The sun finally set over the town of Ecrin and the Orios Academy. The only light remaining came from the streetlamps scattered throughout the town and the massive spotlights positioned around the academy’s outskirts. Soldiers and mages stood guard across the town, from the streets of Ecrin to the rooftops and defensive outposts. Valis, with her experience as a general, had coordinated their positions meticulously.
The beautiful night sky had arrived, but no one had the chance to admire it.
Without warning, an explosion echoed in the distance, reverberating like thunder across the landscape. Ren’s head snapped toward the source of the noise, along with everyone else’s. A thick, black column of smoke rose into the sky, ominous and foreboding. The ground beneath the academy trembled, a low rumble that grew stronger with each passing second. For a brief moment, Ren thought it was an earthquake, but then he saw it.
Everyone saw it.
A massive, undulating wave of black and red stretched across the horizon, moving toward the academy like a tsunami. But this was no natural disaster. Ren’s eyes widened in disbelief as he realized what he was witnessing. Hundreds—no, thousands of shadowy creatures, their forms shifting and merging, surged forward like a living tide. Their eyes gleamed with malevolent light, and their roars filled the air—a terrifying cacophony that sent chills down Ren’s spine.
“Hah… you’ve got to be kidding me,” Ren muttered, a strained chuckle escaping him. His hand trembled with fear, but he clenched it tightly, trying to steady himself.
There was nothing like this in the game—no record of anything remotely close. This wasn’t just a battle; it was an invasion on a scale beyond imagination. Not even SIN could have conjured something this horrifying.
Ren glanced around at the students and teachers on the rooftop. Their faces were pale with terror, eyes wide as they took in the approaching horde. Some were frozen in place, while others clutched their weapons with trembling hands. A few had dropped to their knees, their lips moving in silent prayer to the goddess, hoping for divine intervention.
But Ren knew better. The goddess was gone, her protection long withdrawn from this world. The only option now was to fight, to survive the oncoming storm. As the shadowy tide advanced, Ren felt a grim resolve harden within him. Whatever had caused the story to diverge so drastically, whatever this threat was—he would face it head-on.
His hand still shaking, Ren clenched his fist tighter. “It’s up to me and everyone here to protect this academy,” he murmured, steadying his resolve.
As the shadowy wave loomed closer, a thick, oppressive silence fell over the grounds, a silence heavy with fear and uncertainty. Then, cutting through the suffocating atmosphere, Valis’s commanding voice rang out, amplified through the academy’s speakers.
“Listen to me!” Valis’s voice echoed across the rooftops and halls. “Do not give in to fear, fight it head-on! This academy is not just a school; it is our home, the beacon of our empire’s future. If we fall here, the future falls with us. Stand strong and defend it with everything you have!”
Her words resonated deeply with every student, teacher, and soldier within the academy. Ren saw the fear in their eyes begin to ebb, replaced by determination. The gravity of their situation was undeniable, but Valis’s words gave them something to cling to—a reason to fight, even against such overwhelming odds.
With unwavering resolve, Valis gave her next command. “First line of defense, fire at will!”
The air immediately filled with the deafening roar of cannons firing from all corners of the town. Shells arced through the sky before crashing down into the advancing horde, causing explosions to erupt among the creatures. Dark plumes of smoke billowed as the cannon fire obliterated some of the shadowy forms.
“Mages, prepare your spells and give them everything you’ve got!” Valis shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.
Mages positioned on the rooftops joined in, unleashing spells of fire, ice, and lightning into the horde, trying desperately to slow its relentless advance.
But the enemy was unyielding. For every shadowy figure that fell, two more seemed to take its place. The creatures moved with singular purpose, driven by an insatiable hunger to consume everything in their path. They knew no fear, no pain—only the overwhelming desire to devour.
Round after round of cannon fire soared through the air, but the dark wave showed no sign of stopping. The ground shook beneath the force of the horde’s advance, inching ever closer with each passing second. The soldiers and mages on the rooftops fought desperately, but the tide of darkness seemed unstoppable, an endless sea immune to their efforts.
“Use everything we have!” one soldier yelled to his comrade on the street, firing into the horde.
“Don’t waste mana on powerful spells, focus on slowing them down!” a mage shouted to her fellow mages from the rooftop.
The battle raged on all around the outskirts of Ecrin, with soldiers and mages giving everything they had just to delay the horde’s advance. But it was futile.
In one sector, the horde swarmed a nearby building where a group of mages had been holding their ground. They were overrun in seconds, the sheer numbers of the creatures overwhelming them. The building collapsed under the weight of the dark mass, their final screams lost in the chaos.
