The emergency alarm continued echoing across the Demon Hunter Academy.
Its sharp sound filled the air, spreading tension through every corner of the fortress.
Students rushed across the courtyard as instructors shouted orders.
"Everyone return to your assigned positions."
"Rank D students to the inner buildings."
"Rank C and above prepare for combat."
The academy gates were being reinforced.
Large metal barriers slid into place while armed guards climbed the watchtowers.
Ren stood in the courtyard watching the chaos calmly.
The three students who had confronted him earlier had completely forgotten about their fight.
One of them spoke nervously.
"This is a real attack."
Another looked toward the forest beyond the academy walls.
"How many demons are there?"
Before anyone could answer, Captain Kael stepped onto a raised platform near the tower.
His voice carried across the courtyard.
"All Rank B and higher students will assist in defense."
Many students froze.
This was no longer training.
This was real combat.
Kael continued.
"The demons approaching this academy are organized. This is not a random attack."
Several instructors looked uneasy.
Organized demon attacks were extremely rare.
Lyra stood beside Kael and spoke to the gathered students.
"The outer defense teams will hold the gates."
"The rest of you will protect the inner grounds."
Ren walked toward the platform.
Kael noticed him immediately.
"You're Rank B now."
Ren nodded.
"Then you fight."
Ren simply replied, "Good."
Outside the academy walls, the forest had grown completely silent.
Then the first demon appeared.
A tall creature with twisted limbs climbed over a rocky hill and stared toward the academy.
Its red eyes glowed in the darkness.
Then another demon appeared beside it.
Then another.
Within seconds, dozens of monsters emerged from the trees.
Some crawled across the ground.
Others leapt between the rocks with unnatural speed.
One of the guards on the wall shouted.
"They're here."
The academy gates shook violently as the first demon slammed into them.
BOOM.
The impact echoed across the courtyard.
Students tightened their grips on their weapons.
Another demon jumped toward the wall.
A guard swung his blade and cut it down.
Black blood splashed across the stone.
More demons rushed forward.
The battle had begun.
Kael drew his sword.
"All units engage."
The gates opened suddenly.
Several elite hunters charged outside to intercept the demon wave before it could reach the academy interior.
Steel clashed with claws.
Roars echoed through the mountains.
Ren watched the battlefield carefully.
The demons were aggressive but disorganized.
Most were low-rank creatures.
But something about the attack felt wrong.
Lyra moved beside him.
"You'll be assigned to the western defense line."
Ren looked toward the battlefield.
More demons continued emerging from the forest.
"How many are there?"
Lyra answered quietly.
"Too many."
Suddenly—
A massive explosion shook the ground.
Everyone turned toward the northern wall.
A giant demon had smashed through part of the stone barrier.
The creature was enormous.
Nearly five meters tall.
Its skin looked like black iron, and its claws were longer than swords.
Students near the breach stepped back in fear.
"That's not a normal demon."
One instructor shouted.
"High-rank demon incoming."
The monster roared and crushed two guards with a single swing of its arm.
Panic spread through the nearby students.
"Fall back."
The demon stepped deeper into the academy grounds.
Every step cracked the stone beneath its feet.
Kael narrowed his eyes.
"That one is dangerous."
He started moving toward it.
But before he could reach the monster—
Someone else walked forward.
Ren.
Lyra immediately grabbed his arm.
"That's a high-rank demon."
Ren looked at the creature calmly.
"I know."
The demon noticed him and let out a deep laugh.
"A human child wants to fight me?"
Its claws scraped across the ground as it approached.
Ren stepped forward slowly.
Dark energy began spreading beneath his feet.
The shadows around him twisted slightly.
Several nearby students felt the strange pressure immediately.
"What is that energy?"
The demon stopped walking.
It stared at Ren with sudden interest.
"That power…"
Ren's eyes glowed faintly.
"You're blocking the path."
The demon grinned.
"Then try to move me."
It raised its massive claw and swung downward.
The attack was powerful enough to crush stone.
But Ren moved before it landed.
He slipped past the strike and stepped directly beneath the monster.
The shadows gathered around his arm again.
The demon tried to react.
Too late.
Ren's strike cut upward through the air.
A dark arc flashed across the battlefield.
For a moment, everything became still.
Then the demon's body split apart.
The massive creature collapsed onto the ground.
Dust and black blood spread across the broken courtyard.
Silence filled the area.
Students stared at the fallen monster in disbelief.
One of them whispered.
"He killed it in one strike."
Lyra exhaled slowly.
Kael watched Ren carefully from across the battlefield.
But suddenly—
Another presence appeared.
Much stronger than the others.
High above the battlefield, standing on the academy wall, a tall figure observed the fight.
The man wore dark armor and a long black cloak.
His eyes glowed red like burning embers.
He looked directly at Ren.
Then he smiled.
"So that is the shadow user."
The man raised his hand slowly.
And deep within the forest behind him—
Something far more terrifying began to move.