On a bench near the second-year library, Eric sat in the shade of a large tree while eating his lunch. Even though the Academy was in a tense situation, classes were proceeding as usual. After a while, Eric heard some rumors that high-ranking officials at the Academy wanted to quietly resolve the incident, but he scoffed at the idea, sensing that this event couldn't be covered up and would eventually reach the outside world.
For his part, Eric also discovered something slightly surprising: a strong rumor echoing across campus that this chaos had also been caused by certain nobles. He hadn't yet verified this with Cornelius or Leon, thinking he would share the news after school today or tomorrow.
Wiping his mouth, he finished his sandwich and looked ahead. The Academy students were taking a break cheerfully while eating their packed lunches, especially the noble students who were lavishly enjoying luxurious dishes and were surrounded by the Academy's servants. Then Eric turned his head to the right, toward the far side. In contrast, the commoner students were eating small, simple meals, but their faces still full of jokes and laughter.
Eric shook his head in annoyance at the discrepancy, thinking it was no wonder the perpetrators were targeting the arrogant nobles. Shifting his thoughts, he closed his eyes, wanting to relax. Enjoying the faint sound of the students' chatter and the gentle breeze brushing against his face, he briefly tapped into his inner peace.
Until he sensed the arrival of several people, all of whom he felt he recognized.
"If it's Senior Eric~" a soft, friendly voice with a hint of teasing came from Elsie. Her side ponytail gently swayed aside, and she wasn't alone. Laurene sighed upon hearing Elsie speak that way. "Please mind your manners, Elsie. We're in public, okay…?" Not far behind the two of them were Lucas and Connor, who immediately greeted him the moment Eric's eyes met theirs.
"Hello, Eric," Connor said with a small smile. "Big Brother, resting up?" Lucas asked in a flat but curious tone. Eric groaned, stretching his body as he lazily replied to them. "Yeahhh… I was just enjoying my time until you guys showed up." Elsie laughed mischievously, "Ehehe~ Don't be like that, Senior! We just wanted to catch up with you since we saw you were free here!"
That piqued Eric's interest. "Huh, I never expected to see the day you'd get along with them." Eric nodded toward Connor, Lucas, and Laurene. Elsie's eyes sparkled at that. "Yes, yes! I was curious what the people close to you looked like, so I decided to go ahead and approach them~! Turns out they're nice people!" Elsie hugged Laurene, pressing their cheeks together. "Elsie, ugh… please stop hugging me like this…" Laurene said with a slightly embarrassed look, but she didn't pull away or let go of Elsie's hug.
Lucas and Connor smiled at their antics. "Ahaha, they're always like this whenever they meet," Connor said, scratching his cheek. Lucas asked, "Big Brother, did you hear? Lately we've been hearing some unpleasant rumors about the commoner students and the noble students..." Eric fell silent, looking at his younger sibling and thinking for a moment.
"Hasn't he heard the news that I was attacked…? Could it be that the Academy wants to cover it up?"
After thinking that, he quickly replied, "Yeah, I heard them. Some nasty assholes want to wreak havoc here, it looks like." Laurene, who had slipped out of Elsie's embrace, put on a serious expression. "Please don't get involved in any trouble, Big Brother…"
"She's right, Senior~" Elsie looked pensive. "My friends from other classes are also often nervous about the tense situation at the Academy…" Eric crossed his arms, acknowledging the issue. "That bad, huh… it's already spreading fast, too."
Before he could say anything else, an explosion was heard in the distance. Everyone nearby, including Eric and his friends, turned toward the source of the sound.
"Huh? Just now..."
"Maybe an alchemy experiment went wrong?"
"That can't be!"
The other students speculated among themselves while Eric felt a sense of dread. "No way..." Just as he said that, another explosion tore through the air, heard all the way to where Eric and the others were standing. This time, the other students were certain the explosion wasn't an accident. They stood up and began to panic.
"A se-second explosion…?"
"What's going on!?"
Again, a series of loud explosions rang out. One of those explosions sent a column of fire soaring high into the sky. Another produced a deadly flash of electric light. Many students, curious, began to approach the source of the explosions, but their steps halted when a sudden wind spell swept through them.
"Kyaah!! He-help me!!"
"Agghhhh!!!"
"Who cast that spell!?"
From all around them, the noble students were attacked by a barrage of spells… the same attacks that had once assaulted Eric. Some magical bolts flew toward Eric and his companions, but Lucas quickly cast a two-layered Ice Wall. The four of them breathed a sigh of relief, bewildered by the situation that had suddenly become tense. Even now, they could occasionally hear screams and explosions in the distance.
"We should report this to the professors!" Connor suggested with a worried look, but deep down he was ready in case they were attacked. Elsie also drew her magic, ready to defend her friends at a moment's notice. "Most students will think the same way we do, and the path to the faculty building will surely be chaotic, filled with panicked students..." Lucas made a sound argument, and Laurene silently agreed with her brother.
"You guys stay here," Eric said with a serious expression. "We don't know when or where the perpetrators will show their faces." The four of them were taken aback by Eric's decision. "Wait, what do you mean by 'the perpetrators,' Big Brother?" Eric ignored Lucas' question and started running. The four of them stood there dumbfounded for a moment before finally deciding to follow Eric.
