A Decoy

During my study at Cecille's library, and experimenting with different objects, I found something very interesting.

The laws of physics are quite same here as my previous life.

The only extra factor is this so called mana particle and its manipulation.

I had learned in high school, that light is a transverse electromagnetic wave also exhibiting particle nature in some phenomena like photoelectric effect described by Albert Einstein. 

Mana particles also produce similar results as light. In that way, as a broad concept, mana can be considered as an electromagnetic wave too, albeit with some differences.

An electromagnetic wave is a combination of electric and magnetic fields oscillating perpendicular to each other. This implies that such waves would follow the properties associated with electric fields.

One such famous concept is that the value of electric field inside a closed metallic/conducting hollow spherical shell is zero.

That means if you are inside a closed metallic/conducting hollow space, your phone signals wouldn't work because they are transmitted in the form of electromagnetic waves. 

You must have experienced it inside elevators.

It's the same principle used in magic barriers. 

The barrier is formed from a material that is used to make magic imbued weapons like daggers and swords. In other words, this material can conduct mana particles through it.

Whole over, this indicates that no one can use magic inside a barrier, except those whose are already encoded in it.

But, there is a twist. This barrier has a subconscious connection with the caster.

In this context, the barrier's impenetrability is linked to the caster's will and focus. If the caster's concentration wavers or if they are incapacitated, the barrier can weaken or even collapse.

I am sure that an uproar must have been going on outside this academy, and royal guards must have been dispatched till now. 

The first year teachers also must be on stand by.

That means just one thing. We have to find out the one controlling this barrier and knock him down. 

And that's our win.

Looking at these 10 terrorists moving freely and all, the caster must not be among them.

So, we have to disintegrate and search every corner of the academy.

Moreover, fighting unnecessarily is just giving them more time to obtain the artifact.

As I had explained already, how these things work, to Christiana, she has already gone out for searching. I gave her some potions to increase speed, and she knows what to do further.

Now the problem is how do I explain the situation to these students who are looking at me with....well, various sorts of expressions.

Thanks to this being the first scenario and all, these terrorists are not that strong.

So, we have a chance at knocking them down.

***

"Y'know, we were bein' kind enough to give you all a chance. But you disappointed us. There is no choice then. If Emmeline is inside the dorms, we would drag her outside. Knock out everyone except those 2 girls. They would do the honor of finding her for us." One of the terrorists commanded.

The students exchanged worried glances. Tension hung thick in the air.

Then Alexia started speaking.

"You all do understand what you are doing now, don't you? This is the academy, situated in the capital of the whole Eldoria continent. Even if you succeed in what you are trying to do here, you won't be able to get out of the capital alive."

"Ah! You don't have to worry about that, Princess. We have secured an escape route, you see. Well, I would prefer it if you just bring us this girl named Emmeline. I also don't want to get involved with the royal family."

'The way he is talking, it makes it seem like they just want Emmeline, then they would leave. But what the hell is this about an escape route?'

'I don't remember there being any in the novel.'

Chris thought to himself.

"Then this conversation is over. We have to fight ." Alexia announced, getting into an attacking position.

She glanced at Chris for a moment, but turned her face towards the enemies in front of them.

The five of them fought against those other five quite intensely and their movements were coordinated like a party of adventurers.

At the front, Scott rushed forward with his daggers, followed by Kevin and Alexia holding their own with their swords. Then there was Harald with his spear attacking as soon as he noticed an opening.

At the back there was Emmeline acting as the marksman of their team with her bow.

In the meantime, Chris was assessing their situation.

He thought that this fight would be over in a few minutes and he would explain everything to the student council members.

But, he was gravely mistaken.

This was not the original novel anymore. He had already noticed this fact, and yet, how did he forget about it?

The five students fought valiantly, their movements swift and coordinated like a well-practiced team of adventurers.

Scott dashed forward with his daggers, striking with agility and precision.

Kevin and Alexia followed, their swords glinting under the dim light as they parried and thrust with skill.

Harald, wielding his spear, struck at every opening he could find, while Emmeline stayed at the back, her bowstring singing as she released arrows towards their enemies.

Despite their efforts, it soon became clear that they were outmatched.

Each of their attacks was met with brutal counterattacks from the terrorists.

The air was filled with the sound of clashing steel and the grunts of exertion. The terrorists moved with an eerie synchrony, their dark cloaks billowing like ominous shadows as they easily deflected every strike.

Scott's daggers clanged off a terrorist's blade, the force of the block sending him stumbling backward.

Kevin's sword was met with a powerful parry, nearly wrenching the weapon from his grip.

Alexia, though fierce and determined, found herself being driven back step by step, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

Harald's spear strikes were skillfully dodged or deflected, leaving him vulnerable to counterattacks.

Emmeline's arrows, usually so precise, were swatted out of the air or dodged entirely.

The terrorists closed in, their movements deliberate and calculated. The students' faces were etched with determination, but the strain was evident.

Sweat dripped down their foreheads, mingling with the blood from fresh wounds.

Kevin's arm was grazed by a dagger, a deep cut that sent blood spattering onto the cobblestones. He winced, his vision blurring for a moment as pain shot through his body.

Scott, his agility failing him, took a blow to the side, and he doubled over, gasping for breath.

Alexia's leg was slashed, and she staggered, barely able to keep her footing. Harald, though still standing, was bleeding from multiple cuts, his spear trembling in his grasp.

Emmeline, seeing her friends in dire straits, fired arrow after arrow, her hands shaking. But the terrorists were relentless, their attacks unyielding.

She felt a searing pain as a knife grazed her arm, and her bow slipped from her grasp, clattering to the ground.

The students were panting heavily now, their bodies battered and bleeding. Their vision became blurry, and their limbs grew numb.

The realization dawned on them that this was not just a skirmish; it was a fight for their lives, and they were losing.

Chris, watching from the shadows, felt a pang of desperation. His mind raced, trying to find a way to turn the tide. He had underestimated the enemy.

The situation was dire, and time was running out.

The cobblestones beneath them were slick with blood, their own blood, and the darkness seemed to close in around them.

The academy, once a place of learning and safety, had become a battlefield, and the odds were not in their favor.

In the midst of the chaos, Emmeline feeling the guilt of putting her friends in danger due to her, was about to step forward and turn herself in.

Suddenly, the heavy panting and weapons' clashing sound was overridden by someone's laughter, a sound that cut through the grim silence like a blade.

It echoed through the training grounds, a strange mix of defiance and madness.

The terrorists and students alike turned to him, startled by the unexpected sound, as he stepped out of the shadows, a mysterious glint in his eyes.

"You know, I found it really strange when I came to this world. Normally, you would be able to gain some cheat skill if you transmigrate into the body of an extra character. Yet, neither my affinity or ability was increasing nor I was given any such cheat skill. A few seconds before, I was going to give up in this desperate situation. But now things are different."

Chris took out his two hands slowly with a creepy grin on his face, and made a praying hand sign and muttered something.

A panel was lit up in front him. 

[New Skill Opened!

Skill Name : Magic Barrier Proficiency Lv. 1

Use : Host can create a spherical magic barrier within the radius of 10 meters.

Duration : 10 Minutes

**NOTE : Can be used once a day.]

"BARRIER....CLOSE!"