Chapter 27: More Battle

As Lothe and Seana rushed out of the upper archive, the sight before them made both of them freeze.

Ruth, Melody, and three other girls were slumped against the wall, their bodies covered in jagged claw wounds.

A dead Silver Horned Wolve lay nearby, while five charred corpses—they other girls—rested a few meters away. The acrid smell of burnt flesh filled the corridor.

Blood continued to seep from the girls’ injuries, staining the tiled floor beneath them. Melody’s condition was the worst.

Dark blood pulsed from a deep gash along her inner thigh, and every breath she took was a pained tremble.

Seana hurried over and knelt beside her.

"Are you alright?" she asked, immediately realizing how hollow the question sounded.

Melody slowly raised her head.

Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot, fresh tears streaming silently down her grimy cheeks.

"They’re... they’re dead..."

Her voice broke into desperate sobs.

Seana didn’t need to turn around to know who Melody meant. "I know," she replied softly. "...and I’m sorry."

Silence hung heavy in the air for a moment before Seana steeled her resolve.

"As much as it hurts, you have to pull yourselves together. We can’t stay here any longer."

Her gaze shifted toward Ruth.

The girl had changed. The sheer terror that once filled her eyes had been replaced by a quiet, hardened determination.

"More monsters are coming," Seana continued, her voice sharp. "And trust me... you don’t want them catching you here."

She pointed toward the four glowing orbs lying beside the wolf corpse. "Take them. They’re yours. They hold treasures that can help you survive."

Ruth nodded, her jaw tight. Slowly, she reached out and picked up one of they glowing orb.

The moment she crushed it—

A burst of silver light erupted. When it faded, a pair of sleek silver daggers rested in her hands.

For some reason, they felt strangely familiar, almost as though she had trained with them for years.

Seeing this, Melody and the remaining girls quickly scrambled to pick up the other orbs.

A composite bow appeared in Melody’s hands, while a quiver filled with five yellow-feathered arrows materialized across her back.

The other three girls also received different treasures: a stout wooden shield, a long rapier, and a set of reinforced gauntlets.

A flicker of relief crossed their faces.

Then, their expressions hardened again.

"We’ve never used weapons before..." one girl whispered, her voice trembling. "How are we supposed to fight?"

Seana stood up.

"I don’t know what weapon each of you received," she said, her voice clear. "But don’t overthink it. Feel the Qi flowing inside your body. Guide it naturally through your weapon. Your body will remember more than your mind."

The entire upper archive suddenly shuddered violently. Dust drifted from the cracked ceiling. A deep, guttural roar echoed from the main library below.

Seana’s expression instantly turned grim. "We have to move. Now."

She turned toward Lothe.

He had remained quietly behind her the entire time, his spear resting loosely in one hand as he scanned the corridor like an unmoving guardian.

She gave him a brief, apologetic smile.

Lothe simply nodded. Without another word, the two of them led the injured girls toward the staircase.

The moment they reached the mid-landing, overlooking the grand hall—

They froze.

The lower floor had become a complete battlefield.

Blood stained the once-pristine marble. Broken bookshelves lay scattered everywhere, while terrified screams echoed from every direction.

"Please!"

A frightened student desperately crawled backward as a massive Silver Horned Wolf slowly stalked toward her.

The beast lowered its body, then swept a claw.

Shhk!

Her head separated from her body.

The wolf lowered its snout, beginning to drink the warm blood pooling on the floor. The silver lightning crackling around its horn immediately intensified.

It never got the chance to finish.

Crack!

Ice rapidly spread from beneath its feet, climbing over its body before freezing it solid.

Boom!

The frozen wolf exploded into countless icy fragments.

Nyren slowly lowered her hand, her face a mask of cold fury. A mist of frost drifted around her as ice spread across the floor beneath her boots.

Not far away, Adrian, Oren, Daniel, and Diego fought desperately against other wolves, protecting smaller groups of frightened students.

The attack had come without warning. Most of them had been teaching the new survivors how to guide their Qi when the beasts had crashed into the library. Many students had died before they could even react.

Frost continued to spread across the battlefield as Nyren froze another charging wolf.

She never noticed the second one, a blur of silver, silently flanking her from behind.

"Nyren!"

Adrian’s desperate shout echoed through the hall.

She turned too late.

The wolf’s claws, wrapped in crackling silver lightning, descended toward her head.

For a brief moment, time seemed to stop.

Fear. Helplessness. Regret. Every emotion flooded her mind at once. She closed her eyes, bracing for the tearing pain.

Five seconds passed.

Nothing came.

Instead—

Thud.

Something heavy struck the floor.

Nyren slowly opened her eyes.

Lucan stood in front of her.

A circular, razor-sharp steel chakram spun once around his fingers before returning to his palm. Blood dripped steadily from its edge.

At his feet, the wolf’s severed head rolled across the floor.

Lucan stared silently at the weapon in his hand before looking toward Professor Sy.

The older man simply smiled. "I only guided you. The rest... you understood yourself."

Without another word, Lucan charged back into the chaotic battle.

Despite everyone’s efforts, more students continued to fall. Those with awakened abilities desperately protected the weaker survivors, while ordinary students fought with nothing but raw courage.

Unfortunately, the endless sounds of battle and the overwhelming scent of blood had attracted something far worse.

A zombie horde.

One after another, grey figures staggered toward the library entrance. Their movements were noticeably faster than before. The blood rain had clearly strengthened them.

Nyren’s expression darkened. "So even they evolved..."

Without warning, the awakened survivors unleashed a barrage of attacks: Ice spears. Metal bullets. Stone spikes.

Countless projectiles shot toward the approaching horde. The first row of zombies collapsed instantly.

Then, everyone froze.

The zombies behind them dragged the fallen corpses forward, using them as grotesque shields while continuing their relentless advance.

"...They’re thinking," Daniel muttered, his voice barely a whisper.

A cold chill ran through everyone. Despair quickly spread across the students. Some dropped to their knees, others completely lost the will to fight.

The wolves immediately seized the opportunity. Screams echoed throughout the library as more students fell beneath their flashing claws.

"We’re not dying here!" Adrian roared, slamming his fist into a charging wolf.

Oren’s spear swept across the battlefield, forcing three wolves backward as he echoed the command. "No one gives up!"

Even so, everyone could feel it. They were reaching their limit.

The zombies finally reached the entrance. The first one stretched its bloodstained claws toward a trembling student.

"Please..." The boy sobbed. "...don’t."

The zombie only answered with a guttural growl. "Graaaagh!" Its claws descended.

Puchi!

A black sword pierced straight through its skull.

The zombie collapsed.

The sword spun through the air, its crimson-tinged blade reflecting the blood-red light before returning to its owner.

Every pair of eyes turned toward the entrance.

A young woman dressed in a black lab coat calmly caught the returning blade. Her dark hair flowed around her as Crimson Qi wrapped around the black sword resting in her hand.

Beside her stood Lothe. He held the Inferno Dragon Spear firmly in his grip, its sharp black tip coated in a dense, swirling aura of purple Qi.

Behind them...

Ruth. Melody. And the remaining girls tightened their grips on their newly obtained treasures.

Lothe slowly raised his spear. Seana pointed her sword toward the battlefield.

Without a word...

They charged.