Through the vacant halls, a presence stirred - one that carried the weight of something unspoken, perhaps duty, perhaps retribution. Distant glass shattered, its echoes rippling through the stillness. The figure's head tilted ever so slightly at the sound, a motion so subtle it barely registered as a response.
The fluorescent lights above convulsed in their final moments before surrendering to darkness, leaving only slivers of the night blue from beyond the windows to paint shadows across the walls. Steel whispered against leather as it tasted the air, the blade's movement quick and decisive in the dark.
Forward the figure moved, their coat and hair dancing with the night breeze that had found its way inside. Purpose guided each step, though what drove them remained clouded in shadow - a darkness that seemed to touch both the physical and metaphysical realms. The steady rhythm of footfalls against marble spoke of unwavering resolve.
When the attack came, it announced itself in a symphony of shattering glass. In the pitch darkness, the figure moved like flowing water, their blade meeting each incoming strike with precision that seemed to mock the darkness itself. A fluid spin, elegant yet lethal, neutralized the would-be ambushers in one continuous motion.
As they completed their rotation, the constellation of broken glass briefly caught and held their reflection - a face unmarked by the violence it had just orchestrated, save for the slightest downward turn at the corners of the mouth. Light gray eyes stared back as the motion felt slow for a moment, holding neither pleasure nor distaste for what had transpired, simply acknowledging the moment's necessity before continuing onward, leaving the men unconcious behind him.
At that point, the campus at night held a different kind of silence - one that made Claire fidget with the hem of her uniform as she glanced nervously between her companions. The faint blue moonlight filtering through the windows did little to calm her nerves, especially as it revealed the dark silhouettes of armed figures emerging from the shadows around them.
"H-Hey... uh... okay... okay, no big deal..." Claire's voice wobbled as she shuffled back, boots scuffing the floor. More glass shattered as additional dark silhouettes emerged. "Eep! W-Wait, no, no, no—!" She spun, gripping her bow like it might hold her together. Glass shattered — one window, then another. Shapes moved in the dark, jagged and wrong.
A figure lunged — too close — and she yelped, swinging wildly, her reflex reaching out for an arrow from her quiver before quickly shooting the figure close to her. "Ah! Nope! No thanks! Please don't—!"
Claire unconsciously shifted closer to Rose, who responded with a reassuring smile - her usual bright energy now focused and alert as Claire began to calm down. Takumi rolled his eyes at the commotion.
"Just another Tuesday night on campus. Lovely," he drawled, eyeing the encroaching shadows. "Anyone bring snacks for our uninvited guests?" Despite his quips, his body language betrayed his vigilance as he stood with perfect stillness, scythe raised high, its curved blade catching slivers of moonlight.
Liene had drifted toward the back of the group, her typically fluid movements now hesitant. Her eyes darted to the ceiling and back down again, fingers absently tracing patterns on her sleeve as though solving a puzzle only she could see.
Takumi gave a slight nod in Liene's direction before turning back to the threat at hand. His left hand gripped the scythe tighter while his right dipped smoothly into his pouch. The moonlight cast harsh shadows across his face as he focused on the encroaching figures, all sarcasm momentarily replaced by sharp attention.
Before then, his arm shot up, metal gauntlet snapping into place just in time. Steel met steel with a harsh clang, the impact jolting through his arm. His gaze sharpened, shoulders stiff as he held firm, bracing against the force behind the strike.
He moved with the casual grace of someone who had faced far worse, spinning in a fluid motion that sent his brown coat sweeping out in a perfect arc as the chess pieces left his fingers. The pawns scattered through the air like stars being sown across the night sky before bashing his fist onto the ground creating a gust wave around him as he flicks his arms as a smirk form as he glanced forward.
The transformation was immediate and mesmerizing. Where each pawn touched ground, armored warriors emerged from rippling darkness. Their ancient, battle-worn armor seemed to tell stories of a thousand conflicts, while tattered banners waved in a wind that didn't exist. Their featureless faces, smooth as polished marble, somehow projected an aura of absolute dedication as they slammed their towering shields into the ground in perfect unison. Twelve warriors formed an impenetrable wall around the group, their shields gleaming with a subtle promise of protection.
