[Translator's Note: I just woke up lmao.]
Puff! Puff!
The sound of slashing filled the hall.
The sword in Yuhan's hand wasn't made of steel or iron, but of some unknown material. It gleamed like white jade, yet cut sharper than the keenest blade—clearly no common weapon.
And Yuhan herself—her movements showed the training of a swordswoman. Swift, graceful, and precise, every swing carried deadly intent.
For a moment, the entrance was a storm of sword shadows.
Tentacles writhed and fell, severed one after another. From the black mist came guttural, pained roars.
Yuhan's strike had bought precious time, saving several students from being dragged into the abyss.
A wave of cheers rose from the crowd.
"Good! Goddess Yuhan is amazing!"
"I almost forgot—she's here with us!"
"She's a B-level master. With her, the monsters won't dare attack!"
"We're saved!"
Hope flared as the tentacles withdrew. Students straightened, their spirits lifted by her presence.
But Yuhan's expression remained grave. Her eyes stayed fixed on the seething black fog.
"I'll hold the gate. Those of you with strength D or above—block the stairs!" she commanded.
Several students immediately responded.
"I'll hold the stairs!"
"Count me in!"
"And me too!"
Together, they rushed up, clashing with the vampire-like beasts. Though the creatures were terrifying in appearance, their strength wasn't overwhelming. Against a group of D-level students, the fight was evenly matched.
The situation, for now, was under control.
Relief spread quietly among the survivors.
But Fenric's frown only deepened.
That suffocating sense of death gnawed at him. He knew—something far stronger lurked within the mist.
"Ric… what's your current strength?" Jitto whispered nervously.
"We'll talk later," Fenric said curtly, his gaze locked on the gate.
And then it came.
From the black fog emerged a creature with twisted horns like a minotaur.
It stood only about 1.6 meters tall—shorter than Yuhan—but its grotesque physique was monstrous. Muscles bulged like sculpted stone, and its long arms nearly dragged across the ground, ending in claws that gleamed coldly in the dim light.
It had no eyes. Instead, it sniffed the air like a beast, then bared its fangs in excitement.
"ROAARR!"
With a guttural cry, it charged.
Yuhan stepped forward, jade sword flashing toward its chest—
But in a shocking display, the creature twitched its ears and sidestepped effortlessly. Her blade cut only air. In the same instant, its claws lashed out.
"—!"
Yuhan barely leapt back in time. Had her reaction been slower, she would have been torn apart.
Its hearing was beyond belief. Its speed is just as terrifying.
"Be careful, Yuhan!"
"Come on, Goddess Yuhan!"
The crowd shouted encouragement—but their voices only betrayed them.
The minotaur instantly twisted toward the sound and lunged. The students who cried out turned pale, scrambling back in fear.
Yuhan intercepted, blade striking sparks as she forced it away.
The monster snarled, no longer careless, and engaged her in earnest.
Then—
"Moo—!!"
Its howl reverberated through the hall, strange and chilling.
The mist surged.
Another minotaur stepped forth.
Then another.
And another.
In mere breaths, thirteen of them stood in formation at the hall's edge.
And then the last one came.
It dwarfed the others, towering over two meters tall, its muscles like slabs of iron. Unlike its eyeless kin, it bore a pair of blazing crimson eyes that glowed like embers.
The moment it appeared, the lesser minotaurs bowed their heads in submission.
This was their leader. A boss-class monster.
The sight drained all hope from the survivors' faces.
"Th-there's no way… Goddess Yuhan can't fight that many!"
"It's over! We're dead!"
"What's happening? I don't want to die here!"
Despair spread like poison.
Yet Yuhan did not retreat. Her expression was grave, but her stance unshaken as she stood before the crowd, sword ready.
"…Hah."
Watching her back, Fenric exhaled slowly.
If he didn't act now, no one would leave this hall alive.
He placed a hand on Jitto's shoulder. "Stay here. Don't run around."
Leaving the boy stunned, Fenric stepped forward. He pushed through the terrified crowd, walking toward the gate with steady, unhurried steps.
Heads turned.
At a time when everyone else wanted nothing more than to retreat, one man was walking straight into the jaws of death.
"Ric…"
Isla and the others froze, their eyes fixed on his back.
Soon, Fenric reached Yuhan's side.
"Belle," he said calmly, "leave the rest to me."
He had called her by her Samsara name: Belle Morwyn.
Yuhan's body trembled. She turned, eyes wide with disbelief and sudden joy.
"Y-you…!"
"It's me." Fenric smiled faintly.
Their exchange was brief, incomprehensible to outsiders—but perfectly clear to them.
For a heartbeat, Yuhan's gaze lingered on him. In her wide, luminous eyes, his figure filled everything.
Then, she smiled.
It was a smile radiant as a flower in full bloom, breathtaking in its brilliance.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
"Go rest," Fenric replied.
"Mm."
Relief softened her face as she stepped back into the crowd.
Because—at last—the man she trusted most was here.
The Real Shura had arrived.