Back in the Class-A classroom, as Asahi was teaching, he felt that something was wrong.
Agatha was taking too long in the restroom. It has been 20 minutes, and it is unervingly long.
Worried, he drops the whiteboard marker on the table, before turning towards the door.
"Stay put. I'll check something out." He ordered as he went out the door.
But, as he opened the door, he came face-to-face with Agatha, who was about to open the door.
Surprised, he flinched to the side. He heaved a big sigh.
"T-There you are. What took so long?"
"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry." Agatha stuttered as she tried to apologize in Japanese.
"O-Okay, I get it. Go back to your seat."
However, Agatha shook her head. Then, she snapped her fingers, and her teddy bear popped out from above her and landed on her arms.
"You're Agatha's teacher, aren't you?" The teddy bear spoke, its voice suspicious and doubtful towards Asahi.
Seeing the bear talk, Asahi was surprised.
"Agatha meant to say that there's something going downstairs, and suggests that you go and take a look."
"Something happening, like what-"
But before he could finish, the ground underneath him slightly shook, setting him and Agatha off balance.
They quickly held on to a nearby wall and gripped tightly.
The students held onto their seats.
Fortunately, it soon stopped. Asahi immediately went to the window to see if anything was happening.
And again, the ground shook.
Is there someone fighting?
Amidst the chaos, Agatha calmly walked up to Asahi and tugged his sleeve.
Agatha pointed at the stairs, suggesting that they go down.
"Agatha has a keen sense for magic energy. Trust her!" The teddy bear she's holding yelled out.
After thinking for a short while, Asahi went inside the classroom and told the students to evacuate.
The students, all Immediately complied and ran out the door. However, one student remained, standing in front of the window.
Messy and spiky Long Brown hair, and tattoos on both arms, it was Hayashi Silas, with his eyes closed.
"Get out of there!" Asahi yelled out, however, he didn't respond. The ground continued shaking as if an earthquake was disturbing its stillness.
However, Silas remained stoic. He put on his headset and opened the window.
Asahi yelled out for him to stop, however, the only thing Silas could hear was the beat of his music.
He then swiftly leaped over the 4th story window, again, with his eyes closed.
"Damn it, what the hell is wrong with this class?!" Asahi cursed under his breath, as he quickly ran down the stairs.
...
Silas effortlessly landed on the ground. As he synchronizes his head with the beat of his song, he opens his eyes and looks around.
And suddenly, the strings of the traces of the magic he was sensing appeared before him.
He walked towards the imaginary string and followed it, leading towards one side of the building that wasn't visible to the windows.
As he draws nearer and nearer, the shaking of the ground intensifies.
As he turned towards one corner, he saw multiple people far away, near the warehouse, with clashing magics all over, that was causing the shaking.
"A battle, how fun."
He exerts energy force over his arm, and in the next second, his tattoo glew brightly, emanating a black, energy. And soon, it materializes into a big and heavy, black halberd.
Its axe was big, with a blade on the tip, emitting a black energy around.
He noticed that students (council) were fighting off "weird-looking people emitting a dark energy".
It's safe to say that they are the enemies that need to be fought.
Then, he leaps towards the battlefield, breaking the cemented ground underneath his feet as he does.
His leap shattered the pavement beneath his feet. As he reached the battlefield, he swung his halberd in a violent, circular motion.
A shockwave erupted from the impact, sending several possessed guards flying backward, their bodies slamming into walls and crumbling debris. Then, a string of dark, violent energy followed them and clutched
The sudden devastation stunned both the council and the students.
Yet Silas remained unfazed. But this allowed for a counterattack since their number is no more.
In a coordinated, and synchronized attack, the council quickly fend off the remaining possessed guards, freezing and immobilizing each and every one of them.
Ryujin looked over at Silas and immediately recognized him.
"You're that guy," He remarked, as he retracted his blades back, and walked up to Silas.
"Kajiyashaki-san," Silas looked at him with such cold, and voided eyes.
Before they could even start a conversation, the chains, ice, and dark energy binding the police were shattered.
"Such a drag," Ryujin remarked, clenching his fist in annoyance.
All of them entered a fighting stance once again when suddenly they heard a voice from behind.
"So this is the dreaming incident. How stupid." A high-pitched voice echoed all throughout the field, and it was Agatha's bear.
Behind the council, were several first-year students, specifically from Class A. It was Agatha, Ryo, Airi, Arata, Haruto, Hina, Gushiken, Keina, Rin, and Ayumi.
"Is this some kind of terrorist attack?" Gushiken questioned as he rotated his wrists, preparing to engage in battle.
