The massive fireball screamed through the air, its heat distorting the very atmosphere as it plummeted toward Lysander's group. The attack's sheer magnitude painted the forest clearing in hellish orange light, transforming afternoon into apocalyptic twilight.
"Get into battle formation!" Lysander's command cut through the chaos, but discipline crumbled in the face of primal terror. Most of his followers scattered like leaves in a storm, their screams of panic drowning out his subsequent orders. Only a handful maintained enough composure to follow his lead as he raised his staff, channeling mana into a desperate defense.
[Arcane Barrier](D) - Creates a protective dome of magical energy. Duration and strength scale with user's mana reserves…
The barrier materialized just in time, its translucent surface rippling as it barely contained the fireball's impact. Those who had fled weren't so fortunate. Their bodies hit the ground as they desperately hammered at their extraction bracelets, the same devices that had failed them an hour ago when they'd watched their fellow students die. The horrible realization that had struck then repeated now – they were trapped, truly and completely.
A student outside the barrier's protection stared upward with tear-filled eyes as another fireball descended. His final thoughts weren't of home or family, but of bitter betrayal. "Why didn't the academy protect us?" The question died with him as flames reduced flesh and bone to ash.
Inside the barrier, Lysander's situation grew increasingly dire. Sweat poured down his face, not just from the strain of maintaining the shield, but from the rapidly rising temperature within. The monster had adopted a terrifyingly intelligent strategy – instead of trying to break through the barrier directly, it was superheating the air inside. They were effectively trapped in an oversized oven.
"Dammit!" Lysander's mind raced as he assessed their situation.
The reality of their situation was devastating. He'd awakened ahead of time and still only achieved D-rank power. The creature attacking them was clearly C-rank minimum, and worse, it showed signs of possessing a talent – a rare and terrifying occurrence among monsters. While most monsters could naturally manipulate mana without talents, those few that did develop them gained frightening intelligence along with their power.
With his mana reserves dropping and options dwindling, Lysander made a calculated decision. His eyes swept across the huddled survivors, quickly identifying the three strongest-looking students. "You, you, and you," he pointed them out decisively. "When I release the barrier, fall back with me. The rest of you..." he paused, masking his true intentions, "...buy me time to cast my ultimate spell."
Hope flickered in their eyes – even those designated as sacrifices clung to the belief that they just needed to hold out long enough for their noble leader's trump card. On his count of three, the barrier dropped. The chosen three retreated with Lysander while the others formed up with their shields, prepared to defend with their lives.
One of the shield-bearers chanced a glance backward, expecting to see Lysander gathering power for their salvation. Instead, he witnessed their supposed savior sprinting away at full speed, already a hundred meters distant and showing no signs of slowing. The student turned back to face the approaching monster, bitter understanding replacing his final hopes.
"I'm dead fr," he thought, raising his shield to meet the inevitable.
…
Chaos reigned in the Crono Academy's dungeon watch center. Dozens of crystal screens filled the air, each displaying different areas within the testing grounds where their students fought desperately for survival. Instructors and dungeon experts rushed between monitoring stations, their faces drawn with mounting horror as they watched the situation deteriorate.
One instructor had worn a path in the floor with his pacing, his fingers raking through his hair until his scalp was raw. His eyes remained fixed on a screen showing another student falling, their body dissolving into motes of light that should have signaled a successful extraction. Instead, the lights simply faded into nothingness. Those who died in a dungeon would be absorbed into the dungeon, not even having a burial place.
"Haven't you sent the ace team in yet?" he demanded, whirling to face his assistant. The woman's professional composure cracked slightly as she gestured at one of the screens, switching its view to the dungeon's exterior. Ten figures stood ready in full combat gear, their equipment marking them as elite dungeon divers. Yet they could only wait, powerless, before the shimming barrier that denied them entry.
"We already have, but they can't get in," she reported, her voice tight with frustration. "At this point, we'll have to wait until the dungeon breaks naturally in a month."
The instructor's face contorted with rage. "Do you think they can afford to wait a month?" he shouted, jabbing his finger at a screen where students huddled behind a failing barrier, terror evident in their faces. His assistant's silence spoke volumes.
The chamber's heavy doors burst open as the principal stormed in, her usual dignified bearing replaced by naked anxiety. "No, no, no," she muttered, her eyes darting between screens. "What's the situation?"
"It's not looking good," the instructor reported grimly.
Principal Cassandra Blackvale drew a steadying breath before her expression hardened. "Don't let anyone know about this!" she commanded, then added with particular emphasis, "Especially 'you know who.'"
The room's atmosphere grew heavier as understanding dawned on every face. They all knew exactly who she meant, and the consequences if that person discovered what was happening to their precious son.
…
Hundreds of miles away, at the kingdom's eastern border, Friedrich Rothschild stood atop a hill overlooking the battlefield. The afternoon air carried the acrid scent of spilled blood and expended mana as kingdom forces clashed with imperial troops. These skirmishes had grown increasingly frequent as tensions mounted between the two powers.
A subordinate approached, bowing deeply before delivering his report. Friedrich's expression remained unchanged as he processed the news. While they hadn't suffered a decisive defeat, victory had also eluded them. He released a weary sigh, only to freeze as the entire battlefield began to tremble.
Both he and his subordinate turned toward Victoria's command post. A furious cry split the air: "Cassandra Blackvale!" The raw fury in Victoria's voice made hardened soldiers flinch. "I grant you the honor of looking after my son and this is how you betray me? If I don't kill you today, then I'm not Victoria Rothschild!"
Friedrich's eyes widened in alarm as spatial magic began gathering around Victoria's quarters. "Oh no!" He launched himself forward, crossing miles in the blink of an eye, but even his fast speed proved insufficient. By the time he reached her position, only the fading remnants of a long-distance teleportation portal remained.
"Dammit!" Friedrich's curse carried genuine fear. "Everyone retreat! I'm leaving the front lines for a while!" His voice carried across the battlefield as he issued rapid commands. "Contact the royal family and request backup!"
As he departed in pursuit of his wife, those left behind exchanged knowing looks. They understood why their commander sought reinforcements not for the border conflict, but for wherever he was headed. It was common knowledge throughout the kingdom that the most feared individual wasn't Friedrich "The Golden-Eyed Tyrant" Rothschild, but rather his wife – Victoria "The Mad Star" Lancaster.
The soldiers whispered quiet prayers, not for their own safety against the empire's forces, but for the poor souls who would soon face Victoria's wrath. The last time someone like this had happened, the kingdom's fifteen great families had turned into the kingdom's ten great families. This time, would it be any different?
A/N - This character is too OP, the fact that she can see what's happening in the dungeon over such a distance means that she can always observe Ambrose at any time and know when he is in danger. This will mean that there is no real risk to him so I'm thinking of sealing her or something. (I cant nerf her since her strength is needed for the later parts of the story) Also, sorry I couldn't come up with cooler sounding tittles.