A deafening siren blared across the school, piercing through the stunned silence that followed the Black Gate's emergence. The once-blue sky above Verdant High School had turned ominous, the massive rift looming like an abyss swallowing the light. Its swirling darkness pulsed with unnatural energy, radiating an eerie hum that sent shivers down the spines of those who gazed upon it.
Kael stood frozen, his mind struggling to comprehend what was happening.
"A Gate…? Here…?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
The classroom descended into chaos. Students screamed, desks toppled over, and the once-ordinary day crumbled into sheer panic. Teachers shouted, urging everyone to evacuate, but their voices were drowned out by the overwhelming dread of the unknown.
Kael felt his legs move on instinct, following the herd of students pushing toward the exits. But before they could even reach the doors—
CRACK!
A monstrous force shattered the silence.
The Gate broke.
From its depths, creatures spilled out—twisted beings with bone-white carapaces, elongated claws, and eyes that gleamed with unnatural hunger.** They crawled onto the school grounds in a frenzied stampede, their screeches echoing through the halls.
Kael's breath hitched. These weren't weak creatures.He had seen gates break before—on the news, in reports—but never in person. And never this close.
"RUN!" someone screamed.
That was all it took.
The school erupted into pure mayhem.
Kael ran. His heart pounded violently in his chest as he pushed through the frantic crowd, his mind racing for a way out.
The monsters poured into the halls, their grotesque forms moving unnaturally fast. Some leaped onto students, tearing into them with horrific efficiency. Blood splattered against the walls, the once-familiar school hallways now a battleground of shrieks and terror.
Kael barely avoided being trampled as he turned a sharp corner, ducking into a storage closet. His breath came in ragged gasps as he forced himself to stay quiet. Think, Kael. Think.
Outside, the sounds of carnage continued.
Students who had awakened as Ascendants tried to fight back—a boy from Class 3 conjured flames in his palms, a girl wielded a shimmering mana blade—but they were too inexperienced. They fell within seconds.
The monsters were too strong.
Kael clenched his fists. He had nothing. No mana. No abilities. No strength.
He was helpless.
Then, a familiar voice screamed.
"KAEL!"
His heart stopped.
Ara.
Kael burst out of the storage room.
He ran toward the sound, dodging debris and bodies as his feet carried him straight to the school courtyard.
There she was—Ara, bleeding, backed into a corner.
Her B-rank strength had let her fight off a few creatures, but even she couldn't hold out forever. A massive beast loomed before her, larger than the others—its body was layered in obsidian armor, its eyes burning with crimson malice.
Kael didn't think.
He threw himself forward.
"Get away from her!
A mistake.
The monster turned toward him, its gaze locking onto Kael's powerless form.
And then—it lunged.
Time slowed.
Kael saw death approaching.
A claw, jagged and wickedly sharp, swung toward his neck, ready to tear him apart.
For the first time in his life—Kael truly felt his mortality.
And then—
Something… shifted.
A force—a presence—wrapped around him.
A pulse of power.
For a split second—Kael vanished.
The monster's claw sliced through nothing but air.
Kael reappeared—a few feet away.
He stumbled, his head spinning. What… just happened?
The monster hesitated.
Its crimson eyes narrowed.
It let out a guttural growl, as if sensing something wrong.
Then—
A thunderous explosion shook the air.
Soldiers in black military gear stormed into the school, their weapons primed with high-density mana rounds.The monster turned—only to be met with a devastating mana blast to the skull.
Kael collapsed to his knees, his breath ragged.
The Ascendant Task Force had arrived.
But his mind was elsewhere.
What the hell just happened to me…?
End of Chapter 2