After lessons that felt incredibly long and boring, the break bell finally rang. Noah rose from his seat. "I'm going to the principal's office," he said to Rei.
"Alright... I'm going out to get some fresh air, maybe play with Haru" Rei replied.
Noah walked through the crowded corridor, his eyes searching for the sign saying 'Principal's Office'. Finally, he found it. He knocked on the door softly.
"Come in!" a deep voice sounded from inside.
Noah opened the door and found the principal at his desk, which had a nameplate on it. Mr. Hiroshi–was busy trying to tidy a pile of files on a high shelf.
"Excuse me, Sir. Why did you call for me?" Noah asked politely.
"Ah, Noah, you're here," greeted Mr. Hiroshi without looking up, still focused on his files. "I need your help to tidy these up."
"Okay, Sir," Noah answered, and without asking many questions, he began to help.
He fetched files, tidied them, placed them on high shelves with the help of a small ladder, and even helped sort and stamp letters. Everything was finished quickly thanks to his help.
After a few minutes passed.
Mr. Hiroshi wiped his sweaty brow. "Good... It's all neat now. Thank you, Noah."
The principal then sat in his work chair, starting to stamp grades with a wet stamp. Suddenly, without looking up, he asked.
"Noah... Is my son, Tareo, still bothering you?"
Noah was silent for a moment, then answered, "No, Sir. He's not bothering me anymore. Actually, it's better if you don't scold him either. It seems... that just makes him want to bother me more."
Mr. Hiroshi let out a long sigh. "I just don't want my son to be a delinquent. I've tried my best, but he never listens to me."
Noah was silent for a moment, his legs swinging on the chair, considering the principal's words. Then, he nodded slowly. "Sir, may I return to class now?"
"Go ahead. Once again, thank you for your help, Noah," Mr. Hiroshi answered with a thin smile. "Oh, and if he bothers you again, just tell me."
Noah nodded politely with a smile. Then he turned and left the room. His steps were quick but heavy, his mind still shrouded by the earlier conversation.
On the way, he glanced out the window, seeing all the students playing cheerfully on the field without a care in the world.
He quickened his pace.
When he arrived in front of his classroom, he pushed the door open—and found the room empty and quiet.
Huh? Empty?
A strange sense of relief washed over him. In the midst of this solitude, he actually felt calm. He walked over to his desk in the back corner and sat down in his chair. He stretched his stiff body.
In the middle of that stretch, his eyes caught something.
Suddenly—a purple vapor shot up into the air from behind the school wall.
His eyes widened instantly.
"A Rift...?" he whispered, his heart pounding.
And sure enough. The ground began to slowly crack open, accompanied by a low rumble and a terrifying abyssal light that kept spreading.
The sound of panicked screams instantly shattered the silence; teachers were saving their students, children nearby were running around even if they fell. The school siren wailed loudly, deafening the ears.
The vibrations grew stronger, shaking the floor until Noah almost fell from his chair. Noah tried to stand as best he could amidst the intense shaking. When he looked.
Damn, why is there a Rift here?
He struggled to stand amidst the rumble.
Then he stood transfixed, his pupils dilated, his body seemingly drawn towards the Rift.
"Kill all demons…" a faint voice brushed against his ears amidst the chaos.
Small cracks spread like spiderwebs, getting closer to the school building. A small child almost fell into the gaping chasm, but a Rifter—wearing an organization uniform—suddenly emerged from the dust, grabbing and saving the child just in time.
The Rift stopped growing; it had reached its relatively small size. The mages arrived promptly; they evacuated the area, moving civilians and students away. Some of them surrounded the Rift with magic already glowing in their hands, ready to attack. People around them treated it as a spectacle.
The situation was now beginning to be under control.
Noah was still fixated on the faint voice that had gently passed through his ears. What was that just now?
The students still inside the building, especially those on higher floors, were urgently instructed by the teachers to evacuate immediately, as the building's structure was at risk of collapse.
Rifters Now beginning to form a defensive line. One demon emerged from the Rift—shaped like a giant dog, and some had more abstract forms.
"This will be easy…" said a mage in a confident tone, before launching a light attack that instantly turned the demon to dust.
Seeing the demons defeated so easily, Noah realized something. These demons are very different from the ones I saw in the forest. Their power levels vary greatly.
Now I know—demons that take humanoid forms tend to be stronger. Not like these. The mages will surely finish this soon.
The lights of magic shimmered with every attack, dancing in the air like deadly fireworks. Noah was mesmerized, as if watching a performance. He was curious.
I need to get down immediately too.
With a pounding heart, Noah took a step back and turned around. He ran down the now-empty corridor, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the hallway abandoned by students and teachers.
A smile crept onto his face as if he had just found some entertainment.
His steps slowed. From around a corridor intersection, someone began to approach. His shadow grew long and larger, blocking Noah's path.
He revealed himself. A thin smile spread across his face, directed right at Noah—like a hunter who had found his prey.
Tareo?