A girl with long, light pink hair looked surprised as the cat she was petting got startled from the speakers, and ran away to hide.
Feeling disappointed, Lizzy sighed as she stood up and wearily covered her arms.
Her sky colored, azure eyes shone like a sapphire as she caught sight of a figure running across a large grassy field, standing out because of his black attire that contrasted against the green.
What's a research department student doing across campus...?
Parting her peach colored lips, she knew that she should probably go to the near empty classroom before her, but curiosity wanted her to call out to the boy.
"..."
Her azure colored eyes got drawn to another black splotch in the distance.
Squinting her eyes, she furrowed her brows as she tried to make sense of the blurry black blob.
[..I repeat, this is an emergency!...]
She winced as the emergency announcement began to blare again, and proceeded to walk over to the classroom to hide.
Wait...beasts...?
Spinning around, she used her hands to form binoculars and peer at the now closer black blob.
"..That's not good.."
She remarked, as her pupils refocused back onto the research department student. "I should probably go help..."
---
Meanwhile, Viv felt slightly uncomfortable as his breathing began to grow labored, running across uneven grassy fields was a little too much for him.
"Hagh...I can probably afford a break...the stables are across campus after all..." He panted, muttering to himself as he stopped running, pausing to gasp for breath.
Suddenly however, he shivered as he felt a gaze piercing into his back.
"?"
Turning around, Viv peered behind him, and eventually focused in on a dark colored variable in the distance.
It looked like a very unusual horse, but it was pitch black and its eyes a devilish red. Seeing how Viv had noticed it, the beast seemed to let out a snort, before beginning to charge forward.
Without any pause, Viv instantly began to run again, this time for his life.
"..."
What the hell is wrong with this accursed game world...?!
No matter how fast Viv began to run, he began to feel the beating of hooves coming closer and closer.
Am I really gonna die here...?
Viv didn't let the realization sink in, denying reality.
Just as he felt like the hooves were about to stomp on him and crush into him, an ear shattering noise split from the sky.
Fwam!
The big shake in the ground threw Viv off his feet and face first into the grass with a thud, as Viv felt the lingering remnants of a scorching heat lick his back.
"Sorry, I can't aim that well."
A girl stood in front of Viv somewhat boldly, cold sweat sliding down her cheek as she held her hand up menacingly towards the unscathed devilish looking beast.
Her pink hair fluttered to the side as she uneasily held a magic book in another hand, her outfit definitely not being suited to fight as she was in her formal school uniform. Scanning the contents of books, she nervously muttered something under her breath.
As this was going on, Viv looked at the scorched black grass not too far from the beast, feeling a chill run down his spine as he realized he had just been standing in that exact position.
The dark horse let out a snort, as it looked at the new arrival who dared to threaten it. Pawing on the ground, the beast wanted to move forward but was hesitant when Lizzy held out her hand.
Suddenly, Viv felt a cold breeze blow past him as a bad feeling came over him. Turning around and immediately yelling a warning.
"Behind you...-!"
As quick as a light, Lizzy's head whipped around as a thunderous bolt slammed into the ground, accurately hitting the flying creature and turning it into a scorched ash pile.
"..." For a moment, Lizzy paused, not actually expecting to hit that.
Meanwhile Viv stared at her with wide eyes, cursing inwardly.
What the fuck? At this point the female lead can protect herself, she doesn't need the capture targets...!
After seeing the damage caused by one spell, the dark horse let out a snort, and cautiously backed away.
Crossing a certain distance, the horse then began to run off towards other potential targets.
"That stupid horse used to be a tamed beast, it knows what humans to avoid..." Lizzy pushed her hair behind ear, looking rather cool.
However, the moment the beast was out of sight, and into the distant buildings, Lizzy collapsed onto her knees, her breath shaky.
"I also have no mana."
She said bluntly, as she slowly plopped onto the ground, back against the grass. "If that thing comes back, we're both dead."
"..."
So much for that cool image...
Viv squinted his eyes, debating on how to answer the main character. It felt a little surreal seeing the character he played as have its own personality and voice, along with living and breathing like a human being.
"Did you hear me? I said-"
"Thanks for saving me, but be quiet."
He cut her off. "There might be more beasts with exceptional hearing." Whispering the last part, Viv felt his emotions conflict as the thought of ditching his savior flickered through his mind...
Wow Viv, you really are a scum.
Looking at the now silent girl on the ground, his thoughts began to stir again.
Since Lizzy is the main character, surely she wouldn't die if left here right...?
"..."
The moment Viv's eyes coincidentally locked with Lizzy's, both tacitly looked away. There was some unfiltered annoyance and doubt in her gaze, which Viv could only imagine was caused by him.
"...So now what?" Lizzy whispered.
"How much do you weigh?"
"...50kg."
"Sorry, I don't think I can carry you to safety." Viv bluntly gave up on his half baked plan.
"How rude, since when did people treat their saviors like this?" Lizzy furrowed her brows.
"...Apologies, if we both survive this, I'll owe you one." Unexpectedly, Viv felt some guilt and unease after seeing her gaze linger like daggers on his face. Even his thick skin had its limits.
"Just one?"
"...I'll owe two."
"Tsk."
"..."
Before the awkward conversation could continue any longer, Lizzy let out a loud sneeze, the noticeable echo ringing between the buildings.
