Last Resort

'Just what the hell is happening!?'

Agnes thought as she made her way towards the Northern Gate.

From her experience, although the size of demon beast waves vary from time to time, there was never an instance like this.

'Sure, General Class Demon Beasts still appear but they are extremely rare…'

It was just too strange.

She soon arrived at the Northern Gate after a few minutes of running.

However, what she saw mader her eyes widen in shock, "What the hell!? Another General Class!?"

Agnes saw a humongus ogre that was like the one they fought earlier.

It had long destroyed the fortress walls and was now being faced by a single wounded warrior holding a katana.

She looked closely and called out, "General Mika!!!"

The wounded warrior who only looked to be in her early twenties looked towards Agnes and smiled, "Instructor Agnes!!!"

Woosh—

General Mika lightly dodged the ogre's punch.

Agnes immediately readied her war axe as she rushed forward to help.

She circulated her aura and proceeded to slash the arm of the ogre.

Shuick!!!!!!

Roar!!!!

The ogre roared loudly as it felt stinging pain on its arm.

"Huh?"

Agnes felt confused as she saw the laceration she dealt to the ogre.

"It isn't a General Class?"

She asked out loud, thinking about how her attack was able to affect a General Class so easily.

At this moment, General Mika landed beside her and said, "Instructor, that ogre hasn't reached the General Class yet!"

"But his energy signature… oh." A look of realization dawned upon Agnes's face.

"Yes, Instructor. It's currently in the process of evolving." General Mika nodded.

She then added apologetically, "This is also the reason why I wasn't able to help with the ogre at the Southern Gate."

Agnes shook her head, "It's fine. Besides, we didn't know that there's another one here."

"Let's take care of that guy first…" She turned her head towards the ogre, "How much aura do you have left?"

"Not much…" 

General Mika shook her head, "I can perform one form of my Tidal Arts."

"That will be enough." Agnes said as she pounced towards the ogre with General Mika following behind her.

"I'll create an opening, then you strike, okay!?"

"Yes, Instructor!"

Roarrrr!!!

At this moment, the ogre clasped both of its hands and smashed the ground in front of it.

BOOM— CRACK!!!

The ground cracked as thick smoke permeated through the air.

"Go!"

Agnes took this opportunity to climb the ogre's giant body by using its lowered arms as footing.

General Mika followed behind her as she readied her katana.

"Huhp!"

Agnes took a deep breath as she leapt, raising her war axe in the process.

As she fell on the ogre's neck, she also struck with her war axe.

ROAR!!

The ogre tried to slap the fly that slashed its neck but was unable to do so as it saw another fly with her katana.

General Mika didn't bother wasting any time as she took the opportunity created by Agnes.

[Tidal Art, Fourth Form: Raging Tides]

Shing— Shing— Shing— Shing— Shing—

Multiple slashes were delivered in just a few seconds as illusory tides crashed on the Ogre's neck wound.

Roar!!!!

The ogre raised its right hand in order to slap General Mika to death, but was unsuccessful due to Agnes blocking it.

Shing— Shing— Shing— Shing— Shing—

ROAAA— THUD!!!

The ogre's roar was cut off as it fell to the ground, unmoving.

***

Meanwhile, Director Ver was standing on the fortress walls…

Thug— Thug— Thug— 

The sound of rumbling could be heard in the far distance.

"Huuu…"

Director Ver took a deep breath as he saw another horde of demon beasts emerging from the Stygian Forest.

"Seeing this demon beast wave must mean that Lord Axton and the others are…"

Dead.

He didn't dare say the word as his back full of muscles seemed lonely at this moment.

Director Ver was fully aware of the state of his body, he knew how badly injured he was and how the others weren't capable of fighting anymore.

Nevertheless, he had no plans of abandoning his position. In fact, it hadn't even crossed his mind.

Seeing the Shadewraith Tigris leading the demon beast wave, Director Ver's muscles bulged as he bumped his fists.

"You'll have to pass through me first if you wish to lay waste upon my home."

[Core Ignition]

There were no signs and no hesitation to his chant.

His voice was full of determination as he straightforwardly chanted what seemed to be the trump card of warriors.

As soon as he saw the Shadewraith Tigris nearing the fortress walls, his chant instantly echoed in the surroundings.

'I'll need to buy them as much time as possible…'

This was the only thought in Director Ver's head as he charged towards the demon beast wave alone.

"I'll rip you apart with my own two hands if it's the last thing I do!" 

***

In the backyard…

"Brother! Are you okay?" Tanya ran towards her brother with a worried expression.

Jin opened his eyes and looked at a certain direction before turning his head towards his sister, "Sister, can I ask you a favor?"

"What is it, Brother?"

"Can you go to the Training Center?"

"Why? I don't want to leave you here!" 

Tanya's eyes were teary as she grabbed the hem of her brother's bloodied shirt.

Regis smiled and said, "Silly girl, I just want you to ask our instructors for help. Maybe even Director Ver."

"B-But…"

"No buts, what if there are more of those dark clothed bad guys? Please, Sister."

Seeing her brother's pleading face, as well as thinking that what he said made sense, Tanya nodded unwillingly.

"Okay, but make sure to stay here!"

"Of course, but remember to be as covert as possible, okay?"

Tanya nodded as she bit her lip.

She then hugged her brother one last time before leaving.

Seeing his sister's departing back, Jin heaved a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness she obeyed me…"

He then closed his eyes.

Tap… Tap… Tap…

After a minute, footsteps sounded in the area.

'One, two, three… five!?'

Jin counted the people that arrived through their footsteps.

"Hmmm? Brett died?"

"What happened here?"

"Why is that child's arm in his mouth? I didn't know he had that kind of fetish…"

The dark clothed figures discussed among themselves as they investigated the area.

"I can feel a residual energy from the heretics… I'll report this to Sir Kael first so investigate further."

'Phew. One of them left…' 

Jin felt relieved internally as he heard one of the people leaving.

However, another dark clothed figure spoke at this moment, "Hmmm, I can feel something… someone must've escaped. Let me try to chase them!"

'They're going after Tanya…!'

Jin felt endless worry for his sister as sweat drenched his back.

"Ehhh don't you think that this boy is a little strange?"

"What do you mean?"

"He doesn't seem to have sustained any sort of injuries even if it was obvious that he tried to put up a fight…"

"Now that you pointed it out, it's really quite strange…"

'My immortality…!' 

Jin didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the potency of his supernatural power.

Earlier, his body had already fully recovered from the injuries that it sustained when he moved in the special world.

"Let me get the boy first so we can examine him."

The dark clothed figure approached Jin and held him. 

'It's now or never!!!'

Jin felt desperate. 

He didn't have any kind of energy.

He didn't have any power at all.

Even moving in the strange world wouldn't be enough in this situation.

After all, there were three remaining dark clothed figures surrounding him at this moment.

'Do I really have nothing!?'

Jin felt hopeless. 

He knew a myriad of aura arts but was unable to use them due to his lack of energy core and energy circuits.

'If only I can…!'

It was at this moment that he remembered something.

Something that he had read years ago.

Something that made him feel repulsed.

His innate comprehension was monstrous, to the point that he was able to comprehend it in a single reading.

'I didn't expect that there will come a point in time where I'll be forced to use this…'

Nevertheless, Jin made up his mind.

Feeling the corpse through his hand, his heart became filled with determination.

A chant then echoed in the area, making the dark clothed figures overwhelmed with shock and confusion.

[Art of Vampirism]