Fading Shadows

As they continued speaking, Liam's expression suddenly tightened— his muscles tensing.

"What?"

Ever so perceptive, Aarav asked in a hush tone.

"We're surrounded. Outnumbered." Liam said calmly as he summoned his sword and armor.

Understanding flashed through Aarav's eyes as he quietly woke the others up and told them to get ready.

Rika stood forward and summoned a shield that seemed too heavy for her to carry but lifted it effortlessly.

"Get Ready!"

Aarav shouted as they rushed outside and got into a strong formation with the Rika and one other boy with a shield at the opposite sides while Liam and Aarav stood facing forward. Aarav was donned in a viking armor while wielding a large axe.

At the back were two students armed with bows and arrows— ready to cover their back. In the middle, a lone student spread his fingers as purple runes lit up. He was a quiet boy and didn't like speaking much but he wouldn't let his classmates suffer without helping.

With their guard now up, they were able to spot the tens of yellow eyes watching them eerily and the red eyes from afar that seemed to look over them like a guillotine.

"Let's give our all. This would be our last fight anyway!" Aarav shouted with his axe raised.

"Yeeaah!!!"

As if to mock them, the red eyes in the distance narrowed then—

HOWL!!!

Howl! Howl! Howl! Howl!

In response to the leader's call, the others howled and leaped off their spot to attack the humans.

The cacophony of howls reverberated in the air, alerting all other creatures in the area and sending them scampering off.

Far away, a pair of black eyes glowed ominously as the quiet footsteps stopped.

'How long can they last?'

Kaiser thought as he changed his destination towards the source of the vibration.

...

Back at the scene, shadowy beasts with a non-cororeal forms rushed at them, eyes full of madness and hunger.

"Attack!"

Aarav shouted as he slashed at the four beasts rushing at him— successfully killing one while pushing the others away.

[You have slain a Gremlin Beast, Ruin Hunter]

[Your art grows stronger]

He didn't have time to revel in the victory as more claws bore down on their formation. Liam cut through the shadowy flesh of a beast, fully slicing it in two.

[You have slain a Gremlin Beast, Ruin Hunter]

[Your art grows stronger]

[You have acquired 100 points]

The last information stunned him as he paused momentarily and causing a beast to slash at his torso. Fortunately, his breastplate had protected him at the cost of denting.

"Damn it!" Cursing, he performed an arc swing, cutting through the flesh of two wolves simultaneously and injuring them.

"ARRGH!"

Rika grunted as her arms buckled from holding the shield which had become dented in several places. The Ruin Hunters only grew more aggressive as they frantically scratched and bit her shield.

"Hold for as long as you can! The pain of death is real!" Aarav shouted as the students' resolve ignited like a dying star— their attacks becoming equally frenzied.

Boom!

Aarav's body enlarged as he brutally crushed some unfortunate beasts beneath his feet. He had activated his Dormant Ability which boosted his power by threefold. Lifting up his axe, he swung it down at a speed that made the air scream.

BOOM!

The ground beneath them cracked, sending countless beasts tumbling while those in it's direct range died immediately.

[You have slain a pack of Gremlin Beast, Ruin Hunters]

[Your art grows stronger]

[You have received 250 points]

Dismissing the message, he went wild on the beasts— not caring about how much essence he spent.

Liam grinned with blood pooling at the side of his lips before he activated his own Dormant Ability [Call of Nature].

Harsh winds howled as a violent gale seemed to blow, augmenting the students' attacks while giving the Shield Bearers a surge of strength.

"AAGHH!"

Roaring he slashed down violently, blood spraying on his face as a result.

[You have slain...]

[You have slain...]

[You have slain...]

Countless messages and whispers flashed in his vision but he ignored them all and continued fighting and fighting till he got numb.

'Ah— I see'

Suddenly, he had an epiphany. He finally understood what Mr Natusalene meant with the sentence.

'The essence of combat is nothing'

When the fight started, he had felt uneasy and desperate, unsure of their chances at surviving. With every kill he had, he saw a flicker of hope— a chance at winning. But as the battle lengthened, he felt a growing sense of despair. He could see his mates being overwhelmed and already at their breaking point.

Now, all he felt was a serene feeling. He felt nothing at all as his sword cut through the skin of the beasts. He felt nothing as he watched the beasts clamp their jaws on his mates' body.

'It's either kill or be killed.'

The words echoed in his mind repeatedly and when he got back to his senses, he was left with only Aarav who was bloodied and barely surviving.

The fan girl Rika had died, gaining freedom in the most cruel way.

The quiet mage had succumbed, his will of fighting till death fulfilled.

The others were also gone, but their presence still lingered in the air.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl, then— he bloomed.

Like a flower to the sun, his chaotic battle art bloomed and took shape— becoming more lethal that he could kill several beasts in a casual swing.

To his side, Aarav's eyes widened as he watched Liam turn into a full blown warrior. The awkwardness of his movements were gone— replaced by calculated moves.

'He has grown.' A small smile appeared on his face, feeling happy for the class rival.

Yet—

He saw no chance at winning.

Why?

Because of those ominous red eyes in the distance. They marked a height they couldn't reach— just yet.

As his body crumbled into a fading glitch effect, he quietly whispered.

"Āmi tōmar jōn'yō subha kāmanā Kari."

Liam's ears twitched as he faintly caught Aarav's whisper, a small smile gracing his lips. Although he couldn't understand what those words meant, he still smiled because of the goodwill he felt from the guy.

Without any hesitation, he cut off six heads as his arms were brutally torn into by the maws of the Ruin Hunters. Then his body was slashed and bitten in several places.

'ah'

As he closed his eyes in quiet peace, he caught sight of a pair of black eyes that seemed familiar yet distant.

'Who is that?'

Then— his world went dark.