If it were just one sneeze, it was fine, but she proceeded to sneeze loudly over and over again, making Viv stuff a cloth in front of her face, which Lizzy used to try and muffle the sound.
"Ugh...am I sitting on a bed of flowers or something...?" She complained in a whisper, wiping her somehow already red nose. "I'm allergic to pollen."
"It's not even spring-.." Before Viv continued his sentence, he felt something tickling his leg and looked down, seeing a large stem of a dandelion crawl up his pants leg. Beside that flower, many bright white and yellow ones were noticeable as they lined all around them, especially him.
Don't tell me...
A bad premonition came over him, as Viv expressionlessly turned back to Lizzy.
"There's no flowers, so stop sneezing." He lied through his teeth, as he mercilessly ripped out the poor flowers stems that had just bloomed, and stuffed it into his pocket.
"Are you sure-"
"Yes."
Ignoring the suspicious expression on Lizzy's face, Viv cursed his bad luck as he used his foot to discreetly stomp out a new plant that was growing at a speed visible to the naked eye beside him. If he stayed here, by the time the situation is over a forest might have sprouted in the newly mowed field, then he could kiss his somewhat peaceful life goodbye.
I can't stay on this grass any longer, especially with Lizzy here...
"Let's move."
"What? Are you crazy?" Lizzy questioned harshly. "Are you just going to drag me across the field? If a monster comes and we are on the sidewalk it's over."
Keeping her voice low, she wanted to shake the foolish kid that she had risked her own life to save, and was beginning to regret her choice to come down here.
"...I think it won't be that hard." Viv gulped, as he discreetly eyed the ground. For some reason, he felt as if the plants were listening to their conversation, and had a feeling if he input his mana into the ground, something might happen. "I'll be quick, we can't stay here exposed in the middle of the field either."
Biting her lip, Lizzy had no choice but to trust the kid she saved, as she couldn't move at all, her mana being too far depleted.
Slowly grabbing onto both of her arms, Viv felt a bit sluggish as he began to let his mana flow into the ground, through his feet.
The grass seemed to become more lively, as the burden of dragging Lizzy grew lighter which each second.
Looking back, Viv almost let out another curse as he saw wherever he walked and dragged Lizzy, the grass would be darker and taller, standing out from the newly mowed field grass.
Thankfully, she doesn't seem to want to ask any questions...or she just hasn't noticed it.
Thinking this to himself, Viv began to quicken his pace, and the pair made their way to shelter...
—-
Meanwhile, Elva and a few other students of the physical and magic department cautiously walked around the campus, on the lookout for any beasts.
They were just in the middle of class when the alarm had sounded, causing the Professor to snap out of his usual nonchalant and lazy behavior and start commanding the students.
"If any of you volunteer yourself to help out, travel in groups of at-least 5, and a few upperclassmen must join you." Professor Egel anxiously paced about, as he began to gather some upperclassmen who had been wandering around and taken shelter in their building.
Elva's classmates had looked at each other, some stepping down while others stepped up. Their progress had been rather quicker compared to others, and just next week, they were planning to get more combat experience anyways.
Of course, they couldn't venture out and try to help students alone with no prior combat knowledge, that's why when many of the seniors that trickled in wanted to help out, they were put in groups with the younger students.
There was a weaker boy who had volunteered to step up, but Professor Egel shook his head, not allowing him to go. So it seems there was a certain filter the Professor kept to himself that made it so not anyone could go.
Elva was paired up with 7 other students, 3 of them being experienced upperclassmen, and the 4 of which were his classmates.
Walking briskly through the campus, they were on their guard as they scanned the area for any signs of a rogue beast.
"Shh, something's coming." One of the upperclassmen by the name of Sophie shushed the group as she cautiously peeked out of a corner.
She was significantly older and more experienced compared to the younger kids who had just hit the age of 13.
A light began to envelop her hand as she muttered something under her breath, a small magic wand in her cloak was taken out and waved toward the other side of the wall.
"How many are there?" Johnathan, another upperclassman of similar age whispered.
"There's only two, but they're a decent size." Sophie whispered back. "First years, what spells can you do?"
"Water and physical enhancement."
"Fire and wind."
"Earth." Elva chimed in awkwardly, he wasn't good at using a variety of magic, but he was confident in his ability to manipulate the Earth.
The last first year was just a support, so Sophie, Johnathan, and the last upperclassmen Ezekiel quickly made up a plan.
"Buff Johnathan and Ezekiel with whatever support magic you have, when I say go, I want Elva to entrap the two beasts while that guy uses his fire and wind magic to scorch them." Sophie quickly spouted out her gameplan. "Elva, you're also in charge of the defense of the beasts go past Ezekiel and John."
The younger kids nodded, as Sophie went to peer out again. She was just a normal water mage, but she could use some observation magic to help scout out areas.
As the group silently prepared to fight, Elva felt a gaze on him and looked to his side.
Ezekiel looked at him with a strange gaze, his black hair covering a thin green headband around his forehead. He was the most silent of the upperclassman, but he had a stuffy aura surrounding him.
Seeing how Ezekiel didn't bother to speak, Elva uncomfortably looked away and steadied his shaking hands.
Finally, Sophie yelled out their cue.
"Now!"