The recruits huddled in the evacuation zone, breaths coming fast, faces drawn with tension and exhaustion. The air was thick with dust and the distant echo of battle, the sounds of clashing weapons and Lumina blasts seeming to follow them even here. Renjiro scanned the group, his heart pounding as he searched for familiar faces. Relief washed over him as he saw Goro, Yumeru, and Kairro beside him, but his stomach twisted when he realized someone was missing.

“Where’s Emi?” Renjiro’s voice cut through the noise, his eyes widening as he looked back toward the battlefield, where chaos raged on. Several other recruits were still unaccounted for, caught in the fray or struggling to escape. The thought of Emi—his brave, determined friend—trapped out there left a tight knot in his chest.

“We don’t know,” Yumeru said quietly, her gaze steady but troubled. “She and some others fell behind. They haven’t made it here yet.”

Renjiro clenched his fists. Without hesitation, he turned, his feet carrying him back toward the battlefield. He couldn’t leave them—he couldn’t abandon anyone, especially not Emi.

“Are you insane?” Kairro’s sharp voice stopped him in his tracks. “You go back out there, and you’ll be dead in seconds. We’re outnumbered by the Red Clan. You’re not ready to take them on alone.”

“Maybe not,” Renjiro shot back, his jaw set, “but I’m not leaving anyone behind. Never again.”

Kairro’s face darkened with anger, but before he could respond, Goro stepped forward. “I’m with you, Renjiro,” he said, his voice firm. “I’m not leaving her out there.”

Yumeru’s calm expression didn’t waver, but her steady gaze met Renjiro’s. “Count me in,” she said simply.

Kairro looked between them, frustration written across his face. For a moment, he seemed ready to argue further, but then he exhaled sharply, rolling his eyes. “Fine. If you’re all going, I’m not going to be the one left behind.”

Together, the four of them turned and sprinted back into the chaos, weaving between collapsing walls and fiery explosions that shook the ground beneath them. The sky was streaked with red and blue as Lumina blasts from the Azeron Guardians and Crimson warriors crisscrossed the battlefield, lighting up the dust-filled air.

Renjiro led the way, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of Emi or the others. They moved in unison, instinctively covering each other as they pressed forward, the unspoken trust between them allowing them to dodge attacks and support injured recruits. Goro and Renjiro pulled one disoriented cadet to his feet, guiding him back toward safety. Kairro, his face set in fierce determination, guarded their backs, occasionally using bursts of Lumina to deflect stray attacks. Yumeru, calm and composed even amid the chaos, pointed out safe paths and warned them of incoming debris.

Renjiro’s gaze caught a familiar figure as they moved deeper into the battlefield. Emi lay trapped under a large wooden plank, her face pale and her eyes wide with fear as she struggled against the heavy weight pressing down on her. Without a second thought, Renjiro dashed forward, zigzagging through the field as he evaded debris and explosions. The sound of battle faded into the background, his focus narrowing to the sight of his friend pinned and frightened.

“Emi!” Renjiro called out, his voice carrying over the din as he reached her side. Her terrified eyes met his, and he saw a spark of relief break through her fear.

“Renjiro,” she whispered, her voice shaking.

“Hold on—I’ll get you out,” he promised, gripping the edge of the plank and infusing his hands with Lumina. He pushed with all his strength, but the weight of the wood and the exhaustion in his limbs made it difficult to lift. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he strained, his muscles burning with the effort.

Just as his strength began to falter, a figure appeared beside him. Kairro knelt, meeting Renjiro’s gaze with a brief but meaningful glance. Without a word, he placed his hands on the plank, infusing it with his own Lumina. Together, their combined energy coursed through the wood, and with a final push, they lifted it, freeing Emi from its weight.

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Emi scrambled out, taking a deep, shuddering breath as she clutched her arm, which was scraped and bruised. “Thank you,” she managed, her voice thick with emotion as she looked at them.

Renjiro smiled, exhaustion lining his face. “We’re getting you out of here.”

Yumeru’s voice cut through the moment, sharp and urgent. “We need to move, now. Red Clan reinforcements are on their way.”

