The sounds of frenzied struggle echoed throughout the prison, accompanied by loud, repetitive bangs. Waves of strife shook the walls, and sweat and blood flooded the damp ground. Even armor as hard as steel was shattered in the wild battle between the guards and the horde of cadets in Block D. Men's screams reverberated through the ground and walls as the battle raged on, leaving only a few standing.

Zain and several strong cadets destroyed the Bloodguards’ armor with their bare hands or used the bars of the cell as clubs. Thanks to Chthon's blood, their physical strength was now on par with superhumans. One by one, the cadets fell, as did the Bloodguards, until only two cadets and three guards remained.

Zain's plan was to free the cadets in the last cell, located at the very end of the dead end. However, one of the cadets with him decided to run away when he saw an opening, betraying Zain from behind while he was focusing on the three Bloodguards. The Viking withstood the blows of three iron spears with only one small bar of steel. The strong pressure made Zain's weapon begin to crack and weaken.

"You insolent fool! Aleister!" shouted Zain, struggling.

"See you later, Zain! Don't let yourself die just because of that last cell!" Aleister yelled as he fled.

Aleister is the most enigmatic member of the worst generation. He is from class D with a cadet number of 71. However, he is rumored to be a transfer cadet from the Magician Academy and more interested in seeking entertainment than honing his fighting skills. He was known as Aleister the Mastermind, the four-eyed and snake-tongued bastard who was untrustworthy. Not just Zain, but several cadets who fell victim also held a grudge against him. Whenever they saw Moon-Elf Aleister, there would always be problems, which eventually became an oral tradition. If Aleister were to disappear permanently, there wouldn't be any caring and sad cadets, instead, they would throw a party to celebrate his departure.

Despite his aloofness, Aleister occasionally offers words of encouragement to his fellow crewmate, Zain, who is growing increasingly frustrated with his lack of progress. "We'll be waiting for you on the ship," he calls out from a distance, his voice trailing off into the wind. "Remember, your survival is your own responsibility!"

With his mysterious background and laid-back demeanor, Aleister remains a puzzle to his comrades and foes alike, a wild card whose true motives and abilities are yet to be fully revealed.

Zain could no longer withstand the pressure of the spears, and there was no sign of life around him, only the corpses of his fellow cadets. He was alone and without any help. He dropped his steel bar and charged forward past the three guards to reach the last cell, risking his life in a do-or-die attempt. ("There it is, the last cell! I'll save 'em, and we'll make our escape together!")

Zain demonstrated remarkable determination despite being cornered and chased by the Bloodguards. He took a desperate leap, jumping twice against the wall and accidentally hitting a guard's helmet with his knee, which shattered and knocked the guard unconscious. Another guard slipped on a pool of thick blood, giving Zain an opportunity to strike with his steel bars, causing two more Bloodguards to fall. Every blow he delivered was filled with his inner strength, leaving deep impact marks on the guard's helmet. He managed to take them down one by one, but the effort left him drained and injured. Zain felt a burning pain in his chest, but the rush of adrenaline kept his hands shaking with the desire for more.

One last Bloodguard managed to strike Zain's back, causing blood to gush out onto the dirty ground. However, Zain's fury only grew stronger, and the sensation of pleasure from fighting coursed through his body, driving him to keep moving. The Bloodguard sensed that something was off with these cadets, as their blood boiled and scorched the ground. Zain's consecutive blows shattered the body armor of the last guard, ultimately killing him. With all his enemies defeated in the bloody battle, Zain's body trembled from exhaustion and exhilaration.

In a moment of triumph, Zain shouted loudly, feeling as though he had defeated an A-tier monster by taking down three Bloodguards. However, his screams also drew dozens of other Bloodguards to the scene, flocking to block his path. Fortunately, his battle cry had also awakened the cadet in the last cell, who heard the commotion and realized that Zain had come to save them. The battle may have been won, but the war was far from over.

After reaching the cell, Zain was surprised by what he saw. There was only one person in the cell with their hands cuffed forward. The two cadets who were supposed to be there seemed to have left the prisoner alone without helping him out. And, what was even worse...

