Deia Sato, a second year with pale skin and short white hair, could sense the chill, her body tensing up. The air felt cold, despite it being late May.
Deia wanted to walk next to Isabella Emberveil and Elara--
But she couldn't.
It wasn't because she was weaker, but because of the horror that she saw and felt.
Deia only saw those strange images briefly, almost like they were a memory, but she couldn't remember. What she saw resembled a chamber, other kids, and lab equipment.
And that presence, the power coming out of Gisurd. It tensed Deia up more than the cold; it felt like she was held back by weights she couldn't see.
"What... What is this?" Deia muttered.
Everything became a blur; she almost forgot her own name in that moment.
However, she was forced to focus on the current moment, noticing Hunters standing before her.
With the help of the wall next to her, Deia stood up, balancing herself against it.
Her right arm was slouched towards the ground when shackling sounds of chains started echoing in the Hunters' ears.
Suddenly, a shining chain dropped to the ground from her right hand, casting the light of the moon.
Her face drooped, and her short hair covered her face just enough for the Hunters not to be able to see her expression.
The chain moved, cutting through every Hunter before her. When Deia raised her face, her eyes were half-closed and serious, sending chills down the Hunters' spines.
"Gravitas Vinculans: Pondus Lunae." Deia whispered.
In just a second later, the Hunters dropped down, almost like gravity was pulling them, and they fell through the floor, shaking the entire building with their fall.
After she felt the impact, her eyes shot open again, and the chains disappeared.
She stared at the hole caused by her, and she quietly apologized. She didn't want to use her powers, especially not on that level.
Had it not been for her friends, she would've lost herself.
"Hey! Deia, are you alright?!" A familiar voice yelled across the hallway.
When she turned her head, she saw Cedar and Rye run alongside each other. That was also the first time she ever saw Rye run.
"I'm fine..." Deia quietly affirmed when Cedar and Rye reached her.
Even as she smiled faintly, her breath still fogged in the May air. Cedar didn't seem to notice.
Rye eyed the massive gap in the hallway.
'Deia Sato, huh.'
There was something Rye possibly knew that Deia herself didn't.
Meanwhile, further down the hallway, on the other side of the massive gap.
Isabella, the girl from Yamikuro's class with long red hair, had already drawn out her sword from thin air. A slash of fire followed every swing of hers.
Elara, with short dark hair and dark eyeliner around her eyes, admired Isabella's strength, who was able to cut through a horde with ease. But to rival Isabella, she had to step up.
Isabella was from a noble clan of swordsmen, but Elara wasn't anything special. Apart from one family member, the only person she had left.
Despite that, she wasn't hesitant in her abilities.
A cold chill filled the air.
Cracking sounds followed from behind Elara as it slowly crept around her.
Isabella even stopped, a shocked expression forming on her face as she turned around.
Ice covered the walls, floors, and ceiling, and Hunters who lay on the ground while moving.
Elara stood calmly, using the power to create that much ice didn't seem to have a toll on her. It even looked like she was holding back.
Eventually, the ice froze even the Hunters further down the hallway.
Every breath of Elara's was foggy, and she tried to stabilize her breathing.
All Isabella could do was stand and admire. Was she the weaker one all this time?
"...You told me you just recently awakened to your powers... How are you able to do so much already?"
Elara smiled, shrugging slightly.
"Natural talent, I guess."
Isabella didn't want to start questioning her any further, she instead went along with her story.
They made an interesting team, one controlling ice, the other fire. They were complete contrasts of each other.
Isabella and Elara continued walking beside each other through the chill. Their steps cracked the ice beneath their feet.
Isabella kept eyeing each frozen Hunter in different positions.
She held herself back from touching them.
'I should stay focused on the mission.' She tried telling herself.
But curiosity got the best of her, and Isabella nudged one of the frozen Hunters.
The Hunter fell to the ground and shattered, pieces sliding in every direction.
Even Elara seemed to be startled by it, ice shards bouncing against her black shoes.
Cracking sounds echoed from even further down their hallway, and both Isabella and Elara were ready to use their powers.
It was one of the Hunters, both of his hands glowing.
Isabella and Elara shared a brief eye exchange, when-
Both of them charged at the Hunter.
Elara swayed her hand, and spiky ice shards grew out of the ground, moving towards the Hunter.
Isabella charged up her blade, fire burning on it, and she jumped towards the Hunter.
Both of them landed their attacks at the same time, being tied in this exchange.
That's when they understood that a possible rivalry had started between them.
They hurried forward, trying to find the next opponent.
Once Isabella and Elara reached the stairs, screams came from different directions.
"Let's split up here," Elara said in a commanding tone.
"Let's make it a duel, whoever takes down the most Hunters wins," Isabella responded.
Elara gave her a nod and took off.
However, as she tried to rescue the person, her phone rang in her pocket.
Whoever she was talking with tore through Elara's mind.
"Right here... Right now?"
Her hands trembled even more.
"But-- No, I get it."
"I'll do it."
Elara's expression changed, and she left the student in need of assistance.
Down a floor, Kaminari Indy carried a student on his back.
His strength was barely enough to be able to hold that strength on him, but it was fading.
Kaminari couldn't let this student die, even if he didn't know him personally. If the student were to die, the blood would be on Kaminari's hands.
Although it seemed like luck came to assist Kaminari.
He grinned in hope.
Before him stood Yamikuro Asaki, his closest friend.
Yamikuro tried to wave, but stopped halfway through, noticing Kaminari carrying someone.
He hurried over to him and took the student off Kaminari.
"I can carry him."
Once Kaminari felt the weight being taken off his shoulders, he stretched.
"It feels so good! That's why you're the second-best person I could've run into."
Yamikuro raised an eyebrow.
"Second best?"
"Oh, right-" Kaminari clapped his fist against the palm of his other hand.
"Uh, so basically there's this person named Ivy, from some clan, and she can heal him to be completely fine."
Yamikuro remembered Ivy; she was a year older than him and one of the elites. She was also there when Yamikuro was given the death sentence.
"So that's why you were carrying him like that."
Kaminari nodded.
"Yeah. So can you help me find Ivy?"
Yamikuro looked in both directions.
"I don't think I know where she is..."
Kaminari tried his hardest to think. The third floor? Maybe. The second floor? Also maybe. The first floor? ...Also maybe.
"Damn it!" Kaminari suddenly yelled as he felt hopeless.
Yamikuro faced his left side.
"The cafeteria is that way; a huge crowd could gather there. It could also be a simple location for gathering a bunch of wounded people."
Kaminari's eyes widened.
"Whoa... You could be right!"
Kaminari took off running without saying another word, and Yamikuro was forced to keep up while carrying a wounded student in his arms.
When they did reach the cafeteria, the door was boarded up.
Kaminari charged up electricity in his hands and blasted open the door without a second thought.
Yamikuro thought Kaminari was exaggerating. There was no real reason to just blast the door open.
But nonetheless, they got inside.
Immediately, there were wounded students on the ground just as Yamikuro expected.
But neither of them saw Ivy.
"Who are you two?" A voice asked next to them.
Yamikuro and Kaminari slowly turned their heads.
Ivy had her fist clenched, staring at them coldly.
Yamikuro tried to raise the wounded student in his arms to catch her attention without needing to explain much.
Ivy picked up on that and let them in.
Yamikuro and Kaminari placed the student in an empty spot.
"Yamikuro Asaki and Kaminari Indy..." Her voice had completely changed to sound kinder.
"Thank you."
However, before Yamikuro or Kaminari could respond, the Hunters crept up on the doorway to the cafeteria.
They had already charged up the orbs in their hands, aimed at the already wounded people.