Ryan slowly sat up on the ground. His left arm was aching badly from the wall hit, but a sigh of relief came out of his mouth.
Freddy hurried over and helped him to his feet.
Carl stood in front of them. He was panting heavily. "Are you guys alright?"
Freddy nodded.
"But why did you come out of the building? Didn't you see the condition of the ground floor?"
"We saw," Ryan replied, the pain in his arm had dulled a bit. "But we couldn't just wait. That creep attacked us in the auditorium — some students were seriously injured. We tried to contact the teachers, but... All of our phones stopped working."
"So we decided to come out and find someone," Freddy added.
Carl looked at them with a flicker of respect in his eyes.
'These boys are really something!' He thought.
"You guys are insane. But... Thanks for your help; I needed that backup."
Before either of them could respond, a tall, thin man stepped out from the security surveillance room nearby, accompanied by another elite.
Adjusting his glasses, the man gave the area a quick scan. "The security system has been restored."
Carl nodded, and a smile of genuine relief spread across his face. "Thanks, Mr. Homes; without you, things could've turned out way worse."
The man chuckled, "Young man, you flatter me. I didn't do anything extraordinary!"
He gave Ryan and Freddy a brief glance before continuing. "Alright then, since the situation's under control, I'll be on my way."
With that, he strolled towards the main gate of the school.
Carl looked back at them. "Let's get those students treated first. After that, I'll explain everything."
Then, with a glance over his shoulder, he added, "Don't worry — the danger is over."
He started walking toward the students' building. Ryan and Freddy followed, but Ryan's gut tightened. Something didn't sit right.
It wasn't the end. The danger was far from over.
Half an hour later...
Ryan and Freddy sat in one of the few intact classrooms alongside the elites. Most of the school had been wrecked, the creatures ruined their majestic and aesthetic building to a certain extent. Rebuilding it was going to take time.
The other students had long since been evacuated. The severely injured ones were rushed to the hospital, and the rest received treatment at the school's medical facility.
Among them, only Ryan and Freddy remained.
Carl dabbed antiseptic lotion on Ryan's arm. For someone like him, these wounds were mere scratches; once they returned to the academy, a healer would patch them up in seconds.
"You alright?" Carl asked. Just a few minutes ago, he applied a pain relief cream, it was already working.
Ryan sneered. "I'm good, but it'd be better if that creep hadn't thrown me like a rag doll."
Laughter broke out around.
"You do know you could've died, right? How'd you even muster the guts, guys?" Jean, one of the elites, smirked, clearly impressed. "I gotta admit, if I were still in high school, I wouldn't have had the balls to do that."
Ryan chuckled, then leaned back in the chair, a bit more relaxed.
"But, how did all that happen! Our school's security is tight enough; how did they slip in?" Freddy asked, his voice was serious.
"Hah..." Paul, another elite, let out a long breath. "Someone hacked the security system. They also jammed all outside communications. It happened just when the meeting started. The second the system went down, those things were already inside."
Ruan frowned. "About those creatures... Are they monsters?"
"No," Jean replied. "Monsters are tougher to deal with; they have mana. These... Things are something else. They're the result of failed scientific experiments."
"Failed experiments?" Ryan sat up straight.
Carl nodded. "There've been covert projects going on for years. Secret research to create superhumans."
"Superhumans?" Freddy echoed.
"Yeah. Some underground organizations have been trying to enhance human capabilities — physically, mentally, and even magically. However, there isn't a single report of success. Some subjects of the test survive, but mostly don't."
"And those failures turn into these creatures?" Freddy asked, furrowing his brows.
"Exactly," Jean said grimly. "They mutate, become unstable, mindless. Well, some retain fragments of thoughts, like those that attacked us. But mostly, they're instinct-driven and deformed... Dangerous."
Ryan and Freddy exchanged glances, both recalling the eyeless creature in the auditorium. Now it made sense.
Carl's expression darkened. "They're almost impossible to train; usually, they're discarded like trash, but sometimes... They're used on purpose, for destruction."
Ryan clenched his fists. "So, you're saying that someone deliberately hacked the security system to let these things in!"
"Yes," Carl confirmed. "But the bigger question is — who? And, why?"
"Maybe... they were targeting you guys?" Ryan offered.
Mike, the fourth elite who remained quiet till now, shook his head. "I doubt that. We are just senior-year trainees; why us?"
"Moreover... Elites can be attacked anywhere— on missions, on battlefields. Why here? Why a school? What's so important here that someone would go to these lengths?"
Jean exhaled sharply. "And let's not forget—they sent the weakest type of beasts. If they were after us, why not send real threats? This was... too easy."
"Something isn't adding up, I feel there's more to the story," Paul muttered.
Ryan and Freddy stayed silent, a lot was going on — too many questions, unanswered.
Carl finally sighed. "Anyway, let it be. It's already afternoon. You two should head home and rest."
Ryan nodded. They both stood up and made their way to the door. The main gate had already flooded with reporters and media personnel.
'Attack in Kingston High' — how could they miss the trending topic? They had to slip out through the back gate instead.
Just as they were about to step out of the room, Carl called after them.
"Ryan, Freddy!"
They turned.
Carl smiled. "Hope you both awaken your powers soon. Can't wait to see you in the academy."
The two grinned in response and stepped out.
The ride back home was quiet. The sudden attack disrupted the usual routines. The streets were almost deserted; most shops were closed, and only a few convenience stores were half-open. People headed home in a rush.
Ryan stared outside through the window. His mind reeled through the incidents. Today had been terrifying — but also thrilling!
He pulled out his mobile and opened a media app. Kingston High was already trending; a live video showed the aftermath — shattered glass, torn banners, broken doors and windows. The dead bodies had been taken away, but the blood stains remained on the floors and the walls.
The camera panned to the administrative hall, where the principal stood, alongside the other teachers and the elites, facing the press.
"Today's incident was no accident — it was a well-planned attack. They hacked our security system, and let those creatures in. We're already investigating the matter. An investigation is already underway. Thanks to our elites, the situation was brought under control."
He paused.
"But, I must express my gratitude to some of our students, who bravely held the ground today. Due to their safety, I won't disclose their names, but..." He looked straight into the camera. "They're true warriors, extraordinary, with or without awakened powers."
A smile tugged at Ryan's lips.
This... this is why I respect him.
The principal never sugarcoated the truth. He took responsibility when needed and gave credit when it was due.
Ryan slipped his phone back into his pocket.
Ting!
The bus halted. He stepped off and started down the quiet street toward home. His thoughts drifted to the Awakening Day. It was usually held after Meet-and-Greet Day, but this year... it'd probably be postponed.
For the first time, he was eager for it to arrive.
Today changed everything. The life of an elite— A life of danger. Of action. Of infinite possibilities.
A life he now craved.