The students stood frozen, staring at the man in front of them. Jaxon studied them as well, his eyes moving from face to face. For a brief moment, silence hung between them. Then hope flickered in the students' eyes.
"M-Mister… are you our school guard?" one of the girls asked, her gaze fixed on his uniform.
"Huh?" Jaxon raised an eyebrow.
Before he could say more, roars echoed down the hallway again, louder this time. His expression hardened at once. He turned his head, scanning the dark corridor with sharp eyes.
"If you want to live," he said calmly, "follow me."
Without waiting, he turned and moved forward, heading up the stairs. The group hesitated, confusion spreading across their faces. They looked to Elaine. She paused for a second, fear and doubt flashing in her eyes, then nodded.
The students followed.
As they moved, Hae-in crept closer and whispered, "Mister… where are we going?"