"They looked possessed. Those are local police officers, aren't they?" Rin added,
"First-years, back off." The Vice-President warned. "It's dangerous in here."
"Don't underestimate the first-years, we just have to knock those creepy-looking zombies there, right?" Silas said, resting his halberd over his shoulder.
After a few seconds of thinking, Yukime agreed and nodded her head.
"I trust you all. Ryujin, stay with them. The rest of the council disperse! Look for other possibly affected areas." All affirming, they dispersed all around.
"Don't kill those police. They are not enemy; just possessed. Find a way to bind them, or even better, lift the curse." Ryujin yelled out, and everyone unsheathed their weapons.
...
In the hallway of the now-empty first-year building, walks Reina, and beside her, was Souta.
"Is this the manifestation of the Dreaming Incident?" Souta questioned, his eyes traveling all around, cautious of what might pop out of nowhere.
"This is, although not certainly, the start of their machination. If the aim of these apostles is mere destruction, it would be quite simple; Just launch a high-scale and high-range bomb attack. However, they haven't resorted to those things yet. Instead, they focus on possessing individuals; perhaps aiming to cause chaos and disturbance, and this, is that manifestation of that plan." Reina suggested otherwise. Her voice was a chill and happy-going voice, and even her face displayed a sinister smile.
"Then, what do you plan to do?" Souta replied.
"I see this as an opportunity. We'll remain neutral, siding neither with the school itself, nor the apostles."
"What about the goal?"
"We can take down the higher-up culprits in the current dreaming incident. That will get us a ton of points. Or, we can manipulate the council. Though, it's to be expected that we'll be having difficulty with the "higher level."
"What now?"
"Based on my research, it could be safe to conclude that in terms of intelligence and strength, they are separated into two levels; The Higher Level, consisting of The two title-holders, The Sleeping Rose, and The Phoenix, The Secretary, and both The Vice-President, and The President. The rest, are on the Lower Level. The difference in their strength is significant, and almost way too far."
As Reina spoke, Souta couldn't help but be amazed. Just how does Reina know everything about them?
"How do you know those things?" He asked.
"I'm not sure either. I just," Reina slightly turned around and faced Souta with a confident, yet sinister expression. " have a keen sense for these things."
Just then, they both noticed a very potent presence in front of them. They both looked in front and saw a black-cloaked figure.
"The first-year students have been evacuated already, and yet here you are, mimicking some wannabe villain-type character." Reina taunted, keeping her mocking smirk.
"Aoki Reina. In that classroom, you are different. I can see that even you could surpass the council." The figure replied, its voice was a soft and calm, female voice.
"I'm flattered that you see me that way. However, do you really think it's the right time to be complimenting me? After all, you have a pretty big bounty above your head." As she talked, and talked, her tone became more chaotic, and sinister.
Then, Souta immediately lunged forward with his daggers. His blades were embedded with a greenish light that, upon contact, could slow the time for the object that received the impact.
Before Souta could reach it, the figure immediately cast an invisible barrier that blocked his attack. Realizing that he couldn't attack further, he jumped back off.
"That is some strong barrier, you actually managed to deflect Souta's attack." Remarked Reina, her smile unfaltering.
"I don't seek to engage in a fight." The figure replied,
"Oh? Then, what could be the reason for your audience?"
"Join us, Aoki." The figure extended its black-gloved towards Reina.
Though surprised, Reina kept her composure.
"Oh, and what would be the benefit of doing so?"
"You hate this world, don't you? Unjust, and dangerous. Equality is non-existent, and those at the bottom, are fated to death. And I know, you've already experienced those things firsthand, in that faithful place."
Reina's facade shatters, as her smile disappears and is replaced by a serious, and murderous expression.
"Did I hit the bull's eye?" The figure taunted,
"Certainly, we've met before, haven't we?" Reina uttered, her tone low and serious.
"I'm not sure. Though, I know what is in your heart, and what you desire. You blaze of a flame, seeking-"
Before the figure could finish, Reina flickered beside the figure, and at a speed unrivaled, she stabbed the figure in the chest, accurately in the middle with a knife, leaving it deeply embedded.
"You sound too familiar to me. Are you sure we aren't friends from the past?" Reina whispered, before letting out a slight, sinister chuckle.
The figure finally registered what had happened, and immediately jumped back.
"You know, something rings the bell. But, it's at the back of my tongue. Do you mind revealing your face?" Reina said, her smile slowly returning as she saw blood, gushing out of the figure's chest.
The figure immediately tried to remove the knife, but as it was occupied, Reina flickered once again, and struck it in the head with a forceful roundhouse kick, sending it toward the nearby wall.
The force was so strong, that the wall shattered upon impact. The figure fell to the ground, injured and helpless.
