When the monkey-faced man dissolved into smoke and vanished, beams of light from the north, south, east, and west began to spread horizontally, quickly connecting to form a diamond-shaped barrier.

At the same time, a red mist began to fill the space within the barrier.

The plaza erupted into chaos.

"It's the forbidden magic Bloodlust Fog!"

Not far from Karien, Wills cried out in alarm to the crowd:

"Cover your noses and mouths immediately! Do not inhale this fog, or you'll lose your mind and become bloodthirsty killers!"

Unlike other academies, Nightfall Academy had more knowledge of ancient dark magic. Wills had studied numerous records of forbidden magic, including Bloodlust Fog.

So, as soon as he saw the four-colored beams and the red mist, he realized the gravity of the situation.

Upon hearing his warning, everyone quickly covered their mouths and noses.

But how long could they hold their breath if they didn’t escape soon?

Karien glanced toward the plaza's edges and saw people trying to break through the four-colored barrier. However, they were thrown back violently, severely injured.

This was a meticulously planned entrapment!

But why?

Who would do such a thing?

Karien's mind raced to the ancient ruins of North County and the fact that almost all the elders of Palos Magic Academy had been dispatched to investigate them.

And now, during this precise time, an external attack had occurred?

The timing was too suspicious.

However, there was no time to dwell on it, as Karien had already inhaled a small amount of Bloodlust Fog, causing him to feel dizzy.

Quickly regaining his composure, he snapped his fingers, and a gas mask appeared in his hand.

This gas mask was a product of the valley factory in Blackiron Territory, initially made for miners to shield against harmful gases and dust during coal excavation. Karien had marked a batch of these masks for emergencies.

He swiftly put on a mask and summoned more, handing them to Mia and the others.

"Put these on! Now!"

In the chaos, Mia didn’t have time to question where Karien had gotten the masks. Trusting her teacher’s urgency, she quickly took one, then passed others to Jack, Sali, and the group.

Initially, they were unsure how to use the masks, but seeing Karien's demonstration, they quickly mimicked him and donned the gear.

On the platform overlooking the plaza, Ellison turned pale as the blood-red mist spread. He immediately attempted to use wind magic to blow the mist upward and disperse it.

However, the top of the four-colored barrier was sealed as well.

Even a tempest would only circulate the mist within the enclosure.

"Who are you people, and why are you doing this?"

Ellison roared, pointing his staff toward a seemingly empty corner.

Suddenly, a man with a snake-like ghost face appeared, as though struck by a heavy hammer. His chest caved in, and he flew backward into the barrier's wall before collapsing on the ground, his fate uncertain.

A portion of the blood-red mist was emanating from his mouth.

"Be cautious! Though he's merely a sixth-tier mage, he was once a legend. Don’t mess this up!"

A grating voice echoed through the air, and thick black smoke began to engulf Ellison's platform.

Ellison simply struck the ground with his staff, unleashing an invisible shockwave that dispersed the smoke instantly.

Turning toward another direction, he identified his attacker. But just as he prepared to counter, he noticed from the corner of his eye that several students had already inhaled Bloodlust Fog.

They had lost their minds and were attacking those around them.

His expression darkened. Ellison momentarily abandoned his offensive, pointing his staff at the deranged students and chanting a spell.

Black cages appeared around the affected students, trapping them and halting their rampage.

However, the sheer number of affected students made it impossible for Ellison to restrain them all on his own.

"Protect the students!"

Even without Ellison's order, the leaders of the various academies had already taken action, using their magic to subdue the rampaging students.

Yet, even mid- to high-tier mages were not immune to the Bloodlust Fog. They could maintain their sanity for longer, but prolonged exposure would eventually claim them too.

Wills, his golden short hair slick with sweat, waved his staff and conjured layers of Dark Veil, encasing the maddened students to restrict their movements.

But he was beginning to struggle to hold his breath. If this continued, he wouldn’t last much longer.

"Catch!"

