One week had passed since the night of blood.
The Academy was in turmoil.
Five second-year students were dead. Brutally murdered in the Outer Region of Tranquil City, their bodies discovered in various states of dismemberment.
All of them had been Nobles or subordinates of Noble families.
The forums were exploding with panic, speculation, and paranoia.
[BREAKING: Five second-year students found murdered in Tranquil City - Serial killer targeting Academy students?]
[Families demanding answers - Why weren't students protected in Core Region territory?]
[GRAPHIC: Victims' hands were severed and taken as trophies - investigators calling killer "The Collector"]
[Academy lockdown discussions - Should students be forbidden from leaving campus?]
[Second-year battlefield deployment delayed indefinitely due to security concerns]
The comment sections were chaotic, filled with fear and anger.
