thing won't be the last guest to crash the party."
Hefting his massive hammer, Matthias chimed in, his tone grim. "The gate feeds on the negative energy of those nearby. Right now, it's gorging on fear and panic. The more people panic, the stronger it gets."
"Terrifying. And disgusting," Martha muttered, her voice unusually soft. She stared at the ground, her usual spark dulled. I couldn't help but glance at her, worry tugging at me. Sure, we hadn't known each other long, but in that short time, she'd proven to be someone worth caring about. Her sudden withdrawal felt... wrong.
"I'll take down the demon," I declared, trying to inject some confidence into my voice. Even if I hated bragging, I needed to steady the team's morale. If I hesitated, we'd all crumble. "But I can't close the gate. Not even with force."
I turned toward the former Sacred Omen members—SO for short, because seriously, who had time for such a mouthful? They exchanged hesitant glances before nodding in unison. Silent affirmations were better than nothing.
The tension in the room broke when one of the SO members raised her hand timidly. She wore simpler vestments than Krueger, but her attire still carried a touch of sacred elegance. I released the restraints I had placed on them earlier. Right now, cooperation was more likely than rebellion.
"Um… I think I can help," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I was a summoner. I have knowledge of summoned entities… I might have an idea."
"We'll take anything," I replied, gesturing for her to continue. Miss Kyouka gave her a curt nod of encouragement.
The woman hesitated, then pulled back her hood. Platinum-blonde hair cascaded to her shoulders, catching the dim light. She looked younger than I'd expected, her voice soft but clear as she explained. "There are three known ways to send a summoned entity back to its plane. The first is for the summoner to dismiss it willingly."
"Impossible," Miss Kyouka cut in sharply. "The summoners fled the moment their toys started wreaking havoc. Finding them now would take weeks."
The summoner nodded, her expression grim. "The second way is for the summoned being to fulfill its purpose."
"And that purpose is...?" I asked, though I already dreaded the answer.
She hesitated. "Usually, destruction. They leave once they're satisfied."
I blinked. "So... we let them destroy the city and then politely wave goodbye?"
"Absolutely not," Miss Kyouka snapped, her voice icy.
"I thought so," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "Is there a third option?"
"There is," the summoner said, her gaze shifting to Maria, unconscious on a nearby cot. "The sacrificial lamb must retake everything they gave as a catalyst. Without that energy, the summoned being loses its anchor and returns to its plane."
For a moment, there was silence as we all processed her words. Then I frowned. "That sounds... too easy. What's the catch?"
"The lamb must touch the summoned being and verbally reclaim their offering," she admitted.
"Touch it?" I repeated, incredulous. I gestured toward the screen, where the 50-meter monstrosity was stomping through what used to be downtown. "That thing?"
"And they must be conscious," she added quietly.
Ah. There it was.
I glanced at Maria's pale form. Her breathing was steady, but she was in no condition to wake up anytime soon. "So basically," I said, trying to mask my frustration, "we're stuck."
The summoner flinched, her hands trembling. "I-I'm sorry, I—"
"No, no," I interrupted, holding up a hand. "I'm not angry. Just... anxious. You're doing great. Keep going at your own pace."
The others shot me dubious looks as if to say 'You scared her.' I ignored them. Maturity is overrated, but sometimes necessary.
"That's all I know," the summoner said, her voice barely above a whisper. "If the lamb touches the summoned being and reclaims their offering, the being will be forced to leave."
I exhaled sharply. It wasn't much, but it was something. "Well," I said with a wry smile, "I guess we're in a pickle." No sooner had the words left my mouth than another deafening roar echoed in the distance.
"Great timing," I muttered. "Let's revisit this when Sleeping Beauty wakes up. For now, I'll deal with the big guy."
Miss Kyouka nodded. "Be careful, Gleren."
"Always," I replied, though my smirk probably didn't inspire much confidence. Summoning a shadow portal, I stepped through, steeling myself for the battle ahead. Time to fight a skyscraper with legs.
---
Meanwhile, back at Saint Stella Academy, the atmosphere in the classroom was unusually tense. With two students missing, the mood was somber, and the usually vibrant energy had all but evaporated. At the front of the room, Shinra—normally sharp and commanding—was an entirely different person.
"Alright, class," she said absentmindedly, tapping a piece of chalk against the board. "Can anyone solve this problem?"
"But Instructor Shinra," Elisha interjected gently, "this isn't math class. And, um, the board is empty."
Shinra blinked slowly, looking at the blank board as if seeing it for the first time. "Oh... you're right. Then... self-study it is." She plopped into her chair with a defeated sigh.
The girls exchanged worried glances, whispering among themselves. "She's not herself," one murmured.
The boys, however, seemed to be enjoying the show. "It's kind of cute," one whispered to another, earning glares from the girls.
"Boys are idiots," one girl muttered, crossing her arms.
Meanwhile, Elisha glanced at Gleren's usual seat, now conspicuously empty. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she sighed quietly, her worry carefully hidden.
At her desk, Shinra rested her head on her folded arms, muttering softly to herself. "Gleren, you big buffoon... how long are you planning to stay away?"
Her melancholy was palpable, and it showed no signs of lifting.
---
In the special class where the student council gathered, the mood wasn't any better. Several seats were empty, and the lively energy that usually defined the group was gone. The teacher droned on, seemingly unaware of the shift.
Sofia, however, was anything but subdued. Seated at her desk, she sketched furiously, her eyes gleaming with a manic intensity.
"Ehehe... Brother, you're so handsome," she whispered, holding up her latest masterpiece: a detailed portrait of Gleren. Her classmates recoiled in varying degrees of horror and amusement.
"Miss Sofia!" one of her followers cried. "Get a hold of yourself!"
"Ehehe. Brother…" Sofia ignored them, clutching the drawing to her chest like a prized treasure.
"Miss Sofia, your art is amazing!" another follower said hesitantly. "But, um, maybe take a break?"
The teacher facepalmed. "I'm too old for this nonsense," she muttered. "Someone get her back to reality before she starts kissing the desk."
Sofia's followers exchanged uneasy glances before one of them finally mustered the courage to approach her. "Miss Sofia, we all now get that you adore your brother much, but maybe take it down a notch? Just a tiny one?"
Sofia snapped her head up, her eyes gleaming with intensity. "Take it down? My admiration for Brother Gleren cannot be diminished! He's brave, strong, kind—everything a perfect sibling should be!"
Her classmates sighed collectively. They had long accepted Sofia's unique brand of devotion, but this was... something else.
"Ehehe…" Sofia giggled, stroking her sketch as if it were a priceless artifact. "Brother, you'll come back soon, right? You'll protect us all and look so heroic while doing it…"
"Miss Sofia," one brave soul ventured again, "maybe you should stop drawing for now and—"
"HERESY!" Sofia cried, slamming her hands on the desk. "Art is an extension of the soul! How dare you suggest I cease channeling my love for Brother into this sacred craft?"
The classroom fell into stunned silence as the teacher groaned audibly.
"If you love your brother so much, at least keep it quiet during lessons," one student muttered under their breath.
Sofia ignored them, returning to her sketch with renewed vigor. "Ehehe… So dashing… So gallant…"
The rest of the class gave up entirely, focusing on their own work—or at least pretending to, as they stole occasional glances at Sofia's growing collection of drawings.