Veris noticed the anomaly thanks to the powerful flow of mana that erupted throughout the entire dormitory building.
He had been napping lazily in the sunlight when, lo and behold, a strong barrier surrounded the dormitory, indicating that something unusual was happening.
"Interference with the mana flow? Is it a curse?"
Moreover, this bluish barrier seemed to be anything but ordinary, as he could feel the restrictions on the flow of mana. Even when he spread his palm to gather mana, it felt distinctly different from usual.
"Help, help, someone!"
"Huh?"
As Veris briefly scanned the area, taking in the massive barrier enveloping the dormitory and the chilling silence, he heard a rough breath and a sharp voice.
From the clothes, it seemed like he was a student from the academy.
Behind him, a group of individuals with their faces covered in black cloth was chasing him, and the atmosphere they exuded was anything but ordinary.
"It feels familiar."
The form of mana dripping ominously seemed vaguely reminiscent of something he had seen before.
However, contrary to his hesitation, Veris decided to act. After all, he couldn't just stand by and watch a fellow academy student die right in front of him.
"Who are you?"
As Veris jumped down from the roof of the building and landed between the group in black and the student, a sharp reaction came his way.
They were armed with large weapons like clubs and skewers, and it seemed they were not restricted in their use of mana, as a sinister aura swirled around them even at this moment.
What did that imply? These guys were closely related to the monstrous entity that had unleashed the large-scale barrier and had invaded the academy on a quiet weekend for some unknown reason.
"Who are you?"
"Oh? You have quite the foul mouth."
The man in black seemed intrigued by Veris's composed response and took a step closer.
In fact, their mission was simple. To roam around the dormitory, create chaos, and herd all the terrified students into one place.
It was a sudden change in orders, but it was much easier than subduing each student one by one. So, they wouldn't have expected to encounter such a brave individual.
"Run, run away! We can't use mana here!"
But was Veris not reliable enough to confront them in a situation where mana was sealed and he couldn't even exert his usual strength?
The student, who had been pleading for help just moments ago, shouted at Veris in frustration.
But if Veris were someone who would listen to such words, they wouldn't be in this predicament in the first place.
"Where to? Is it safe there? And who are you to speak so casually?"
"Th-that is…"
"What year are you in?"
"...I'm a second-year."
"What a pathetic guy."
"Ugh."
Perhaps because he had assumed Veris was an upperclassman, the student quickly changed to a more polite tone.
Moreover, the short but sharp voice scolding him made him flinch, as if he realized how disgraceful it was to suggest fleeing while leaving the enemy behind.
However, from the student's perspective, there was also an unfair aspect.
Even if he wanted to swing his sword freely right now, only a minuscule amount of mana responded to his will. What did that mean?
It meant that a spell was currently active within this barrier, obstructing the flow of mana.
Therefore, it was only natural to choose to escape. That's why he had been running away, avoiding them to the point where his feet were sweating…
"Hehe, looks like someone is eager to get punished."
The man in black found Veris's confident demeanor utterly absurd and amusing.
It was true that he had felt a sense of caution due to the sudden appearance of this guy. But instead of uniting to confront them, they were bickering, so how could they possibly lose to such rookies?
Two rookies who couldn't even use mana. That meant it was possible to deal with them without needing to exert any real effort.
─Swoosh.
"Senior! Are you really planning to fight them?"
"Shut up and speak quietly."
"What can we do without mana…!"
"Hey."
"Yes?"
"I forgot to mention, I'm a first-year."
─Whoosh!
The low-quality iron sword given to all students gleamed.
"Crazy!"
─Clang!
A simple swing devoid of any mana. Yet, the man in black, who had just considered the two students as prey, could only let out a cry of astonishment.
It wasn't a refined sword technique or a secret move; he simply swung the sword in a dry manner.
He reflexively moved to block the sword, but an unexpected result occurred.
"…"
The group of black-clad individuals could only stare blankly at the student before them.
"This is… the level of an ordinary student?"
They had trained in the black mana passed down from the Demon Cult, so they knew that the sword just now contained no energy whatsoever.
But what was this? Why was it that when an old sword collided with a large club imbued with destructive energy, the club's blade was cleanly severed?
They were seasoned fighters. Was there anyone who didn't know the first rule of surviving in this field?
'If you encounter an enemy stronger than yourself, flee without hesitation.'
─Tap tap!
The group of black-clad individuals exchanged glances, realizing that the enemy was no longer at their level, and they immediately turned to flee.