The remaining mages could only watch in horror and despair as their comrades were consumed by the shadows. But they couldn’t afford to give in to fear. The academy was depending on them.
On the streets, the situation was just as dire. Soldiers retreated toward the first barrier as the horde closed in on them.
“All soldiers, regroup at the first barrier!” Valis commanded through the speakers.
“Come on! I’m not leaving you!” A soldier shouted as he struggled to lift his fallen comrade.
“Just go! I’m dead weight.” The injured soldier replied, glancing down at his unresponsive legs.
“Like hell I will, you're coming with me whether you like it or not!” The soldier grunted, putting his arm under his fallen comrade’s shoulders and dragging him toward the first barrier.
With all his strength, the soldier hauled his brother-in-arms forward, but the horde was closing in fast. From the safety of the other side of the barrier, their fellow soldiers yelled at them to hurry, watching the shadow horde approach with terrifying speed, obliterating everything in their path.
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The fallen soldier, sensing they wouldn’t make it at this pace, made a final decision. Summoning the last bit of strength in his upper body, he pushed his rescuer away, forcing them apart.
“Wha—no!” The soldier cried out as he stumbled backward, landing just beyond the barrier, safe but helpless. He looked up just in time to see his injured comrade pull a grenade from his belt, the horde now seconds behind him.
“I’m sorry…” the fallen soldier mouthed before activating the grenade. A deafening explosion followed, engulfing him and the surrounding horde in a blast that tore through the darkness—a final act of sacrifice.
On the other side, the surviving soldiers could only look away, jaws clenched and fists tight with frustration. They were no strangers to warfare, but this, this was different.
At last, the horde reached the first barrier, a shimmering wall of magic designed to protect the academy from external threats. Ren could hear the horrific sounds of claws and fangs raking against the barrier, accompanied by guttural howls and furious roars. The barrier flickered, glowing brightly as it resisted the assault, but then cracks began to form.
Every eye was fixed on the barrier, their hopes pinned on its strength. But hope quickly gave way to dread. The cracks spread like spiderwebs, the barrier groaning under the immense pressure of the horde. Then, with a deafening crack, it shatters.
The first line of defense was gone.
As the barrier disintegrated, the shadowy horde surged forward, now unchecked and more ravenous than ever. The earth shook under the weight of their advance, their monstrous roars filling the air, drowning out all else. The academy’s first defenses had been breached, and now the true fight for survival began.
“Damn it! That was too fast!” Valis muttered under her breath. They hadn’t even held the first line for half an hour. Her voice thundered through the academy’s speakers: “All soldiers and mages, fall back to the second line of defense!”
For a brief moment, time seemed to stand still as the barrier’s collapse sent a wave of panic through the academy. The horde was unstoppable, and the next line of defense loomed as their only hope. But instead of succumbing to fear, a fierce determination began to rise.
From the rooftop, Ren watched in awe. The academy, once a place of learning, now stood as a symbol of unity and defiance. Despite the overwhelming odds, everyone—students, teachers, and soldiers—banded together with a single purpose: to defend their home. Even in this darkest of moments, they refused to yield.
Valis’s voice echoed once more through the academy, unwavering. “Do not falter! Keep firing! Push them back! This is our home—defend it with everything you’ve got!”
Cannon fire and spells rained down upon the horde, explosions ripping through the night, each one a testament to the defenders’ resolve. Ren’s gaze swept across the battlefield before locking onto the courtyard below. There, Class F huddled together with Barran and Eslis, deep in what seemed to be a heated discussion. Though too far to hear, Ren could sense the urgency in their movements. Shiro and his classmates stood at the center, their faces a mixture of fear and steely determination.
"It seems the evacuation is finally over,” Ren murmured, noting the absence of civilians in the courtyard. “But none of that will matter if we can’t stop this horde.”
His eyes wandered across the academy grounds. Everywhere he looked, students were preparing for battle, fear evident in their faces, but overshadowed by a grim resolve. For many of them, this was their first taste of real combat, and the weight of that reality was heavy.
A familiar sound suddenly drew Ren’s attention. He turned toward the training grounds, his heart skipping a beat. The mechs, massive, towering machines that he had marveled at in the game, were coming to life. Engines roared, weapons hummed with energy, and the ground trembled as they powered up. The sight of the mechs stirred something in Ren—a strange blend of nostalgia and excitement, like watching a favorite childhood hero spring to life.
“Yes, finally!” Ren cheered, unable to contain his excitement.