Claire's eyes widened in wonder, her hand half-raised to cover her mouth before she caught herself. A dagger cut through the darkness, but one of the Pawns snatched it from the air with impossible grace, crushing it in its gauntlet as if it were made of paper. When another attacker tried to exploit a gap in their defense, the Pawns moved as one organism, shields interlocking with the precision of a master clockmaker's gears.
Behind their supernatural guardians, Takumi's hand shifted slightly beneath his jacket as his eyes tracked something beyond the shield wall. Liene remained unusually quiet, her gaze fixed on some distant point past the chaos. Claire found herself holding her breath, flinching at each impact against the shields, drawing what comfort she could from Rose's steadfast presence beside her and their teacher's unwavering command of the situation.
Mr. Renji moved like a force of nature unleashed. His gauntlets traced dark arcs through the air as he methodically dismantled the attackers' formation. Each strike carried devastating precision - a symphony of impacts that sent assailants flying. The watching students could only stare, transfixed by their teacher's display of raw power. As he lunged forward, his gauntlets trailing shadows, chess pieces scattered from his hands like falling stars, muscles coiling like a spring before releasing with violent precision. His fist drove straight ahead, the force building from his shoulders down to his clenched knuckles. The moment his punch extended fully, the air seemed to buckle — a concentrated burst of swirling white and black particles erupted outward. The particles danced and spiraled, chaotic yet purposeful, each flickering shard glinting like shattered glass. His first strike met an assailant's chest, the impact sending a burst of black and white particles scattering like shattered embers. The air rippled from the force, and the attacker crumpled away.
Another figure lunged from the side. His arm lashed out, forearm smashing into their ribs with a sharp crack. White sparks burst from the point of contact, trailing behind the crumpled body as it spun away.
Three more rushed in unison. He pivoted fast, slamming his fist upward into one's jaw. Their head snapped back, black particles flickering upward like a smoldering wick. Without pause, he twisted into a backhanded strike, knuckles grinding into another's ribs. The air rippled as their body buckled, black and white shards spraying out in jagged spirals.
The last one lunged, blade arcing for his side. He shifted his stance and drove his fist into their gut, the blow detonating a violent burst of particles that engulfed their entire frame. The blast sent the assailant tumbling back, shrouded in flickering black and white embers that hung in the air before fading to nothing.
The Phantom Riders materialized from wisps of darkness, their spectral steeds passing through solid matter as if it were mist. They struck in perfect coordination with their master's assault - as Renji landed a devastating uppercut that scattered one group, his knights would emerge from impossible angles to catch those trying to regroup. When a blade finally found its way through his defense, his mana flared, deflecting the strike before his ethereal warriors closed in.
Meanwhile, Chompy had become a hurricane of mechanized fury. The dragon's claws tore through enemy lines before it launched skyward with a bone-shaking roar. Its massive form spun mid-air, creating a vortex that sent attackers tumbling like leaves. With shocking agility for its size, Chompy snatched one assailant in its jaws, using them as a makeshift projectile to bowl over their companions before landing with an impact that shook the hallway. Its mechanical maw snapped and whirred in the darkness, each bite calculated despite its ferocious appearance.
The fusion of Renji's ancient magic and Chompy's advanced technology created a terrifying spectacle that had their opponents scrambling backward in growing panic.
Claire let out a "eep!" in surprise as Chompy's massive form landed near her, but the purple dragon's movements, despite their violence, showed careful awareness of allies. Its mechanical eyes briefly met hers before it turned back to the fray, a silent reassurance in its calculated movements.
She steadied herself and drew her bow as assailants charged from multiple directions, their forms barely visible in the darkness where students and pawns engaged in close combat. Using the echo of footsteps as her guide, Claire's arrows found their marks through the chaos with uncanny precision. Then, in one fluid motion, she leaped skyward, fingers deftly pulling ten arrows from her quiver. Mid-flight, she activated her Shooting Star stellar skill technique - arrow tips igniting with a soft yellow glow that left trails of starlike particles in their wake.