“Holy Mother Etherdia's beloved cow! Fenrius...where be the other two?” Zain asked.

Fenrius still kneeled and bowed there with his eyes closed like a statue. Zain broke down the cell door, patted Fenrius on both shoulders and yelled in his face, "Open arms you lazy bastard! You'll sleep when you're dead!”

Zain noticed that Fenrius' shackles were in front, which was unusual as all the other cadets had their hands cuffed behind their backs. He also observed that the shackles on Fenrius' legs had been removed. ("How in the All-Father's name did he manage this? He could easily escape this cell, so why did he choose to wait here?")

The sound of footsteps from the Bloodguard troops made Zain's heart race. He regretted his impulsive outburst, as he had acted like a berserk Viking, blinded by the smell of blood and choking on bones. He could hear the guards' commands from a distance as if the wind was whispering them to him. "Ten guard troops are ready! Twenty more troops will be heading here soon!" cried one guard to another.

Knowing that dozens of troops were on their way, Zain could do little but bite his fingers in frustration. His body was flushed with blood, his hands bruised and swollen, and the elixir he had taken required a rest period of at least five minutes for regeneration. His mind was filled with the horror of bone-crunching melodies, and the fear of not being able to escape after boasting of being the number one assassin in the academy weighed heavily on him. Suddenly, Fenrius opened his eyes.

“By Arcalos, we've been caught! Fenrius, take this!” Zain handed Fenrius a key to the Aetherium shackles.

Zain put the steel bar in his mouth, gripped one of the bars tightly with his hands, pressed his feet against the cell, and pulled until it broke. His mindset shifted back to fighting, and with two steel bars in hand, he prepared to face the dozens of Bloodguards in red armor who were approaching.

Zain looked at Fenrius' hand, which was shaking as he attempted to insert the key into the hole. He failed several times, causing Zain to almost have a heart attack. It seemed that Fenrius lacked fighting spirit and needed something more than the smell of blood to motivate him, perhaps a surprise from Spiritus Nuka. Zain felt sorry for the mad cadet's life and offered to help him open the shackles. "Let me lend you a hand, you slacker!"

However, Fenrius, who was deaf and mute, kept trying to re-insert the key into the keyhole but failed once, twice, and then three times. Suddenly, he smashed the shackles to pieces, startling Zain so much that he took a step back. He felt a strong killer instinct from the mad cadet. Fenrius slowly got up and stared intently straight ahead as he walked out of the cell. In front of him were ten spear guards blocking the passage.

Zain and Fenrius were in a dangerous situation. The Bloodguards, heavily armored and armed, had caught them off guard. Zain was panicked and urged Fenrius to run as fast as they could. "Fenrius, they are wearin' heavy armor, which means their movements are sluggish," Zain exclaimed, hoping to get through to his fellow cadet.

However, Fenrius continued to walk forward, pretending to be deaf and ignoring Zain's words. Zain couldn't understand why Fenrius would be so calm in the face of danger. "Hey, Fenrius! Can you hear me? Ye can't solve all problems with violence!" Zain exclaimed, trying to reason with the mad cadet.

The Bloodguards chuckled at the sight of an unarmed, death-defying cadet. The last time a cadet had dared to act like that, it had ended in foolishness. One of the guards suggested a one-on-one fight to teach Fenrius a lesson, and another guard volunteered to be the first to fight.

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The guard stepped forward, twirled his spear, aimed it at Fenrius, and then ran toward him, shouting, "Let's get started, aye!" Zain shouted worriedly for Fenrius, not wanting to see him hurt or worse.

Fenrius, however, was not to be underestimated. He spun his body around to dodge the attack, then gripped the spear with his left hand and delivered an uppercut to the guard with his right hand, sending him flying. The pool of blood below dispersed as the motionless body crushed it. The guard's helmet shattered against the cracked ground, and his head concussed, spitting out fresh blood that rushed to the ground, replacing the previous dirty blood. One Bloodguard was killed in an instant.

(“One,”) Fenrius thought with the spear in his left hand.

("He's so fast!") Zain thought, amazed by Fenrius's agility.

