Chapter 248: The Western Region

The Western Region had become a completely different battlefield from the chaos surrounding Blackridge Tower.

Here, the surviving academies were scattered across an enormous industrial district. The flame bees had turned the entire area into a burning maze, and somewhere inside that maze... West Town Saints Academy was still fighting.

"LEFT!"

A student shouted as a massive flame bee flew between two ruined buildings.

"NOW!"

Three students attacked simultaneously. A spear of ice pierced one wing; lightning struck its body- a fourth student rushed forward and finished it with a powerful slash.

The creature crashed into the street.

BOOM!

Everyone immediately looked around.

"Any more?"

"Nothing!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

The students breathed heavily as one of them dropped onto a broken piece of concrete.

"I hate bees."

Another student looked at him.

"Those aren’t bees."

"I hate whatever they are."

Someone laughed. Their captain didn’t. Ezra was staring at the battlefield ahead.

The Western Region had been strangely difficult. The flame bees weren’t simply attacking randomly. They were becoming more aggressive, stronger, and smarter.

And the longer the tournament continued, the more dangerous the creatures became. He checked his communication device.

"Status."

Several voices came through.

"Team Two is moving toward the checkpoint."

"Team Three found another academy."

"Team Four is still searching for the substitutes."

Ezra frowned.

"The substitutes?"

"They haven’t been located."

"Still?"

"Still."

He looked toward the burning skyline.

"Keep searching."

One student approached.

"Captain."

"What?"

"We’ve secured enough points."

The captain shook his head.

"Points don’t matter if we can’t reach the checkpoint."

The student nodded.

"Then what’s our next move?"

Ezra looked at the map. Their designated checkpoint was several kilometers away. But between them and it was a battlefield.

And the battlefield was getting worse.

West Town Saints Academy had already lost several students to the first wave, not because they were weak- quite the opposite. The academy was one of the stronger teams from City AF.

Their fighters had good coordination, their abilities worked well together, and their captain, he, Ezra had already taken down several A-Rank flame bees personally.

But the Western Region wasn’t giving anyone an easy path.

Ezra raised his hand.

"Everyone."

The group gathered around him.

"We’re changing formation."

Perry frowned.

"Why?"

"Because we’re being followed."

Everyone went silent. One student looked behind them.

"By what?"

The captain pointed toward the ruins.

"Not what."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Who."

A figure stepped out from behind a destroyed vehicle, followed by other students. Students from a different academy emerged from the smoke. Their uniforms were covered in dirt, and their weapons were drawn.

The West Town Saints students immediately raised theirs. The other academy’s captain stepped forward.

"West Town Saints."

"You know us."

"Everyone does."

The opposing captain glanced toward the checkpoint.

"We’re heading the same way."

"And?"

"We’re taking your route."

A student from West Town Saints laughed.

"You think we’ll let you?"

The opposing captain smiled.

"I think you don’t have much choice."

The Saints captain’s expression hardened.

"Then try."

SKREEEEEEEE!

Both sides prepared to attack, but before either could move, a horrible sound echoed through the ruins, causing everyone to freeze.

The opposing captain slowly looked upward.

"Please tell me that’s not another one."

Something massive flew over the buildings. Its wings were burning. Its body was considerably larger than the ordinary flame bees.

"Forget each other," Ezra said with a chuckle, and the other captain nodded.

"Agreed."

The creature descended.

"Together."

Both academies attacked.

***

Meanwhile, weveral streets away. A small group of West Town Saints students moved through an abandoned warehouse.

One student held a communication device.

"Captain, we’ve found something."

Static.

Then:

"Go ahead."

"There are signs that another team came through here."

"Which academy?"

"We don’t know." The student crouched and touched a strange mark carved into the floor.

"Captain..."

"What?"

"This wasn’t made by students."

Silence.

"What do you mean?"

The student looked deeper into the warehouse. There were scratches across the walls- deep ones. Something had dragged its claws through the metal. Then they found blood- human to be precise.

One student swallowed.

"Someone was attacked here."

The captain’s voice became serious.

"Get out."

"But-"

"NOW."

They turned, only to halt as a low growl came from the darkness. Everyone froze. The communication device crackled.

"Captain..." The student slowly raised his weapon. "We’re not alone."

***

Back at the main battlefield, the two academies were struggling against the massive flame bee. It was far stronger than anything they’d encountered before. Its flames were almost white. Every time it flapped its wings, a shockwave tore through the street.

BOOM!

A student was thrown into a building.

"GET UP!"

"I’m fine!"

Ezra rushed forward and punched the monster in the belly, but it barely moved.

"Too hard."

The opposing captain attacked from above. Lightning crashed down.

KRAKOOOM!

The creature screamed, its attention shifting.

"Now!"

West Town Saints attacked together. Several abilities struck the same location, causing the creature to stagger. Its wing dropped.

Ezra saw the opening.

"Everyone!"

"FULL POWER!"

Every surviving student unleashed their strongest attack, and the battlefield erupted.

BOOOOOOOM!

The flame bee was swallowed by the combined attack.

For several seconds, nothing moved. Then its body collapsed. The students stood frozen.

Someone finally whispered, "Did we win?"

"Yes."

Cheers erupted, but Ezra didn’t celebrate. His communication device was still active. He looked down.

"Team Four."

No response.

"Team Four, answer."

Static. His expression darkened.

"Team Four."

Nothing. He looked toward the warehouse district.

"Everyone." The celebration stopped. "We’re going there."

One student looked toward the checkpoint.

"But we’re close."

"I know."

"Shouldn’t we continue?"

The captain shook his head.

"No."

He looked at his team.

"If our people are in trouble, we don’t leave them behind."

The students nodded and followed after him.

***

Inside the warehouse, the West Town Saints team was surrounded. The creature standing before them wasn’t a flame bee.

It had six legs, a long, armored body, and two enormous claws. Its eyes glowed red.

"What is that?"

Nobody answered.

The creature lunged, causing the team to scatter.

BOOM!

One claw tore through the wall, while another student attacked. His ability struck the monster’s side, but the creature barely reacted.

"Fall back!"

They ran, and the monster followed. Then something strange happened. The tournament system activated.

[WESTERN REGION NOTICE.]

Everyone stopped. A giant system notification appeared above the battlefield.

[STAGE ONE CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN MODIFIED.]

The message flickered, and disappeared. The students looked at one another.

"What does that mean?"

The captain’s communication device suddenly came alive. Every team in the Western Region could hear the same message.

[ALL SURVIVING ACADEMIES ARE ADVISED TO PROCEED TO THEIR DESIGNATED CHECKPOINT.]

[WARNING.]

[MONSTER MUTATION LEVEL: INCREASING.]

[STAGE ONE WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE REGIONAL CHECKPOINT HAS BEEN SECURED.]

Ezra clenched his fist.

"So the tournament is changing..." He looked toward the checkpoint. Then toward the warehouse where his missing team was still fighting.

"Fine. Then we finish this quickly."

His team followed him.

And across the Western Region, every surviving academy began moving toward the same destination.