"Who are you?" Gorrath's deep, threatening voice cut through the air, sending a chill down everyone's spine.
"Uh-uhh… I-I'm Sh-Shin," Shin stammered, his voice barely audible as he looked down, avoiding Gorrath's piercing gaze.
Before the tension could rise, George stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Shin. "He's a new student," George said firmly. "He joined us two months ago."
"I see," Gorrath responded, his pale face softening unexpectedly. Shin hesitantly glanced up, eyes widening in shock. The half-demon, once imposing, now smiled warmly, gently patting Shin's head. The abrupt shift in Gorrath's demeanor left Shin stunned and speechless.
"Welcome to the academy, Shin," Gorrath said with unexpected charm. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Gorrath."
Shin's eyes widened further, momentarily blinded by Gorrath's radiant smile. "H-Hello, Go-Gorrath," he stammered, his trembling hands betraying his disbelief at the sudden change in atmosphere.
After a brief exchange, the group decided to team up for the next portal mission. Shin, George, Jack, Lloyd, and Gorrath naturally grouped together.
As they readied themselves to move out, a sharp voice rang out from behind. "HEY!"
The group turned to see a tall student with glasses approaching them briskly.
"Hm?" Gorrath yawned, visibly uninterested.
"Let me join you," the student demanded, his voice brimming with urgency.
Gorrath's expression darkened, and his eyes narrowed as he glared at the newcomer. "Why should we do that?" he asked coldly.
Before the tension could escalate further, George spoke up, his voice calm yet firm. "Don't worry. We know him," he said.
"You do?" Gorrath raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.
George nodded, the faintest chill in his voice. "He's Lix," he explained briefly.
Shin's mind raced, "We? Probably Jack, Lloyd, and George… but I don't know this guy."
Lix stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Hello, I'm Lix Caster. I come from a family of mages," he introduced himself formally.
Gorrath eyed him for a moment, then scoffed. "He looks weak. Just look at him—he's so skinny."
George smirked. "Don't let that fool you. He's smart... right, Lix?"
Lix adjusted his glasses confidently, making the lenses glint. "Of course," he replied.
Shin and Gorrath exchanged a glance, both grimacing in shared discomfort at Lix's overconfidence.
Continuing their journey through the ominous landscape, Jack suddenly pointed ahead. "Hey, do you guys see that?"
The group halted and followed Jack's gesture. A strange shifting mass of white azure appeared before them, almost as if it were alive. The eerie, unnatural movement sent a wave of unease through the group.
"Yeah," Lloyd muttered, his grip tightening on his warhammer. "It's moving."
"Everyone, get ready!" George shouted, his voice commanding.
In an instant, the group sprang into action. George assumed the academy's signature martial arts stance, fists clenched. Shin gripped his longsword, hands trembling but steadying with focus. Jack drew his dual swords, spinning them once before falling into a battle-ready position. Gorrath twirled his bo staff with ease, his stance grounded and ready. Meanwhile, Lix scrambled to pull a thick book from under his cloak. "I'll analyze their weaknesses—just hold on!" he muttered as he frantically flipped through the pages.
The ground trembled beneath them as the massive white azure monster began to stir, twisting unnaturally.
"There are TWO of them!" George yelled, his sharp gaze catching the second looming figure in the shadows.
Gorrath wasted no time, charging forward with his bo staff. His movements were swift, his swing slicing through one of the monster's arms. The severed limb dropped to the ground with a resounding thud.
"Is that it?" Gorrath smirked, resting his staff casually on his shoulder. "This is getting boring."
"That's not it!" Lix screamed in panic.
To Gorrath's surprise, the severed arm twitched violently, then slithered back to the monster's body, reattaching itself as if nothing had happened.
"Huh?" Gorrath muttered, confused. He swung his bo staff again, aiming for the monster's torso—but it shattered on impact. "What the—?"
Shin lunged forward, his longsword gleaming in the dim light. He drove the blade deep into the creature's chest, but it lodged firmly, refusing to budge no matter how hard he pulled.
Jack, undeterred, darted forward with his dual swords, slashing through the creature's body. But to his horror, the two halves began regenerating at an astonishing rate.
Lloyd swung his warhammer with a mighty crash, creating a crack in the monster's iron-like hide, but the weapon splintered under the force.
"The white azure—it's reinforcing their regeneration!" Lix shouted in desperation, his voice cracking. "Every attack is making them harder to kill! We can't win this way!"
"EVERYONE, RUN!" George ordered, his voice urgent.
The group turned and fled, the monstrous figures roaring behind them.
As they ran, Lix continued shouting instructions. "Stop attacking! You're only feeding their regeneration! We need to find another way!"
Eventually, they reached a dead end: a narrow path descending downward. Shin and the others were mesmerized by the breathtaking view that unfolded before them. The white azure sky stretched endlessly above, its color almost surreal. The atmosphere was thick, laden with an otherworldly energy. The towering mountain behind them, barely visible through the swirling fog, seemed to loom like an ancient sentinel, its presence oppressive and vast.
They turned back, their eyes widening as they saw the two gigantic white azure monsters looming behind them. The creatures' forms twisted unnaturally in the fading light, their pale, shimmering bodies rippling with an eerie, almost living energy. For a moment, the group froze, unsure of how to react. The monsters' massive silhouettes seemed to pulse with power, filling the air with an oppressive weight.
Without a word, they turned to face the narrow path ahead—a steep, winding way that led downward, almost as if it had been carved out by time itself. The dark, fog-filled depths beyond it beckoned, and for a brief, fleeting moment, each member of the group glanced at the other. Their eyes locked, a silent understanding passing between them, as if they were reading each other's minds, aware of the only option left.
The unspoken decision hung in the air: they had no choice but to take the narrow path and hope it led them to safety. Their collective will had already been decided in that brief exchange, each of them knowing that turning back was no longer an option.