This was a large magical academy with thousands of students and teachers. The people that they examined today were only a small fraction. There was a focus on the teachers this day but the bulk of people was composed by the students. It would have taken them a week or two to go over everyone here but the Archdemon threw a wrench into their plans.

With a loud howl from its toothy mouth the students and teachers that weren’t tested started to change. Every person that was a demon in disguise shed it and started attacking the closest person to them. The monsters were outnumbered but they were much stronger than the youths. These were noble children that were brought up being sheltered by their parents and knights, fighting in true battles wasn’t something that they were prepared for.

“Protect the students!”

“The students in the shelters are turning into monsters and attacking!”

“Activate the teleportation circle, call for the Falconian Knight order!”

Many shouts filled the area as the young students panicked. Some of them fought with the use of their magic while others just ran away in fear. Most of these young lords and ladies failed to stand up to the occasion and just hid away in hopes that others would take care of the demon situation.

At this very moment, the Archdemon was grasping the hands of the stone golem looking Vice-Principal. The red creature had grown another set of arms just for this occasion. It was now holding its opponent in check with those added appendages and pounding away with its pointy sickle hands.

Soon the rocky golem crumbled into dust and the person inside dropped down to the ground. He was in the middle of the chest cavity performing a spell so he wasn’t directly harmed. After the creature caused irreparable damage to his stone form he was now out of energy, still alive but with no power to activate any other spells.

Luckily for him, there were some other magicians out here fighting as well. While the monster was trying to seal the deal long range spells started raining against its back. It turned around while the magical energy bathed its red skin, it was as if it didn’t even care that it was getting hit.

“You insignificant worms, such trifling magics won’t work on the Lord of Pain!”

It laughed and then opened up its large mouth. Zhang Dong had seen this type of attack and quickly signaled everyone to get down. Regretfully he didn’t have much pull here and the wizards continued to fire off their spells.

What the monster was doing was a massive beam attack. The energy condensed into a dark gray sphere close to its mouth before being fired off. The beam wasn’t uniform in size or direction as it burst forth into many smaller beams. The destruction that followed was massive as it melted into the buildings and magic shields that were in its way.

A massive explosion followed suit along with the screams of people that were in the range of the beam and without any protection. The largest of these beams was aimed at the spot where the Principal and others were standing. Regretfully this was also the area where Zhang Dong and Beatrice was at.

“Idiots…”

The dust started to settle revealing a golden glow behind it. Zhang Dong had been forced to use up quite a bit of Beatrice’s mana reserves to produce a big enough shield to protect the people around him. Due to the injuries that those higher level magicians had suffered beforehand, they were slow to react to protect the students around them.

“Thank you, great spirit.”

The dark elf Principal called out while getting off the ground. She was already drinking some colorful potions and her wounds were being healed. The same thing was happening to the other wounded magicians around here.

“Retreat for now, leave this to the adults, Prince Ludwig I will leave them in your care!”

The Principal shouted as the three turned to face the monster. They were quick to bring the fight to the Archdemon, mostly doing it to stall for time.

“L-let us listen to the Principal.”

Beatrice said while wobbling back while also drinking a mana potion. The prince finally nodded and agreed. Zhang Dong wasn’t sure if he realized that the enemy was too strong or if he just took the chance to act as a gallant knight to protect the lady he was interested in.

The group here consisted of moss head, carrot top, and a few other students of various genders. Isabella didn’t seem to be around and neither were any of her ladies.

“Leave everyone in my care, I will protect them! Lady Beatrice came with me!”

Soon a white steed materialized as the Prince performed his summoning spell. The creature that he possessed was the type that mostly increased his speed and wind spells. It could also be used as a mount while not being able to do much damage itself.

“I…”

Beatrice looked at the horse and the outstretched hand. Zhang Dong could feel that the girl’s heart was racing. It was clear that she was thinking some things that she shouldn’t at this dire moment.

‘Just get on the fairy horse…’

She snapped back to reality and finally grasped Ludwig’s hand. She hopped onto the white steed with his help and they were off. The other students didn’t say anything but some of the young women had strange looks in their eyes.

Soon everyone was retreating while the battle raged on behind them. From time to time a red skinned monster would try to attack them. There were even variations of smaller ones that were more in numbers than the people here anticipated.