The arrows cut through the darkness like a meteor shower, each finding its target with devastating accuracy. As she landed, her balance wavered slightly, arms windmilling as she caught herself. "Whoa-" she steadied herself, arms spread wide with a breathy "whew..."
Beside her, Rose wove her magic through the air like a conductor leading an orchestra of destruction. Her spells burst forth in chromatic streams - sheets of multicolored flame and pulses of pure energy that lit up the hallway in staccato flashes, briefly illuminating the ongoing battle like snapshots frozen in time. With precise gestures, she alternated between offense and defense, her barriers springing up to protect nearby students even as her attacks found their marks.
The continuous casting took its toll - Rose sank to one knee, clutching her elbow as her energy flagged. Yet when Claire rushed to her side in concern, Rose simply offered a tired but genuine smile before pushing herself back up to continue the fight.
Throughout the sprawling academy grounds, darkness masked a spreading nightmare. In lecture halls and corridors, the sounds of desperate combat echoed - steel meeting steel, spells lighting up the shadows in brief, violent bursts. Student mages found their years of training insufficient against these methodical attackers. Bodies slumped against walls and lay sprawled across once-pristine floors as the assailants systematically overwhelmed the academy's defenses.
In the darkness, chaos erupted. Students scattered like leaves in a storm - some fleeing, others standing their ground against the ambushers. The clash of metal and desperate shouts echoed through the hallways, punctuated by the occasional flash of defensive magic from those who could still fight.
Through this mayhem, Takumi moved like a shadow himself, as he rolls across the floor was silent, ending with the precise deployment of a mechanical sphere that pulsed with blue light before unleashing a concussive wave. The blast sent attackers tumbling through the darkness, their silhouettes briefly visible against the moonlit windows.
"You guys really picked the wrong night to play ninja," Takumi called out as he transitioned seamlessly into a wall run, his enhanced shoes letting him dash across vertical surfaces with impossible ease. He launched himself onto the ceiling, moving as naturally upside down as he did on the ground. "Though I have to admit, the dramatic entrance was pretty solid. Seven out of ten."
Through shattered windows, more assailants poured in like dark water, their forms merging with the shadows already engaged in combat. The hallway filled with a cacophony of battle - students crying out as they were overwhelmed, bodies hitting walls, the whisper of blades through air. In the faint moonlight, these fights played out like a violent shadow puppet show, silhouettes dancing and falling in the darkness.
A defeated student skidded across the floor, coming to rest at Claire's feet. She let out a startled "meep" as their depleted mana dissipated in a cloud of blue particles. Movement flickered behind her - an attacker emerging from shadow - but Mr. Renji's fist found them first, launching the assailant through the window they'd entered from.
"Do pardon the interruption," Mr. Renji said with formal precision even as he delivered a devastating elbow strike to an approaching attacker without breaking his stance. Two of his knights suddenly flanked a group of assailants, their coordinated assault leaving no room for escape.
The remaining attackers turned as one, and Claire felt it - a wave of killing intent that made her fingers tremble as they found her bow. Mr. Renji stood beside her, radiating calm despite the violence surrounding them. His smile carried no trace of concern as he gestured with his gauntlet.
"Focus, there's more coming from that side," he said, smoothly elbowing an attacker who'd tried to flank them without even looking. "Focus on that rear and let your arrows rain there, my pawns will provide support while I and Chompy will break through defenses back here. Your friend seems to be on a rampage himself." As he spoke, his rooks moved with thunderous force, clearing a path through the shadows with brutal efficiency.
Claire nocked an arrow, her nervous energy translating into surprisingly swift movements.
Above them, Takumi ran along walls and ceiling, his modified shoes leaving trails of pale light in his wake. Looking down at the chaos below, he couldn't resist a smirk.
Through the chaos, Takumi's voice cut clear with casual disdain. "You guys throw the worst parties," he called out from above. "And the dress code? So last season."
Down one dimly lit corridor, past scenes of ongoing struggles, a silver-haired man walked with unhurried purpose. His cane tapped a steady rhythm against the marble floor, each step deliberate and confident despite the chaos surrounding him. The occasional flash of spell-fire illuminated his path, casting long shadows that danced across the walls. He seemed untouched by the violence, almost expectant, as he checked his gun with practiced ease. The metallic click of its mechanism loading echoed ominously through the hall, a counterpoint to the distant sounds of battle and defeat.
