As Fenrius and Zain arrived at the fifth hermitage grounds, their vision was obstructed by cobwebs that stretched from wall to wall. Cadets who had become entangled in the webs were cocooned by hundreds of spiders, and many of those who survived had fled into the forest only to be blocked by undead troops in the graveyard. Some cadets on the pulpit, such as Ischel and Kirana, were still struggling and busy dancing against the Broodmother, the mother spider.
A Broodmother is a mix between a spider and a humanoid, larger than most cadets, with multiple legs that enable her to crawl quickly across the mountain’s surfaces. Her body is covered in thick chitinous armor that protects her from most attacks by the duo girls, and her eyes glow with an otherworldly intensity.
While running, the Broodmother always uses her webbing to immobilize the cadets, making them easy targets for her Spiderlings, which are born from her eggs. Although smaller and weaker, the Spiderlings can be dangerous in large numbers. The Broodmother can control them to overwhelm her enemies or use them as a form of defense.
A samurai cadet in a kimono robe, with long topknot hair and wielding a six-foot-long katana, cut through the web of curtains and entered the stage. When the paths were clear and the cadets' movements were free again, they joined each other on the pulpit and fought together, rather than alone. They were led by the samurai, a strong figure who was uninterested in competing for the title of number one.
"Where is Sumiya the Onmyoji? If he's indeed a Mayakashi, he should have dealt with these spirits easily!" exclaimed Ryuusei the Samurai, as he imbued his katana with the Fire Rune, thus becoming Firesoul Odachi.
Ryuusei Hitodama, a cadet from class B with number 134. He was born in the Taiyo region in the Dawn Capital of the Hi province (Mist Desert) and had abandoned his title and honor of being Emperor Goyo's servant after the Kaliyuga Explosion. He pursued his life's purpose as a Ronin—a lone wanderer who sought redemption by killing every last chthonian on Runeverse. However, living in a post-apocalyptic world while being hunted by hundreds of factions was not as simple as the young Ryuusei had imagined, which eventually led him to the academy.
Initially, Ryuusei did not like crowds, but after meeting Kirana, he gradually let go of his ego and became committed to protecting everyone in need. He eventually changed his nickname from Ryuusei the Ronin to Ryuusei the Samurai. His old life as a vengeful spirit for his master was gone, and now his only interest was in returning to the Dawn Capital, where his Hitodama Clan's legacy began. He was certain that the Capital had been rebuilt anew and strong by the Nightblade, but even with all of that, he still carried his own Virtues of Bushido as a Samurai.
As Ryuusei looked up at the rocky ceiling and the cliff of the mountain, his heart sank at the sight of the countless cocoons suspended from the web above. The trapped cadets were cocooned by hundreds of spiders, and their chances of survival were slim. With his fire katana in hand, he sliced through the web above, causing two cocoons to fall to the ground. But as he opened them, his worst fears were confirmed. One of the cadets was on the brink of death due to the venomous poison, while the other had already been reduced to a mere skeleton, the venom having completely dissolved his body.
Ryuusei realized that time was running out, and he had to act quickly to save the other trapped cadets from meeting the same fate. The Broodmother's spider minions were multiplying rapidly, ready to turn the cadets into Wight's skeletal army. He prepared himself with a sense of urgency to do whatever it takes to save his comrades and leave Ischel and Kirana to put an end to the Broodmother's reign of terror.
The weight of the situation lifted slightly as the cadets from the fourth hermitage arrived to take the place of those who had fled. "Thanks, gods!" exclaimed one of the cadets as he descended the stairs.
"This place is heaven compared to up there! Baphomet and Minotaur are rampaging!"
"You're right. I hope Karanzo and Ray can hold their own," replied another cadet.
"Let's not forget about Valder the Brute. We can trust him to handle things," a third cadet chimed in.
The chaos unfolding in front of Zain, coupled with the hot discussion about Karanzo, only fueled the Viking's excitement to destroy everything as a spectacle. The situation grew increasingly chaotic and busy, but it suited him just fine. He savored the fresh air outside, grateful to be away from the claustrophobic confines of the cave. Despite lacking a high spiritual aura, he and Fenrius automatically agreed not to wait in the cave until dawn to leave, a decision in their innate nature would view as cowardly.
