Boom...

Flinging open the back door of the shop, I found myself in the midst of chaos.

The Buildings were burning, engulfed in flames that licked the evening sky with an insatiable hunger.

People were running around frantically, their faces etched with panic and fear.

Explosions rocked the air, adding to the cacophony of sirens and screams.

I could even see some silhouettes fighting a Demon in the distance. The scene before me was like something out of an apocalyptic movie - destruction, chaos, and the struggle for survival playing out in real life.

My eyes scanned the area, looking at the dark alley that twisted between the burning high-rise buildings.

"What about other people? They will die!"

One of the girls that decided to escape with me, grabbed my arm, her voice full of desperation.

However, I merely spared her a glance, making her shiver under my gaze.

I didn't have the luxury to dwell on others' fates and my eyes reflected my thoughts perfectly.

My sole concern was survival.

"On my signal, we run..."

I turned to the group of girls that came with Rose and shouted, trying to make it audible over the chaos.

While some of them nodded, others were lost in their own thoughts, still processing the magnitude of the situation unfolding before us.

I could see the fear etched on their faces, however, I knew that humans are resilient creatures.

If needed we can climb over obstacles, leap over hurdles, and conquer whatever stands in our way.

Be it fear, enemies or even fellow humans...

Turning my gaze back to the burning buildings and the distant silhouette of the Demon, I took a deep breath.

"Now!"

Shouting, I dashed toward the alley, feeling the light weight of Rose in my grasp as we sprinted through the chaos.

Although the world around us was crumbling her unconscious face seemed serene against the chaos.

Boom...

Suddenly, a deafening explosion echoed behind us, shaking the very ground we were running on.

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw a plume of smoke and debris rising into the air.

From the smoke, a silhouette with two massive horns emerged, its eyes glowing a malevolent red.

For a second, it looked in the sky and then turned its gaze towards us, a wicked smile spreading across its face.

"Hostages..."

I could feel the Dark Mana churning within the creature and I could tell that its Rank was extremely high.

It was a B Rank Demon, a being that was simply impossible to defeat for current me.

If it were to reach us...

We wouldn't stand a chance.

"Dark Night: Absorption!"

Suddenly, a pulse of Dark Energy reverberated through the air, as the Dark Tentacle shot out from the Demon's hand, aiming straight for us.

"Aghhh..."

One of the girls let out a pained cry as the tentacle wrapped around her, squeezing tightly.

Her friends watched her with wide eyes and tears streaming down their faces, frozen in fear.

They were so engulfed by the terror of the moment that they seemed paralyzed, unable to take any action to help their friend.

It didn't matter if they had forgotten their own abilities or were overwhelmed by the darkness surrounding us, they simply couldn't snap out of their fear.

'...'

Looking at the girl struggling in the grip of the Demon's tentacle, I quickly spun around my heel, dashing toward the alley.

We were lucky that the Demon only focused on the captured girl, buying us a precious moment of escape.

There was no guarantee that we would all make it out alive, but I couldn't give up.

Swish...

Diving into the dark confines of the alley, I could hear the remaining girls crying out in fear and confusion.

"Elena..."

I could hear the sobbing echoes of the other girls as they followed me into the safety of the alley.

Elena was probably the girl that was caught by the Demon.

Well, she is probably already dead.

"Huff..."

I took in a deep breath, closing my eyes for a second.

My mind momentarily drifted off toward the distant memories of the 'Memory Palace'.

Step by step, I quickly traced the memory that contained the information I needed.

The chaos that was unfolding around us was a Cooperated Demon Attack that was orchestrated by one of the Demon Noble Families.

It was a well-executed plan to kill as much of the city population as possible.

Of course, this attack was not just about killing innocent people.

There were specific targets they were after, the Students of the Mage Academy who had the potential to become powerful mages and pose a threat to their demon rule.

...

You guessed it!

The main targets of this Attack were Rose, Drake, Kai and Tess.

While this mission would be easily taken care of by the protagonists normally, there was one crucial factor that made this situation more dangerous.

According to the game...

This event should've happened when the protagonists would be about to become third-year students at the Mage Academy.

However, now they found themselves in this life-or-death situation as first-year students.

There was no way that they could survive this situation at this point in time!

"Fucking hell..."

Muttering under my breath, I opened my eyes, glancing at the Rose, who was still unconscious in my arms.

If somehow, I managed to make my way toward the academy we could reach its safety barrier and find protection from the Demon Attack.

There was also an option of trying to seek help from the Elven Royal Guards that were stationed to guard Rose, however, they were probably engaged with the more powerful Demons as well.

I could even see the flickering shockwaves high in the sky, illuminating the dark night with bursts of light and thunderous booms.

It was probably a showdown between multiple S Rank individuals...

"We have to move."

Glancing behind me, I could see girls staring at me with uncertainty and fear, I could even feel some hatred emanating from their eyes.

They were probably blaming me for Elena's death.

Well, I didn't care...

Turning around, I took a step forward and began moving quickly but cautiously toward the academy, keeping a tight grip on Rose.

I couldn't care less if they hated me or not.

The only reason why I was even bringing them along, was because I thought that some of them would be able to survive and this would somewhat lessen Rose's anger in the future.

'She won't forgive me, will she?'

Shaking my head, I picked up my pace.

Even if she hated me, I was willing to put aside my feelings for the greater good and ensure her safety.

I would still be able to help from the Shadows.

"..."

Running through the narrow alley, I hurried toward the Mage Academy. The chaos outside seemed to fade into the background as my focus shifted solely to reaching the safety of the academy's protective barrier.

Tap... Tap...

As I sprinted, my footsteps echoing against the walls, I could hear the distant sounds of explosions and the anguished cries of the city's inhabitants. The air was heavy with the scent of smoke and the acrid odor of burning debris. It was a race against time, every second precious as the Demon Attack ravaged the city.

Crash...

Suddenly, a loud crash startled me, and I skidded to a halt. Looking up, my eyes widened in horror at the sight above. A man, bloody and broken, had fallen from a rooftop, crashing onto the ground before me. The impact was sickening, and the man's body lay still, his limbs twisted at unnatural angles.

The gruesome scene served as a stark reminder of the dangers that lurked in every corner. The chaos had claimed yet another victim, and the reality of the situation weighed heavily on my shoulders. This was a fight for survival, and the odds were stacked against us.

"Aghhh!"

Some of the girls gasped in fear at the sight of the lifeless body.

One of them even gagged at the sight, trying to suppress the urge to vomit.

I, however, merely glanced at the mangled body of the man, quickly turning my attention toward the roof.

I could tell that the Man was an awakener from the way Mana stuck to his skin like a faint glow.

He was around the same Rank as me, but I could tell that he was way more experienced.

The way his Mana circulated with ease and control spoke volumes about his experience.

If somebody of his caliber fell here that means...

"Where are you human~"

A cold, bone-chilling voice cut through the air, making a usual shiver run down my spine.

It was a Demon.

Quickly turning toward the group of girls, I pressed my finger to my lips, signaling them to keep quiet.

If we were spotted by the Demon and he found out that I was carrying Rose, we would be marked as a priority target and instantly surrounded by countless Demons.

Looking at the fearful faces of the girls, I felt a surge of anger.

I'll kill them myself if any of them make a sound.

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