I didn't want to see this notification.
No warning, no hint—just bam, right in my face. Fantastic. Really helps with the whole "calmly assess the situation" vibe.
"Are these all the monsters?" I asked, trying to sound as composed as humanly possible while my stomach threatened to revolt.
The look I got back? Pure, unfiltered bewilderment.
"Sir… this is the first thing you ask as soon as you wake up?"
"…?"
Yes. Yes, it's literally the first thing I care about, because if any of these nightmares escape, people die. And last time I checked, avoiding mass casualties was kind of a priority.
"If any monster escapes, people will die! Quick!"
The main quest comes first. I don't know what kind of penalty the system has planned, but I don't plan on testing it today.
I glanced at Elize, who was patting her forehead as if trying to soothe a particularly stubborn headache.
"You're really… Is this really just how you are?" she muttered, half exasperated, half in awe.
Oh, you have no idea, sweetheart.
With a dramatic sigh, she collapsed onto the floor. Her body had officially hit the stamina limit after taking down six monsters in a row, while injured. A true display of human stubbornness.
"I… missed a medium-ranked monster. It's probably heading to the first floor by now. If you go as fast as you can, you can—"
Her words died mid-sentence as she drifted into a well-earned nap.
"Thanks!" I yelled. Not that she'd hear me. But whatever—heroes don't wait for applause.
I dashed toward the first floor. Every step felt like running through molten lava, my legs screaming at me like betrayed servants. Pain? Minor inconvenience. Speed? Mandatory.
Caldwell's isolation barrier had been activated—smart move. Faculty and staff had evacuated the students and were barely keeping the barrier from collapsing. Genius. Stay safe, don't get yourself eaten—survival 101.
Combat personnel were probably racing here as we speak, and the last thing I needed was to turn this into a slaughterfest. Charge in recklessly? Sure, let's give the monsters a standing ovation.
The problem is…
-!
-!!
-!!!
The barrier trembled violently every time the medium-rank, bear-like monster slammed its massive paws against it.
And this was despite every possible reinforcement we'd thrown at it.
Even regular knights need careful preparation to handle a medium-rank monster. The fact that the barrier was holding at all was… impressive. Barely.
'The priest…!'
It would be ideal if Lirielle had managed to bring a priest.
Priests can reliably reinforce barriers in the field. Even one could buy enough time to stall indefinitely.
Breathlessly scanning the area, I finally spotted Lirielle at the edge of my vision.
She wasn't alone. Someone in a robe trailed behind her—successfully brought a priest along. Capable, indeed.
"What do you mean you can't reinforce the barrier…!?"
"I already told you. It takes an angel's blessing to stabilize it, and it's suicide to use it with your bare body," the priest snapped.
"But if it continues like this, people will—!"
"Then am I supposed to go and kill myself?"
Judging from the bickering, it seemed they weren't exactly on the same page.
'…So they can't maintain the barrier?'
A priest at academy-professor level could mimic an angel's blessing through sheer prayer, even without an actual angel.
But there's always a price. Likely the reason he was arguing it was suicidal.
This is also why I deliberately placed my blessings on the Holy Expanse, not on myself. Using an item reduces the effect slightly, but there's no chance of bodily repercussions—a neat trick few know.
'But what's with his attitude?'
I glared at the priest as the argument dragged on.
For starters, it made zero sense to leave a Holy Relic—the priest's very heart—behind in an emergency like this.
He was clearly making excuses.
Even with Lirielle visibly seething, arms crossed and jaw tight, the priest remained perfectly still, sneering like he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world.
'In any case.'
This academy was a breeding ground for madmen. Thinking that, I stalked toward the priest.
"Don't drag your political interests into this! This is an emergency—people's lives are at stake!"
"Ha, this is exactly why the Caldwell Family—"
"Then give it to me."
I cut him off mid-bullshit.
Both Lirielle and the priest looked at me like I'd just grown a second head.
"…What?"
"You're the type who highly values your own life. Even without a Holy Relic, I know you have something prepared. If you won't activate the blessing, I will."
A tense silence hung in the air.
"…Hey. Student, do you even know what a divine blessing is—"
Annoyed beyond reason, I roughly tore the small rosario from his hands. Barrier's holding by a thread, and every second wasted could be the difference between life and death.
Before he could object, I spun on my heel and dashed toward Berkeley Hall.
Lirielle was staring at me with wide, unblinking eyes.
Can't lie—I felt a flicker of nerves.
[System Message]
[ Imminent favorability status change on target 'Lirielle'. ]
[ You cannot abandon what you're trying to do! ]
[ Prepare yourself! ]
"…"
Cold sweat prickled down my back. That message had just doubled my anxiety.
'Ahh, I don't know! I'll think about it later!'
Too many things to juggle right now. Focus on the main quest, or risk absolute disaster.
I prepared the Holy Expanse and slashed the rosario across my left arm, letting blood mingle with it.
A bluish light flared from the rosario, accompanied by a burning pain. Emergency magic protocol: priests could use this as a small battery of magical power when situations went sideways.
"Alright."
I let out a sigh and shoved the rosario into the incense burner. Immediately, the burner reacted, emitting a steady blue glow that made the shadows of the basement flicker like a scene from a horror play.
[Skill 'Atonement Flame' is available!]
[Skill 'Celestial Barrier' is available!]
Windows popped open one after another—magical indicators, notifications, whatever you want to call them. I didn't have time to appreciate the aesthetics. I launched myself straight between the medium-rank, bear-like monster and the trembling barrier.
"Wha—what?"
"Student! What are you doing!? Get away right now!"
The panicked voices of the faculty behind the barrier barely carried over the roar of the monster.
For anyone else, this would have been pure, textbook insanity.
[A moment of danger has been detected.]
[Situation determined to be life-threatening.]
[Skill: Last Resort raised to EX Class.]
Other skills kicked in almost automatically.
[Skill: Atonement Flame Activated.]
[Converting all additional stats to Endurance.]
[Skill: Celestial Barrier Activated.]
[Creating shield.]
A translucent blue shield materialized before my eyes, pulsating faintly like a heartbeat. A barrier forged from the Atonement Flame and Last Resort combo—how strong it was, I didn't know. But even a medium-rank monster shouldn't be able to tear through it casually.
"Student! What are you doing!? Run away now! Leave this to us!"
"…I can't run away. That's why I'm here."
"…What?"
"Keep the students safe. I'll stall for time."
Exactly.
The goal wasn't to kill the monster. That was someone else's problem. My job was simple: buy time.
And somehow… it just might work.
"…"
The bear-like monster's eyes glowed a murderous yellow, locked on me like I'd just personally offended it in its last life.
I took a deep breath, forcing my nerves to behave. Eye to eye, it felt like staring down a freight train fueled by pure rage.
Calm down. Calm down.
One slip, one misstep—and I'd be nothing more than a smear on the basement floor.
"…Bring it, bear."
No hesitation. No theatrics. Just focus.
I can't afford mistakes. Not here. Not now.