On the wide, rocky training field, Ren Kuroda's body darted with uncanny speed, evading each massive swing from the hulking creature in front of him. Its horns jutted from its forehead, its red face contorted in fury, and its fangs gleamed like daggers.
Monster Race: Red OniMonster Level: Lower-level MonsterDemonic Power Level: D-rank
The Red Oni was a creature straight out of folklore, classified among the lowest-ranking oni. Its enormous frame and short temper made it infamous for devouring villagers. When enraged, its already crimson skin deepened in hue, and its strength became monstrous.
Ren's eyes scanned the creature, information overlaying his vision as he effortlessly dodged punches capable of tearing massive craters into the ground. Despite the destructive power before him, this was not a real-world monster attack—he was on the Onmyo Academy's practical training field.
And he wasn't alone. The entire first-year class was spread across the field, confronting their own red oni.
A massive inverted-bowl barrier encompassed the training ground, and several Onmyoji Academy instructors stood at strategic points along its edge, observing and ready to intervene if things went too far.
Besides the Red Oni confronting Ren, three more oni thrashed about, venting their fury on the students. The world outside had changed rapidly; monstrous demons appeared with frightening frequency, and the three major exorcist organizations could no longer keep pace.
A few days ago, Principal Tomoko Kurahashi had explained that students needed more hands-on combat experience to prepare for this uncertain future. These four Red Oni had been captured from various demon incidents and were now being used as controlled training tools to acclimate students to fighting monstrous demons.
Compared to senior students, first-years like Ren were given some protection. Teachers hovered nearby, ready to prevent disaster. Senior students, by contrast, were already being sent into the field to handle calamity demons with no safety net—many were killed, injured, or forced to flee by overwhelming forces.
In fact, exorcist organizations now mandated that any calamity demon case required teams of at least three, trading efficiency for survival. Manpower was tight, though; more teams meant fewer monsters could be handled. Even first-year students at the academy were now essentially being used as backup labor, a grim reality test.
The sheer terror of the Red Oni shattered most students' confidence before they could even cast a spell. Tales of upperclassmen dying in prior demon encounters weighed heavily on their minds. The oni's red skin, fangs, and raw power were enough to paralyze their spirits.
"Principal Kurahashi's decision to add these practical courses is clearly correct," one student muttered under their breath. "All our knowledge has been theory. Without experience, it's useless against something like this."
One of the observing teachers shook her head. "Look at their reactions. How can they be called exorcists if they crumble like this? Even a minor threat could wipe out ordinary people if we rely on them."
Another instructor analyzed the oni. "The Red Oni is massive, but its size limits its speed. With proper use of the Escape Spell to maintain distance and coordinated attacks, a group could handle several D-rank monsters. But they've already lost their will to fight. Fear is lethal—fear feeds the monsters."
Ren, meanwhile, was completely unfazed. As the other students cowered or stumbled, he danced around the Oni's flailing fists, his movements fluid and precise. Information on its power, weaknesses, and behavior scrolled automatically in his vision.
Yamato Kuka, one of the instructors, had been keeping her eyes on a single student from the start. "Isn't there an anomaly over there?" she murmured, her gaze locked on Ren.
The other three instructors turned to follow her line of sight—and froze, mouths agape.
Where all other students were faltering under fear, one half-demon boy moved like water, his body reading the Oni's attacks before they landed. Even among first-years, his skill and instinct were inhuman, a clear exception to the otherwise terrified group.
For the students, the lesson was brutal but necessary: theory could only take you so far. Survival depended on adaptability, speed, and the courage to face something far stronger than oneself. And in that moment, Ren Kuroda was proving that, in this harsh new world, he was leagues beyond anyone else in his class.