Ren took his place in the corner of the room as the meeting began. Everyone else had taken their seats around the table, faces tense and drawn, some looking utterly exhausted as though they hadn’t rested in days. The room was filled with faculty members and soldiers, with Shiro and his classmates being the only students present.

The air in the room was thick with tension as the council members discussed recent events. Valis, the principal, led the conversation, her voice steady but urgent.

“Thank you for gathering here,” Valis began firmly. “I know it’s early, but this meeting is of great importance and couldn’t be delayed. First, we need a report on yesterday’s situation.”

Barran, the vice principal, leaned forward, his expression grim. “Yesterday, the soldiers on the north side of town were attacked by a dozen of those unknown monsters. They're no longer attacking alone; some are forming groups before advancing."

Eslis, the magic instructor, frowned as she processed the information. “If they’ve started organizing, it won’t be long before they launch a full-scale invasion, rather than attacking sporadically.”

A collective shadow fell across the room as Eslis's words sank in. They were already struggling with the constant attacks on the outskirts, and the thought of a full invasion stretched their resources thin.

“We need reinforcements! What is the capital doing while we barely manage to survive?” a faculty member snapped in frustration.

Another one joined in, equally agitated. “It’s been days! How can the capital still not send support when they have so much manpower?”

Valis, visibly suppressing her own frustration, responded with a serious tone. “That is the main topic of today’s meeting. But before we continue, I need everyone to promise that what I’m about to say stays within this room.”

A sense of foreboding settled over the group, everyone nodding in silent agreement, understanding the gravity of her words.

Taking a deep breath, Valis spoke again, her voice heavy. “I received word from the capital headquarters early this morning. The first battalion they sent as reinforcements was attacked last night on the road west of Ecrin. There were no survivors…”

A stunned silence blanketed the room. The entire battalion—hundreds of soldiers, armored vehicles, and mechs—was annihilated. Ren, standing quietly in the corner, was equally shocked.

A whole battalion wiped out? It was unfathomable. Some of the faculty members appeared stricken with fear.

“How… How is that possible?” Shiro finally spoke, his voice shaky. “What attacked them?”

All eyes turned to Valis, waiting for further details.

“We don’t know,” Valis replied. “But scouts reported that the footprints at the site match those of the unknown monsters we’ve been facing. The troubling part is…”

“The problem is what, Principal?” Eslis asked, her concern growing.

Valis hesitated, clearly reluctant to finish her sentence. But knowing she had no choice, she steeled herself and continued. “The problem is the number of footprints. The scouts estimate there were thousands, if not tens of thousands, of them that passed through the battalion's tracks.”

The room fell into another stunned silence, this time weighed down by fear. Some members buried their faces in their hands, hoping it was all a nightmare.

“T-Tens of thousands?” Lucius stammered, his voice barely audible. “You’re saying they were attacked by thousands of those monsters while we’re barely holding off just dozens?”

Valis nodded grimly. “Yes. The battalion was likely ambushed at night, overwhelmed by sheer numbers. The scouts found the armored vehicles and mechs covered in hundreds of deep gashes.”

Barran clenched his fists, his frustration palpable. “They even had the intelligence to wait for nightfall and ambush them. We’ve severely underestimated these creatures.”

Eslis, however, had a different theory. “It’s not their intelligence we’ve underestimated—it’s their adaptability. When we first encountered them, they were purely driven by instinct. But each day, they evolve, learning and adapting. Now, they’re even strategizing.”

“A horde of evolving monsters…” Rolan muttered, breaking his silence. “That’s the worst news I’ve ever heard.”

Valis’s expression darkened. “There’s more…”

The room collectively braced itself for more bad news.

“The scouts also reported that the footprints are heading east,” Valis said gravely. “Toward the academy.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

It was the single worst news they could’ve received. A horde of tens of thousands of unknown monsters, advancing with one purpose: destruction.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Ren muttered under his breath. “How am I supposed to help defend against ten thousand of those things?”

The academy’s barrier was strong, but even it wouldn’t hold against a sustained attack from so many enemies. With no reinforcements and limited manpower, it was an impossible task.

“What am I supposed to do?” Ren thought desperately. “Not just Shiro and his classmates, but the entire academy is in danger.”

While Ren racked his brain for a solution, Valis pressed on with the discussion. “I know this seems impossible, and I’m still working on finding a solution myself,” she said, her voice filled with resolve. “But this isn’t the first time our academy has faced insurmountable odds. We will not give up.”

Her words reignited a glimmer of hope in the room. Despite the dire situation, they were members of Orios Academy, and they would not surrender without a fight.

Shiro stood up, his voice steady. “We won’t just sit back and let this happen. This is our home, and we’ll defend it with everything we’ve got.”

Liana grinned, her confidence infectious. “Yeah! We’ll fight back and protect everyone!”

Rolan joined in with a smirk. “We’ll push those monsters right back to where they came from!”

