Unknown Forest – Edge of the Dark Mountains
The figures on the trees suddenly leapt down, their movements eerie and predatory.
Carl's heart nearly jumped out of his chest.
"Shit!"
He spun around and dashed into the forest.
"Haaaagh! Haaaghhh!"
Behind him, inhuman voices shrieked in an unrecognizable language, like some ancient curse being screamed through broken throats.
Carl gasped for air as he ran, glancing back in panic. "What did I do?! I'm sorry, okay?! Why the hell are you chasing me?!"
A heavy thud shook the ground near him.
Carl flinched—a large, bloody bone had embedded itself into the tree beside him.
"Wha—EHHHH!?"
He ducked instinctively, narrowly avoiding another bone that zipped past his head.
Bones. They're throwing goddamn bones at me.
Panic surged in his chest as he sprinted faster. "I need to hide! I can't fight! And what the hell—couldn't the original owner at least learn one offensive spell?!"
More bones rained down, small but sharp like daggers. One struck his arm with a sickening crunch.
"AAHH!"
Blood burst from the wound. He clutched it tightly, feeling the sting burn deeper than it should.
"What the…? Why does it hurt so much? It's just a bone! It feels like I got sliced by a blade!"
The monstrous figures behind him howled and chattered in that guttural tongue.
"Hehhahh! Jjiakkoss huhuh! Hiiikakah!"
Carl's eyes snapped toward a tree where one of the creatures stood. Its skin was pale, eyes glowing blood-red. It pointed at him with a long claw and laughed—maniacally, cruelly.
That sound… that expression…
Something inside Carl snapped.
Memories flashed in his mind—of that blonde bastard from his old class, of getting beaten in front of everyone, of crying to a teacher only to be told to "stay quiet."
They laughed at me. Like this… like him.
Suddenly, Carl's eyes shifted—from black to a piercing, glowing blue.
A strange warmth surged through his arm. Blue aura flared from his hand.
"What the—?"
His arm moved on its own. He thrust it forward, and the blue light shot like a blade of energy—clean, sharp, and fast.
The creature that laughed… stopped laughing.
The beam sliced it clean in half.
The top half fell, still smiling… still laughing… before it hit the ground.
Carl stood there, stunned, trembling, his breath shallow.
He looked down at his hands. "Did I… just do that?"
Thwack!
Another bone struck near his foot.
"Ah, hell no—again?!"
His eyes darted ahead. He spotted a jagged cliff with a dark cave at its base. Without hesitation, he sprinted toward it, dodging through trees and clenching his bleeding arm.
He slipped inside the cave, the sounds of his pursuers echoing behind him.
Inside, the air was… unnaturally clean. Crisp. Cold. Almost welcoming—which made no sense considering how filthy the forest was.
The howling faded behind him.
"Whahhh! Sjjsija! Jija!"
Their voices eventually died out in the distance.
Carl leaned against the wall and sighed, blood dripping from his arm, exhaustion taking hold.
"Safe… finally."
But then—a soft voice whispered behind him, warm and honeyed.
"Oh? And who do we have here in my little cave…? Mmm… that smell… such a delicious scent. My favorite kind of drink."
Carl's eyes went wide. His spine stiffened.
With trembling limbs, he turned his head—and froze.
Standing behind him was a figure cloaked in shadows, with glowing silver eyes and flowing white hair. Her beauty was almost unreal—so flawless it made even Carl's breath hitch. Feminine curves that could silence crowds. A face sculpted by the gods themselves.
Even women would blush in her presence.
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Gorvana Continent – Instructor Building, Central Office
Inside the instructor headquarters, the atmosphere was tense. Nearly twenty instructors were gathered, their uniforms marked by different badge colors—blue for new class instructors, red for senior class mentors, and black for those guiding the final-year graduates.
The room was silent, save for the uneasy shuffling of feet and murmurs among the gathered teachers.
In front of them stood a group of boys in worn, commoner clothes—tired and visibly shaken.
At the center, seated calmly behind a desk, was Ishara. Her familiar blindfold covered her eyes, as always, but the weight of her presence silenced the room.
She spoke, her voice calm but firm.
"So… you're saying only one person fell into the portal?"
One of the boys, fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve, nodded hesitantly.
"Y-Yes, ma'am… I think so. I only saw one boy left in the carriage when it fell."
Another boy added quickly, "But… I didn't see anyone. I'm not sure."
Ishara raised a hand, silencing their nervous chatter.
She leaned forward slightly. "Does anyone here know his name?"
The boys exchanged uncertain glances before collectively shaking their heads.
One finally raised his hand. "Ma'am… I was sitting beside him for most of the journey. He just… laid there. Didn't say a word the whole time. Not even his name."
A subtle frown tugged at Ishara's lips.
This is a problem.
We don't even know the name of the fifth Saint Candidate. Without it, even Elric won't be able to find him—and the Vampire Realm is vast… large enough to rival all of Elarion.
A heavy silence settled over the room, the gravity of the situation pressing on everyone's shoulders.