He clicked his tongue, annoyed by the brats' behavior—they hadn't listened to a word he said. "Stupid brats! You just put yourselves in danger!" Connor shook his head, running alongside Eric, "I don't know what's happening, but you know what's going on, right? Let us at least help you!"
"Senior!"
"Big Brother!"
The four of them put on serious faces, which made Eric sigh in exasperation. "Fine. This time, follow my orders." They nodded firmly and silently followed Eric as he ran. Along the way, many students were lying on the ground, and some of them were moaning in pain. Buildings were scorched by magical attacks, and many windows were shattered.
Laurene briefly slowed her pace when she saw some fellow students moaning in pain, but Eric stopped her. "Not now, Laurene! If you want to help them, make sure we can find these bastards and stop these magical attacks!" Just in time, Eric dodged a Water Arrow and then punched it so hard with his fire-coated fist.
His fist sizzled, emitting steam. Eric was truly irritated by this situation. It didn't stop there—sometimes stray magical attacks were also directed at Eric's group, but thankfully his group consisted of competent individuals who were able to fend off or parry those attacks.
"I-it's as if these attacks will never stop!"
"Stay focused, Elsie!" Laurene rebuked Elsie, who was busy fending off the magical attacks. Eric was lost in thought, and quickly devised a way to safely escape this situation.
He opened his divine eyes, and the world became an endless stream of information painted in blue. He was utterly shocked when he looked around—the majority of the footpaths, buildings, trees, and even the benches nearby had been rigged with runes. He gritted his teeth, thinking no wonder so many victims had fallen… and then realized something. While most of the victims were indeed noble students, there were also quite a few commoner students among them.
"Just what the hell are those bastards after, dammit!"
He turned to his group, "Follow my lead and my movements!" His group was initially puzzled by this, but they obeyed Eric's orders. He jumped, took a small detour, and sidestepped whenever a hidden rune appeared in his enhanced vision. But that didn't mean they completely avoided those runes, some of them still activated regardless of how Eric and his group tried to avoid stepping on them.
They were about to reach the faculty building when they were startled. Fights had already broken out among the students, with some suffering serious injuries and others sustaining minor wounds.
"Fucking noble! Dieee!!" one student swung his blade at another. "You filthy commoner!" the targeted student managed to dodge the attack and unleash his spell. Elsewhere, similar fights were taking place... these skirmishes were dominated by commoner students attacking noble students.
"This..." Connor was stunned by the harrowing sight. Laurene gasped at the horrific scene, as did Lucas and Elsie. Eric was about to tell his group to move quickly, but it was too late.
"There he is! That useless Eric!!"
A mob of students surrounded Eric and his group, the students were armed with various weapons such as swords, magic wands, and knives. "Everyone, please—"
"Attack them!"
Those students ignored Lucas' plea and immediately attacked Eric and his group. Thanks to their quick thinking, the five of them had already assumed battle stances from the start and were ready to intercept the sudden attack.
Lucas ducked low, quickly freezing one student's leg, leaving him immobilized and helpless. Then he threw a fistful of ice with such force and speed at another student who was about to bring his knife down on his neck. The ice ball struck the student in the stomach, causing him to crumple to the ground, clutching his stomach.
Laurene casually conjured a Water Whip, and like an orchestra conductor, she wove it into a series of deadly attacks. Her mastery over it made the whip seem alive, gliding effortlessly and sneaking toward the attacking students. She managed to defeat three of them, knocking them unconscious.
A blinding light momentarily stunned some of the attacking students, and that light was Elsie's doing. She moved quickly, attacking one student after another, disrupting the rhythm of the battle for the attacking students—especially those acting as Mages. She interrupted their spellcasting and effectively disabled them.
Countless flames formed around Connor, and he calmly unleashed his fire magic. He took advantage of the opportunity Elsie had created, the insane speed of his casting and spells left the student Mages helpless. They fell to the ground one by one, though not dead.
Eric covered them whenever one or two attacking students managed to slip past his group's assault, using his favorite move: a powerful punch. He felt no need to use his magic, since his group was more than enough to counter the attacks from these students.
A few seconds later, the attacking students were all down, leaving only Eric and his group still standing. "Good. Let's continu—" Lucas' invitation was cut short when, out of nowhere, they were surrounded again by the students.
"Don't think this is the end!"
"Damn it, nobles! You'll pay for this!!"
Lucas, Laurene, Connor, and Elsie covered each other's backs, while Eric, standing slightly ahead of them, wore a grim expression as he watched a new wave of attacking students approach.
"Step aside or—"
"Big Brother, leave the rest to us." Eric turned in surprise toward Lucas, seeing the man's face full of confidence. "Looks like you know how to resolve this series of strange events, Eric. Please handle it well," Connor pleaded with a fierce smile.
"We're not weak, Big Brother. Rest assured!" said Laurene, gathering her Mana. Elsie grinned widely, "You owe me big time for this one, Senior!" she said, cracking her knuckles.
At the front, Eric saw several professors begin to intervene and disarm some of the students to calm the situation. He exhaled deeply, took off his shoes, and assumed a running stance. "Good luck, brats."
Using a brief burst of power from Devil's Footprints, he propelled himself into the air, soaring over the encircling students. "Wa-wait!" Before the attacking students could catch up to Eric, they were ambushed by Lucas and his friends.
While occasionally dodging the rune attacks, Eric ran toward the faculty building, trying to uncover the truth behind all of this and, if he could, resolve it—even if only a little.