Chapter 23: Echoes of the Past (Part 2), moving swiftly to their arrival:
The cursed zone stood just beyond the fog-drenched forest, its air colder, heavier—like the shadows were watching.
Synoh raised his hand. "Formation—hold!" he ordered, his tone sharp, practiced.
The students snapped into position without hesitation.
At the front, Synoh, Lux, and Yuta took point—ready to confront the beast directly.
Mina and the archers readied their fire-enchanted arrows, primed to mark the monster when it appeared.
Behind them, heavy knights formed a protective barrier around the support casters and archers. Agile, assassin-type students flanked the sides, hidden and poised to strike the moment an opening showed.
"Captain," one student whispered, "what kind of monster are we dealing with?"
Synoh and Lux exchanged glances.
Lux spoke, quiet and firm. "We don't know. It's like… a mix of everything. Fast. Strong. Twisted. We couldn't even see it clearly. Panic clouded our vision back then… and grief drowned the rest."
The wind howled.
Synoh turned to the group, his voice low but commanding. "Stay alert. If something goes wrong—watch for my signal. If I raise the flare, we retreat slowly, in formation. Protect each other, no matter what."
A cold breath passed through the unit.
They were ready.
And just beyond the veil of mist and ash, something moved.