But who was their opponent?
Even if they were within a barrier, Veris possessed stats that were far from ordinary compared to regular knights or mages.
"Experience points are running away?"
As Veris watched the desperate retreat of the group, he tilted his neck and muttered softly.
"Could it be that I should chase them…?"
"Then I should catch them."
─Whoosh!
"Huh?"
The student could only stare blankly at the spot where Veris had just been, which had vanished in the blink of an eye.
It was a series of events so shocking that he couldn't comprehend them. Could it be that the person he had been with all this time was a ghost?
"Am I under some kind of illusion?"
The student shook his head. If he managed to get through this safely, he thought he might need to go to the commercial district and get some tonic.
* * *
"Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!"
The man in black spat out curses filled with despair.
The comrades who had been moving with him were either dead or in a state where he couldn't tell if they were alive or not.
He had tasted enough blood, but whether his goal was to eliminate all intruders, he was showing a tenacity like a hunting dog that wouldn't let go of its prey once it had bitten down.
Moreover, what was even more chilling was the fact that he wasn't using any mana at all.
He was simply scattering black mana with his own abilities, easily dealing with those who fled as if it were a casual drink. That reality made the man in black even more fearful.
"Ugh!"
His legs were already trying to stop moving against his will, and the mana he had drawn to its limit was on the verge of breaking.
"Argh!"
"Damn it."
When he heard the scream of another comrade from afar, the man in black could only tremble all over.
He was a disaster.
Even as he watched his comrades, who were not restricted by any spells within this barrier, being systematically taken down, he could do nothing in the face of such overwhelming power.
Having already drawn his strength to its limit, the man in black found himself at a crossroads of choice.
Given the nature of this barrier, it was impossible to go outside or for anyone to come in. So, what was the best choice he could make now that he had lost his combat ability?
─Rustle!
With the screams drawing closer, the man in black hurriedly threw himself into the bushes.
Fleeing? Until just before, he had been using his comrades as sacrifices to escape, and he painfully realized that avoiding the enemy within this barrier was a futile endeavor.
So now, there was only one choice left.
He could do nothing but hide in the bushes and pray to the deity.
─Thud, thud.
'Oh, dark lord who observes all things, please look upon me.'
As he heard only a single set of footsteps approaching from the square he had passed through, the man in black tightly shut his eyes.
'Gasp!'
The footsteps grew closer. The combatant of the Demon Cult, a name that made the entire continent tremble in fear, covered his mouth like a girl and held his breath.
─Thud, thud.
Could it be that the deity heard his desperate wish for this crisis to pass?
The man in black could only offer praise to the deity as the sound of footsteps gradually faded away. It seemed the enemy had not discovered his position.
Perhaps other comrades would become sacrifices to him, but for now, wasn't his survival the top priority?
But…
Rustle.
"So you were hiding here?"
"Haha, I thought you were gone. Guess not."
With a playful smile, the handsome face that appeared made despair bloom on the man in black's face.
* * *
"What is the meaning of this!"
"How did you use magic…?"
The large auditorium located in a corner of the dormitory was met with sudden chaos.
Thanks to most students having completed their evacuation, over a hundred people were catching their breath inside the auditorium, but in the brief moment they couldn't react, a massive spell had struck the students.
"What a pity. Suppression magic isn't my specialty."
Even more shocking was the fact that the one who had used magic against them was a professor they had trusted without a doubt.
Professor Theon looked at them with a grim smile.
It was unfortunate. If he had subdued all the test subjects gathered here in one go, things would have gone much smoother, but there were a few who had resisted his magic.
"Saintess Cecilia, Elf swordsman Arwen, swordsmanship genius Gunther… just looking at them makes my mouth water. Oh, student council president. You've held out too?"
Among the unconscious students, those who rose to glare at Theon with hostility were only a handful, not even ten in number, which made Theon sigh in disappointment.
"Is this really the level of the academy students?"
"Theon! What is your true identity?"
"Oh? It's such an honor that the Saintess remembers my name."
Hehe. Theon chuckled as if he were out of his mind, shaking his body slightly.
Swish.
And as he raised his body, his eyes were filled with a distinctly different red energy than before, and now there was no reason not to introduce himself.
"I should reintroduce myself to everyone. I am Theon, who will soon ascend to the Twelve Black Seats of the Cult."
The black mana, filled with a sinister energy, began to swirl around him.
The powerful figure who had appeared in a state where mana was suppressed pulled out a short staff from his robe.