After warning Tsukune that morning, Hermann couldn’t shake a growing sense of unease. He knew Tadashi had reached out to Nihebi for assistance.

With that gym rat in the mix, that’s a fourth lizardman... But seriously, how many lizardmen are there at this academy?

As he paced the halls, a sudden movement caught his eye through a nearby window. He turned and saw Kurumu flying toward the dead forest, with Tsukune clutched tightly in her grasp.

Tsukune?

A sense of foreboding washed over him. Just as he was about to rush off, a sharp whisper cut through the corridor.

“Psst.”

Hermann paused, glancing around. The hallway was empty.

“Psssssst.”

Before he could react, a small rock hit the side of his head. “Ow!” He looked down at the offending stone, then up again, puzzled.

“Over here, you dolt!” came a whispered yell. He turned to see Rainee peering around a corner, checking to make sure no one else was nearby.

Hermann couldn’t help but grin as he approached. “There are easier ways to get my attention, you know.”

Rainee narrowed her eyes at him, unimpressed. His grin faded.

“Anyway,” he said, shifting topics, “what’s up?”

“You’re friends with Tsukune, right?” Rainee’s face was tight with worry.

Hermann thought back to their recent interactions and nodded. “Yeah, why?”

“Are you willing to help him?” she pressed, her eyes searching his face.

Hermann’s expression grew serious. “Of course.”

“Remember the lizardmen?”

He nodded again, this time more warily.

“Well, it’s not just one or two extra. Tadashi rallied every lizardman in the academy. They even brought in someone from outside with permission to be here.”

Hermann’s stomach sank as the gravity of the situation hit him. “We need to go. Now.”

“I’m just here to warn you,” Rainee said.

Hermann’s eyes narrowed. “Why aren’t you coming?”

Rainee’s lips pressed into a thin line, frustration flickering across her face. “I can’t. Not like that,” she said but quickly added when she saw his disappointment. “I was injured in an accident and I can’t use my powers. But someone needs to help Tsukune.”

Hermann’s jaw clenched. The odds were grim. “One person against all of them won’t be enough.”

“I know,” Rainee said, eyes steely. “But I just need you to help them hold out long enough.” Without waiting for his response, she turned to leave.

“What are you going to do?” he called after her.

She paused, a small, confident smile playing on her lips. “To get help and what I always do—spread rumors.”

Hermann watched as Rainee disappeared into the distance, presumably to find more help.

He glanced out the window and spotted a small dot in the sky, which he assumed was Kurumu.

Without hesitation, he opened the window, climbed onto the ledge, and removed his shoes.

Tsk, by the night parade, Tsukune... why do you always find yourself in the middle of chaos?

With his shoes and socks off, Hermann began to transform, focusing it on his legs. Then, with a swift movement, he leaped out of the third-floor window.

There it is.

A rush of exhilaration filled Hermann as he flew through the air and landed smoothly, his transformed legs absorbing the impact. Adrenaline surged through him as he pushed forward, his youki fueling his every step.

He dashed across the academy grounds, ignoring the startled glances from students and faculty as he sped past.

Clearing the gates, he adjusted his path, heading straight toward the dead forest.

Hermann was a jackalope, a creature of legend from the West. Though humanity's rapid technological progress had driven many monsters into obscurity, it had also enabled some, like his ancestors, to spread beyond their native regions. Born in Japan to a line that had migrated from North America, Hermann embodied the traits of his kind. Jackalopes were not known for immense physical power or deep reserves of youki, but their blend of jackrabbit speed and antelope agility made them unmatched in bursts of swift movement.

The dead forest loomed ahead, and not a moment too soon. Hermann spotted a massive lizardman—one he'd never dream of confronting under normal circumstances—poised to strike at Tsukune. Though still some distance away, Hermann knew he needed to close the gap quickly.

I have to be faster.

Unlike Kurumu, who hailed from a prestigious lineage, or Moka, whose mastery of enigmatic youki techniques set her apart, Hermann had no such advantages. Yet, as a young monster, he'd dared to dream like many others. He aspired to become a legendary figure, a hero among monsters akin to the three dark lords.

With the onset of his youki abilities, he used every resource he could find on youki techniques and their applications. Reality, however, was harsh. Over time, Hermann realized he was neither a prodigy nor even moderately gifted. In fact, among jackalopes—a race designated as C-class monsters—he was painfully average. Their sole claim to fame was their remarkable speed, leaving them lacking in other combat attributes.

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Determined to make the most of what he had, Hermann trained relentlessly, honing this single advantage. Through perseverance, he learned and became adept in a common but effective technique.

Hermann felt his muscles strain as he channeled his youki in a precise, practiced pattern. Then, the technique activated.

~Flash Step!~

His vision blurred as his speed surged to more than triple its usual rate. Every muscle burned as his body pushed past its limits, propelled by raw youki. In an instant, Hermann vanished from his spot and reappeared in front of Tadashi.