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

Karien tossed a gas mask to him. Wills caught it instinctively, briefly puzzled, but after seeing Karien wearing one, he quickly figured out its use and put it on.

Ensuring Wills was safe, Karien turned toward Adrian in the distance.

With a snap of his fingers, Karien was instantly equipped with a K7 combat suit.

This instantaneous transformation was possible because Karien had pre-equipped the suit and removed it via teleportation. In times of need, he could summon it back to his body instantly.

Having frequently ventured into the Foggy Forest, Karien was always prepared for danger.

With the K7 enhancing his abilities, Karien soared into the air.

Given the emergency, he had no time to conceal his skills. The priority was to stop the students from slaughtering each other under the fog’s influence.

Flying toward Adrian, he tossed him a gas mask.

Adrian caught it, momentarily stunned.

This guy can use wind-riding magic?

That’s fifth-tier magic!

Isn’t he supposed to be an ordinary person, not even a magic apprentice?

Though shocked, Adrian had no time to dwell on it. After seeing Wills already don the mask, he quickly put his on as well.

Summoning layers of magic circles, Adrian conjured vines to restrain the deranged students.

Meanwhile, Karien distributed masks to the academy leaders, and Mia, Jack, and others took to the skies with bundles of masks, tossing them to the still-sane students.

Jack, his dark skin glinting under the barrier’s eerie light, spotted a Violet Academy student surrounded and attacked by several deranged peers. Without hesitation, he descended into the fray.

Using the Wind Repulsion spell from his enchanted gloves, he unleashed a shockwave, scattering the attackers.

Turning, he recognized the fallen student as Lina from Violet Academy, her freckled face pale as she clutched her injured shoulder.

"Thank you..." she said weakly.

Jack nodded, handing her a gas mask before leaping into the air to continue distributing the life-saving gear.

Palos Magic Academy, Main Campus Training Grounds

In the quiet training area, White Star, with her tall and athletic frame, pounded a sandbag with rhythmic precision. Her stark white hair, tied into spiky tufts, swayed slightly with each kick.

Suddenly, she stopped mid-motion, her instincts warning her of something unusual. Turning sharply, her gaze fixed on the distant square.

Four beams of multicolored light pierced the sky, converging rapidly to form a sealed barrier. White Star’s expression darkened.

Without hesitation, she cast the fifth-tier earth-element spell Anti-Gravity, lifting herself off the ground and soaring toward the square.

After the practical exam had concluded the previous day, White Star had no obligations. Uninterested in queuing up for the graduation speeches, she had opted out of attending the event.

As she neared the barrier, she noticed Elder Lidon, the head of Nightfall Academy, hovering outside. Black, ethereal wings extended from his back, aiding his flight.

“Elder Lidon, what’s going on here?” White Star called out.

Lidon’s expression was grim as he scrutinized the barrier. He shook his head and replied, “I don’t know. I was in the Elder Hall when I sensed something amiss. I came here immediately.”

White Star furrowed her brow and quickly chanted an incantation. Her right fist became encased in a stone gauntlet, which she then slammed against the barrier with all her might.

The impact rippled across the multicolored barrier like water, only to settle back into place moments later.

“It’s useless. This is the Fourfold Blood Inferno. Unless a Holy Magus intervenes, it’s impossible to break from the outside,” Lidon said darkly.

“I never expected the remnants of the Fallen Faction to dare attack Palos Magic Academy. What could they be after?”

“The Fallen Faction?” White Star’s eyes widened. “Weren’t they wiped out or exiled more than twenty years ago? Why would they show up here?”

Lidon shook his head again. “I’m not sure. Right now, we need to figure out how to dismantle this barrier. I fear for the people inside.

If they release Bloodthirsty Fog within the Blood Inferno, it will be disastrous…”

The barrier’s surface shimmered with overlapping, intricate patterns, obscuring the view both inside and outside.

“Bloodthirsty Fog!?” White Star gasped. She had heard of this dark magic before. In the past, the Fallen Church had used it to plunge an entire nation into chaos, leaving a trail of carnage and devastation.

