BOOM—!
Smoke and dust billowed from a building outside the school. Explosions rang out one after another, resembling the detonation of some kind of chemical compound.
But this was a school district—chemical plants weren't allowed anywhere nearby.
"Attention all students! Please evacuate immediately to Teacher Building No. 7!"
The sudden announcement blared from the school's Public Address system. It was the principal's voice, serious and urgent.
Teacher Building No. 7 was located at the back gate of the school.
Students froze for a moment—then chaos erupted as they bolted from their classrooms.
"Do not panic! Remain calm and proceed in an orderly manner! Homeroom teachers, maintain order!"
But the principal's words only fueled the panic.
The more he urged calm, the more frenzied the students became. Teachers struggled to regain control, but no one was listening. Everyone could sense this was no ordinary incident.
Fenric moved with the crowd, feeling a sense of unease.
Based on his understanding, this world was more chaotic than the Earth of his previous life, thanks to the existence of Samsaras. Some individuals, once empowered, acted recklessly—committing crimes with little restraint.
Still, society remained relatively stable.
Especially in major nations. Armed with nuclear weapons, they kept even the most unruly Samsaras in check. No one dared stir real trouble.
But this… this was different.
Before long, Fenric and the rest of the students made it safely out through the school's back gate.
Police quickly sealed off the surrounding area. Dozens of officers patrolled the streets, using loudspeakers to urge citizens to stay indoors.
A heavy tension settled over the city.
Fenric returned home.
"Ric? I was just about to call you! That explosion—was it near your school?" his father, Eric, asked with concern.
"Yeah. I'm not sure what's going on yet. The school staff evacuated everyone. There are police everywhere," Fenric replied.
"Must be the work of a supernatural again… something similar happened a few years ago."
Father Eric's face was clouded with worry.
"Ric, don't go out today. Stay home."
"Alright. You too—try to get some rest."
Fenric retreated to his room and turned on his computer to search for information.
Surprisingly, there was almost nothing online.
Most netizens were still busy praising Shura for easily clearing an SS-level dungeon.
Some users briefly mentioned hearing an explosion—but their posts were swiftly deleted.
Such a massive incident, yet not a single solid report on the Internet? That was definitely abnormal.
Even local forums were eerily quiet.
Occasionally, a post would pop up—but it would be taken down almost immediately.
It was clear: the government was suppressing the news.
Fenric frowned. This wasn't normal. If it were just another supernatural criminal, there'd be no need to hide the details like this.
Still, he didn't dwell on it too much. As long as it didn't affect him, he could stay out of it.
He'd ask Aurora later. As a high-ranking official, Aurora Morwyn would surely know more.
For now…
Fenric opened the Samsara Forum to check for strategies related to the eighth floor of the Samsara Tower.
Just like the seventh floor, the eighth had two dungeons.
BOOM—!
Before he could read further, the roar of helicopters thundered outside his window.
Fenric rushed over and looked up.
Several military helicopters, painted in camouflage, sped across the sky toward the heart of the city.
Troops also began to appear in the streets below.
Fenric's eyes narrowed.
In this world, much like the Earth he once knew, military forces didn't enter urban areas without a serious reason.
To deploy the army meant something huge had happened.
His brows furrowed. He needed more information—and fast.
He pulled out his phone and dialed Isla Wynn.
Among all his friends, only Isla came from the upper class. If anyone knew something, it would be her.
The call connected quickly.
"Hello? Fenric?"
"Yeah, it's me. Isla—have you heard anything? There's a huge commotion in the city."
Isla's voice was tense.
"Fenric, are you still at home? You need to get out—now. The entire city's about to be locked down."
"What happened?"
"I don't know all the details. But my dad said a terrorist organization got their hands on some kind of virus from the Samsara Space… it's already spread through the city. Lots of people have died."
"The military is taking over completely. We're evacuating soon. Fenric, do you want to come with us? I can tell my dad—we can bring your family along."
Before Fenric could reply, the line went silent.
"Hello? Isla?"
He checked his phone—no signal.
When he returned to his computer, the Internet was down too. No access to any websites.
Fenric's expression darkened.
A virus? Powerful enough to trigger a full-scale military response?
A sense of unease crept into his chest.
He wasn't worried about himself—his immunity made him invulnerable to toxins or infections.
But his father was just an ordinary man.
Without hesitation, Fenric headed to Eric's room.
"Ric? Look outside. The army's everywhere…"
His father was wide awake, unable to sleep amid the chaos. His face was filled with concern.
This was already beyond anything they'd seen before—not even the last supernatural crisis came close.
"Dad, pack your things. We're going to the countryside."
Their family had a mud-brick house back in the village, abandoned since Fenric's grandparents passed. But it could still serve as a temporary refuge.
"Is it really that serious?" Eric asked.
"It is," Fenric said firmly. "I just spoke to a classmate. Her family's well-connected, and she said a virus has leaked. It sounds credible. Better safe than sorry."
Father Eric's face turned solemn.
"Alright. Let's get our things and go. We'll stay in the countryside for a few days."