Later that day, the announcement came.
Not a public warning. Not a full lockdown. Just a calm, almost casual broadcast over the academy's speaker system:
> "As a precaution, a campus-wide curfew will be in effect starting today. All students are to remain in their dorms after 8 PM. Violators will face disciplinary actions."
No mention of beasts. No mention of injured students. Nothing about the blood-soaked walls or the stretchers rushed into the infirmary.
The Academy had made its decision.
Behind closed doors, the heads of security offered their reasoning.
"No security breach," one officer said. "No camera footage. No trace."
"Could've been a rogue intruder," another replied, "but we found no one."
Rune only frowned. "And the dead student?"
The report was cold. Efficient.
"No family. Orphan. Transferred here from a border zone academy. No one to press charges. No media presence."
The principal gave a quiet nod.
"Then we don't escalate. The curfew is enough. The last thing we need is panic spreading."
And just like that, the incident was swept away—tucked under layers of protocol and silence.
---
Academy Medical Bay
Miranda's eyes fluttered open.
White ceiling. Soft hum of mana-healing lights. The clean, sterile scent of antiseptic filled her nose. For a moment, she didn't remember where she was.
Then the pain in her side reminded her.
She tried to sit up—but winced as a sharp jolt hit her ribs.
"You should rest."
A soft voice. A woman in a healer's robe stepped into view, placing a warm hand over Miranda's arm. Healing energy gently pulsed from her palm.
"You're safe now," the healer said kindly. "You've been stabilized, but you shouldn't push yourself."
Miranda blinked. "What… happened?"
"You were attacked. You were lucky. If the security team had arrived a moment later—well… let's just say you've got someone watching over you."
The healer smiled.
"Your friends have been informed. I believe they should be able to drop by tomorrow "
Miranda lay quietly, her fingers brushing the smooth bandage at her side. Her body was healing, but her thoughts were anything but calm.
She closed her eyes, trying to piece together what happened.
The alley. Footsteps behind her. The sudden ambush. She remembered the flash of mana, the pain, the screaming—her screaming.
But no monster.
Just… darkness. Red eyes. Claws, maybe. Or maybe that was the pain twisting her memory.
Still, one thought burned clear in her mind.
> "It had to be Drevon. That bastard definitely sent those students to ambush me."
She gritted her teeth.
> "But why the hell did it turn into such a mess? I didn't see any monsters… but…"
Her brows furrowed.
> "I thought I heard someone. A voice. Just before I blacked out."
It echoed faintly in her mind.
The thought unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.
"Ugh," she muttered, shifting on the bed. Pain flared again, and she gave up trying to sit.
Miranda relaxed slightly, her breathing slow and measured,but before she could think about anything she slept off
Elsewhere – Alex's and Kirito's Dorm Room
Alex sat on the edge of his bed, hunched forward, arms draped over his knees. The room was quiet, save for the hum of the ventilation system and the occasional muffled chatter from students outside.
Then he decided to take a look at the system
Name: Alex kairo
Race: Halfling Ghoul
Level: 6
Exp:50/100
Strength: 19
Stamina: 30
Agility: 20
Hunger: 5%
Energy: 100%
Unallocated stat point:2
Abilities:
Physical Enhancement
Regeneration (Lv. 1)
Enhanced Senses
Half-Starvation Mode (Lv. 1)
Crimson claw(lvl.1)
After the fight with the student that ambush Miranda he was able to level up a total of three times,bringing him to level 5,then he also leveled up once as a reward for his first human killed,finally bringing him to level 6.
The door creaked open, and Kirito stepped in, looking drained. Sweat clung to his shirt like he'd just finished sparring.
"You heard the announcement, right?" Kirito asked, pulling off his gloves. "Curfew starts today. The halls are already dead quiet."
Alex nodded slowly.
Kirito sat on his bed, leaning back on his palms. "Also… I got a message from the infirmary earlier. Miranda's stable. They said she woke up and should be discharged by tomorrow."
Alex's eyes flicked toward him. "They messaged you?"
"Yeah. I was listed as one of her emergency contacts—guess she added me at some point," Kirito said with a shrug. "You weren't?"
Alex hesitated. "of course I was, I'm just suprised you were also messaged"
Kirito tilted his head, studying him. You must be really worried about her"
Alex said nothing, his gaze drifting toward the window as he clenched his jaw.
Kirito let the silence linger before adding, "Anyway… she's alive. That's what matters."
.........
The room was quiet now. Kirito was already fast asleep, his soft breathing barely audible beneath the low hum of the ventilation.
Alex lay on his bed, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling.
Sleep refused to come.
His mind replayed the alleyway, the blood, the scream, the look in that student's eyes before everything ended.
He clenched his fists, jaw tightening.
"I did it to protect Miranda."
The words echoed in his chest like a mantra. A justification.
"They could've killed her if I didn't step in."
His brows furrowed.
"And that guy… he kind of deserved it."
Anger simmered beneath his skin.
"Miranda did nothing wrong. All she did was reject him—and for that, they tried to ambush her? Tried to kill her? How messed up is that?"
He sat up slowly, swinging his legs off the bed, hands resting on his knees.
The room was dim, shadows stretched across the walls. But within him, something else stirred—quiet, hungry.
"This academy..." he muttered, eyes narrowing. "It's more dangerous than I thought. Behind the smiling instructors and fancy uniforms—it's a battlefield."
His gaze hardened.
"People with weak abilities won't survive here."
He reached up, brushing his fingers lightly over his chest—where the warmth of the system used to flare each time he fought.
"I have to become stronger."
A pause.
"Strong enough to survive. Strong enough to protect those I care about."
He lowered his hand slowly, a cold fire flickering in his heart.
"Even if it means embracing this… this side of me."
One of his eyes shimmered in the darkness—glowing faintly red.
The eye of a ghoul.
Alex didn't flinch.
He just stared forward.
Resolved.