The group regrouped, each bruised and weary but driven by a shared determination. They sprinted toward the evacuation zone, dodging the chaos erupting around them. As they neared the edge of the battlefield, a sudden chill ran down Renjiro’s spine. The air grew thick and oppressive as he felt a presence—a dark, dangerous force watching them.

They stopped in their tracks, staring at the figure that loomed ahead, blocking their path. An imposing Red Clan commander stood before them, his armor dark and gleaming, radiating a powerful aura of red Lumina. A helmet partially obscured his face, but his eyes glowed with an intense, merciless light as he sized them up, his lips curling in a cruel smile.

The recruits froze, shock and dread gripping each of them. But Renjiro’s attention was quickly drawn to Yumeru, who stood completely still, her chest heaving as her eyes widened. She gripped her hands tightly, her usual calm completely shattered. Her breaths grew rapid and shallow, her fear so palpable that Renjiro felt it too. He watched, stunned, as her usual stoic composure faded, revealing a vulnerability he’d never seen before.

“Yumeru…?” Renjiro murmured, concern flickering in his gaze.

His aura flared, a fiery red radiance that seethed with malice as he raised his hand, preparing to attack.

“Move!” Renjiro shouted, his voice shaking them out of their frozen state. The group scattered as the commander unleashed a wave of red Lumina, his strikes swift and merciless. The recruits fought back, each summoning their Lumina to defend themselves, but their attacks seemed to have little effect on the commander’s armor. His strikes hit with brutal precision, sending each of them sprawling.

Renjiro stumbled to his feet, his vision blurring as he watched Goro, Kairro, and Yumeru fall one by one. He could feel his energy slipping, his body exhausted, and the commander’s strength seemed limitless. The Red Clan warrior advanced slowly, relishing the sight of their desperation, and began to charge a beam of red Lumina, the intensity of the energy crackling in the air as he prepared to unleash it on them.

Yumeru, struggling to push herself up from the ground, was barely able to breathe, her chest tight with fear. She looked up, meeting the commander’s gaze as he raised his hand toward her, and her eyes widened with terror. The Red Clan commander hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he seemed to recognize something in her face. For a moment, a strange look passed over his expression—a flicker of recognition, of something almost familiar.

But before he could strike, a flash of blinding blue light pierced the commander’s chest, sending him reeling backward with a guttural roar. The force cracked his armor, and blue light burst from the wound as he fell back, tumbling across the ground in a stunned daze.

Renjiro looked up, his heart pounding as he recognized the figure who had rescued them. Rei stood before them, his presence like a storm, his gaze sharp and unyielding as he surveyed the battlefield. His hand still glowed with residual Lumina, and his eyes bore into the commander with a deadly intensity.

“Get to the evacuation zone—now!” Rei barked, his voice cutting through their shock. “I’ll hold them off.”

The group scrambled to their feet, hope surging in their chests. But horror dawned on them as they looked toward the evacuation zone: the transports had already left. They were stranded, alone on the battlefield, with the Red Clan forces closing in from all directions.

Goro’s face paled, and Kairro cursed under his breath. “They’ve gone… We’re stuck here!”

Renjiro’s gaze snapped back to Rei, whose expression had darkened with grim resolve. He turned his head, glancing toward the dense forest that bordered the academy grounds. “There’s no time to lose,” Rei said, his tone urgent. “Head into the forest. Move west and stay hidden. I’ll cover you from here.”

They hesitated, uncertainty flickering across their faces, but Rei’s commanding gaze left no room for argument. With one last, fearful glance at the encroaching Red Clan forces, Renjiro nodded. “Let’s go,” he said, his voice steady despite his heart pounding.

Together, they sprinted toward the forest, their footsteps pounding across the ground as they left the open battlefield behind. The sounds of battle faded as the shadows of the trees closed around them, the dense underbrush concealing their forms as they pushed deeper into the woods.

Renjiro led the way, his mind racing with everything that had happened—the battle, the rescue, Yumeru’s shaken composure, and the Red Clan commander’s strange reaction. But there was no time for questions now. They were alone, cut off from the academy, and stranded behind enemy lines.

And somewhere, hidden in the shadows of the forest, lay the unknown dangers that awaited them.