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///// Amelia POV /////​​

It changed all too fast

When I awoke today, I never guessed I would find myself in this situation.

When the stampede alarm rang, I did not have much to think of but I knew that this was a fortunate opportunity.

One that would help change my future or at least buy me time to shape it myself.

So I met an instructor and wrote my name for the draft.

I was given lightweight armor as I asked for and a basic sturdy longsword.

Also, I was given a choice to make between 4 Minor healing potions or 2 Minor healing potions, or just 1 High healing potion.

The same choice pertained to the Ether recovery potions.

I chose the second option for the 2 mid-potions.

I put on my armor after that, deciding to cross it with my original armor for more protection, and left the sword handed to me for the one given by the family.

The sole helpful thing they have given me.

After that I offered a prayer to my ancestors and a curse to my family, Then headed out with determination for success.

/////

It changed all too fast

In this short lifetime, I thought I had seen enough death to get used to it.

But this was different

Everyone and everything died before my eyes.

'I thought I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for this, but I guess I did not know enough.'

I bent back as a human head sailed past me, The perpetrator striking me soon after.

'But now I know more

A simple swerve to the left let me dodge and counter, My sword slicing deep into the Dark Beast side.

'Not much….. But more.'

It flinched from the attack giving me time to attack from behind and end its life with a stab through its heart.

When it fell I stabbed it again.

'The deaths had taught me something'

I heard a grunt as I pierced through the Dark Beast

'It taught me to never be weak'

"!"

Shifting the dead beast to the side with my feet, The sight of a man with my sword stab on his back, taking his last breath shook me

I ended his life.

'Yet I am still too weak'

"ROAR!"

My moment of distraction won me a sneak attack from a Dark Beast. But I was still incapable to react still shook from before

'Is this how the weak die' I thought as its claws approached me.

'Sudden and powerless to react.'

My existence went by my eyes. It was dull……… except for when I met Lena….. that day was fun.

I shut my eyes, readied to accept my demise, but something no someone shoved me out of the way.

I was too stunned to even restabilize myself, although the first hit to the ground did snap me out of it.

I perked up to see Vincent in front of a headless Dark Beast with a bloodied silver sword in his hand.

///// Switch POV /////

///// Vincent 3rd Person POV/////

'Is this girl stupid?, Who loses focus right in the middle of a war' He thought in wonder as he jabbed Amelia to the side.

Vincent unsheaths the Firestorm and cuts through the Dark Beast taking off its head

He again turns to Amelia, "Stupid" he mutters.

After that he heads on, chopping through the beasts that came his way.

Using his dual elements to the highest he was allowed to without being suspicious.

In this battle, Vincent had concluded to not use Thundra possession or his new element.

But if necessary he wouldn't hesitate.

///// Further Within /////

Instructor Selussa, Pryde, Vinda, and Zeph had gone thick into the stampede.

As they went deeper, they met face to face with a sudden shift in the environment.

The terrain altered into that of grief and dead one with the sky fading into darkness.

"Up your guard, Something is wrong here" Instructor Pryde warned.

"The sky, The wind. It feels." instructor Zeph began.

"Dead" Instructor Selussa finishes

"Yes, dead," He said back

The once lush forest was now replaced with that of greyness. The leaves of the trees were gone.

The natural brownness of the soil was now similar to whitened if a desert.

Even the calm sky was now gone as only grey clouds and occasional bolts remained.

"Something did this," Instructor Vinda said, "But what?"

"SCREECH!"

A sudden loud screech hit them, making the Instructors of Aemplefort cover their ears as it likened to the blowing of their drums.

The screech pushed the air outwards, sending the flying instructors back with no control.

Instructor Selussa with haste crested a flower path and cushioned all the Instructor's flight paths as she had no control over the flight spell.

They all landed onto the path safe but disoriented

"Argh" Instructor Vinda grunted in pain from the harsh landing.

"Are you okay?" Instructor Zeph that had landed beside her inquired.

