Pragaya, losing his composure, demanded, “How the hell did you get past all the magical barriers and guards on standby?”
The creature just kept laughing, its mocking tone reverberating through the room, refusing to answer Pragaya’s question. Frustration surged through the air as Pragaya's magical energy began to crackle violently, shaking the very foundation of the hall.

Kromus, ever the protector, shouted, “Students, move back! Find a safe place to hide!”
Most of the students obeyed, rushing to take cover, but not Rai, Rose, or Baruss. Gale, on the other hand, had no desire to stick around. He muttered to himself, “Man, I really don’t want to die here today.”

Rai’s voice cut through the tension. “Gale, take Rose and Baruss someplace safe. I’ll handle this bastard.”
Rose’s irritated voice snapped back. “I don’t need your protection, Rai! I can take care of myself.”
Baruss chimed in, “Yeah, man, you’re really underestimating us.”

Rai met their gaze with unwavering seriousness, his face grim. “This is not the time for pride, you damn fools. That beast is more powerful than you. You can feel it, can’t you?”
The two of them froze, their eyes flickering to the creature, and a cold chill shot up their spines, freezing them in place. The creature’s malevolent aura was undeniable.

“See? I told you. Now, Gale, listen to me—take them and go.”
Gale hesitated for a moment but finally grabbed Rose and Baruss, pulling them away. Despite their protests, telling him that they could fight, Gale’s determination was clear. Rai wasn’t going to back down. Neither could they afford to be stubborn.

Pragaya unleashed a surge of power, directing a concentrated beam of light straight at the creature. The strike landed, clean and precise, causing Rai to briefly flash a faint smile of hope. But both Kromus and Pragaya remained on high alert, and for good reason. As the dust began to settle, the creature stood unharmed, not even a scratch on its body. Rai, unable to process what he was witnessing, stared in utter disbelief. That had been a high-level spell, one of the most powerful attacks from the Headmaster himself.

"How the hell did it not do a single bit of damage?" Rai demanded, still rooted to the spot as Kromus tried to pull him back to safety. But Rai stubbornly refused to retreat, unwilling to back down.

"How do you not know about the Hellrisers?" Kromus barked in disbelief.

Rai turned to him with a comedic expression, completely lost. "The what?"

"The Hellrisers, you fool! They're humans who sell their souls to devils in exchange for power. They're granted magic nullification by the devils themselves." Kromus’ voice was filled with urgency.

Rai froze, his face paling as the implications hit him. "Magic nullification... so how the hell are you gonna beat him?" he asked, fear creeping into his voice.

Kromus’ gaze turned steely. "You're an absolute moron. By now, you should know better than anyone that magic isn't the only weapon we have at our disposal."

Rai’s gaze sharpened as he watched Pragaya, his body shifting into a martial arts stance. "Well, I should've guessed you'd have that kind of power if you were bold enough to come here to fight me,".

Pragaya’s body began to glow with a brilliant light, his magic coiling around him like a living flame. "Fortify, Light Speed Armor," he intoned, the words reverberating in the air. In a flash, his limbs and feet were encased in radiant medieval armor made of pure light. Finally, wings of blinding energy sprouted from his back, illuminating the entire hall.

Without hesitation, Pragaya moved. In an instant, he blurred into a streak of light, his speed almost too fast to follow. With a single, decisive motion, he grabbed the Hellriser and shot through the ceiling, carrying it outside. "Let’s go somewhere we can fight for real," Pragaya’s voice echoed, even as he and the creature disappeared from view, leaving nothing but the sound of wind and the echoes of battle in their wake.

Kromus, his face serious, looked at Rai and ordered, "Move it! Get to a safe place." Rai hesitated for a moment but followed, the weight of helplessness pressing on him as he heard the chaos and destruction around him. Every scream, every clash of battle, felt like a dagger to his resolve.

They quickly reached the designated hiding spot where the rest of the class had gathered. Gale, already there, waved them over urgently. "Hurry up!" he gestured, his face strained.

But before they could get any closer, another Hellriser smashed through the side, aiming directly for Gale. Gale, caught off-guard, could only stare wide-eyed as his fate seemed sealed. Rai, desperately reaching out, summoned Atmaan Explosion, hoping to increase his speed just enough to save him, but it was too late. His hand outstretched toward the Hellriser, Rai's efforts fell short.