His presence carried an air of finality - not another combatant in the night's violence, but perhaps its architect, walking calmly through the storm he had orchestrated. The casual confidence in his stride suggested this was all proceeding exactly as planned.
At the same time, Takumi sprinted across the ceiling with unnecessary flair, his devices scattering like metallic stars below him - because why do things the boring way? The metal brick in his hand transformed with mechanical precision, each component clicking into place with a satisfying whir as it unfolded into a gleaming scythe.
"But you know what they say about bringing knives to a..." He spun the weapon with a flourish, the blade catching moonlight just so - purely for dramatic effect. "Well, you get the idea."
With all the showmanship of a circus performer, he let gravity do its thing, using his scythe as a pivot point to execute a totally unnecessary (but admittedly perfect) flip. He landed dead center of the group, left hand planted dramatically on the floor, scythe stretched behind him like some anime protagonist. "Stuck the landing. Perfect ten."
Before the thugs could even process his theatrics, blue electricity crackled through his strategically placed devices, dropping them like dominoes. "Make that ten and a half. Electrifying performance by me. I know, I know - I should take my show on the road."
Mid-victory pose, something caught his attention - Liene's unusual behavior. Though her Kyoketsu shoge deflected incoming attacks, her movements were purely defensive, lacking her characteristic aggression. She seemed to be shrinking from the battle, a shadow of her usual self as flickers of fear and self-doubt filled her eyes. The observation wiped the smirk off his face, replacing it with an unfamiliar knot of concern.
The crack of a gunshot cut through his thoughts like a knife.
The sound froze the chaos like a photograph - combatants pausing mid-strike, spells hanging in the air. All eyes turned toward the source: a silhouette at the corridor's end, arm raised skyward, gun barrel still smoking. As he stepped forward, the scattered moonlight revealed silver hair and an arrogant smile. His cane tapped against the floor with deliberate rhythm as he approached - because apparently, this guy never skipped "Villain 101: Dramatic Entrances."
Claire's bow lowered as recognition hit her like a physical blow. Images flashed through her mind - the screeching tires, her kitten's frightened cry, Kazuki's intervention, the explosion that had taken him. Her fingers began to tremble around her bow as the pieces connected, the weight of realization making her knees weak.
Takumi and Rose turned from Claire's visible distress to the approaching figure, tension crackling in the air between them. Even Renji, in the midst of dispatching another attacker, glanced over with a flash of understanding darkening his features though unable to assist as he was on the opposite side with many blocking his way.
The hallway seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the next move in this deadly game.
"Shit, looks like their boss is here, probably not to underpay his goons..." Takumi quipped, eyes narrowing as he caught the gravity in Claire's expression. His usual smirk twisted into something sharper as his grip tightened on the scythe—one hand at the base, the other stretched outward. The curved blade loomed like a predator poised to strike, glistening in the dim light—no more showing off, just pure deadly intent.
The man stopped, silver hair swaying as he sized up Takumi with obvious amusement. The brutal standoff crackled between them as chaos erupted around. He stood with practiced grace, walking the line between formal businessman and ruthless bandit. "You seem interesting, young man," he purred, voice dripping with calculated charm. "Though I doubt you'd waste that talent. Doesn't it get boring in here? With all the lectures and uninteresting challenges? You'd be better off in an organization like mine..."
"Prithee good sir, thou dost present most tempting prospects to mine ears," Takumi drawled in the most over-the-top theatrical voice he could muster, complete with exaggerated hand gestures. His face scrunched in disgust at his own performance. "God, that physically hurt to say. Look, you're giving me flashbacks to this pretentious jackass who keeps challenging me to 'honorable duels' or whatever." He rolled his eyes dramatically. "Here's my actual answer—hard pass on joining your discount villain club. Or in simpler terms for your minion-hiring brain: nah."
"Such a shame..." The silver-haired man's lips curled slightly upward.