Fenrius looked up at the swarms of flying creatures that dotted the top of Tartaros Mountain. Zain didn't know what was going through Fenrius' mind, but he suggested, "What if we escape to the forest, join the others, and then return to the hermitage before dawn?"
Fenrius, who had been too lazy to speak up until now, nodded his agreement and the two began to run. In the midst of their escape, Zain was surprised to see a wraith floating in the air but seemingly unwilling to approach them. Despite their low spiritual levels, the monsters had previously attacked cadets with a faint aura, leaving Zain to wonder what was different about him and Fenrius.
A single skeleton stood in front of them, and while Fenrius prepared to kick it, Zain intervened, grabbing the bony hand and tossing it into the air. Zain misused his soul charge again as he took out all his anger and energy with all that just happened to him recently into this single enemy. He smashed the skeleton to the ground and into the dust with his flail, and the sound of his exaggerated attack caught everyone's attention, announcing the arrival of a hero.
As they fought their way through the throng of skeletons, Fenrius and Zain easily dispatched them with kicks and punches, demonstrating their strength to the cadets who welcomed them with open arms. Together, they left the fifth hermitage and passed the lifeless body of Groguk the Shaman, but found themselves trapped by the undead troops in the graveyard.
Despite their initial fear, the cadets boasted that the skeletons were nothing compared to before, as they felt even stronger. They decapitated them with ease, but they knew the real challenge lay with the Wight and her wraiths, who could not be physically attacked, as they floated in the air and wielded powerful magic while playing with shooting range. This made the cadets work twice as hard to attack them.
Their plan was to retreat into the forest and wait for dawn, evading Instructor Hyoh's notice. To them, survival was the top priority, and they were willing to do whatever it takes to escape.
As the cadets fled into the forest, a winged figure flew toward them from Mount Tartaros, followed by a flock of creatures. Narman the Drunkard, one of the dwarfs who was watching the sky, pointed upwards and stammered, "A-a-a-a f-flock of b-b-birds is coming! Be-be-be careful!" The other cadets looked up in response.
The cadets readied their weapons to face the oncoming threat of flying creatures, which they determined (with their sufficient knowledge) were not undead. As the creatures drew closer, a woman's hypnotic singing voice grew stronger with each passing moment.
"It's a harpy!" exclaimed Skadj, recognizing the voice. "Beware of the Harpy Song!"
One of the cadets suddenly fell to the ground, asleep, causing the others to flinch and expect an unexpected attack. "Hey! Are you okay?!" asked his friend.
As the harpies approached, more and more cadets succumbed to the harpy's singing. The creatures' thunderous calls echoed between each other, and lightning flashed in response, adding to the tension of the situation. Within seconds, the sky was filled with the sound of harpies surrounding them. The flock was led by several succubi, giant horned bat-women whose claws were capable of tearing armor and stoning their prey.
"Those aren't harpies! Their movements are too agile," said one cadet.
"No! That black harpy is a Succubus!" corrected Skadj.
The succubus let out a loud scream that blinded those who heard it, then chopped them into pieces with its claws. Another succubus was seen having fun dragging a cadet and carrying him up into the sky while draining his life and spiritual energy. The succubi chuckled as they finished with their victims, some of whom were prone to temptation, leaving their skin dry and languishing. Meanwhile, the harpies picked them up one by one and dropped them from a height until they died from hitting the ground, leaving their bones broken. Many cadets still showed resilience, but fear slowly overcame them at the thought of their comrades' gruesome death.
Amidst the chaos, they warned each other about the succubus' blood-curdling screams that could freeze blood into ice and their deceptive beauty that could lead anyone to be dragged into the sky. Despite the warning, a cadet in the background was already screaming for help, having been carried off by a succubus.
"Arkhan shinai!" shouted the angry succubus.
"Where is the Interpreter [Aleister]?" Zain asked the others, never thinking that he would need that snitch in the end. "What did she just say?"
"You're not her type," Skadj replied.
The succubus attacked Zain with "Askhar ondhaw!" but missed.
"My name is Zain. Nice to meet you."
Zain then threw his Flail high up before spinning it with full power to knock some harpies out of the sky. A cadet who had prepared below immediately thrust his sword at the harpy that fell to the ground. Zain proudly shared his idea of being a defender on the front lines while the others watched from behind.
