With the presence of four different demons, the putrid aura that used to dominate Evone Hall returns. Dyeing everything in its way an ominous color—it is all to set the stage for the moon to shine.
[Domination].
Without uttering a single word, an oppressive aura is also released from the other side, and once combined with the caster's immense ice magic, it harbors a chill colder than at the bottom of the ocean.
Amidst the collision of the two fields, the two opposite forces also close in on each other.
Under Nuf, who floats in the air.
Jet and Coun, bearing the appearance of plain, humanoid dolls, slowly walk toward Aurora's group as if strolling in the garden. Meanwhile, ripples of the surrounding mana suggest that Neyd is still swimming somewhere down there.
Aurora leads her army.
Walking forward with the speed of falling snowflakes, trailing her sword on the ground. Behind her, strange creatures of all sorts follow. In the sky, giant whales and sharks glide along the stars in a beautiful motion.
Together, they make for an unexpectedly wistful scene in which Aurora's mask is the focal point.
Witnessing this showdown, hardly anyone can spare their attention for a quiet, sneaky snap of a camera.
The man holding the camera takes a quick look at what he has snapped. He certainly isn't a photographer, yet somehow, the picture comes out perfectly.
''...Hah.''
Maybe he should quit being an academy staff and work with cameras instead.
''!!''
Such thoughts are immediately blown away by the first clash of the battle.
Standing in front of one of the dolls is an unusually tall man with bleach-white skin, faceless. Just now, his tentacles have just been blown back by seemingly nothing while attacking the doll.
Both he and the doll tilt their head to the same side, eyeing each other with the lack of eyes. Afterward, the taller man seemingly understands something and retracts his weapons.
Nearby, another doll and a man stand face to face, both appearing as emotionless as the other. The man with long, straight black hair leisurely puts his palm on his sword's handle, hollow eyes following his opponent's movements.
The scene is strangely eerie from an outside perspective.
''Hey, when will the grandmaster arrive? There are still people left.''
''Why would you ask me? We can leave this place and help them if the silver snake—''
BOOM—!!
Right then, a loud noise seizes the people's attention.
''Oh, my.''
From below, a massive reptile bursts out of the ground, its jaw clutching the neck of the dragon with black scales. Without a wail, the creature can only squirm as its body is dragged into the air. Even though the undead dragon is already giant in size, the reptile appears even more enormous.
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Akin to an unstoppable force of nature, Neyd's colossal jaw tightens, crisply ripping apart the dragon's neck.
————————!!
A low, haunting screech tolls from Neyd as it dives into the ground once more, giving the general observers a cold sweat from the sheer intensity of the beast.
'''' ... ''''
The two professors, who have just exchanged talks on exiting the barrier, turn to one another.
''Let's not do that.''
''Yeah.''
As the joint barrier containing students slowly retreats from the battle, the silent confrontation between Aurora and Nuf continues. With spells manifesting behind their backs, the tension, physically and mentally, boils further.
The first exchange is initiated by Nuf.
Despite its specialized field not being direct combat, Nuf still possesses an impressive capability when it comes to dark magic. Rounds after rounds of dark spears are whirled toward Aurora, ripping through the air as though bullets.
Still, with her inherent elemental advantage, Aurora is able to cut most of them off and dodge the remaining. As she observes the aftermath—deep, seemingly molten craters soaked in unknown liquid—the distorted voice of Nuf rings again.
[What are you hesitating for? Waiting for reinforcement?]
''Perhaps.''
Seeing the masked woman's nonchalant attitude, the demon's voice slightly trembles.
[He won't come, so... obediently give up.]
''Is that so?''
Under the mask, a smirk forms. In fact, Aurora has been stalling for two reasons:
One, to potentially fish out information from the demon, which she has just succeeded in. Nuf knows the 'reinforcement' is Graham, which means the empire has been infiltrated. Knowing the content of the game, it is highly probable that the infamous demon who can kill people with a single thought is already somewhere in the capital.
Two, to wait for the people of the academy to leave, which has just been achieved.
So, Aurora raises her hand.
''Let's change the battlefield—hm?''
The pitch-black, wobbling amalgamation on her palm refuses to expand. It's... the essence of the rift connecting the real world to the Backrooms.
Her neck snaps to the moon.
''...''
The moon, vivid and enlarged, gleams a playful hue. It is as if she has been laughed at.
'I see.'
So, this is where the demon's confidence comes from. So, HE is not totally useless in this battle after all.
Nevertheless, for as long as HE remains where HE should be, a lack of an advantageous battleground isn't something to be concerned over.
''Leave the leviathan to us, My Lady.''
A deep voice as though the abyss itself speaks rings through the air. Together with Ariel and Smiley, the skeleton in a dark robe pledges to take care of their enemy.
Bright golden eyes that signify scared light. Transparent hand under the half-glove.
Aurora nods lightly and springs toward Nuf, her true opponent.
Amidst the loud collision sounds and screeching howls, she plunges right into the demon's zone, paving a path of ice as she advances. With her nimble movements, dodging those bullets shot by the jester masks isn't hard.
Nuf is never meant to be a direct fighter in the first place.
Instead, the more she approaches it, the more... wobbly everything feels. Her heightened senses have noticeably dulled a bit, but more alarmingly, her mind is also slowing down.
In fact, this is what makes Nuf a tough opponent to take down. The mind-controlling aura that gets progressively stronger as one approaches it.
Since she doesn't have a pocket Skylar to resist the effect, Aurora lightly punches her chest instead.
Her hand immediately bounces off due to the large elasticity, but it is the impact that counts. A faint silver aura spreads across her body, heeding her desire to 'eradicate' the curse eating away her mind.
[!!]
That very same aura runs to the bane of her sword, serving as an absolute layer of sharpness to the Black Dawn's icy blade. Sensing the very word 'death' coming from the thing, Nuf hastily kicks itself backward in an attempt to get away from Aurora.
The primal fear of death that it has only experienced when it is in the presence of HIM.
Before Nuf realizes, it has already been running.
[Blink].
Yet, even that proves to be fruitless.
In a split second, the golden-white blade that makes it feel repulsed, frightened, and amazed leaps toward itself, and even within that moment where everything is engulfed in the sword's light...
...the only thing left that is visible—
The stars within her mask.