"Okay man... Whatever you say..." Takumi mimed a yawn, though his reflexes snapped to attention as the silver-haired man exploded into motion, driving his cane forward in a perfectly straight thrust aimed at Takumi's solar plexus.
Takumi swung his scythe down, catching the cane at a 45-degree angle. The metal clash rang out as he skidded back six feet, his boots leaving marks on the floor. The attacker pivoted left and pushed off the wall, converting momentum into a diagonal aerial attack. The cane came down with increased force.
"Bold, huh?" Takumi raised his scythe horizontally, gripping the hilt with hands eighteen inches apart. The cane struck between them, compressing his wrists before he stabilized. His left knee dropped to absorb the impact.
The silver-haired man pressed his advantage with calculated strikes—a lateral sweep at neck height, which Takumi deflected with his blade's curved back; a reverse diagonal slash forcing Takumi to twist his scythe counter-clockwise; a feint becoming a low strike he barely deflected; an upward strike forming an X-shape with Takumi's weapon; a direct thrust with a quarter-turn, grazing Takumi's cheekbone.
Each movement flowed with mechanical efficiency—no wasted energy, no telegraphed intentions. Takumi's muscles burned from sustained defense.
"Say, you wouldn't mind slowing down a bit?" Takumi panted, never losing his sardonic edge. "We're going a bit fast—this isn't even our first date."
Finally spotting an opening, Takumi swung his scythe in a decisive arc—but his eyes widened as his opponent phased through the floor, becoming translucent. A calm smile lingered where the man's face had been.
The man's cane remained planted at a precise angle. "What the—" Takumi started, before the form suddenly solidified, using the cane to launch upward and materialize behind him.
A precise kick struck the small of Takumi's back between kidney and spine. "Ack-!" Takumi gasped in pain, stumbling forward. He skidded backward, palms scraping the floor as he regained balance. Without hesitation, he hurled metallic bombs that rolled toward the man before erupting in clusters of explosions throughout the hallway.
"That should slow you down," Takumi muttered, eyes narrowing as he tracked movement in the smoke.
The gray-haired man thrust forward through the flames, creating a tunnel-like path as he charged. There was no urgency in his movements—just cool, calculated precision. Their weapons clashed—scythe blade meeting cane in rapid succession, Takumi's sweeping arcs barely keeping pace with the man's swift attacks.
Without warning, the man fired a revolver.
"Bringing guns to a knife fight?" Takumi responded, spinning his scythe in a defensive blur that deflected the bullet. "Bit overkill, don't you think?"
The gray-haired man charged without warning, positioning his cane in a wide arc. Takumi's reflex triggered a parry, but the cane phased through his scythe and slammed into his stomach. He let out a gasp, skidding backward across the floor.
Takumi recovered quickly despite the pain, eyes fixed on his opponent. The man was already moving, running across the walls before slamming his cane downward. This time, Takumi's parry connected—metal striking metal with a resonant clang as they stood in momentary standstill before both were knocked back.
"You're not entirely predictable," the gray-haired man remarked, his voice betraying neither strain nor concern. "Interesting."
They charged at one another once more. Takumi ducked the first strike, his movements more deliberate now, watching for the split-second solidification before the man's attacks. He slashed his scythe upward, and though his blade phased through initially, he quickly diverted its path to parry the swift slam that followed.
Takumi unleashed a barrage of strikes—fast whirls and diagonal slashes alternating from left to right—that momentarily forced the man to defend. His blade occasionally carved into the floor, sending sparks flying in the shadowed hallway.
"Getting serious now?" the gray-haired man asked, blocking a powerful slam from Takumi's scythe without apparent effort. "Or just getting desperate?"
The hallway echoed with metallic clangs, each impact illuminating their faces in brief flashes. Takumi's expression had hardened, his usual smirk replaced by concentrated focus as he searched for patterns in the man's seemingly invincible technique.
The man launched himself upward, phasing through the ceiling before falling back with his cane thrust toward Takumi. Takumi leapt away as the weapon broke through the floor when it materialized, causing an explosion of cement dust and leaving a large crater. The man emerged from the dust delivering another slam which Takumi barely dodged.