"Alright, everyone! I will bring those monsters down to the ground! Then, you guys prepare to attack them with your swords!" Zain ordered.
No one responded to Zain, but they had already understood and acknowledged the Viking's idea. Several cadets also managed to bring down a harpy with arrows and explosives thrown into the sky. The moment the winged creature fell to the ground, they stabbed it repeatedly, as that was their plan after adapting to dealing with the ever-flying monster. The archers focused their attacks only when their target was hovering because it was still within range of their attacks.
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The air was filled with the smell of victory. The pack of harpies screamed in pain from the cadets' sword slashes. They had found the momentum to defeat those flying monsters. Several cadets shouted for help as they were dragged by the harpies into the sky, only to be dropped from a height to their deaths on the ground. The winged monster continued to do this as it carried the rebellious cadet through the air. However, for the sleeping cadets, the harpies simply carried and kidnapped them, flying far toward the top of Mount Tartaros without dropping them.
Aleister suddenly emerged from behind the trees, holding a notebook as he ran toward Fenrius upon spotting him in the crowd. He had finally found his target! In his notes, only "congenital analgesia" was written after learning that Fenrius could hold and eat fire.
As Zain looked up at the sky and counted the number of harpies flying around and singing, he complained beside Fenrius, "Tch, there are still so many! Luckily, for strong cadets like us, a lowly harpy chant like this can't put us to sleep. Let alone someone who can't even be killed by a gorgon's eyes, right, Fenri-"
Before Zain could finish saying Fenrius' name, the latter fell to the ground from sleepiness. The incident seemed to stun Zain, who exclaimed, "Cursed Sargeroth's stinking sloth! Are you crazy, man?! You can survive the gorgon eyes but not the harpy song?! Was sleeping in the fort not enough for you? Stop pretending and get up!"
Several succubi attacked Zain from above, catching him off guard, but he counterattacked by spinning his flail backward, sending them back momentarily. His display of strength was enough to scare them off. But while Zain was preoccupied with the succubi, a harpy found a small gap and took advantage of the distraction by desperately flying toward Fenrius.
The harpy snatched Fenrius with ease as the man himself fell asleep without a fight, and carried him high into the sky, toward the peak of Mount Tartaros, shrouded in fog and lightning strikes. Zain's anger flared as he watched the monster kidnap the person who had saved his life. He shouted for Fenrius one last time, but his voice grew fainter and fainter as they disappeared from his sight.
The battle was far from over, as the threat from the deceitful female monsters still lingered. The cadets' screams filled the air, and one by one, they fell prey to the succubi, their blood sucked and their bodies left stiff and limp. Zain's mind became restless and chaotic, but he knew he had to focus on what he could do in front of him. He had to forget about saving Fenrius, as he was known as the Mad for a reason, and instead, he ran to save the troubled cadets.
As disappointed as Zain but with a different perspective, Aleister's anger reached its peak when he realized that Fenrius was actually weak - not as strong as everyone had claimed. He couldn't believe his eyes; had he been lied to all along? He had thought that Fenrius was capable of killing the harpies with his pebble-throwing technique or some shit that everyone was talking about.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Aleister broke his own brush and joined the fight with his Seventh Heaven Sacred Fan Weapon, furiously slashing at the army of skeletons to vent his frustration. As he waved his fan into the sky, a powerful whirlwind formed, knocking the harpies to the ground. Other fighters learned from him that wind attacks were very effective against flying creatures.
But as Aleister calmed down, he began to wonder: even though he had been able to hide his existence from Fenrius's sight, there was no way that the mad cadet would purposely appear weak. Could it be that Fenrius had done it on purpose?
*
In the third hermitage, a great battle erupted between Thanistor Groh and Mason Dantez, leaving Gantala unable to do anything but watch. The clash of their attacks created a huge blast of wind that blew everything around, causing Gantala to bounce off the rocks. Aina and Vanatos, who were also fighting nearby, paused for a moment to endure the strong wind. Mason then jumped and launched a hard slash from above, which Thani was able to block in time. Their faces locked onto each other, with Mason grinning with joy and Thani remaining serious.
“Crazy Storm!” cried Mason as he launched another series of attacks.
