When Qasim finally looked ahead...
His heart sank.
They had barely made it halfway through the middle.
"..."
His lungs burned.
His head still throbbed from using the light dash.
Blood slowly trickled from the corner of his eyes, but his legs still obeyed him.
That was enough.
...
The formation had completely changed.
Valen was still at the very front, but now he looked tired.
His clothes were covered in scratches.
Fresh cuts decorated his arms.
His breathing had become noticeably heavier.
Behind him, only four teachers remained.
Half of them had already fallen.
Three guards were still alive.
The rest...
Were simply trying to survive.
Behind them...
The monsters had fully realized what was happening.
Like starving beasts, they rushed toward the closest prey.
The middle became another slaughter.
A student screamed before disappearing beneath dozens of claws.
Another teacher was dragged into the horde.
Someone cried for help.
Someone else begged.
No one could stop.
No one dared stop.
Because stopping meant dying.
...
Qasim’s eyes widened.
The nurse had stumbled.
"No..."
She reached toward the others while crawling across the ground.
"Please..."
A giant beast slammed into her.
Her scream echoed for only a second before it vanished beneath countless monsters.
Qasim instinctively took a step toward her.
Too far.
Isac was too far.
Verm was too far.
The only person close enough was Timon.
But he just glanced over his shoulder.
Their eyes met for a brief second.
Then he looked away.
And kept running.
The nurse disappeared forever.
...
Qasim clenched his teeth.
"Damn it..."
He hated it.
He hated every second of this.
But he couldn’t stop.
...
Then...
He noticed someone slowing down.
Zerni.
The dwarf’s short legs simply couldn’t keep up anymore.
Each step became heavier.
His breathing rougher.
"Zerni!"
Qasim immediately slowed down.
"I’m coming!"
He stretched out his hand.
Zerni did the same.
Just a little more—
But then a sharp claw flashed.
Slash.
The dwarf’s arm flew through the air.
Zerni crashed onto the ground.
"NO!!"
Monsters immediately surrounded him.
Through the tiny gap between their bodies...
Zerni looked at Qasim.
There wasn’t fear in his eyes.
His lips moved.
*It had been an honor, my friends.*
The monsters swallowed him.
Qasim’s body moved on its own.
He was about to rush back.
He could still use Light Dash.
He is special, he is strong, he is the main character.
He can surpass his limit and sa—
Kevin grabbed him.
"STOP!"
Qasim turned around furiously.
"What are you—"
His voice stopped.
Kevin was crying over Zerni.
His entire face had collapsed.
He looked completely broken.
"You’re bleeding..."
"If you use it again, you’ll die too."
Qasim looked back one last time.
Nothing remained of Zerni.
Only monsters.
His vision blurred.
He wiped away tears without slowing down and kept running.
Little by little...
The number of monsters ahead became smaller.
"We’re almost through!"
One of the teachers shouted.
Valen immediately slowed down.
"The back!"
Without hesitation he switched positions.
The remaining teachers moved to lead the students.
The last surviving guard stayed beside Valen.
The rear instantly became hell.
Hundreds of monsters chased after them.
Their footsteps shook the earth.
Their screams echoed across the academy.
No one dared look back.
They simply ran.
Faster.
Faster.
Faster.
Then...
"There!"
Someone pointed ahead.
A transparent wall stretched across the academy entrance.
Behind it were people...
"We’re saved!"
"KEEP RUNNING!!"
Hope exploded through the exhausted group.
Everyone pushed their bodies beyond their limits.
...
"We need a bigger gap!"
Valen shouted.
Qasim suddenly looked toward Isac.
"How many shots left?"
"One!"
"Perfect! Give it to me!"
Without hesitation Isac threw him the weapon.
Qasim immediately handed it to Valen.
"Can you reinforce it?"
"What?"
"I need it to survive one massive spell!"
Valen’s eyes narrowed.
"I’ll try!"
Without slowing down, his eyes turned white.
For a split second...
The gun changed.
"There!"
"But it’s not that strong!"
Qasim caught it.
"Thanks."
He inhaled deeply.
Then poured everything into one spell.
Mana.
Pain.
Fear.
Anger.
Every negative emotion inside him flooded into the firearm.
The barrel immediately turned red.
Cracks spread across the metal.
"You bastards want something to eat?"
He raised the weapon.
"THEN EAT THIS!"
BOOM!!
The explosion shook the battlefield.
The projectile became a blazing comet.
Everything in its path exploded.
Dozens of monsters were hurt.
Then they piled over each other in confusion.
Their advance stopped.
Just for a few seconds.
But that was enough.
The firearm shattered in Qasim’s hands.
He nearly collapsed.
Kevin caught him before he hit the ground.
"I got you!"
...
Ahead...
"OPEN THE DAMN BARRIER!"
One of the teachers screamed.
"We’re being chased!"
Behind the barrier, several officers hesitated.
"What are your orders, Commander?"
The commander stared at the approaching sea of monsters.
"...Open it."
The barrier disappeared.
"HURRY!"
The first group crossed.
Then the students in the middle.
Behind them...
Only six remained.
Valen.
The guard.
Isac.
Verm.
Qasim.
Kevin.
"Hurry!"
The barrier slowly began closing.
"Don’t you dare close it!"
One of the rescued students screamed.
"They’re almost here!"
"We can’t risk letting those monsters escape!"
The commander roared back.
"But... We will close it slowly to give them their chance."
Everyone held their breath.
Isac crossed.
Then Verm.
Kevin dragged Qasim through just before the opening became too small.
Qasim immediately turned around.
"VALEN!"
Valen and the guard were still inside.
The gap was shrinking.
"Fuck..."
Valen whispered.
The guard suddenly smiled.
"It was our duty to get everyone out safely."
Before Valen could react—
The guard grabbed him by his clothes.
And threw him.
Valen flew through the barrier.
The opening sealed shut.
The guard remained inside alone.
He looked at the survivors.
Then slowly placed a fist over his chest and bowed.
The monsters swallowed him seconds later...
Then hundreds of creatures crashed against the barrier.
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
But it never broke.
...
They were safe.
No one celebrated.
Some collapsed onto the ground.
Some stared blankly ahead.
Others cried without making a sound.
It was finally over.
But every survivor understood the same thing.
They had escaped the hell.
But because of this night...
It would follow them into every nightmare for the rest of their lives...
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