Using the momentum from the sudden burst of speed, Hermann delivered a powerful kick to Tadashi’s face, sending the lizardman hurtling backward. Hermann skidded to a stop just a few feet from Tsukune.

Turning swiftly, he leaned down and extended a hand. A smile broke across his face as Tsukune grasped it without hesitation.

“Hermann, you came!” Tsukune exclaimed, clearly surprised.

Hermann managed a grin, sweat matting his hair and making him look worn out.

“Well, a friend tipped me off that you needed help,” he replied.

Tsukune nodded, casting a worried glance at the recovering crowd of lizardmen. “I do. We need to reach Moka.”

Hermann's eyes widened as he surveyed the gathering throng. “Moka’s in that crowd?”

“Yeah,” Tsukune confirmed, his expression tense. Hermann's gaze shifted, noticing Yukari standing behind Tsukune, her eyes narrowed in cautious suspicion.

“Alright, quick introductions,” Tsukune said hurriedly. “Hermann, this is Yukari. Yukari, Hermann. Now, we need a way to reach Moka. Ideas?”

Hermann’s brow furrowed. “Tactics aren’t my thing, man. I’m fast, but that’s about it.”

Tsukune’s mind raced. Brute force alone wouldn’t cut it. Come on, think, Tsukune. We have to reach Moka before Kurumu gets overwhelmed.

Before he could come up with a plan, Yukari’s voice cut through the tension. “I have an idea.”

Both boys turned to her, and Yukari hesitated under their gaze. Tsukune’s encouragement was immediate. “What is it, Yukari?”

Recalling Tsukune’s earlier reassurances, Yukari gathered her resolve. “I can’t cast basic spells without my wand, but I can engrave spell runes. If you trust me, I’ll write a spell now. You two just need to keep those lizardmen off me,” she said, nodding toward a group of lizardmen breaking away from the main body and approaching.

Three lizardmen hissed, eyes fixed on their targets. Tsukune’s jaw tightened, while Hermann readied himself for a fight.

“Tsukune, you owe me after this,” Hermann muttered, positioning himself defensively.

“Friends don’t owe friends,” Tsukune responded with a nervous grin, stepping forward to give Yukari space as she began scribbling runes on the ground with a jagged rock.

Hermann let out a bark of laughter. “Damn, you’re right.”

The three lizardmen roared and surged forward.

Hermann let out a battle cry to bolster his resolve, “Ahhh!”

Tsukune echoed him, using the shout to drive away his fear.

They charged, aiming to give Yukari space to work.

Hermann, with his antelope-like agility and rabbit-like quickness, reached the lizardmen first. Channeling his youki, he threw a powerful punch that landed squarely on one lizardman's cheek, shattering scales and drawing blood.

So weak, he thought with a grimace, chastising himself.

The lizardman retaliated with an angry swipe of its claw. Hermann leaped back, only to find himself immediately targeted by a second attacker. With two lizardmen pressing him, he focused on dodging, evading blows that could take him out of the fight.

Meanwhile, Tsukune met the charge of another lizardman, slipping into a defensive stance. He knew full well that even a low-class monster like a lizardman outmatched him in raw power. The lizardman saw Tsukune's guarded posture and lunged with its jaws wide open, fangs gleaming.

For a moment, primal terror gripped Tsukune. The sight of those sharp teeth awakened an instinctive fear. But the thought of Moka and Kurumu in danger overrode it.

Wait for it!

Timing his move, Tsukune allowed the lizardman to close the distance. At the last second, he kicked out, landing a solid blow between its legs. The lizardman collapsed with a howl, clutching at its injury. Tsukune didn’t waste time; he moved away from grabbing range and picked up a rock and hurled it at the lizardman's head with all his strength.

The rock connected, cracking scales and drawing blood. The lizardman hissed, slowly getting back on its feet, one hand still holding its crotch. Tsukune grimaced.

Monsters and their durability.

Tsukune let out a weary sigh, picking up another rock. The lizardman’s eyes flickered with confusion and disdain as it watched him.

It hesitated, seemingly waiting for Tsukune to make the first move. But Tsukune had no intention of engaging directly; he only needed to buy Yukari enough time.

Good. Keep your focus on me, he thought.

But luck wasn’t on his side. The sound of Yukari scratching in the dirt caught the lizardman’s attention. It shifted its gaze beyond Tsukune, noticing Yukari furiously writing with a jagged rock.

A dangerous glint appeared in the lizardman’s eyes as it changed targets. Tsukune’s heart sank.

Damn it, he cursed under his breath, realizing he had lost the creature's attention.

Acting quickly, Tsukune moved to block its view, but the lizardman was already charging toward Yukari with single-minded intent.

I won’t let you!

As the beast closed the distance, Tsukune launched himself forward, surprising the lizardman. He feigned a kick, causing the lizardman to brace defensively, shielding its already sore lower half. But Tsukune’s movement wasn’t what it seemed—mimicking a baseball pitch, he raised his leg and, using the momentum, hurled the rock at the creature’s unprotected face.