Souta, from behind was utterly surprised. It's the first time in a while that he saw Reina seriously.
She isn't normal. She is special. She isn't a human. She is, the human.
Thoughts about Reina began flooding Souta's mind. As he stares at Reina, he remembers what both of them had gone through to get to where they are now.
A sigh, left his lips, as he walked towards her. Her aura was murderous, and powerful, that even he couldn't subdue.
He tapped Reina on the shoulder. Her gaze as she turned her head sent a shiver down his spine.
Her eyes were powerful and soul-piercing. However, he mustered the courage to talk to her.
"Calm down, Reina." He whispered,
Reina only smiled in response, before turning back to the cloaked figure.
"Clearly, you didn't know your enemy." Reina taunted, as she crouched down and looked at the figure.
"I wonder what you look like from behind the mask."
As she was about to reach for the mask, the figure raised its hands, and grabbed Reina's hand, attempting to stop it.
"How desperate. It's really funny," Her mocking laugh echoed throughout the hall.
Her hands began emitting a bluish smoke that further weakened the figure upon contact.
This turned the tide over in her favor, allowing her to overpower the figure. Then, she slowly forced her way and was about to unmask the figure.
At last, she was able to touch the mask, and upon contact, it immediately shattered.
Her excitement grew, as she thought she was going to have a look at who the apostle was.
When suddenly, it turned into a flock of crows and escaped through the bottom of the cloak.
Reina gritted her teeth and tried to kill all the crows, but one managed to get away.
"What a coward." She remarked, her eyes clearly annoyed.
"It's fine. But do you think, It's one of us?" Souta asked, walking up beside Reina.
However, Reina responded with silence. Her sharp gaze was enough to answer for him.
"Anyway, that's what we came for. Can we leave now?" Souta asked,
Reina opened her palms, and summoned a bluish, glowing orb, floating right above.
"Okay, let's go now."
Reina, and Souta, already predicted the presence of an apostle in the building, and in a faithful encounter, Reina got what she wanted. The "orb".
Both of them began back in the opposite direction, and back outside.
...
Meanwhile,
Ryo swung his blade forcefully, pushing the possessed guard back, and once its stance was off, he executed a single-slash combo that wounded the possessed guard in the chest. Then, in a swift follow-up, he knocked it down using his flames.
These guards were at least as strong as Kyouko when I fought her. Taking on, even if I have allies behind me, is exhausting.
Before he could even take a breather, another guard came lunging towards him. He immediately reacted, in a series of swift, flaming slashes, he wound the legs of the guard, not allowing it to move.
He looks at the other students, and they seem to be okay. One by one, they work to all lay them unconscious, and unmoving on the ground.
The battle roars, and after an exhausting 15-minute continuous battle, all the guards are finally unconscious, and detained.
The students fell down on the ground, exhausted.
"W-W-Why is this happening to our school!?" Arata exclaimed as he caught his breath. Not just him, but everyone is exhausted on the ground.
Everyone was in a thought.
What is happening?
And as it turns out, the incident was already spread throughout the whole school. Attacks have also started on the buildings of the other students, specifically second and third years.
The council each is taking care of the other school years, each with its problems.
Ryo rests on a nearby wall. His body ached from the relentless battling, and his arm burned as he overused his flames. The other students all composed themselves after being tired from the battle.
The possessed officers lay unconscious, bound by ropes and other magics.
"W-What is this attack all about?" Atsumasa Ayumi asked in between panting.
"Who knows? Rumors are circulating about these terrorists' "dreaming incident" attacks." Gushiken replied, his eyes serious.
"I thought those things already happened?" Tsubasa Rin, asked, as she massaged her palms, clearly hurting from using too much magic.
"History could repeat itself, that's all," Silas said, his eyes nonchalant and straight. "These things aren't uncommon in today's time. That the product of such an innovative discovery; transgressions."
"So... the dreaming incident is happening again," Airi murmured, as Kyouko's story replayed back in her mind.
"So, Kajiyashaki-san, would you mind telling us now, what is happening? The council is annoyingly quiet." Silas demanded, looking straight into Ryujin's eyes.
Ryujin conceded his defeat and raised his hands in the air.
"Sure, sure. The green-haired boy over there is right. This is the dreaming incident."
"Then, why stay quiet about this incident?"
"The council has its reasons,"
"And those reasons brought chaos."
Silas despises the decision made to hide the incident. The tension between them grew colder, and much tense.
As they conversed, Tsubasa Rin slowly walked up and stood on the wall beside Ryo.
"Remember when I told you that someone managed to defeat Kajiyashaki-san singlehandedly?" Rin said,
"Yes,"
"It's him, Hayashi Silas."