Elva released her aura in full force. She didn't know that demons were already present in the banquet—if she had known, she would never have done this.
Her thinking was just like how normal dungeons appear in the world. She thought an instant dungeon break would occur after hearing Grace's words, so she released her aura to inform others of the danger.
"Leave the hall instantly!" Elva shouted, her voice amplified by mana, echoing throughout the banquet hall.
But what she did was nothing more than disturbing the calm waters—And because of that, two voices echoed through the now-silent hall.
"Brother, she is telling everyone to leave."
"Looks like she found something out."
***
Listening to the two unusual voices echo in the silent hall, weighed down by Elva's aura, Ash muttered, "It started really unexpectedly."
"It started... really unexpectedly."
Elysia clenched her jaw, her gaze locked on Ash. The indifferent look on his face twisted something deep inside her. He's changed so much, she thought, her chest tight with a mix of sadness and guilt.
Just then, Ash's voice broke through her thoughts.
"Listen, don't interfere in the fight. Just protect yourself. Understand?"
"How can you ask me to—"
She tried to protest, but Ash's cold eyes made her swallow the words. There was a weight in his gaze, one that told her this wasn't the time for rebellion.
"You know why I'm saying this. Don't do what you did before," his words pierced her mind, a command wrapped in concern.
Elysia stayed silent, her heart sinking.
"Stay behind me," Ash ordered, his back to her now, standing like an unshakable wall.
Looking at him, the way his shoulders tensed with burden, Elysia couldn't help but think, He must have suffered so much... because of me. The thought gnawed at her, but she bit it back, focusing on what lay ahead.
A voice, smooth and calm, broke the quiet.
"Brother, won't it be better to start with the plan?"
"You're right. Let's get started," came the response, dark and patient.
Suddenly, Elva appeared in front of them, like she had just materialized from thin air.
None of the people present here saw her move, but everyone felt it. The amount of power she held.
"Who are you?" Elva's voice cut through the tension like a blade, firm and unyielding.
Before she could finish, every other instructor flashed into the room, surrounding the two students in an instant. The air crackled, and the weight of their presence was undeniable.
In Starlight Academy, no instructor was less than Legendary Rank—S-Rank at the very least. Each one of them was strong enough to tear a city apart with nothing but their will.
And now, they were all focused on the two students who, instead of feeling pressure, just smiled.
"More people are coming," one of them said with a hint of amusement. "It's a pity it's just the two of us."
"Right. I wanted to taste the blood of that strong woman. But she's strong," his companion replied, the words dripping with unsettling eagerness.
Ash's stomach twisted in disgust, These guys are insane. His mind raced as he realized what he was hearing.
They were withstanding the pressure of so many instructors, plus Vice-Principal Elva, without a hint of fear.
They aren't normal. Not at all.
Suddenly, the demon named Zerak dropped a black orb onto the ground. The sound it made as it hit the floor echoed across the hall, heavy and hollow.
Zerak muttered something under his breath, his voice clear, cold, and almost caslistual as it rang through the room.
"Well, let's see how the young ones of the humans taste."
The words sent a chill through everyone in the room, like the temperature had dropped ten degrees in an instant.
***
[Elva Quill]
"Brother, she is telling everyone to leave."
"Looks like she found something out."
Hearing those voices, Elva felt anger rising in her chest. She knew no one present in the hall, under the weight of her aura, could have spoken so calmly.
They are not students.
Elva thought, her senses picking up the dark, ominous energy radiating from their bodies, an energy she hadn't noticed before.
She vanished from her position and appeared in front of them, her aura now fully focused on the two.
She demanded, "Who are you?" But they didn't respond, simply disregarding her.
They're weaker than me, Elva mused, but if I start fighting here, the students will be caught in the crossfire.
Just then, as if to relieve her of that worry, the academy instructors appeared, surrounding the two beings in the guise of students.
On time.
Elva's usual playfulness was nowhere to be seen. She was dead serious now.
But before she could take any action, one of them dropped a black orb to the ground while muttering, his voice echoing loudly through the hall.
"Well, let's see how the young ones of the humans taste."
Elva's instincts screamed at her to stop the orb from touching the ground, but she was too late. The moment it hit the ground, everything shifted.
In the blink of an eye, Elva found herself outside the hall, standing alongside all the instructors.
Shit!
She looked around in disbelief. The entire perimeter of the hall was encased in a thick, black barrier. Her fingers grazed it, and she felt the power the dark energy held.
I can't break through this alone.
The thought burned in her mind. The situation was worse than she'd imagined. The principal and the other saints were preoccupied with other matters and wouldn't be able to assist in time.
"ISSUE CODE RED RIGHT NOW!" Elva barked, her voice amplified by mana. "Summon all instructors and attack the barrier. We must break it."
Her thoughts raced as the weight of the situation settled over her. The kids are in there... I have to do everything I can to break through it.
***
Listening to the two voices echo through the hall, Ray felt something crawl beneath his skin—a sickening discomfort that coiled around his gut and refused to let go.
And then he felt it.
D-Demons…
That familiar, cursed presence.
The blood in his veins turned molten, and an unnatural wave of fury burst forth from the depths of his heart, rising like a tide ready to drown everything in its path. That was when the system chimed.
