Immediately after learning that the attack was going to be on a massive scale, Instructor Steve made a grim decision.

—Deactivate all student limiters.

If several students were attacked by Awakened Beasts and the securities responded lately, there were chances that some students might actually die.

Although the team in charge of the limiters was surprised, they still obeyed him after receiving confirmation from Instructor Rutherford.

With the chairman absent, he had the highest authority in the academy, second only to some special figures.

All over the campus, several students experienced a wave of confusion, then surprise and freedom.

The limiters were deactivated. Everyone regained their ability to use essence and their abilities.

To most, they didn’t know what to do. However, to the students who were in danger, it was like a light of salvation.

They immediately defended themselves.

Ariel discarded his bloodied knives, summoning his usual daggers instead. In one swift motion, he killed one of the four-eyed Awakened Beasts.

Hazel noticed the return of her connection to essence after him, grabbing the creature by its neck and scorching it with flames.

Behind Liam, Ysabella noticed it too and immediately casted her buff ability on the brown-haired boy.

His injuries were healed, leaving only torn sleeves and a tear across his shirt.

He was holding off two Awakened Beasts without a weapon, so injuries were guaranteed.

Feeling the foreign surge of strength different from his ability, he smiled and summoned his own weapon.

The lance swept horizontally before him.

Two limbs dropped, each belonging to the two creatures.

Ariel appeared behind the agonized creatures, finishing them off.

The scent of burnt flesh wafted into their noses, followed by a thud as Hazel dropped her prey.

The creature had been charred black.

The four of them looked at each other, still reeling from shock.

Hazel glanced at the limiter on her wrist—deactivated.

"So this is the academy’s response? Looks like they made the right call."

Ariel nodded. "You’re right. Now, everyone can fight back."

Ysabella smiled and nodded, patting her ample chest in relief. Typing on his phone, Liam sent a message to the class group chat, asking if everyone was safe.

.........

Meanwhile, on one of the streets to the dormitory...

Kaiser took a step back, avoiding a sharp-edged tentacle that swept towards him.

The masked man remained standing on the same spot, staring at him calmly.

From his back, eight dark tentacles were moving mid-air, acting as extra appendages and a means to attack the blue-haired youth before him.

The man paused, seemingly confused.

"You are clearly a Rank 1 Awakened. What makes you confident that you can defeat me? Or are you stalling for reinforcement?"

He sounded surprisingly relaxed, as if nothing could pose a threat to him.

Kaiser chuckled. "Stalling? You have it wrong—again. Killing you myself would be a nasty and tiring experience."

He took another step back, his shadow turning darker.

"In that case, I might as well let my guardian take care of you."

The masked man nodded in realization.

"A guardian? I see. No wonder you’re so—"

He suddenly paused, eyes widening behind the mask.

What the hell is that?!

From Kaiser’s dark shadow, a black, gloved hand came out, followed by an armored arm, and then a fullly armed warrior emerged, standing slightly taller than the blue-haired boy.

The masked man’s eyes narrowed. He could clearly sense that the figure was a female, though he wasn’t sure if she was alive.

How could she be, when she had just appeared from the boy’s shadow?

The female knight moved, unsheathing her black sword and stepping before Kaiser with a protective stance.

The boy’s eyes held a hint of melancholy as he remembered this particular scene when the woman was still alive—well, not exactly alive, but alive to him.

’Kara possesses a strong sense of justice and desire to protect the weak. Unfortunately, she still lacked color.’

Looking past her, his gaze fell on the masked man with tentacles from his back.

’His aura seems to be like that of an Evolved. However, Kara should be able to handle him until I can find an opening to provide assistance and she can deal the finishing blow.’

"Kill him."

His voice had barely dropped when the Cursed Knight moved.

She shot straight at the masked man, her sword aiming straight for a cleave.

The masked man reacted swiftly, bringing the tips of his tentacles together to form a small shield before him.

Cursed Knight’s sword landed on the meat shield.

Clang!

Surprisingly, the shadowy figure was repelled, staggering a few steps back. The fleshy tentacles were very sturdy, almost like metal.

Her sword only landed a shallow cut on the foremost tentacle.

Kaiser’s eyes narrowed faintly, but he didn’t move. He simply watched, trusting in his Shadow’s ability.

Cursed Knight took a stance, body lowered and sword held above her head, pointing straight at the masked man.

She attacked again.

This time, the masked man didn’t defend himself. Instead, he shot his sharp tentacles at her joints, aiming to immobilize her.

The shadowy knight twisted. Her shoulders dropped, then turned sideways, dodging two tentacles. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

He legs also performed quick, confusing movements, trampling upon the tentacles aimed at her legs.

Successfully immobilizing the masked man, she allowed the remaining four tentacles to stab at her armor, while her own sword fell upon his head.

The masked man sensed death, immediately recalling his tentacles to protect him. He was too late.

He leaned back, barely dodging the blade. It still sliced his mask though, letting it fall off his face.

His facial features was instantly revealed.

Purple eyes with narrowed slits, a scar on his left eye, and a sharp-pointed nose.

Kaiser raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

"A Vladimir? You guys have finally resurfaced."

Hearing this, the man was shocked, his attention locking onto Kaiser—a mistake.

"Don’t move."

Cursed essence flowed into Kaiser’s throat, and the effect of the Cursed Voice was produced.

The man froze—even if only briefly. As an Evolved, his resistance to Cursed Voice was stronger, so he broke free in less than a second.

However, with Cursed Knight so close to him, that brief distraction and freezing turned into a deadly blade that pierced his heart.