Midnight again.
Fog rolled across the academy like a slow crawling beast. Silent. Watching. Thick enough to hide footsteps and sins.
Azel moved like he belonged to the dark.
Sera followed. No sound. Just presence.
They passed the outer dorms and crossed the eastern field. No lights. No patrols.
The Bell Tower stood crooked. Ancient. Cracked along its spine. No one rang it. No one went near it.
They did.
The base door was locked. Of course.
Azel placed his hand against the wood.
> System analysis begun
Rune type: Age-sealed command trigger
Weak point located: Lower hinge joint
He crouched. Dug his fingers into the base. A slight twist. One pull.
The entire door fell forward without a sound.
Inside was a spiral staircase leading down instead of up.
Wrong design.
Or right one for something buried.
They descended.
Each step creaked with old warnings.
The air turned dry. Thin. Tastes of dust and memory.
At the bottom stood a metal gate. Symbols carved across it pulsed faint blue.
Sera placed her palm over the center rune.
It flashed white.
Opened.
Beyond was a chamber lit by floating candles. Scrolls hovered midair. Seals moved on their own. And in the center stood a black monolith.
Floating around it were masks. Dozens.
White. Blank. Except for red numbers carved onto each one.
"Assassin order base" Azel muttered.
"Seems they're not just testing students anymore" Sera replied.
They stepped inside.
The monolith reacted.
> Unauthorized presence detected
Warning. Executing defense protocol
Initiating Echo Spawn: Grade C
A circle lit up on the ground.
Something rose.
It had Azel's height.
But its skin was obsidian. Eyes glowing violet. And it smiled.
Not like Azel smiled.
But like someone wearing his smile without understanding why.
It lunged.
Sera moved first.
Lightning in her palm. Quick cast. Direct hit.
It staggered.
Then mimicked the spell.
Faster.
Azel caught its hand before it finished casting. Twisted.
Shoved his fingers into its glowing chest.
> Null Script: Core Rewrite
Permission overridden
The body turned to dust.
The chamber went quiet.
Sera breathed out.
"I think they expected someone weaker"
Azel looked at the monolith.
"They expected students. Not predators"
He reached toward the base.
Pulled out a scroll sealed with black wax.
Stamped with a symbol.
A crown split in half.
He opened it.
Read it.
Did not blink.
Sera asked nothing.
Azel finally spoke.
"They're preparing a culling event. Soon"
"How soon"
He looked up.
"Weeks. Maybe less"
The scroll turned to ash in his hand.
They walked back up the stairs.
Outside, the fog was still there.
Waiting.