Chapter 8 — The Underground Prison
WEEEEEEEEEE!!
Emergency alarms echoed across the entire academy city.
Students rushed out of dormitories in confusion while instructors flew across the skies surrounded by powerful soul energy. Massive protective barriers activated above important academy sectors, glowing like giant blue domes beneath the night sky.
Panic spread rapidly.
Because Imperial Soul Academy had not activated emergency alarms in years.
Inside Seraphina's tower, Reskin stared toward the distant smoke rising from beneath the academy grounds.
The atmosphere had completely changed.
Even the air felt dangerous now.
"Stay here," Seraphina repeated firmly while gripping her silver spear.
But before she could move—
Reskin suddenly spoke.
"You know I'm not going to stay."
Seraphina's golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"This is not a student-level situation."
Another explosion shook the academy.
BOOOOOM!!
The tower windows trembled violently.
Far below, students screamed while instructors rushed toward underground sectors.
Inside Reskin's mind, Bali's voice remained unusually cold.
"That energy is ancient."
"You said you recognized it."
Silence.
Then—
"A corrupted war servant."
Reskin frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Bali answered slowly.
"Long ago, before the destruction of our world, certain Horsikens abandoned natural evolution and modified themselves using forbidden Energy Soul experiments."
The atmosphere inside Reskin's mind felt heavier.
"They gained power…"
Bali's voice darkened.
"…But lost their sanity."
Reskin immediately understood why Bali sounded angry.
"These creatures were connected to the destruction of your planet?"
"Yes."
Cold chills spread through Reskin.
If something related to ancient GOD-HORSIKEN history appeared beneath the academy—
Then this situation was far more dangerous than anyone realized.
Seraphina noticed his expression immediately.
"You know something."
Reskin hesitated.
He couldn't reveal Bali directly.
Not yet.
"…I can feel that thing's energy," he answered carefully. "It's wrong."
Seraphina observed him silently for several moments.
Then unexpectedly—
"Come with me."
Reskin blinked.
"You changed your mind fast."
"I dislike blind variables during emergencies."
A faint dangerous smile appeared on her face.
"If you stay behind, I'll spend the entire battle wondering whether you secretly ran toward danger anyway."
"…Fair."
Without wasting another second, Seraphina grabbed Reskin's shoulder.
BOOOOOM!!
Soul energy exploded around them.
The tower floor shattered slightly beneath her feet as both of them launched into the night sky.
Reskin's eyes widened instantly.
"We're flying?!"
"Temporary soul propulsion," Seraphina answered calmly.
The academy city rushed beneath them at incredible speed.
From above, the chaos looked even worse.
Students evacuated toward protected sectors while combat instructors gathered near a massive underground crater near the academy center.
Dark purple energy leaked upward from the hole like poisonous smoke.
Several academy guards already lay unconscious nearby.
Reskin's instincts screamed danger immediately.
"That pressure…"
Even Bali became silent briefly.
Then—
"…Impossible."
For the first time since meeting him—
The ancient GOD-HORSIKEN sounded shocked.
They landed near the underground entrance where dozens of instructors prepared for combat.
Professor Kaizen immediately approached Seraphina.
"You came quickly."
His expression turned serious after noticing Reskin beside her.
"Why is the student here?"
"He may be useful," Seraphina answered calmly.
Kaizen looked unconvinced but ignored the issue for now.
"The intruders broke through three underground sectors already. Several prison seals were destroyed."
Another explosion echoed below them.
The ground trembled.
"What exactly escaped?" Seraphina asked.
Kaizen's expression darkened.
"We don't know yet."
That answer alone alarmed everyone nearby.
Imperial Soul Academy recorded every imprisoned entity carefully.
Not knowing what escaped meant something went terribly wrong.
A wounded guard suddenly stumbled toward them.
"Sector Seven completely collapsed…" he said painfully.
Fear filled his eyes.
"That creature slaughtered everything inside."
Several instructors immediately became tense.
"What creature?" Seraphina demanded.
The guard trembled visibly.
"…It called itself… Varikon."
The moment that name was spoken—
Bali's killing intent exploded violently inside Reskin's mind.
BOOOOOM!!
Golden energy nearly leaked from Reskin's body unintentionally.
Seraphina instantly noticed.
"Reskin?"
He quickly controlled himself.
But internally—
Shock spread through him.
"Who is Varikon?!"
Bali's voice sounded colder than ice.
"A traitor."
The atmosphere around Reskin became heavy.
"One of the ancient war servants responsible for destroying my people."
Reskin's heartbeat accelerated.
"And he's HERE?!"
