Chapter 312 Escape [1]
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Back at the academy, things were a mess. Soon after Zero had departed for Roswell city, portals had opened upon the academy campus, and demon beasts had started spilling out of them.
The festival was going on, so all the students were in the open grounds, enjoying the night with their guards down. And it was wrong to blame them for it. After all, no one would have expected such a tragedy.
The demon beasts fell from the sky, directly onto the students. Some students died on the spot, while the rest ran for their lives.
All the magic they were learning at the academy, self-defense techniques, and sword arts. all of it instantly went down the drain when they saw the blood of their friends and their bodies being torn to shreds and being eaten alive.
Of course, there were a few exceptions, and Leon was one of them. When death rained from the sky, he did not run to save his own life. Instead, he resolutely remained in place, unsheathing his sword with the purpose of safeguarding those around him.
He didn't really have to think much about it; that seemed like the most obvious choice for him. And why wouldn't it be? He was confused when he saw the fleeing students, wondering why they were running away instead of standing and protecting each other.
In that pivotal moment, he stood unwaveringly amidst the vibrant festival, gripping his sword firmly and directing its blade towards a menacing demon beast.
With a thunderous roar, the beast elevated its formidable limbs, only to ruthlessly bring them crashing down upon the earth. The ensuing tremors reverberated through the vicinity, disrupting the balance of the fleeing students, causing some to stumble and falter. Yet, undeterred, Leon maintained his unwavering stance, resolute in his purpose.
He stared right into the eyes of the beast as if inviting it to come to play with him. The beast's eyes flared red as it charged madly toward Leon, destroying everything and everyone that came between them.
Exuding an aura of composure, Leon tightened his grasp on the sword's hilt, allowing the tension within him to dissipate with a deliberate exhale, and then locked his eyes on the beast.
"Magiken," he said, and the blade of his sword shone in red. He intended to kill this beast in a single hit, and he was more than capable of doing so.
However, just then he took a good look at his surroundings. There were many demon beasts all around, mercilessly killing the students. Even if it took him one second to kill one beast, he still wouldn't be able to save all of the students.
He could land a wide-range attack, but then he would end up harming the students too, so it was a no-go. He didn't have much time to think, since the beast in front of him was closing in.
Therefore, his system suggested a way for him, and he followed it.
In a measured voice, Leon uttered the words, "Agility boost," causing a fleeting radiance to envelop his body momentarily before subsiding. This was one of the body enchantments he was capable of using—or a buff, in other words.
"Strength boost. Mana enhancement. Greater aura. Increased recoil. Mana shield. Blessing of the Heavens. Lightning infusement. Body shield. Dark shield enchantment. Resistance III."
One after another, his body shone and dimmed as he continued to buff himself with spells. This was surely an overkill considering Leon's level, even a kid could tell that. But he still decided to go with it since he didn't want to risk the lives of his classmates.
In the critical instant when the demon beast closed in, mere steps away from him, Leon unleashed his final spell.
"Point charge," he said. As soon as the spell took effect, it combined itself with Mana Enhancement, Greater Aura, and Lightning Infusement.
The blade of Leon's sword became adorned with intricate, luminous patterns, glowing in a vivid shade of crimson. It pulsated with surges of electrical energy, while beneath each of his feet, two magic circles materialized.
With an unwavering gaze fixed upon the demon beast, Leon observed as a matching patterned circle materialized upon the creature's chest. In a lightning-quick motion, he propelled himself forward with astounding velocity, moving so swiftly that not a single student present could perceive his agile advance.
A mere moment later, the beast came to an abrupt halt, while Leon reemerged behind it. Swiftly surveying his surroundings, he discerned the presence of another formidable creature. With an identical magic circle materializing upon its chest, Leon seamlessly vanished once more, leaving behind a trail of crackling lightning sparks in his wake.
As if ensnared by an unseen force, the second beast also ceased its movements, rooted in its position. Before long, a ripple effect took hold, causing each of the surrounding demon beasts to succumb to the same fate, immobilized one by one.
In a synchronized display, flashes of lightning danced through the air, accompanied by a shower of sparkling sparks.
At last, Leon came into sight.
"Point charge: Defuse," he said. In a breathtaking spectacle, the creatures were then cleaved in two, their severed forms descending to the ground, defeated and motionless.
Leon had cut them right in the middle, destroying their cores as well. Within seconds, he had cleared about a hundred demon beasts at once.
And although it wasn't much since they were coming constantly, he bought enough time for the students to escape and cleared the way for those who were cornered.
"Hurry up! Everyone, get out of here!" Leon screamed, guiding all the students.
However, he didn't tell the students where they had to go, as the teachers had already instructed them. They had been informed to run to the Harts and get in the basement. The academy staff was guiding the students there while all the teachers had drawn their weapons and fought against the beasts to protect them.
When the crowd around Leon lessened, he turned his eyes toward Ellyn and Anya. Both of them were together at a rough distance from him and were fending off the beasts.
"Ellyn, Anya, come on. Everyone has left here; we have to go too," Leon said in a voice loud enough to reach them.
However, being denser than a black hole, he had failed to realize that fighting against the demon beasts was not as easy for everyone as it was for him. Naturally, both girls were having a very hard time standing their ground.
Even just making sure not to get killed seemed tough. Ellyn had multiple cuts on her hands and chest, while Anya had her left arm bleeding badly and a cut that had barely missed her neck.
Noticing this, Leon once again took his stance.
"Point charge," he said, and the blade of his sword emitted sparks of lightning.