Nova and Erika were side by side, facing off against the never-ending spawn of opponents with python tattoos along their necks.

The current situation had improved a lot from when it had first begun. Originally, when the whole attack first started, initiated by the massive explosion that occurred inside of the lobby of the magic academy, students had been in a rush to escape, only to find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place.

Inside of the magic academy, a horrifying figure with unrivaled strength. One that was the incarnation of Wrath and destruction.

At the front gates, a lazy girl who with a flick of her fingers sent heads flying and turned the front courtyard of the school into a bloody mess that even the strongest of wills would have trouble stomaching.

And blocking all of the emergency exits, were men in python tattoos, who fought with no regard for their own life. Constant attack, and no mind to play defense. It was as if they were all some sort of expendable resource, created just to slow down the escape of the students.

But now, things began to change. Someone had created an ice palace, where they trapped that monster. Nova was worried for how that battle was going, but as long as the ice palace was still up, it was likely that the girl was still alive. After all, magic constructs vanished when their creator died.

After that, the entrance to the front had been opened up, but it was quickly blocked off by these men. Along with a new, even stronger enemy. A man, who wore a black suit and black sunglasses that completely blocked his eyes. The magical energy leaking off of him was large and potent. He was not an enemy to be trifled with.

After which, a few students managed to get a semblance of order into things. A red-haired boy, a dark-skinned boy with long twists, and a blonde-haired boy.

Ren, Himori, and Luka respectively. Erika and Nova rendezvous with them, to find that two of them were in fact first years. Just saying that they were courageous was a gross understatement.

After this happened, it began to rain. They were holding a strategy meeting of sorts. What they had figured out after fighting these men, was that they would not give up. They were all ridiculously persistent. Even when beaten down to the point where it would seem like they should give up, they kept battling.

"What goal motivates them to fight so hard. To throw their life unto the line without second thought." Luka asked, as we faced off against the men. For some reason, they wouldn't attack unless we tried to escape. Meaning their goal wasn't to exterminate us, but instead, to keep us trapped here. That didn't make any sense. But nothing did.

Erika thought.

"Or what spell." Himori stated cynically. "Theres no way that a simple goal motivates one to go this far. It's a spell. It has to be. And whoever's using this spell is one sick person." Even then, even though what Himori stated was probably correct, the fact was that it seemed as if these men and women's determination, surpassed that which could be invoked by a spell; they were fighting for something that they truly believed in.

"Whatever it may be doesn't matter. What does is the safety of everyone. Just one is all it takes. Remember what Suijin had said.

Before she went up into the ice palace, Suijin had helped out for a bit. Seeing what the girl had done, her anger had seemingly only increased. Whatever had happened inside the academies lobby had already angered her, and now seeing what happened to these students angered her further.

However, she did not lose sight of what her mission was. Despite her anger, she exuded the qualities of a true leader. Using a spell to amplify her voice, she spoke.

"Blood. Destruction. Chaos. I understand that the situation we are in is truly perilous, and it seems there is no hope. There isn't a single thing that I can say to deceive you into thinking it's okay. There's nothing, I can say to erase the images of what you seen. Closed in on all sides but figures of mythical strength, with the relentless darkness of rain encompassing us. However, we cannot allow this to be the end! All it takes is one of us to keep fighting. One of us to have hope, one person to stand above and be the direction, and none of us can give up. If you see one-person fighting, how can you just leave them to fight alone. I won't try to sell you a lie, to sell you some false sense of security. That would be disrespectful to the ones who died. To the ones who had their lives brutally wrenched from them. However, giving up here means their sacrifice was in vain, and I refuse to believe that! I refuse to accept that. To say the live of another, of an equal, was in vain! It is up to us, the ones who are still living, to give their lives meaning! Even if it starts off as only just one! All it takes is just one! Just one to show courage! Just one to stand back up. Just one to cry out! IT takes just one person to spread the message, that everyone else can follow! And so, no matter how hard we're beaten down, as long as just one stands to fight, our fight is still alive, our sacrifices are not meaningless. We are the ones who pave the way for the future, so even if it's only just one, that's all we will need to become the strength of the future. It's up to us to make our efforts and loss meaningful! It's up to us, even if it only ends up being just one! It only takes one spark to ignite a never-ending fire!"

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Her heartfelt speech was met with a roar of courage, a cry of anger, shouts of determination. Her speech sparked something inside of the students gathered outside, fighting for their lives. It invigorated them and gave them the courage to stand once again.

"JUST ONE!" Some students shouted, beginning to chant that, and the student council president's name.

