Monsters are the true enemies of humanity. These rift creatures finally showed themselves, pouring their endless hatred onto people.
For the modern world, monsters are a nightmare that cannot be easily described.
Now, that same nightmare had opened its ugly mouth right inside the Academy's training area.
"Kekeek! Keeeeek!"
"Growwwwl, growl."
Inside the fourth training ground, two terrifying monsters appeared. One was a Minotaur, and the other was a Long-Armed Ape. Both were powerful beasts famous in scary stories.
Standing at 2.5 meters tall, the Minotaur looked like a mix between a human and a bull. It had a grip strong enough to crush solid iron and skin tough enough to bounce off bullets. Ordinary guns were completely useless against it.
Even Diana Reed, who had to retire because of an injury, could not defeat this strong monster easily. Plus, it was not the only beast we had to worry about.
"Kekeek, eek, eeeek."
Beside the Minotaur, a large ape with long, hanging arms licked its lips while staring at the students. Even though the Long-Armed Ape was not as scary as the Minotaur, it was still very dangerous.
If both monsters attacked together, Diana Reed would have a really hard time fighting them alone. On top of that, she had to protect all the students standing behind her. The whole situation was incredibly bad for us.
"Uh... hmm."
These monsters looked so much more violent and scary in real life than they did in videos or games. I had done a lot of research online to mentally prepare myself, but I never expected them to be this terrifying.
I trained so hard for fighting major monsters during middle school... but real life is totally different.
The heavy pressure coming from these actual monsters was on a completely different level.
If I had not prepared myself, I would have been completely frozen in fear. Honestly, I am still pretty scared right now.
I calmed my heart and looked outside the training zone.
A bunch of monsters had also spawned near the audience seats, creating pure chaos. There were around twelve of them, but thankfully, none were as scary as the Minotaur or the Ape.
Because of this, the emergency security team was busy fighting those weaker monsters and quickly getting the other students to safety.
Diana Reed quickly checked the situation and spoke in a low voice.
"I will turn off the shield. When I do, run straight to the security team. I will distract the monsters."
If Diana Reed was still in her prime, things might have been different. But in her current state, she could not fight all these monsters alone. Even fully armed, fighting them without her specialized combat gear was basically suicide. However, Diana had already made up her mind. Before becoming a teacher, she was a true hero.
"I am dropping the shield now... wait, what?"
She paused.
"Why is it breaking down right now?"
She pressed the remote control over and over again, but the safety shield around the training area would not turn off.
...I knew it was not just a random glitch. It was the work of the villain who had secretly sneaked into the Academy.
I already knew who did it and why, but I chose not to stop them ahead of time.
If I carelessly messed with the plot right now, the future I knew about could completely change.
Besides, I wanted Lily Pierce to experience this kind of danger early on.
I wanted her to feel the despair of facing a truly strong monster... Although, I think I am the one who is more scared right now. This is not just a test for Lily; it is also mental training for myself.
"Damn it."
Diana Reed whispered a curse. Since the shield would not drop, we were basically locked inside a cage with two deadly monsters.
"Stay right behind me."
Diana stepped up to protect the students from Team 1 and Team 16. Then, she turned on her superpower.
Her ability was telekinesis.
She could move both living things and objects with her mind. Back in her prime, she was strong enough to crush entire buildings. But now...
"Growwwl? Mmmm!"
She was already struggling just to hold the Minotaur in place. If the Long-Armed Ape decided to attack too, Diana would not last much longer.
...Diana really cannot handle this on her own.
It made sense. This event was programmed for the player to lose.
It was an 'Unwinnable Boss Fight,' a very common trick used in video games.
Games use this cliché to make the main characters feel weak and helpless while showing off how terrifying the enemy is. This specific fight was meant to scare the main cast and force Diana Reed to retire after her first battle with a monster.
The only real goal here is to survive.
If we manage to stay alive for ten minutes until the security guards show up, the event ends. However, Diana will get badly hurt and end up in the hospital for a long time.
That means we would not be able to get her help during the future joint training missions.
I cannot let Diana retire right now.
I still need her assistance for the upcoming events. Because of that, losing her here is not an option.
Obviously, doing something reckless right now would be incredibly dangerous.
Julian Vance and Serena Sterling's teams had zero chance of winning on their own. They could easily die. The power gap between the monsters and the main characters was just too huge.
But that does not mean we are completely out of options.
It is an event programmed for a loss, but it does not have to end that way.
It is better described as an event that normally ends in defeat. Fighting them directly is a bad idea, but using a small trick could easily take them down.
The solution is surprisingly simple. After all, would I just stand here in front of these beasts if I did not have a plan? You have to remember, I was just a completely normal guy in my past life. A very ordinary person.
Well, I should probably tell the others what our next move is.
"Hey guys, I need to tell you something..."
I turned around to face the students, but I was shocked by what I saw.
"Pant, pant, pant."
"Gulp... ugh."
"Hah... hah..."
Everyone was sweating like crazy and stumbling around. It looked like they were being crushed by an invisible weight.
Julian Vance, Serena Sterling, Nina, and Julia Troy all looked like they were suffocating. Their chests moved up and down rapidly as they gasped for air.
Lily Pierce was in the absolute worst shape.
Her face was pale like a ghost, and her entire body was shaking without stopping.
Oh, come on. Why is she acting like this?
Hey, you are the main female character! What are you doing?
Even I am holding it together, and I used to be a regular civilian.
Yes, the monsters are scary, but isn't she overreacting a little?
...Wait. Could it be that?
