Chapter 14. Arrival of the Student Council

The sounds in the corridor were getting louder by the second as more abominations gathered outside our room. We knew by then that we couldn't head out anymore. Forcing a fight in a narrow corridor when we were physically and numerically weaker, wasn't the way to go.

"Drag the monsters as far to the side as you can. Mr. Haley and I will make way in the centre, so sprint as far as you can, to a safer place."

That was the only plan I could come up with against a horde of abominations. We weren't, in any way, a match to the group that was approaching.

But I learnt how big of an understatement that was as soon as the first monster barged through while opening the door.

Mana. It was one of the most important aspects of all the changes that was taking place around us ever since the morning. It introduced a system to us. It provided a primitive evaluation of our status as well as a means to improve the so-called stats. However, it also sentenced the end of their life as a human to many.

Abominations. People, and most likely other all other forms of life, who reacted negatively to the inflow of mana were turned into monstrosities called abominations which put them on the opposite side of the system-receivers. Reduced intelligence, a natural inclination towards murder accompanied with a severe knack for it. They are turned into monsters that live solely to prey on the rest.

That was what we were up against. Predators that outnumbered us, and not by a small number at that. Predators that were aiming for our heads just like we head to go for theirs. I thought that at least most students would have become system-bearers, so the moment I noticed the horde that was upon us, I was extremely taken aback by the number of people that couldn't host mana. Thinking back, the miniscule amount of mana in my stats and the inability to improve it might have meant that I barely qualified to cross the line from an abomination and land into the category that still left us human, albeit with superpowers.

The moment the first monster entered through the door; I realised that the plan we had wasn't going to work. We were going to have to take them down or go down while trying to.

Everyone in our party understood this and so, we immediately discarded our previous plan as we let Ms. Willis step back and play her role as the healer for as long as possible.

Mr. Willis's skill was useless in such a situation unless he wished to be skewered the very moment that he used it. So, I instructed him to stand by and defend Ms. Willis against the ones that slip by me and Mr. Haley.

As soon as the monsters started to pour the door, Mr. Haley activated his skill as flames engulfed his arms. Due to the size of the door, the incoming monsters were crowded together near it and it was the perfect timing to use the skill. It seemed that he was a bit ahead of me and used the skill as soon as the monsters entered turning the area surrounding the door into a fiery hell.

The fire spread across the monster horde as they stood wailing in pain at the sudden attack they were subjected to.

Having already witnessed the effects of his skill, I knew it wouldn't be enough to take down the monsters and it would also consume a lot of Mr. Haley's MP to keep the skill running while waiting for the monsters to die, assuming that they wouldn't resort to a desperate attack while burning.

Ms. Willis who just cast a heal on Mr. Haley to accelerate his MP regeneration, immediately passed the painting knives that she collected to me.

It seemed that the attack I used with them left a strong impression on her and she took it on herself to collect the painting knives to use in the cases of emergencies.

I was slowly getting used to the party by now. The twins and I were able to communicate a lot quicker now, and Mr. Haley didn't need much to figure out the feasible routes of action and could be considered second in command, with me topping him only in adaptability to this new world.

Placing all the painting knives in my left hand, I picked the one that I considered sharpest out of the identical group and readied myself as I activated 'Lightning Steps'.

Going through my previous attempt in my head once again, I took a look at the burning crowd at the door that was slowly inching closer and looked close to breaking through the mental restraint caused by the pain.

<<ZZZZIIIIIPPPPP>>

The painting knife, coated with lightning streaks, burst through the crowd, impaling several of them on the way. A lot, to be precise. It wasn't surprising though, the number of kills. This could be attributed to the large crowd that was packed into the small corridor and entrance.

Though nowhere close to the total amount, every kill adds stat points that are precious in such a situation.

In those moments of urgency, I made a terrible miscalculation. Forgetting to take into account the gradual build-up of momentum from my previous experience, I accelerated to my top speed to launch the knife from a near stand-still, and as I was done with the motion of the attack, I was overcome with such bone-chilling pain in my right hand that made me hope I would fall unconscious even in front of the horde.