The lizardman tried to react, but it was too late. The rock struck true, drawing blood and causing it to hiss in pain. Yet, lizardmen were not human. To be deterred by injury, it needed to be much more painful than a small wound. It ignored the sting of Tsukune’s ‘human’ attack and continued its charge, undeterred and fierce.

Tsukune didn't back down. He charged headfirst at the lizardman, determined to face it directly. Seeing Tsukune abandon his defensive stance, the lizardman shifted its focus, snarling as it prepared to sink its teeth into him. As the gap between them closed, it opened its maw wide, ready to bite.

At the last moment, Tsukune dropped low, repeating the move he had used on Tadashi. The lizardman’s claws swept through empty air as Tsukune ducked beneath them, channeling all his momentum into a tackle. With a powerful shove, he grabbed the lizardman’s legs and drove it to the ground.

This lizardman, smaller and less formidable than Tadashi, fell hard. Tsukune wasted no time, raising his fist and slamming it into the creature’s open wound, drawing a fresh spurt of blood. The pain registered on the monster's face, and Tsukune's relentless assault continued. Fueled by adrenaline and an unexpected ferocity fueled by his desire to protect, he kept punching, each strike tearing his knuckles further as human flesh met hardened scales. If not for the initial damage from the rock throw, he would have barely made an impact.

The lizardman let out a pained roar, summoning attention. Tsukune's heart sank as he saw two lizardmen from the main group turn and start charging toward him. Without hesitation, Tsukune grabbed a larger rock and brought it down hard on the lizardman’s neck, silencing it with a sickening thud. The creature went limp, knocked out cold.

Tsukune stood up, bloodied and panting, his fists raw and torn. His chest heaved as exhaustion weighed heavily on him, each breath feeling like a battle.

This… this is exhausting…

Despite months of pushing his body in training, Tsukune had never been pushed to such an extreme. Adrenaline dulled the pain, but his muscles felt like lead. Forcing himself to focus, he set his sights on the two lizardmen closing in fast.

“Yukari! Are you done?” Tsukune shouted, the urgency in his voice mirroring the chaos around him.

“Almost!” Yukari called back, panic creeping into her tone.

Tsukune exhaled sharply, steeling himself as he gripped the rock that had downed the first lizardman. He stepped forward, muscles aching, as the two approaching lizardmen glanced at their fallen comrade and hissed in unison.

“You use weapons!”

“Coward!”

Ignoring their taunts, Tsukune focused on staying upright and braced himself in a defensive stance.

Meanwhile, Hermann was being pushed to his limit. Facing two lizardmen simultaneously, he found himself struggling to keep up. On his own, he might have beaten one of them, but against two, the situation grew dire. Lacking the sheer strength or youki reserves of a vampire, Hermann’s strikes were quick but shallow, drawing blood but never enough to incapacitate.

He spared a glance at the battlefield and saw Tsukune standing against two more lizardmen. Despite his fatigue, Tsukune had managed to knock one out—a feat that astonished Hermann. But his brief amazement was cut short as he narrowly dodged a swipe, the lizardman’s claws slicing his cheek.

This isn’t good, Hermann thought, eyes darting to Tsukune as the two lizardmen advanced on him.

He’s no vampire. He won’t survive this.

Hermann grit his teeth, feeling the burn of exhaustion settling into his limbs. Weighing his options, he knew he only had enough youki for three more uses of his trump card. For a moment, he considered running.

As if I’d run away now.

With a deep, final breath, Hermann directed his remaining youki and made a risky gambit.

~Flash Step!~

In an instant, he vanished and reappeared, driving a powerful roundhouse into the nearest lizardman with his speed-boosted momentum. The blow wasn’t enough, so Hermann immediately activated Flash Step a second time, raining down a rapid succession of punches that left both lizardmen coughing up blood.

One last time!

Summoning every scrap of energy he had left, Hermann pushed past his limit and used Flash Step for a fourth, final time. His empowered fist met the lizardman’s jaw, scales cracking and teeth shattering under the force. One of the lizardmen crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

The last lizardman, though bloodied and battered, stood firm. Hermann staggered back, breath ragged and limbs trembling. A wry smile crossed his face as he looked at the defiant creature.

I’m so weak.

With the lizardman momentarily hesitant, Hermann seized the chance to catch his breath. His gaze shifted to Tsukune, who stood facing the two approaching lizardmen. They halted, wary of the bloodied, determined ‘monster’ before them.

Hermann glanced quickly at Yukari, still feverishly writing on the ground.

We need more time...

His mind flitted to Rainee and her promise of help, the hope of reinforcements gnawing at him. Yet, as he thought of her, he frowned.

I don’t know much about her.

A surge of frustration tightened in his chest. There was a real possibility that he could be torn apart in this fight, and he might never learn more about the girl who interested him most.

Fuck.