Before Bali could answer—
A horrifying roar erupted from beneath the underground prison.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The entire academy shook violently.
Then—
Dark purple energy exploded upward through the crater.
Students screamed across distant academy sectors.
Several weaker instructors nearly collapsed from the pressure alone.
And slowly…
A figure emerged from the darkness.
At first glance, it resembled a giant humanoid beast covered in black armor-like skin. Purple cracks spread across its body while enormous claws dragged against the ground.
Its eyes glowed blood-red.
And behind it—
Broken chains hung from its neck like trophies.
The creature slowly lifted its head toward the academy.
Then smiled.
A cruel, inhuman smile.
"So this is modern human civilization…"
Its voice echoed unnaturally across the academy.
"…Pathetic."
Several instructors immediately attacked.
"STOP IT BEFORE IT REACHES THE STUDENTS!"
Dozens of soul abilities exploded simultaneously.
Fire.
Lightning.
Ice.
Wind.
Powerful attacks rained toward the monster from every direction.
But—
Varikon casually raised one arm.
BOOOOOOM!!
A dark gravity wave exploded outward.
Every attack vanished instantly.
The instructors froze in shock.
"Gravity manipulation?!" Kaizen shouted.
Reskin's eyes widened too.
It used gravity just like him.
No—
Much stronger.
Varikon suddenly sniffed the air slowly.
Then its glowing eyes narrowed.
"…Interesting."
Its gaze locked directly onto Reskin.
The entire battlefield became silent.
Bali's voice echoed coldly inside Reskin's mind.
"He sensed me."
Cold chills spread through Reskin instantly.
Varikon slowly smiled wider.
"…Impossible."
Purple energy exploded around the creature violently.
"That soul signature…"
Its entire body trembled with excitement and rage.
"…BALI."
The moment the name echoed across the battlefield—
Every instructor turned toward Reskin instantly.
Seraphina's eyes narrowed dangerously.
Meanwhile, Varikon laughed madly.
"Hahahahaha!!"
Its monstrous voice shook the academy.
"You survived after all!"
Bali's voice became calm again.
But beneath that calmness—
Pure hatred existed.
"Varikon."
The ancient beast's eyes glowed brighter.
"I watched our world burn because of you."
Varikon's laughter slowly faded.
"And I watched weak fools die because they lacked vision."
Dark purple energy spread violently around its body.
"The ancient Horsiken race deserved evolution."
Its gaze sharpened.
"But you opposed perfection."
Bali's killing intent intensified.
"You murdered billions."
"And I would do it again."
BOOOOOM!!
Reskin's soul energy exploded instinctively from rage.
The ground beneath him cracked violently.
Every instructor stared at him in shock.
Because for a brief moment—
Another presence emerged from inside Reskin.
An ancient overwhelming aura.
Something old enough to make even powerful fighters instinctively afraid.
Seraphina immediately stepped before him protectively.
"Everyone back away."
Even Kaizen looked stunned now.
Varikon stared toward Reskin with greedy madness.
"A human vessel…"
Its monstrous smile widened.
"…How fascinating."
Suddenly—
The creature disappeared.
BOOOOM!!
The ground exploded beneath its previous location.
"FAST!" someone shouted.
Varikon instantly appeared directly before Reskin.
Its claw reached toward his chest.
But—
CLANG!!
Seraphina intercepted instantly.
Her silver spear collided against Varikon's claws with terrifying force.
Shockwaves exploded across the battlefield.
The academy walls cracked.
Students screamed in the distance.
Varikon looked mildly surprised.
"A human blocked me?"
Seraphina's golden eyes glowed sharply.
"You're not touching my student."
For the first time—
Varikon laughed approvingly.
"Interesting human."
Purple gravity energy exploded around the beast again.
Seraphina was thrown backward violently across the battlefield.
BOOOOOM!!
Even she struggled against that power.
Reskin activated Gravity Erase immediately.
WHOOSH!!
The world slowed.
He grabbed Seraphina mid-air before she crashed into nearby buildings.
"What insane strength…"
Bali's voice remained serious.
"He's still weakened after imprisonment."
Reskin nearly choked.
THIS was weakened?!
Varikon slowly walked forward while dragging its claws across the ground.
Each step distorted gravity itself.
"Come, Bali."
Its red eyes glowed with madness.
"Let us finish what began millions of years ago."
Dark storm clouds gathered above the academy.
Purple lightning spread across the skies.
Students evacuated desperately while elite instructors surrounded the battlefield nervously.
Because everyone present understood one terrifying truth—
If this monster escaped the academy tonight…
Thousands would die.
And standing at the center of everything—
Reskin realized his peaceful academy life had already ended before it truly began.