Fenrius' swift and decisive actions left Zain in awe. As he watched the lifeless body of the guard fall to the ground, he couldn't help but feel a sense of fear and uncertainty. Fenrius was clearly not an ordinary cadet, and his skills were impressive, to say the least. Zain wondered what other surprises Fenrius had up his sleeve. It was evident that he had a plan and was confident in his abilities.

***

Despite the chaos that had ensued, Fenrius remained calm and collected. He took a step forward, still holding the spear in his left hand. The Bloodguards stood there dumbfounded, unable to comprehend the speed and precision of Fenrius' blows. It was simply too fast for their brains to grasp. After a moment of silence, they hesitated, uncertain of their next move. Finally, they raised their weapons, poised to attack at any moment. Fenrius stood his ground, his eyes darting back and forth as he assessed the situation. Zain could see the gears turning in Fenrius' mind, and he knew that he had to be prepared for anything.

Fenrius shifted his weight to his right foot, spear still in his left hand, and prepared to launch his infamous Death Throw with all his inner strength. The senior cadets had warned the Bloodguards of this lightning-fast long throw, and now their fears were coming to life before their very eyes. The Bloodguards froze, unsure if Fenrius could pierce through their heavy armor with his spear.

Zain heard the sound of Fenrius' joints stretching as he prepared to throw the spear. With a strong tug, Fenrius hurled the spear with all his might, piercing the armor of one guard and sending him crashing into a crumbling wall that connected Block D to Block C, making a shortcut for the two of them to escape. To Zain, it looked as if the guard had been hit by a gust of wind. The spear didn't just hit its target, it went through it, piercing anything in its path. This was Fenrius' Death Throw - as swift and deadly as a bolt of lightning.

There's a reason why Fenrius broke the previous record for javelin throw, achieving a distance of seven hundred and ninety-nine meters. During Malazen's expedition test, Fenrius would often venture alone into the red zone to hunt. He was a rumored mad cadet who could kill Cyclops with pebbles, Gargoyles with coins, and Wyrms with spears.

As the guards turned around, they saw that one of their comrades was lying unconscious on the ground. Zain briefly doubted his eyes, wondering if he had seen things incorrectly. Blood was splattered on the ground, creating straight trails along with shattered armor. Judging from the severity of the wounds on the body, it was clear that the Bloodguard had died instantly.

("Two...")

The eight guards were filled with anger, casting their hateful gazes toward Fenrius. The first blood had been spilled, and there would be no mercy. This cadet had clearly crossed the line and was going to suffer the consequences.

"He must be one of the cadets who made it through the Flask of Nightmare!" exclaimed the Bloodguard. "Tarnation, Lucia! Giving these cadets power so easily!"

The guards charged toward Fenrius, but Zain stepped in their way. Despite not wanting to be a burden, he used his steel bar to strike several guards, causing them to step back. Zain fought bravely, but he knew he couldn't take them all on alone. Fenrius came to his aid, defending Zain's back with his two newly acquired spears like weapons of mass destruction. The two of them fought side by side, taking on the remaining Bloodguards. Zain was breathless and covered in sweat, but he felt a sense of pride and relief. He knew they had made it out alive, thanks to Fenrius's quick thinking and incredible skills.

A Bloodguard grabbed Zain's arm and threw him, causing him to crash into a steel cell far away from Fenrius. Their battles were separate; the guards wouldn't allow the two of them to keep their backs together, even if they were cornered against the wall. Zain had no problem with this; on the contrary, he felt challenged and lured three guards toward him. He rolled forward to dodge their attack and, instead of striking them, he stole one of the guard's spears, following Fenrius' example. Zain turned around and blocked their attacks with his newly acquired spear.

Zain could hear the sounds of fighting echoing through the halls, and he knew Fenrius was still out there somewhere wreaking havoc on the guards. He hoped his fellow cadet was okay. As he turned a corner, he saw Fenrius standing in the middle of a group of guards, surrounded on all sides, but he didn't seem to care. His movements were fluid and precise, each strike aimed at a vital point in his opponents' bodies. Zain watched in awe as Fenrius took down guard after guard. He couldn't believe this was the same cadet who had been so withdrawn and silent for the past decade. It was like he was a completely different person.