"Yah I'm-"

Before Instructor Vinda finished her sentence.

A dreadful Aura washed over them and pushed Instructor Vinda to the ground.

The rest of the Instructors were strong enough to shrug off the aura but still felt its intimidation.

Then they looked at it and simultaneously they all broke their former record of the biggest Dark Beast that they have seen well most of them have seen.

It stood at 21-22 feet tall. An arachnid 8 legged spider, covered in thick black fur, It's 4 pairs of red eyes stared at the Instructors with the desire to consume them

[Name: Arachnid

Danger Threat Level: SSS]

"SSS Rank!" Instructor Vinda almost screamed in surprise

"Get Re-" Instructor Pryde was cut off as the 21 feet spider lunged onto them.

Somehow its height didn't hinder his speed as it soon reached Instructor Vinda that it had scented as the weakest amongst the quad.

It raised its sharp pincher legs and jabbed at her with great speeds leaving no room for her to react.

Fortunately, Zeph that was at her side was able to push her and himself out of the way with the help of his skill [Forgoing Intrusive For Elusive.]

They both rolled out the way unharmed, But the danger wasn't over.

Seeing his prey escape, Arachnid was enraged and again made an effort to attack but its movement was halted.

Green thick thorn vines burst out of the ground and enfold it threatening to pin Arachnid to the ground.

But it was stronger than that, The vines only served to hinder it, even the thorns were unable to dig past its fur.

But the Instructors were not done, From the side Instructor Pryde flashed and dropped anchor a clean punch at the held Beast.

Sending it blasting through its entrapment further away from them.

But mid-air the beast balanced itself and landed on all feet like a cat.

There was no clear sign of physical harm, It just shook itself to get rid of its dizziness

Although this presented a window of opportunity that Instructor Pryde capitalized on well.

'[Lion Augmentation]'

With this skill activated, Instructor Pryde began to change.

His wild features became more distinguished.

The Instructor grew taller and bigger, His red hair grew longer and wilder, and sharp fangs and nails protruded out.

'This is just a partial transformation, I'll test it with this.' Instructor Pryde thought.

He tensed his legs and dashed to the dazed Arachnid leaving behind a small crater.

It wasn't long before he came up beneath the Arachnid chest. He hit the exposed belly with a fist that was on fire.

But the effect he foresaw did not come.

His flames exploded out, but it was unable to make Arachnid budge nor did it do any harm.

"How," Instructor Pryde said in surprise

He did not have much time to think of it as a sharp pincher entered into its peripheral vision. It approached him but ended up hitting nothing.

Instructor Pryde had moved from that position with the help of Selussa.

The beast wondered where its attacker was but it wasn't given enough time to figure out as a huge shadow enveloped it.

It looked up to see a giant ice block that appeared out of nowhere in the sky.

It tried to dodge but it slipped from the now frozen ground beneath it.

It was dazed by the fall and was unable to dodge the falling block of ice.

BOOM

The collision broke the ice-covered floor and created dust clouding itself.

/////

Beside Instructor Selussa, The floor cracked then fell and the figure of Instructor Pryde appeared beside her rising from underground.

"Thanks," he said with a smile of appreciation.

"You're welcome,'' she replied impassively. "What happened there? Your attack did nothing" Selussa asked.

"I don't know,'' He replied, "But when I hit it, something happened. Its skin became soft yet hard."

"I don't know how but whatever it did absorb the force from my punch and put a resistance against my fire."

"Hm" Selussa hummed in wonder, she then looked at the beast that also looked at her.

"This won't be an easy battle." She said

"I know." Instructor Pryde said whilst stretching, "But it won't be an easy battle for it either."

"Hm, True. Anyways, let's deal with this quickly. Aemplefort can only hold on for so long"

"Yeah, I wonder how they are holding up?" He asked himself

Instructor Pryde then turned to Instructor Zeph and said, "Let's go all out."

Instructor Zeph just smiled in response.

/////