"HEAL!" Ms. Willis's attempt to ease my pain was nowhere near sufficient to relieve the pain I was experiencing, after all the main characteristic of the spell was improved regeneration.

Congratulations on killing an Abomination!

Congratulations on killing an Abomination!

Congratulations on killing an Abomination!

Congratulations on killing an Abomination!

Congratulations on killing an Abomination!

Congratulations on killing an Abomination!

You have levelled up!

You are the first in your zone to reach the level 10.

Performance evaluation: S+

Rewards will be generated in your inventory.

I didn't have time to digest all the notifications that I received because the abominations that were obliterated made way for new ones to rush forward. My right arm couldn't be used in its current state.

I turned towards Ms. Willis, who nodded and turned towards Mr. Haley to cast her limited heals on him. She should've had most of her MP already drained while helping Mr. Willis and therefore spending more of them on me would be a waste.

As soon as my attack went through, it increased the intensity of the flames for a while which damaged the abominations more, but they weren't dead yet. This was the disadvantage of Mr. Haley's skill. Although, it sends the target into a temporary state of incapacity, the damage it produces is low and gradual. He needed a lot of MP to take down the monsters but the skill also shined in a fight against multiple enemies, because the MP cost is the same whether the target is alone or a pack.

I freed my left hand and readied a painting knife in it. Though my dominant hand was my right, my left hand was still more dextrous than normal left-handers.

My stamina was slowly bottoming out, I could at most launch these knives twice. I placed all my stat points into strength and readied my left hand with a painting knife.

Launching it was out of the question at the moment unless I wanted my left hand to be impaired too, so all I could do was attempt a close quarters combat.

"Extinguish!" I screamed as I dashed forward readying the knife in my hand to align with the throats of the closest abominations.

Side stepping to the left, I approached them at an angled run that placed my left hand closer to them. Still dazed by the flames, they couldn't respond as I brought down the knife against their throats.

Congratulations on killing an Abomination!

Congratulations on killing an Abomination!

Congratulations on killing an Abomination!

Congratulations on killing an Abomination!

Congratulations on killing an Abomination!

Congratulations on killing an Abomination!

The notifications slowly filled the screen, but the abominations were now free from the restraints of the fire. They slowly circled around me as I ventured deeper into their ranks. Reinforcing my strength stat at every level up, which in turn extended the duration of my skill. I started out just to clear a few at the front of the horde but I was too drawn in now.

I couldn't make my way back to the art room. I could only take on the monsters in the corridor that were surprised by my sudden appearance in their ranks.

'What made me think that I could just take down a few and return? Why did I enter the horde? Was it overconfidence brought about by my skill? Did I really think that I was invincible after surviving a few close encounters?'

The skill 'Perception of Death' was brought into use as it blended into my movements subconsciously. I made my way forward, targeting the weakest links of the chain that I could perceive through the skill.

I was getting tired. A few hits scraped by me during the assault. My body was in a battered state. My head was getting dizzy. Blood was dripping over my eyes. There was nothing I could do now except hold out until help arrived. With a barely useful right hand and an overwhelmed left hand, I had to hold out amidst this horde of monsters.

I could feel heat of the flames that were brought back to life near the art room. Multiple Heal spells were placed on me. It felt good that I wasn't abandoned even after the drastic turn of events.

I could hear soft thuds from my back. Maybe the other three started to clear the abominations to make way.

It was most probably Ben's idea, right? Abigail still cast her Heal on me.

With all kinds of thoughts running inside my head, I still kept moving forward. My body was slowly getting accustomed to the movements and finding efficiency. It was also getting heavy with every step and with every hit.

<<Swoooshh>>

Something zipped past my head, as it lodged into the head of the abomination with a fist that was dangerously close to my head. I glanced towards the location of the ally archer.

A beautiful woman with flowing silver hair was standing with a mechanical bow in her hands with a quiver hung over her back. She was tall and hosted a healthy physique.

A smile suddenly spread onto my mouth.

'Help has arrived!'