True God In Another World (Tensura x Tbate)

Chapter 91 - Attack on the Academy Pt.2: The Betrayal

Caera Crestless POV

I stood to the side, watching the destruction around me. Several buildings were on fire, the flames consuming the academy's proud architecture with frightening speed. The ground in the square was stained a deep red, a mixture of human and beast blood soaking into the ancient stones. The metallic scent of blood mixed with the acrid smoke, creating a nauseating combination that burned my lungs with each breath.

The once-peaceful square had been transformed into a battleground scarred by chaos and violence. The academy's pristine walls, which had stood for centuries, now crumbled under the assault of corrupted mana beasts and twisted magic. Flames licked the sky, casting an orange glow over the shattered stones and twisted metal. The heat from the fires was intense enough to feel even from where I stood, adding to the suffocating atmosphere.

The screams and roars rose in a terrible chorus - those calling for their friends, those pleading for help and mercy, and the bestial sounds of the corrupted mana beasts hunting their prey. Fear spread through the academy grounds like a disease, blood flowed freely, and bodies fell with frightening regularity. Yet I stood back, watching, my hands trembling at my sides, bound by orders I couldn't disobey.

My desire to help battled with my commands, each death another crack in my resolve. I found myself watching a dwarven student in the jaws of a discolored black-fanged wolf, a B class mana beast. The beast's corrupted form spoke of the masked man's influence - its natural gray fur turned midnight black, its eyes glowing with an unnatural purple light. The corruption had enhanced its already formidable strength, turning it into something that defied natural law. Gnashing my teeth, I looked away from the dimming gaze of the dwarf that pleaded with his eyes before passing away.

Where's the director? Professor Jackson, his assistant Lara, Rimuru Leywin—why haven't any of them shown up yet? Did the masked man's plans to separate them succeed? The timing was too perfect, the chaos too well-orchestrated. Each defender of the academy had been carefully isolated or distracted, leaving the students vulnerable.

I clenched my fists as another explosion rocked the academy grounds, the sound reverberating through my chest. More screams followed, then the sickening sound of another mana beast tearing through flesh. The masked man had planned this perfectly—the timing, the coordination, the strategic placement of his pawns. Every detail had been considered, every potential defender accounted for. The attack wasn't just about destruction - it was about breaking the symbol of unity that Xyrus Academy represented.

A group of first-year students ran past me, terror etched on their young faces. Their uniforms were torn and bloodied, their eyes wide with fear that no child should have to experience. Behind them, two more corrupted mana beasts gave chase, their warped forms a mockery of natural life. I remained still, my orders binding me like invisible chains, forcing me to watch as more innocent lives were destroyed.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Stefan's voice came from behind me, carrying its usual casual tone despite the carnage surrounding us. He was watching the destruction with that same smile he always wore, as if he were observing an particularly interesting experiment rather than mass murder. His complete detachment from the horror before us made him more terrifying than any corrupted beast. "The natural order reasserting itself."

I kept my face carefully neutral, years of practice helping me maintain my mask. Every muscle in my body wanted to strike him down, to stop this madness, but I couldn't. Not yet. "The DC is proving more resilient than expected."

"A minor inconvenience," he said, waving his hand dismissively. His complete lack of concern for human life still chilled me, even after all this time. The screams of dying students meant nothing to him - they were just pieces in a larger game. "Our masked friend has something special planned for them."