Thanistor's mithral armor was scratched and scuffed, and his lance of pride continued to vibrate until it smoked from resisting the consecutive attacks that had imprinted on his spear. Mason's lightning strike ended his streak of attacks, sending Thanistor flying. Gantala called out to him, but Thanistor's hand stopped him, still determined to maintain the honor of a true knight, signaling the Monk not to interfere in his fight.
"Don't interrupt this one-on-one duel, Gantala! I won't let anyone interfere in our affairs!"
“But, if this continues…” Gantala began.
“Shut up and watch. I will definitely beat him,” replied Thanistor with determination.
Thanistor was caught off guard, admitting from his heart that he had assumed Mason had exhausted all his strength after exterminating the demons. If it weren't for his own fighting spirit, he would have been exhausted soon. Judging from Mason's expression of enjoyment, Thani didn't want to give him a chance to breathe if the fight had reached its peak. He planned to end this fight with one powerful blow.
Thanistor charged toward Mason with his spear, while Mason, with a devilish smile, waited for Thani to enter the range of his sword. The knight was a little slow to react, but he knew this was a trap! As the sharp spear that went straight almost hit its target, Mason's sword spun around to deflect it like a hard slap. Thani and Gantala were shocked at what had just happened.
“Counter Edge!” Gantala gasped in surprise, glancing at the scene.
Thani's movement of thrusting his spear seemed to slow down. The world appeared to darken, and time slowed to a crawl. There was only him and Mason about to collide. Mason tricked Thani's straight attack with a sideways twist and launched another strike, sending Thanistor flying back. Gantala shouted for him again.
On the other hand, Aina leaped high into the air and took a stance with her scythe before slashing through the wind. The rushing wind sliced through the hilt of Vanatos' whip, forcing her to continuously dodge. Aina determined not to give her opponent a chance, galloped toward Vanatos as if walking on air.
In a matter of seconds, Aina vanished from Vanatos' sight like a ghost and reappeared right in front of her enemy. Vanatos leaped backward to dodge Aina's slash, causing the ground beneath their feet to freeze and slowly turn into ice. Upon landing, Vanatos unknowingly stepped onto the ice and found herself slowly becoming immobile as her feet froze in place.
"What kind of ice is this?! My legs won't move!" shrieked the gloomy Vanatos in distress.
"It's over, the Nailer...you're finished, unless you want to cut off your own legs..." Aina approached Vanatos step by step, as the gloomy girl tried to move but was unable to.
The hooded girl was leaping straight but a sudden violent gust of wind from the side forced her to stop. Aina and Vanatos turned toward the deadly duel between Thanistor and Mason as their fight also reached its climax. The two men emitted gigantic auras, causing white and blue soul charges to soar high into the sky. The vision in the air became blurry due to the clashing spiritual powers.
"Judgement Lance," Thani shouted, "is capable of killing you, Mashive! When our attacks clash, I will be the only one standing here!"
Mason's maniacal laughter filled the air, "Then let's see who manages to live after this!"
Thani's mithral armor glowed brighter than the sun, and his lance radiated in white, surrounded by sparks of his aura. Gantala was awestruck, knowing that nothing could stop them anymore. Thani silently prayed before launching his final attack on Mason.
Mason gripped his sword tightly with both hands and pointed it at Thani, taking his serious stance. The blue flame aura on his sword exploded, unable to hold back his moves. He smiled horribly, then said softly, "Hell Dragon...!"
A black shadow flashed over their heads, almost covering the surface of the horizon and obscuring the presence of the stars in the sky. Gantala lifted his head and stared at the impossible in front of him. A dragon landed with a thud into the Hermitage, causing Thanistor and Mason to lose their balance and stop their attack.
Gantala thrust his wand forward, emitting green magic to identify the creature. It was a Cursed Dragon, a massive, fearsome dragon with scales as black as night and eyes that glowed red like embers. Its long, sharp claws were coated in a toxic venom and its teeth were as long and sharp as swords. Its wings were tattered and torn, and the air around it crackled with dark energy. Its roar was like thunder, shaking the very ground beneath their feet, and its eyes gleamed with cruel intelligence. It's a creature born of darkness and chaos, and it hungered for destruction and death.