If such a sinister spell were released within the barrier, the students trapped inside…

A chill ran down White Star’s spine as the grim possibilities flooded her mind. Covering her hands with stone, she resumed pounding the barrier, her strikes echoing in desperation.

At that moment, several figures appeared in the distance, flying toward them. They were the deans of the other academies.

“White Star, Lidon, what’s happening here?” one of them called out.

Lidon quickly explained the situation and added, “Let’s try attacking it from multiple directions simultaneously. It’s worth a shot.”

The group nodded. With no better options, they decided to give it a try.

Inside the Barrier

Ellison swung his staff, casting another spell to bind a group of frenzied students.

He scanned the square and saw that over 70% of the affected students had been subdued by team leaders or those who had managed to remain clear-headed.

Ellison let out a small sigh of relief. At least the outbreak of mass bloodshed seemed to have been contained for now.

But just as he restrained another group, a sharp blow struck his back, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Not far away, a figure with a bear-like, grotesque mask emerged, both hands gesturing downward. An invisible force pinned Ellison to the ground, immobilizing him.

“Greedy Wolf! Now!” a shrill voice echoed across the square.

Three figures, each wearing wolf-shaped masks, appeared from different directions, charging at Ellison.

Lying prone, Ellison’s face was grim as he began chanting a spell. Black mist surged around him, rapidly forming into two massive hands.

Before the wolf-masked figures could close the distance, their bodies began to swell unnaturally, exploding into clouds of blood.

“He’s done it! He’s done it!”

High above, the figure with the monkey mask reappeared atop the bronze bell, shrieking with excitement. “This is it! The Hands of Annihilation! The magic everyone dreams of mastering!”

Gritting his teeth, Ellison pressed against the oppressive force pinning him down, forcing himself to his feet. With his staff in hand, he struck it against the ground.

The bear-masked figure, who had been casting the suppressive spell, coughed up blood as his magic backfired. Desperately, he canceled the spell and vanished from sight.

“What’s your connection to the Fallen Faction?” Ellison demanded coldly.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Scary! Are you really just a sixth-tier mage?” The monkey-masked figure jeered mockingly. “And hey, old man, we’re not idiots.

Why would we spill the beans during a sneak attack? Do you think we painted our faces like this for fun? It’s to make sure you don’t recognize us!”

Ellison snorted. Behind him, one of the giant hands of black mist reached out, clenching fiercely in the direction of the monkey-masked figure.

The air around him distorted as space collapsed inward, compressing the figure and the bronze bell into a singularity.

With a deafening crash, the singularity smashed into the ground, leaving a massive crater.

Frowning, Ellison knew the attack hadn’t killed the monkey-masked figure—it was likely just a projection.

He scanned the area, trying to locate the hidden enemies. At this point, he still couldn’t determine how many adversaries were in the square. He could only rely on elemental fluctuations to pinpoint their positions.

But if the enemies chose to conceal their magical energy and remain hidden, they would be almost impossible to detect.

Moreover, with over a thousand students still in the barrier, Ellison couldn’t afford to unleash his full power recklessly.

“Elder!”

Jessica from Violet Academy landed on the platform, petals swirling around her. “I’ll assist you.”

“Perfect timing. Help me locate the enemies!”

Jessica nodded, removing her glasses. Her right eye glowed as a miniature magic circle appeared within her pupil.

The fifth-tier ritual spell, Elemental Sight, activated. This spell allowed Jessica to perceive the flow of magical elements, including the amount of mana within individuals.

The attackers’ magic levels would undoubtedly far surpass those of the students in the square. Jessica just needed to find the areas where magical elements were most concentrated.

After a quick scan, she pointed to a spot in the distance. “There!”

Before she could finish speaking, a canine-masked figure was revealed, panic flashing across their face as they tried to leap away.

But mid-air, their body swelled and exploded into a bloody mist.

Ellison’s expression was ice-cold. “Next!”