The flames and Shen Dai’s hoarse shouts stunned the crowd. The chaotic mass of people gradually quieted under the threat.
Shen Dai glared at them, fury burning in her chest. Clenching her teeth, she shouted, “Listen up, everyone inside the protective circle! You’re safer here than those fighting outside!”
“Any beast that breaks in—you could drown it with your spit alone!”
Standing on Zhao Cheng’s other hand, she swept her gaze across the crowd.
“I know you’re scared. My hands shook too when I was fighting out there.”
“Hiding now is understandable. But have you ever thought—should your awakened abilities be wasted like this? The whole world is changing. Where can you run in the future? You have the power to protect yourselves, even others. Try throwing a punch at the fear inside you.”
Her words shifted the atmosphere. Many lowered their heads, as if steeling their resolve. Seeing her speech take effect, Shen Dai pressed on.
“That’s all I’ll say. Stay calm if you’re staying. If you don’t want these beasts trampling over you—follow me!”
One by one, people began stepping toward the outer perimeter. Many trembled as they walked. Some stopped after a few steps.
He Zhixin, still pinned to the ground, refused to move even after being freed. His confidence, built over a decade, had shattered in a single day.
Watching Shen Dai charge back into battle and Zhao Cheng—his hand tightly bandaged—He Zhixin realized his weakness wasn’t his ability. If any of them had his power, they’d use it better. Now, he almost wished he’d awakened a weaker E-rank ability instead of bearing this crushing pressure.
Back at the frontlines, Shen Dai had not only quelled the chaos but also rallied a wave of reinforcements, easing the pressure. Several unnamed fighters glanced at her with newfound respect. Now was the time to break through.
But before the students could act, the battle shifted again. Something was emerging from the direction of the school building.
……
Xue Ji’s eyes were icy, locked onto the ground. The shadows in her hands writhed like living things, morphing into a sleek black bow, its string taut.
Chen Shijie’s urgent voice crackled through her earpiece: “Xue Ji, that’s enough. Fall back and help evacuate the students.”
Xue Ji remained poised, unwavering. The fused Aberrant Fangbeast leader had to be stopped—or the casualties would be catastrophic.
Chen Shijie’s plan to evacuate before the beast moved was unrealistic. The Fangbeasts at the gates were stalling, clearly holding back waves of fodder. Besides, her abilities weren’t suited for such a cramped battlefield.
The school ruins trembled violently. With a thunderous crash, a massive figure erupted from below, sending dust billowing into the air. Though the distant students couldn’t see clearly, the enormous shadow alone was enough to plunge them into despair.
A piercing shriek—a mix of wolf and rat—ripped through the school. The sound was so sharp and prolonged that even Xue Ji, with her enhanced senses, felt her ears bleed.
The surrounding Fangbeasts halted their assault at the sound, shifting into a tight encirclement. They responded to their leader’s call like a disciplined army.
The endless horde had already pushed the students to their limits. Now, with the appearance of a colossal leader, the flicker of courage they’d mustered seemed pitiful against such despair.
Zhao Cheng stared at Shen Dai, worry in his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he said solemnly, “Class Rep, this is bad. I’ll find a way to get you out. You should retreat.”
Exhaustion weighed on Shen Dai’s face. The relentless fighting had drained her; even keeping her eyes open was a struggle. She gave Zhao Cheng a weak smile. “Nothing else to say? Or are you going for some tragic farewell trope?”
Zhao Cheng froze, her smile reflected in his dazed eyes. He had no words.
Xue Ji’s arrow didn’t fire immediately. Instead, she used the dust as cover, weaving barrier magic into the shot. The restless shadow-arrow pulsed as dark energy seeped into it, its corrosive nature allowing her to craft a new spell.
“Netherfire Coliseum!”
The arrow struck the ground, and darkness spread like ignited gasoline. Everything within the barrier lost color, fading into a lifeless gray.
At the same time, Chen Shijie’s request was approved. The Sky Fortress, hidden in the stratosphere, began its descent.
The “Sky Fortress” was a codename—its true form was a fantastical dragon. The colossal flying construct spanned 36 segments (excluding head and tail), each 400 meters long and 100 meters wide, designed to carry aerial carriers. Currently, only one carrier was docked, making the dragon seem oddly slender. The full might of its complete form was unimaginable.
Chen Shijie fired a green flare. Evacuation had begun.
The steel dragon soared above Third High, its head high at 6,000 meters. A radiant azure beam shot down, enveloping the students. Nearly a thousand bodies lifted into the air, drawn upward as if swimming through the sky.
The students erupted in cheers. Even movies wouldn’t dare depict such a dazzling escape.
Chen Shijie finally relaxed as he watched their exhilaration. This farce was finally ending.
Zhao Cheng stood dumbfounded. Shen Dai, caught in the excitement, tugged his sleeve, spinning them both in midair. The sensation was like floating through the heavens.
The azure beam captivated the entire city. Footage of figures suspended in blue light spread online, but its sheer surrealism made most dismiss it as a movie promo.
The ascent wouldn’t take long—the dragon’s head was descending, and estimates placed full evacuation at twenty minutes. This would be a memory they’d never forget.
Even Xue Ji widened her eyes at the sight. But there was no time to marvel. The sixty-meter-tall Fangbeast leader was charging toward the students.
She strained to hold it back with the Netherfire Coliseum’s restraints. The battle became a test of endurance—and Xue Ji, already exhausted, was quickly losing ground.