The first monster's roar seemed to shake the entire school grounds, and for a brief moment, I completely forgot how to breathe. I had spent the last several hours trying to convince myself that the invasion would be something we could handle, especially after discovering what Sonic Speed could do, but watching those creatures descend from the sky was nothing like imagining them in my head. They weren't some distant threat that existed somewhere beyond the horizon anymore. They were here, standing on the streets outside the school, and there were far more of them than I had expected.
The creatures continued pouring through the enormous black distortion in the sky, landing across the surrounding streets and buildings with enough force to crack concrete and send clouds of dust into the air. Some looked vaguely humanoid, standing on two legs with long arms and sharp claws, while others moved on four legs like enormous predatory beasts. Their bodies were covered with thick scales and strange pieces of natural armor, and their eyes glowed with an unnatural light that made them look less like living animals and more like creatures from fantasies
I glanced toward the students who had been designated as the front-line fighters only a few minutes earlier. Many of them had impressive-looking abilities, but almost none of them moved. Some were gripping their weapons with trembling hands, while others were staring at the monsters with expressions of disbelief and fear. A few students took several steps backward despite the orders being shouted around them, and I couldn't blame them. Receiving a superpower yesterday didn't magically give someone the courage or experience needed to fight creatures that looked capable of tearing a human apart with a single swipe.
Then the police opened fire.
The sound was deafening.
Dozens of rifles erupted almost simultaneously, and bullets tore through the air toward the approaching monsters. The police officers had formed defensive lines around the school entrance, firing controlled bursts while others reloaded and prepared the next wave of ammunition. Several monsters were struck in the chest, head, and limbs, causing them to stagger backward, and for the first time since the invasion began, I saw one of the creatures fall to the ground.
"Keep firing!" one of the officers shouted. "Don't let them reach the civilians!"
The police continued shooting, and the soldiers stationed farther behind them joined the attack with heavier weapons. The courtyard shook from the constant gunfire, and spent shell casings scattered across the ground as the first wave of monsters charged toward the defensive line.
I watched one of them sprint directly toward the officers.
It was enormous.
The creature was easily twice the size of an ordinary human, with four thick limbs and a mouth filled with jagged teeth. Several bullets struck its body, but instead of falling, it continued running as though the impacts had barely slowed it down.
That thing's still moving!" someone screamed.
The creature leapt.
Before it could reach the police line, a burst of gunfire struck it directly in the head. Its body twisted in midair before crashing heavily onto the pavement.
The officers didn't celebrate.
They immediately turned their weapons toward the next group.
I felt my hands tighten into fists.
[Fang Xiaotong's Perspective]
"Xiaotong," Yin Yuca said from beside me, "are you alright?"
I looked toward him and realized that he was watching me carefully. Meiying stood just behind him, while Chen Fei was staring toward the battlefield with flames already beginning to gather around his arms.
"I'm fine," I answered. "I'm just trying to figure out whether I'm actually ready for this."
Yin Yuca gave me a serious look. "You don't have to pretend that you're not afraid."
"I know."
I took a deep breath and looked back toward the battlefield. "But being afraid doesn't mean I can't fight. If those monsters reach the school, everyone here is going to be in danger."
Chen Fei nodded. "Then let's make sure they don't get that far."
Meiying looked between the three of us before speaking. "Just remember that we don't know what these creatures are capable of yet. Don't assume that because one monster goes down easily, the others will be the same."
"Good point," I replied. "We'll watch each other's backs."
Yin Yuca smiled faintly. "That's what a party is supposed to do, right?"
I couldn't help smiling.
"Exactly."
Another wave of monsters emerged from the streets.
This time, I moved first.
The moment I pushed my foot against the ground, everything changed.
The world slowed down.
The sound of gunfire became stretched and distant, the screams of the students around me seemed to fade into the background, and even the monsters charging toward the school appeared to move far more slowly than they had before.
My body surged forward.
I crossed several dozen meters almost instantly.
One of the creatures noticed me and swung its enormous claw toward my chest, but by the time its attack reached the place where I had been standing, I was already behind it. I planted my foot firmly against the ground, turned my body, and drove my fist into the side of its head.
The impact sent the creature tumbling across the pavement.
I stared at my hand for a fraction of a second.
So this is what Sonic Speed feels like in a real fight.
There was no time to think about it.
Another monster charged from my left.
I accelerated toward it, ducked underneath its claws, and slid across the ground before turning sharply behind its legs. I struck the back of its knee with enough force to knock it off balance, and when it fell forward, I immediately accelerated upward and kicked it beneath the jaw.
The creature was launched into the air.
I landed several meters away.
My heart was pounding.
But this time, it wasn't from fear.
It was excitement.
"Xiaotong!" Chen Fei shouted from behind me. "Three coming from your right!"
I turned my head.
Fang Xiaotong glanced toward the approaching monsters before giving Chen Fei a confident smile. "Then I'll take care of them. You focus on the ones heading toward the school." He didn't wait for a response before lowering his body and accelerating across the battlefield, his movements becoming almost impossible for ordinary people to follow. The first creature attempted to swipe at him as he approached, but Fang Xiaotong shifted his direction at the last moment and slipped underneath its attack, allowing him to pass directly beneath its enormous arm before striking its leg. The creature stumbled, and Fang Xiaotong immediately used the opening to accelerate around its body, striking it from behind before moving toward the second monster. The creature tried to track him with its eyes, but its movements were simply too slow, and by the time it turned its head, Fang Xiaotong had already moved behind it and delivered another powerful strike.
The third monster proved to be more aggressive than the others, charging toward Fang Xiaotong with its claws extended while roaring loudly enough to make the nearby windows shake. Instead of retreating, Fang Xiaotong ran directly toward it, and for a brief moment the two seemed to be moving toward the same point. At the last possible second, Fang Xiaotong shifted his body sideways, allowing the creature to rush past him before he planted his foot firmly against the ground and turned around. The movement was so precise that he barely lost any momentum, and before the monster could understand what had happened, Fang Xiaotong accelerated back toward it and slammed his fist into its back. The creature crashed onto the ground, creating a small cloud of dust around its body.
Fang Xiaotong landed several meters away and looked back at the three monsters. Two were already struggling to stand, while the third remained motionless on the pavement, and he could feel his breathing becoming heavier as adrenaline rushed through his body. He realized that he wasn't simply moving faster than his opponents; his perception was accelerating alongside his movements, allowing him to notice small changes in their bodies and predict where their attacks were going before they were fully committed. Every movement felt natural, almost instinctive, as though his body had already calculated where he needed to be before his conscious mind could finish making the decision.
"Xiaotong!" Yin Yuca shouted from behind the defensive line. "Are you alright?"
Fang Xiaotong glanced back and saw Yin Yuca standing near Meiying, who was already helping several injured students while keeping her Healing Lights ready. Chen Fei stood nearby with flames beginning to gather around his arms, and for a brief moment Fang Xiaotong felt reassured knowing that the four of them were still together despite the chaos surrounding them.
"I'm fine!" Fang Xiaotong shouted back before turning toward the battlefield again. "Actually, I think I'm starting to understand this ability!"
Yin Yuca looked surprised. "Already?"
Fang Xiaotong smiled. "The faster I move, the easier everything seems to become. My reactions are faster, my balance feels completely natural, and I can change directions without losing control. It's almost like Sonic Speed isn't only increasing my movement speed; it's making my entire body capable of handling that speed."
Chen Fei laughed from nearby. "Then stop talking and show us what you can really do!"