Suijin's expression had been a mix of a bit of disbelief, and shock. More shock. It seemed like she ha been expecting her words to flop, and yet they still had such a great effect. The motivation that was brought about by her own speech reached her as well.

She seemed like she was going to smile, to be brought to tears, but something flickered behind her eyes. Embers of an anger that refused to die out. It made Erika worried. Pulling Nova to the side for a moment, she expressed that very fact.

"I didn't like it. I remember all the antics I used to pull. Even the one with the headmaster. All of it. Every time, no matter how bad it was, how bad it got, she was never angry. She always looked with compassion. She always forgave. She was never angry. She never, hated."

Nova nodded. She understood what Erika's concerns were exactly. "And you believe, that with that look on her face, she might do something that she will, regret?"

Erika nodded curtly. The concern in her expression was evident. "I just, I-"

Nova grabbed Erika by her shoulders.

"Calm down. One thing at a time. Just one thing at a time. If you let yourself get swamped in all of the things currently going on, then you'll be completely overwhelmed. You won't be able to focus on one thing, and that will cause you to make a mistake. We need to save the people here first. There a first years, second years, third years, who might not ever see their families again once this battle ends. So, we need to put our all into this battle. After were done here, we can help the others."

The look on Erika's face said she wanted to argue more, but reluctantly, she sighed and smiled at Nova.

"Alright then. One. One thing at a time."

At that moment, the battle planning was finished. Once again, with a new spring of motivation, the students stepped back up, to entire the next stage, in this battle for their lives.

※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※ ※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　

"Do you want to know something interesting?" Pride asked the headmaster.

Cato did not dignify that question with a response.

Pride chuckled at the man's stubbornness. In the darkness of the room, it was impossible for either of them to see each other's facial expression. However, pride assumed that the face that Cato currently wore was one of anguish and pain. Trapped by a seal, having all his senses stripped away, and being forced to watch the massacre of his students. He was forced to experience every detail.

"Don't be like that. We have no choice but to spend some time together, so we should at the very least try to be friends."

When he was once again left without a response, Pride decided that he would start to have some fun with this. How long would it take to get a reaction from Cato? What exactly would he have to say to make this old man react.

"You know, the seal your currently locked in, it's made from materials that can only be found in Antarctica."

Cato did not speak.

Pride raised an eyebrow. That should have gotten a reaction from the man. Materials from the lost continent? The 7th continent, which was stripped from the world, left to be a barren wasteland with untold dangers.

"According to our supplier, the material is abundant over there. It's just as common as sand on a beach. As grass in a grassland. As water, in the ocean."

Cato continued to not reply.

Pride stood up, beginning to pace. Despite the fact that it was pitch black, he circled the room perfectly, without bumping into a single object.

"Imagine that. A land where material that can restrict the flow of mana, where material that can chain down even the strongest of beings is abundant. Imagine that. Even worse. according to our supplier, the form you see it in now, is its natural form."

He thought he heard the ghost of a gasp coming from Cato's direction. Pride smiled. This was proving to be more fun than he thought.

"Imagine that. What horrors must exist on that land, what monsters must live in that continent, for the land to adapt to create natural chains. And that's only the surface. Only the beginning of the mysteries held by the lost continent."

Pride stopped pacing. "An entire continent mutated by mana, ripped from the grasp of the world. A continent that's even less explored than our own ocean. A continent where chains are commonplace, where, according to those who've been," Pride leaned in as if he was in front of a campfire, telling a horror story to a group of children.

"According to them, it's a place where the wails of monsters never end, where simply stepping unto it, threatens to drive you insane.

However, Cato did not react. He didn't say a single thing. All though pride could literally feel the gears turning in his head at the implications of what he had said.

Pride turned around, walking towards the door, before opening it. At that sound, finally, Cato perked up.

"Where are you going!" He shouted; his voice hoarse.

Pride's smile grew so wide it hurt his jaw.

"Orders. Orders from the witch. She is not to be ignored. Her word means more than anything else in this world."

"What exactly are you planning! IS torturing me not enough! Will you really bring yourself to harm the children as well! AND WHO IS THIS WITCH?" Cato's voice continued to rise in octave, until it consumed the entire room.

"I need to get that boy before Eve has her way with him. Poor kid. To be placed in Eve's sights can only be a curse. However, it can be said that being an object of the witch's love, is a blessing that overtakes all. She is the one who granted us access through this unbreakable barrier after all."

"Just what are you planning to do! How do you know ■■■■■!"

"The second questions confidential information." Pride said in a teasing tone.

"And as for the first, its simple."

The smile on his face brightened even more.

"I'm going to kill Raiden Chisaki."