Just as the Hellriser’s claws were about to strike, Kromus acted in the blink of an eye. His eyes glowed with cold energy, and beams of ice shot forth, freezing the creature mid-strike, its hand inches from Gale's throat. Without missing a beat, Kromus swiftly shattered the frozen Hellriser with a single slash, saving Gale just in time.

Rai, a look of immense relief on his face, rushed to Gale and wrapped him in a tight hug. "Thank God you're alright!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with gratitude.

Gale, still shaken, returned the hug with a half-hearted grin. Rai continued “frosty you are awesome you know that”.

Kromus, clearly irritated by what Rai said, sighed heavily. "It's Kromus, you buffoon," he muttered, rolling his eyes as the frustration bled through his exasperated tone.

Rai, still frowning in confusion, glanced at Kromus and asked, “Wait a minute, you said these bastards have nullification magic. How did you freeze it?”

Kromus shot Rai a smug grin. “If all the Hellrisers had magic nullification, then humans would've been extinct long ago,” he replied with a cocky smirk. “In reality, only the strong souls get the nullification power and keep some intelligence. Most of the Hellrisers are just brainless beasts, like the one I just took down.”

Rai, still processing, leaned in with more questions. “Okay, so how does one become a Hellriser, anyway?”

Kromus gave Rai a concerned glance, but Rai, rolling his eyes, reassured him, “Don’t worry, Frosty. I’m not looking for some shortcut to power. I’m just curious, that’s all.”

Kromus nodded, but his face remained emotionless. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, a thunderous noise cracked the air. The sound of crashing and growling echoed from outside.

Kromus muttered under his breath, “Why the hell are they so concentrated around here? Dammit…”

Rai, piecing it together, realized that it was probably because of him. He sat in silence for a few seconds, deep in thought. Then, with a sudden resolve, he sprang from his seat and out the door. “Hey, you brainless bastards! You want me? Then come get me!” he taunted, his voice dripping with confidence.

Without waiting for a response, Rai activated Atmaan Overdrive, boosting his speed to a blur, and dashed out, leaving the chaos behind.

Kromus chased after the Hellrisers, his voice a furious shout behind them: “You’re going to get yourself killed, you fool!”

Meanwhile, within the safety of a distant room in the academy, the students huddled together, sitting in eerie silence, each trembling in fear. They tried to block out the sounds of the raging battle unfolding outside, but it was impossible.

Gale, unable to sit still any longer, stood up, his frustration evident. “Goddammit, man! I can’t just sit here while he’s out there! I have to go help him!” he declared, clenching his fists.

Baruss looked at him with a disbelieving expression. “And what the hell can you do? Have you seen those things? Even if they’re not as strong as the one the Headmaster’s fighting, they’re still way out of our league—yours, Rose’s, mine, all of us.”

Rose, with her usual high and mighty stance, remained quiet, though she couldn’t help but nod slightly. Baruss was right. None of the first-years stood a chance against the Hellrisers wreaking havoc outside.

Suddenly, a small, timid voice piped up from beside them: “But... Mammoth is out there fighting, right? So Rai should be fine, don’t you think?”

All the students jumped in surprise. Ariel had materialized in front of them, her shy presence startling them out of their anxious thoughts.

Gale’s eyes widened. “W-WHAT?! Where did you come from?!” He staggered backward, almost tripping over his own feet.

Baruss blinked in disbelief. “Seriously, are you trying to kill us too?!”

Rose let out a frustrated sigh, half amused and half exasperated. “Ariel, you need stop that before you give someone a heart attack”.

Ariel clasped her hands tightly between her thighs, her face flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry,” she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. As everyone regained composure Baruss shook his head and turned to face her. “Yeah, Rai might be fine, but the difference is he’s not fighting another person out there. Mammoth wasn’t trying to kill him. But these beasts? They want his blood. Can Rai muster up the courage to end them? Can any of us?”

A long silence followed, but the abruptness of Ariel’s appearance still hung in the air. No one could find the words to answer him.

But Gale could no longer sit idly by. With unwavering resolve, he declared, "I don’t care if my life’s in danger—I’m going." He marched toward the door, his expression set in determination. Baruss groaned, following reluctantly. "Dammit, man, why can’t you just sit down and do nothing? Now I’m gonna feel guilty if I don’t help," he complained, his voice a mix of frustration and concern. Rose, without a word, simply walked forward, her eyes burning with quiet determination.