Observing Fenrius' fighting style, Zain realized that the heavy armor of the guards slowed down their movements. He knew he had to take advantage of it if he wanted to survive.

Zain parried their spears, jumped against the wall, and somersaulted on top of one of the guards. He plunged his spear into the guard's helmet, pressing it from above until it pierced through. Blood poured down his head, his body staggered, then collapsed and he died. Another spear attack failed to hit Zain. His sharp instincts had already memorized the slow movements of the armored guards. He was able to forcibly snatch the guard's spear while dodging. "C'mere! Let's dance!" Zain sneered as he dodged backward after retrieving his spear.

As the passage was too narrow, Zain's movements were limited. He broke his spear in half, and now he was able to swing the two weapons in each hand freely. He stepped forward for a melee dance, knocking guards to their knees, zigzagging past them, and bashing guards who couldn't keep up with his movements. The sound of metal clashing against metal echoed down the dark passage.

Zain reacted quickly, spinning around as he felt a blow from behind knocking his spear from his grasp. Without hesitation, he snatched up his steel bar from the ground and charged forward, swinging it in a wide arc. The guard attempted to dodge, but Zain anticipated the move and adjusted the trajectory of his attack mid-swing, catching the guard off-guard and striking him squarely in the chest. The guard's eyes widened as he gasped for air and collapsed to the ground. Zain continued to dodge the other guards' attacks, maneuvering around them with ease until he found his rhythm and began to strike back.

"My crippled gran steps livelier than youse!" Zain exclaimed, licking the blood off his steel bar.

He did a two-beat combo, hitting the guard's leg to his knees, then hitting his headgear against the bars of the cell. The cadets of today were trained to utilize the surrounding area as much as possible. With this, the guard had nowhere to go but to slide and lean against the cell wall. "You think ye can beat me with a move like that, aye?!" Zain taunted.

"Just die, you Mutant!" snapped the guard.

Zain went crazy when he was called a 'Mutant'. He tightly gripped his bar and hit the guard's head with all his might, producing a loud banging sound. However, his steel bar was bent, and the guard was still conscious and laughing. It seemed that Zain's strength had weakened after dealing with the other two guards, and he couldn't control his emotions.

"Is that your best shot? Mutant?" the guard insinuated, playing with Zain's emotions.

Zain gritted his teeth in frustration. He couldn't afford to lose control of his emotions like this. He took a step back, assessing the situation. The guard was still leaning against the wall, but his laughter had died down, replaced by a smug grin.

"Fine! Let's put our steel to the test," shouted Zain in frustration.

"Hold on...!" someone interrupted from behind Zain.

Zain's movement stopped because of the person's voice. "Fe-Fenrius…?" he muttered, doubting his ears. Did he hear wrong? This was the first time he had heard Fenrius' voice in a decade at the academy. His voice sounded heavy, like the death growl of a singer with a dragon's trachea.

Zain was in shock when he saw the pool of blood and the shattered corpses of the seven armored guards behind him, torn apart by Fenrius. He rubbed his eyes, making sure they were working properly. "By Sigmund's beard! How did you do this?" Zain was still in shock, and goosebumps covered his skin.

Ignoring Zain's question, Fenrius walked toward him and extended his hand to take the steel bar from Zain's grip. Zain didn't resist and handed the bar to Fenrius, allowing him to take his place. The guard shivered in fear as he saw Fenrius' cold, bloodthirsty face. The mad cadet spoke, "If you can't solve all problems with violence, it means you haven't used violence enough."

Fenrius had a deep voice, resembling a heavily loaded cart rolling down a hill. It was unclear whether he intentionally remained silent or was completely mute, but the medical staff from Lucia's Manor had noted that he suffered from alexithymia, the inability to recognize one's own emotions; congenital analgesia, a rare condition where individuals are unable to feel physical pain; and gastroesophageal reflux disease, which can irritate the vocal cords and cause the person's voice to become deeper or hoarse over time.

Fenrius bent the steel bar straight and lifted it up. With a sharp gaze, he said, "Eight." The mad cadet then slammed the steel bar into the guard's face until blood spurted everywhere.