The silver-haired attacker seemed to disappear in a blur after passing him, quickly reappearing at Takumi's left to deliver another strike that he parried. The man thrust to the left before appearing on Takumi's right and disappearing again in a blur.
In a moment of desperation, Takumi crouched, scanning left and right. He pulled a bomb from his pouch and threw it north, anticipating the man's emergence. He was correct, though the man effortlessly phased through as the metallic ball hurled behind him. The attacker positioned for another slam as Takumi stood with his scythe in his right hand, his other hand obscured from view.
As the man reached him, Takumi pulled out another bomb from behind him, ducked down, and pushed the beeping device before it exploded. Takumi rushed forward as the man was blown backward by the blast. He kicked the first bomb he'd thrown, activating it as the man hurled in his direction. Another explosion erupted, sending the attacker skidding across the floor, his face now showing hints of sincerity rather than amusement.
Taking advantage, Takumi feinted low then charged forward, activating his Stellar Skill: Swirling Crescent. He surged forward, his scythe carving a vicious arc through the air. The blade glowed with pure gray energy as it sliced fast and sharp through the space between them. Without pause, he twisted the weapon and swung again—a sweeping slash that cut wide and low, leaving trails of light in its wake.
His steps flowed with each strike—forward, pivot, swing—as the man struggled to recover from the explosion. The blade lashed upward in a deadly crescent, then spun back down in a ruthless arc. Every motion struck with purpose—sharp, swift, relentless—as streaks of gray light slashed across the man's body.
Takumi turned his grip, driving the scythe in a full-bodied swing that ripped through the space before him. Another slash followed—smooth yet brutal—the edge of his weapon glinting with each strike as the man's mana shield flickered and sparked with each impact.
When he finally stopped, the air seemed still, yet his muscles burned from the storm of motion. He stood, scythe low at his side, watching as the man launched into the air before landing gracefully, his expression shifting from pain to a calculating smirk.
"So, I'll be direct since you expressed your annoyance with my formal words—you show spirit, kid."
"Glad I interested a literal mob leader," Takumi replied, sincerity and snarkiness mixing in his tone as they stood at a standstill.
"I'd call us a revolution, a consortium if you will..."
"Great, glad I got that correction," Takumi rolled his eyes. "So what's your plan for all this? There must be a better motive than blindly attacking this specific academy."
"Catching on well. Surprised—pretty smart despite your mouth."
"Look who's talking," Takumi retorted, glancing briefly behind him. "Sure, you've got a vendetta going on, that's my guess. Or probably delivering some sort of message with this attack. Nothing personal—just trying to save my own skin here. You got me involved, after all."
"Well well, you're smarter than I would've thought. Shame you're not on my side; you'd be useful. But nothing's gonna budge that thick skull of yours. Young people these days," he chuckled. "I used to be like you. Then again, I respect people who stand their ground. For what it's worth, you're the first to die here honorably."
"Right, don't give a fuck..."
The man thrust forward in a blur before the two exchanged twenty blows in rapid succession, neither gaining clear advantage. Walls cracked from missed strikes. The hallway became a chaotic blur of movement and weapon clashes until Takumi pulled another device from his pouch. Upon pressing a button, a spherical barrier tinted slightly bronze formed around him.
The silver-haired man failed to phase through as bursts of electricity repelled him. He opted to phase through the walls instead, striking at the barrier from all sides in an attempt to break it.
"This oughta hold him off for a while... Dammit..." Takumi breathed in exhaustion, using his scythe as support. The barrier quaked from the constant strikes. He looked back to see the distressed Claire and the distracted Liene, gritting his teeth, determined to defend them at all costs.
His eyes darted around, tracking the man phasing in blurs around him as his barrier strained beneath each strike. The cracks spiderwebbed further, each shuddering impact threatening to shatter it entirely. He stole a glance at his friends—scattered, fighting, struggling—while Claire stood frozen among the chaos, her trembling figure caught in the faint moonlight filtering through the shattered windows.
The barrier groaned. One more hit.
He braced himself, fists clenched, eyes locked on the blur that circled closer. Then—
Glass crunched behind him.
He turned.
And the barrier broke.