**
[Emergency Quest Generated]
[Quest: Kill both demons]
[Description: Due to the disturbance in fate caused by the Fate Disruptor, the difficulty of this quest has been elevated. Kill the Twin Calamities and prevent a massacre. Beware—this fight will be beyond your level. However, greater risk means greater rewards.]
[Reward: Ancient Treasure Map, +50 All Stats, New Affinity Unlocked, 1000 System Points]
**
The glowing quest window hovered silently before him, but Ray's mind wasn't silent anymore.
Demons… demons… demons.
He clenched his fists. His nails bit into his palms. The heat rising within him wasn't from adrenaline—it was hatred. Pure, blinding hatred.
{SNAP OUT OF IT, BRAT!}
Aetheris's thunderous voice exploded in Ray's mind like a slap to the soul. It yanked him from the brink—he hadn't even noticed that his breath had turned erratic, that his grip was tightening around his sword.
{I know you hate demons. But this? This is nothing but suicide. A swordsman must remain calm in every situation. Even a moment of emotional distraction can mean death. And you—you were about to draw your sword while losing your mind.}
Ray sucked in a shaky breath. His shoulders trembled.
{This is nothing short of suicide. A swordsman must stay calm in every situation. Even a flicker of emotion... even the tiniest distraction can lead to death. And you—you were about to draw your sword while losing your mind.}
{Foolish mortal. Even if you have to bite your tongue or clench your teeth until they crack, never lose your composure in battle.}
I'm sorry, Ray whispered internally.
{As long as you understand.}
But even after apologizing, the fury continued to boil inside him.
Aurora, who had just been talking to Ray moments ago, was now tense and alert, reading the change in the air. She wasn't the only one.
Everyone was on edge. Ethan, Irvin, Lyra, Grace, Amelia—they all stood frozen, beads of sweat trailing down their foreheads. Just moments ago, Elva's pressure had them all struggling to breathe but now, she was gone.
The moment the black orb touched the ground, all the instructors had vanished.
And that's when it truly sank in.
They were alone.
No teachers.
No guards.
A hollow silence fell.
Fear.
That's what everyone felt the moment their eyes turned toward the ones responsible.
The two figures stood there, side by side—grinning.
They watched the trembling children with wide, gleaming smiles. Eyes filled with wicked amusement. The kind of grin predators wore when the prey was cornered.
Then they spoke.
"Now we're all alone," one whispered, licking his lips.
"Hehe… let's enjoy it slowly."
Their bodies began to twist and stretch.
Bones cracked. Muscles bulged. Flesh pulsed unnaturally as they grew in size—around six feet. One of them was broad and muscular, each movement causing his skin to pulse with power.
The other was leaner but no less menacing. Their skin turned a blackish red, and their eyes burned crimson.
The whites of their eyes had turned pitch black. Each had a single sharp horn curving from the sides of their heads.
Sharp, jagged horns curled from either side of their heads like blades forged from night itself.
Miraak and Zerak... Ash thought, recognizing their appearance from the novel, It is really them.
Somewhere in his heart, he'd been hoping they weren't the Twin Calamities—but now, that fragile hope was gone.
Then, they unleashed it.
And then came the pressure and a suffocating wave of demonic energy exploded outward. It rippled through the hall, pushing against the students like a wall of hate and death.
Ash's eyes narrowed.
They're at the rank of Elite Demon…
In the original story, when they first appeared, they were already at the Demon Lord rank. Ash had expected them to weak as they appeared early, at least around Arch-demon rank.
But, this….this was weaker.
They're weaker than in the novel… Maybe due to their early appearance … But still—
His mind raced.
Even if they're not Demon Lords, they're still Elite Demons. Monsters. And there are only students here… barely 300 of us. No instructors. No guards. No reinforcements.
Even the academy guards, who were all at least Grandmaster rank, had been expelled along with the instructors.
They can still slaughter us… play with us like toys. But at least...
Their abilities might not be at full strength.
Ash exhaled.
It was a small relief.
But the others weren't so calm.
Their faces twisted in horror as the pressure crushed down on them.
"W-What… t-the hell…?" Ethan muttered, eyes wide, voice breaking.
Irvin clenched his fists so hard his knuckles went white, but said nothing.
Lyra and Grace were trembling just like others. Most students had backed into groups, pressing against each other for comfort they wouldn't find.
Amelia gripped her necklace tightly—the one her grandfather gave her. Her lips trembled as she mouthed a word only she could hear.
Grandpa…
The fear in the hall was palpable. It was thick. Drenched in silence and despair.
Then Miraak tilted his head and spoke again, voice like ice sliding down the spine.
"Should I put them to sleep first? Or do we do it like the old days?"
Zerak chuckled, slow and deep, "Hm. Just put them to sleep. Who knows what tricks the humans have prepared. We shouldn't get careless."
Miraak nodded, his crimson eyes glowing like coals in a furnace.
"Alright then," he said, lifting one hand lazily as he surveyed the frightened faces.
His fingers curled into a claw.
And then, with a voice dipped in venom, he whispered:
"Curse of Sleep."