Beside the cursed dragon, there was a vortex of darkness that absorbed the surrounding air, then exploded into an undead mage. The Dark Bishop, the true hermit guardian, had eyes that glowed with an eerie red light as he chanted incantations and raised his Grandstaff, invoking the dark powers of the underworld to do his bidding. He revived the army of the dead that Mason had slaughtered earlier and created dark portals in the air.
The demons that arose were a mixture of huge and small beings. Their small, beady eyes and crimson skin seemed to glow in the dark, and their thunderous roars revealed razor-sharp teeth that were always bared in a cruel grin. Sharp horns protruded from their heads, and large wings stretched out behind them, giving them a menacing and imposing appearance.
On the other hand, the Djinns poured down from the dark portals. They were ethereal beings with skin the color of moonlight and eyes that shimmered like stars. They were slender and graceful, with long flowing hair that seemed to be made of smoke and a trail of wispy mist that followed them wherever they went. They were surrounded by an aura of magic that Gantala knew would be one hell of a challenge to deal with.
Their terrible roars filled the air, and the Third Hermitage grew darker by the moment as if it was no longer dead. The Dark Bishop ordered them to march toward the battlefield, where they would unleash their fury and destruction upon the six pre-eminent cadets.
From Gantala's eyes, he could tell that the Dark Bishop was once an esteemed arch-priest of a holy order. However, the terrors he witnessed at Hermitage had corrupted him into an aberration of his former self. He wielded the Grandstaff of Solar Divinity, and his presence was always enveloped in a sacred aura.
"It was the Dark Bishop!" exclaimed Gantala to everyone. "He is the one who summoned the Cursed Dragon and resurrected the Demons!"
Mason laughed, realizing why all the Demons he had defeated here didn't come back to life. "Looks like we have guests to settle first, Thanistor!"
"I agree," Thani responded. "There's nothing I hate more than something that interferes with my fight!"
As they stood there, a loud commotion from the second hermitage staircase caught their attention. Lucius appeared, running wildly and shouting as if his life were in danger. He grew angry when he saw everyone still stunned and silent in his desperate moment. "Hey, help me fight this creature behind me!" he demanded, asking for help in a harsh tone.
Following closely behind Lucius was a towering malevolent spirit taking the form of a fiery demon. Smokeless flames incessantly flickered from its body, while molten saliva oozed between its razor-sharp teeth. Its arms resembled mighty tree trunks, their charcoal black hue accentuated by prominent reddish veins. Two elongated, curved horns jutted out from the sides of its head. Its fiery eyes tracked Lucius' every movement like a predator ready to pounce on its prey, intensifying the inferno and exacerbating the situation.
"It's an Ifrit...!!!" Gantala trembled as he cast a protective spell. "Be careful, its fire can melt anything that comes into contact with it!"
"You couldn't defeat it alone, so you brought it here?" Thanistor protested, blaming Lucius for the bad situation. "Next time, don't force it, and mind your own business, smartass!"
Lucius retorted, "Shut your mouth, Thanistor! The rice has already become porridge, and soon it will burn! We have to focus on fighting this thing, or we'll die here!"
With the Crimson Gauntlet in hand, Lucius smacked it against the ground, causing a powerful thump that split the ground between himself and the Ifrit. At that moment, Ifrit stopped chasing him, knowing the cadet finally decided to fight back.
Aina dismissed her thoughts of killing Vanatos and dispelled the ice that had frozen her rival's legs, allowing Vanatos to move freely. The arrival of a tier S monster, which portended death, changed everything, just like Thani and Mason. Aina realized that it was impossible to defeat all these monsters alone, and perhaps the Divines did not want her to kill her former comrade (Elsa) first. This crucial decision was certainly a double-edged sword that could save or kill them all.
"We'll settle the matter another time," Aina said to Vanatos while focusing her attention on the looming threat of Ifrit.
"Thank you, Aina!" Vanatos exclaimed, her expression shifting from jolly to gloomy as she turned to face the Demons and Djinns. She vowed to make them pay for what they had done to their duel.
Mason closed his eyes and let out a haughty chuckle, his laughter growing louder and louder as if he was reveling in his own power. He relished the idea of facing more enemies like his birthday party, knowing it would unlock the true potential of his cursed sword. The boogeyman licked the blade of the Demon Regalia and declared, "It's been a long time since I've had a fight that pushed me like this! Let's enjoy the greatest battle ever!"