Not everyone from Class F joined in, though. Lucius and Celes seemed embarrassed by their classmates' enthusiasm and kept their heads down, avoiding eye contact.

Their words, while bold, lifted the mood. Some faculty members even chuckled at their determination.

Valis smiled faintly, pride swelling within her. “Yes, they’re right. We can’t give up now. So many people are counting on us.”

The atmosphere in the room lightened as fear was replaced with resolve.

“Now, we need to prepare,” Valis said, her tone firm again. “By our estimates, the horde will arrive in eight hours.”

Eight hours. It wasn’t nearly enough time, but it was all they had.

“Barran, I need you to coordinate with the soldiers in the courtyard to begin the evacuation of all civilians into the buildings,” Valis commanded firmly. “Move all essential supplies inside as well, except for the military equipment.”

“Yes, ma'am!” Barran replied swiftly.

"Eslis, organize the other mages to prepare additional barriers. Worst case, we’ll have to withstand a prolonged assault," Valis instructed, her tone unwavering.

“Yes, ma'am!” Eslis responded.

“Shiro,” Valis said, turning to the young leader, “gather your classmates and work with the other students to establish defense formations around the academy. If the situation worsens, you’ll all need to fight.” Her voice softened with concern. “I just hope it won’t come to that.”

“Understood, ma'am!” Shiro replied, his expression firm.

Valis turned to the remaining faculty. “The rest of you, prepare every room inside the academy for evacuation. It’ll be tight, but we have no other option!”

“Yes, ma'am!” the other faculty members responded in unison.

“Good. This meeting is adjourned,” Valis said, standing tall. “And remember—no word about the battalion leaves this room. We can’t afford to spread more fear.”

“Yes, ma'am!” came the unified response from the group.

“Dismissed!” Valis declared.

The room emptied as people dispersed to their duties, a growing urgency palpable in the air. Ren, however, remained behind, his frustration mounting as he struggled to find a solution.

“Damn it, eight hours won’t be enough to prepare everything,” he muttered, clutching his head. “Even with perfect execution, the odds are too overwhelming.”

As he brooded, Barran approached Valis with a grave concern. “The space inside the buildings won’t be enough. Even the gym will overflow, leaving half the people without shelter.”

“Then make more space. Use the rooftops, maintenance rooms—hell, even the basement if you must,” Valis replied, her voice resolute. “Every available inch must be used.”

“The basement…” Ren’s eyes widened as a revelation struck him. “Of course! I almost forgot about that place. That item—if they can get their hands on it, it could change everything.”

Ren had finally found a solution that could not only save the academy but possibly tip the scales in their favor. But he needed someone to trust him—and fast. He scanned the room, searching for the right person to convey his plan to.

“If I go straight to Shiro, he’ll never believe me,” Ren muttered under his breath. “I need someone in command—someone he’ll listen to without question.”

His gaze settled on Valis. She was the key. If he could convince her, she had the authority to make Shiro and the others follow his lead.

“Now, I just need to be convincing,” Ren whispered, formulating his approach. A slight smile crept onto his face as he remembered his skill: Perfect Acting. It had saved him before, allowing him to keep his composure in front of the SIN council. This would be no different.

“Yeah…this’ll do,” Ren said confidently.

The room soon grew silent. Valis remained behind, standing at the head of the long, polished table, deep in thought. The weight of the impending battle bore heavily on her, and for a brief moment, her stern demeanor faltered. She let out a weary sigh.

“Eight hours... Even if we survive the initial assault, how long can we really hold out?” Valis murmured, her voice low, almost to herself. The turmoil in her expression was evident. Once a general, she was now the principal of an academy—a place meant to nurture the future. But now, those very students were being forced into a battle for their lives. And it wasn’t just the students; she was responsible for countless civilians as well.

“Our numbers… they’re just not enough. We’d need a miracle to get through this,” Valis whispered.

She stood and walked toward the window, gazing out at the once-bustling town of Ecrin. Now, it was eerily quiet, guarded only by military personnel. Civilians, students, and soldiers alike gathered in the courtyard below, unaware of the full extent of the danger they faced. The sun shone brightly over them all, a stark contrast to the chaos looming on the horizon.

“A miracle... It feels childish to hope for one now,” she said, her eyes lifting toward the sky. “Even the goddess seems to have abandoned us.”

Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine. Her senses, honed from years on the battlefield, flared to life. Someone was behind her.

In an instant, Valis whirled around, her hand instinctively gripping the hilt of her sword. She drew it swiftly, the blade glinting in the light as she prepared to strike.

There, standing before her, was a young man in unfamiliar clothing. His cold, calm eyes locked onto hers, his expression unsettlingly composed.

Her heart raced—not from fear, but from shock. How had he gotten this close without her noticing? As a battle-hardened veteran, her instincts were impeccable, yet this man had slipped past them entirely.

“Who are you?” she demanded, her voice sharp, laced with suspicion.