But beneath his enthusiasm lay a hard truth. The mechs are powerful, yes, but they wouldn’t be enough. Not against a horde of this scale. The academy’s defenses, as impressive as they were, could only delay the inevitable. The real hope, the only thing that could turn the tide, rested with Shiro, Class F, and the amulet they had retrieved from the dungeon.
Ren clenched his fists. He couldn’t reveal himself with his cooldown still on, at least not yet. All he could do was watch, wait, and trust that Shiro and his friends would find a way. The fate of the academy, and perhaps the entire empire, now rested on their shoulders.
Down in the courtyard, the tension was palpable. Explosions echoed in the distance, the endless roar of the shadow horde growing louder with every passing second. Shiro stood at the center of Class F, his face creased in deep thought. Surrounding him were Liana, Lucius, Rolan, and Celes—each of them grappling with the weight of the situation.
“The barrier’s down,” Barran stated flatly, frustration evident in his voice. “And much faster than we expected. Those creatures… they’re relentless. Disorganized, yes, but their numbers… it’s like they’re endless.”
Lucius nodded in agreement, his eyes narrowing. “It’s not natural. Creatures like those shouldn’t exist.”
“It’s more than that,” Eslis added grimly. “Their aura… it’s not just darkness. It’s pure malevolence. They’re drawn to life, to consume it. If they break through the final barrier, it won’t just be the academy that falls—everything will.”
A heavy silence followed, the gravity of Eslis’s words sinking in. Shiro clenched his fists, feeling the weight of responsibility pressing harder on him. As the leader of Class F, he was the one his teammates turned to in times of crisis. But this was beyond anything he had ever faced. The odds were overwhelming, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
“The mechs are ready to fight,” Rolan said, trying to sound optimistic, though his voice wavered. “We’ve got the cannons, the magic squads, and every student and teacher ready to defend the academy. We can hold them off, right?”
“For how long?” Liana countered, her voice quiet but resolute. “The barrier was our strongest defense, and it fell. What’s to stop them from breaking through the others? We need something more… something powerful enough to turn the tide.”
All eyes shifted to the amulet hanging around Shiro’s neck. The blue raven-shaped artifact glowed faintly, its aura ancient and almost palpable. It was the key to everything, but they still had no idea how to unlock its power.
“Shiro,” Lucius said, his voice steady, “the amulet, do you feel anything? Any connection to it? Anything that might tell us how to use it?”
Shiro glanced down at the amulet, his hand instinctively clutching it. He closed his eyes, focusing, trying to sense something, anything. But all he felt was a faint warmth, a distant pulse, as if the artifact were waiting… for something.
“I don’t know,” Shiro admitted, frustration heavy in his voice. “It’s like it’s alive, but I can’t reach it. I don’t know what it wants or how to use it.”
“It’s not your fault,” Liana reassured him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “This thing is ancient, maybe older than the academy itself. Whatever power it holds, it won’t be easy to control. We just need to figure it out.”
“But we don’t have time,” Barran interjected urgently. “The horde is already at our doorstep. We need that power now, or everything we’ve done will be for nothing.”
Shiro felt the pressure building, suffocating him. Everyone was counting on him, but he had no answers. He was just a student, thrust into a battle he never asked for, holding an artifact he didn’t understand.
Celes, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke. Her voice was calm but carried a sharp determination that caught everyone’s attention. “Maybe it’s not just about understanding the amulet. Maybe it’s waiting for something—something only Shiro can provide.”
“What do you mean?” Rolan asked, curiosity piqued.
Celes met Shiro’s gaze, her eyes unwavering. “It’s not just about power. It’s about will. Shiro, you need to make a choice. Whatever this artifact is, it’s responding to your resolve, your determination. You need to believe you can use it, that you can fight. Only then will it reveal its true power.”
Shiro stared at Celes, her words reverberating in his mind. Could it really be that simple? Could the key to unlocking the amulet’s power lie in his own will, in his belief?
Taking a deep breath, Shiro steeled himself. He didn’t have all the answers, but he knew one thing for certain: he couldn’t let everyone down. He couldn’t let the academy fall. No matter what, he would find a way.
“I believe in us,” Shiro said, his voice growing stronger with each word. “I believe we can protect the academy, that we can win this fight. Whatever this amulet is, whatever it takes, we’ll figure it out.”
A renewed sense of determination swept through the group. They didn’t yet know how the amulet’s power worked, but they trusted Shiro, and that trust was their greatest strength.
Just as their conversation was about to continue, the ground trembled again, and the distant sounds of battle drew closer. The horde was advancing.