The answer suddenly hit me.
Is it their killing intent?
A deadly aura that apparently only I cannot feel.
This world has a ridiculous killing intent mechanic built into it. No, hold on a second. Is it really supposed to be this strong?
Damn it. It was never like this in the game.
In the original story, she stayed pretty calm during this scene.
I know reality is different from a video game, but this difference is way too huge, right?
I trusted you, Lily!
It looks like we are totally doomed. No, wait.
Let me be more honest...
...I am completely screwed.
Monsters! Real monsters had broken into the testing area.
Seeing them flick their tongues while giving off a thick, suffocating killing intent was the pure definition of terror.
Thump, thump.
My body shook wildly. I could not relax. Was it because of their deadly aura? I was shivering like a leaf in the wind, unable to regain my balance. I had to calm down...
Ugh, I cannot breathe...
It felt like I was hyperventilating. I told myself to breathe slowly.
Facing the heavy, invisible killing intent from the beasts, all I could do was bite my bottom lip and swallow dryly. That was the absolute best I could manage.
This evil and heavy killing intent...
It felt a lot like the aura Diana Reed showed us on the very first day of class. However, this was a real-life situation. Just knowing that one single mistake could end my life made my head spin. I felt myself drowning deeper into dark and helpless thoughts.
Ms. Reed...
Even though Diana was trying her best to fight, I could easily tell she was losing. The Minotaur was a famous and deadly monster. It was strong enough to crush dozens of pro heroes all by itself.
Could Diana really fight the Minotaur and that giant ape entirely alone?
I have to help her. I need to do something...
But my body refused to move.
I was completely glued to the floor. Honestly, I was as stiff as a piece of wood.
I did not think I could survive if I jumped into that crazy fight. I was too weak. I was just a student. If a high-ranking hero like Diana was having trouble, doing something stupid would definitely get me killed.
So what should I do?
My mind kept racing with questions. I could not just stand around doing nothing. I had to assist our teacher. But was that really a good idea? What if I just got in her way? Would staying still be more helpful? But it looked like our teacher was about to collapse...
Trapped in a storm of confusing thoughts, I bit my lip so hard I almost drew blood.
These were all just excuses. Nothing but pathetic excuses.
I was just too terrified to be brave.
I told myself to stop lying just to feel safe. I acted like a total coward, constantly searching for reasons to stay hidden. I felt so disappointed in my own actions. I wanted to become a great hero, but I froze up the moment real danger arrived. Is this what I am really made of?
I need to move. Start moving right now.
If I want to be a hero, I must stop lying to myself.
It is so easy to make excuses and hide, but a true hero never gives up just because things get hard. No way.
"Hah... hah... hah..."
I sucked in a deep breath.
I tried to prepare myself to fight, but my body was still shaking with fear. It refused to listen to me, almost like it belonged to someone else.
To take that one final step forward, I just needed a tiny spark of courage.
A small but important push.
I needed the confidence to know that stepping in was the correct choice.
But right at the very end, I could not find that bravery.
I could not move forward at all. I was just a sad, helpless girl...
"Lily, are you alright?"
Right at that second, someone spoke.
"Wake up and take a deep breath."
A clear, familiar voice pulled me back from the edge. It felt like someone had dragged me out of a dark, freezing ocean and into the warm sunlight.
My messy thoughts instantly vanished.
"...Huh?"
Oliver Brooks was standing right in front of me. He looked very worried as he gently held onto my shoulder.
The warm, soft touch of his hand slowly chased away the cold darkness in my mind, leaving me feeling relieved.
"Are you back to normal?"
"Uh, yes."
His eyes.
His eyes were staring right back at me.
I could see my own face reflecting in them.
Looking at the scared girl in his reflection made me remember my past.
I would never be able to forget that specific day.
Shaking with terror, I begged for someone to save me, and a young boy came to my rescue.
"Are you okay?"
"Are you really alright?"
On that day, I truly believed the boy who saved my life was my personal hero. From that moment on, I dreamed of becoming a brave hero just like him.
"I am fine. I really am."
Oliver let out a massive sigh of relief and glanced around the room. The other students had calmed down a bit and were now staring at us. It felt a little embarrassing to have everyone looking at me.
"Alright, then. Everyone, listen closely. We cannot just stand around. We have to go help our teacher."
"How do we do that?" Serena Sterling asked.
"Students cannot fight monsters like these. We would probably just get in the teacher's way, right?"
"Do not worry about that."
Oliver gave a serious nod.
"I have a solid plan."
It was not like he was completely sure the plan would succeed, but he could not afford to look unsure right now. After all... if everything fell apart, he could always use that.
Having a guaranteed backup plan made him feel much safer and more confident.
"So, will you help me out, Lily?"
"Ah."
His eyes were full of pure confidence.
In the middle of all this terrifying chaos, his strong voice and steady gaze lit a fire in my frozen heart.
It was a small, but incredibly important spark of courage.
"Yes... of course."
A real hero is someone who brings hope during times of deep despair.
"Just tell me what I need to do."
Ever since we were kids, he was always there to protect me when I was in trouble.
"I trust you completely."
Now, it was finally my turn to help him.
"If it is your plan, I am in."
I finally took a confident step forward.
I found the courage I could not find earlier because he became the light guiding my way.
Wait, what is going on? Lily seems to be handling this much better than I expected.
Her face had been totally white, and she was shaking so badly I thought her mind was broken.
Yet, all it took was a few words from me to snap her out of it.
Well, whatever the reason, it is a huge relief.