As night gradually fell, a warm yellow glow spilled from the windows of the large first-floor classroom in the combat training building. In the entire teaching area, this was the only room that remained lit.
The evening was supposed to be a time for rest, but the students of Class A had gathered here by unspoken agreement. With the final battle of the Ranking Tournament scheduled for tomorrow, no one wanted to slack off. Although many in the class hadn't made it to the finals, everyone had stayed behind. Whether they were acting as sparring partners, watching from the sidelines, or heading out to buy food and drinks, not a single person complained.
Normally, instructors would be present to supervise this kind of extra practice, but today was an exception. The headmaster had taken most of the instructors and upperclassmen away, so Class A simply organized it themselves. This large classroom was the biggest in the entire combat training building. It was incredibly spacious, with a ceiling more than twice as high as a normal classroom. The entire room had been reinforced, its walls embedded with runes that absorbed magical impacts, making it more than capable of handling the entire class's rowdy training.
The large classroom was bustling with energy. Students were either sparring in pairs or crowding together to discuss tomorrow's opponents. The atmosphere was incredibly lively, feeling less like the night before a tournament and more like the prelude to some grand festival.
Until that purple barrier descended.
The first to notice was a student near the window. Looking up, they saw a sheet of dark purple pressing down outside, silently wrapping the entire building in a tight seal. Immediately after, the light in the classroom turned eerie, the air grew as heavy as lead, and the flow of mana became sluggish.
Everyone sensed that something was wrong and stopped what they were doing, one after another, as unease slowly rippled through the crowd.
Lorraine stood in the center of the classroom, her gaze instinctively sweeping over her surroundings.
Celine was there, and Irene was there.
But that familiar figure was missing.
Lorraine's heart skipped a beat. She was the first to speak, breaking the silence of the classroom. “This is aimed at Her Highness Leonora. Has anyone seen where she went?”
“Her Highness went to the rooftop just now to get some equipment!” Irene's voice carried a hint of anxiety.
“Did she go alone?”
“A few others went with her.”
Oh no. Lorraine scanned the classroom again, counting the students one by one. Indeed, several faces were missing. Those few classmates who were usually the most inconspicuous in class were gone. They had always stayed quietly in the corners, rarely speaking or mingling with others. Previously, everyone had just thought they were introverted, but looking back now, their every move seemed highly suspicious.
Everything had been planned well in advance. They had been waiting for just such an opportunity.
“It looks like our classroom has been sealed off!” a student near the door suddenly shouted, pushing hard against it, but it wouldn't budge. Nearby classmates began checking the windows, only to find every single one blocked by the same barrier, dark purple patterns of light flowing across its surface.
This barrier didn't just lock down the entire teaching building; it even isolated each individual classroom.
Panic began to spread like a plague. Some students turned pale and retreated to the corners. They felt that since a barrier had been set up, there had to be powerful enemies waiting outside. For a group of first-year students to charge out would be no different from seeking death. It was better to stay in the classroom and wait for rescue; the academy would surely send help once they noticed the anomaly.
Another group of students had a clear stance: Wait for rescue? The princess was still upstairs. Every moment of delay meant more danger for her. They had to take the initiative and act.
“Are you crazy? We don't even know what's going on outside! What if there's an ambush?”
“So what if there's an ambush? The princess is already surrounded by an ambush right now! Those few who went upstairs with her are the biggest threat!”
The two factions argued back and forth, fear clashing with courage. Neither side could convince the other, and as their voices grew louder, the classroom dissolved into utter chaos.
“Quiet!” A clear, ringing voice exploded with mana, echoing through the sealed classroom and making everyone's eardrums ache.
Everyone instinctively shut their mouths and looked toward the sound. Alicia stood in the center of the crowd, her expression cold and grim. As her gaze swept across the classroom, anyone she looked at couldn't help but shrink back.
Her usual pride had transformed into an overbearing pressure that made it hard to look her in the eye. After all, her strength was top-tier in Class A, and after her shout, no one dared to make another sound.
Seeing that the classroom had quieted down, Alicia looked around at everyone, her voice powerful and resonant. “As citizens of the empire, how can we stand by when the princess is in trouble? As members of Class A, how can we sit back and watch when our classmate is in danger?”
“Well said! I'm with you!”
Lorraine was the first to respond. Normally, she and Alicia didn't get along. One was an exceptionally talented commoner, and the other was a young mistress of the noble faction, constantly competing with each other both openly and in secret. But at this moment, looking at her, Lorraine felt only a sense of reassurance. This woman could truly step up when things got tough. No matter how many disagreements they had, at least in this moment, they stood on the same side.
At some point, the Holy Maiden had walked up to Lorraine's side, nodding quietly to silently express her stance. Irene also stepped forward, jogging over to stand beside Lorraine.
With representatives from both the commoners and the nobles stepping up, those in the classroom who were still wavering were swept up in the emotion, declaring one after another their desire to contribute their strength to the empire.
“Alright, since we've decided, let's not waste time.” Alicia didn't waste any words and quickly began organizing them into groups. She divided the students into several squads based on their magical affinities, putting those skilled in earth magic at the front and those skilled in healing at the back. Each squad was balanced with offense, defense, and sustainability. No one questioned her, and the groups were formed rapidly.
Once the groups were set, Alicia walked to the classroom door. The transparent barrier stood right before her, dark purple light patterns faintly flowing across its surface.
Weaving her wand high, she began to chant.
The syllables of the incantation vibrated in the air. A swirling vortex of water condensed at the tip of her wand, spinning sharper and sharper. A moment later, she thrust her wand forward, and a dark red water blade sliced down along the surface of the barrier. With a sharp, hissing screech, the transparent barrier began to flicker violently. Under Alicia's continuous output of mana, the barrier ripped open down the middle like a piece of torn cloth, then shattered completely.
The classroom door was pushed open, and a chilly wind rushed in from the hallway.
“Go!” Alicia commanded.
The students surged out of the classroom like a tide, their footsteps echoing through the stairwell as everyone, weapons in hand, sprinted toward the unknown darkness.
The rescue operation had begun.
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