“It must be the demon thralls, some high level demons can summon weaker minions to aid them in battle.”

The carrot head knight said while pushing his sword through an imp looking monster’s head. Zhang Dong was made aware of this as he could feel a lot of strange demonic energies popping up all around them. The so-called Lord of Pain was apparently summoning more monsters to help him in battle. There also could have been specialized demonic shamans calling those monsters over here.

For now, Zhang Dong decided to manage his powers. The students looked to be capable enough to take care of these lesser demons. Unless a tougher enemy showed itself he wouldn’t make a move.

‘Can those guys defeat that ugly demon?’

He thought back to the Principal and her aids. They were all in the core formation realm when it came to power but the monster outranked them all. He wasn’t sure if this magic academy had any precautions in place for demon attacks. It looked like it didn’t, it was hard to get in but it was also hard to leave.

The people running this place might have been a bit too prideful. They were so sure that no strong Archdemon would be able to sneak inside that they were lax with the defenses. He could see some mechanical golems running around but they were all at the foundation establishment level of power.

It didn’t seem like anything here was strong enough to handle this threat but he himself also didn’t have enough juice. If he could tap into his old core formation level of strength it would be enough, he just needed it to last for more than one attack.

“Prince we are here… but…”

They arrived at one of the shelters but the door was busted open and the magic circles that were used for the mana shield were scratched up in various places. There were traces of battle and even some dead bodies of young students and red monsters.

‘Damn…’

Zhang Dong looked at some of the dead bodies with worry. He wished that he could help these youths but there was only so much he could do in this situation by himself. It was impossible for him to just set off on his own and get to all of these crimson monsters. There was also the problem of keeping his host Beatrice safe and he didn’t really trust this prince to do a well enough job.

“How about we try the teleportation platform?”

Carrot top gave some advice and the people nodded. Using the teleportation magic to flee would be a good idea but Zhang Dong had a suspicion that it wouldn’t be that easy. While the whole place continued to rumble they moved onto the next building. During their escape, they came across other students that joined them.

Slowly the youngsters led by the green haired prince battled their way towards the teleportation circle. Zhang Dong was surprised how the others were to quickly fall in line, the moss head apparently had enough fame to make everyone submissive and follow his orders.

When they arrived at the spot where the chamber to the teleportation circle was supposed to be they discovered a collapsed entrance. There were even imps running around and attacking some of the teachers that were trying to get inside.

“Did the monsters get to it before the instructors could call for help from the Falconian knight order?”

“Impossible!”

The students looked at the scene with horror in their eyes. It looked like combat was the only option now.

‘What should we do Mr. Leigong?’

‘Probably better to stay in the group, there is strength in numbers.’

“Okay everyone let us split up!”

Ludwig proclaimed while waving his fancy heavy repair around. In the young man’s eyes, it was best to split up and search for survivors and other possibilities. Zhang Dong knew on the other hand that this would just let the smaller number of monsters attack one of these groups that was diminished in numbers.

“You there grass hair, I don’t think that would be a smart idea.”

He decided to speak up, leaving things in these kid’s hands would only bring more harm to them. There was one way of them getting out of this alive and it would require all of these youths to work together.

“G-gras hair?”

The prince looked to the voice that spoke out and could see a somewhat smug-looking small humanoid spirit floating towards him.

“This spirit of yours has quite the mouth, Lady Beatrice…”

The knight with orange hair commented from the side while getting between him and Zhang Dong. The other students looked at this lightning spirit in disdain for calling their heroic prince in this way.

“Silence!”

A loud crackle of lightning brought the attention back to Zhang Dong. Even in his depleted form, he was the strongest person here. The Prince was close but still not in the foundation establishment realm of power. When he released some of that spiritual pressure the kids started buckling under it.

“If you want to save your friends, you will do exactly as this Lightning Emperor orders! Now someone get some chalk, we need to draw a magic circle!”

After going through the magical books in the library he had come across a peculiar spell circle, one that could aid him in temporarily regaining some of his lost power. If it would work depended heavily on the youths here.

“With haste! We don’t have much time!”

The thunder sounded off again before the students got in gear, it was time to perform some magic.