The bats carrying Ludwig began to falter, their forms flickering and dissolving into wisps of dark smoke. Ludwig’s heart sank as he realized what was happening. ‘Damn, is Master’s mana being suppressed?’ he thought, his mind racing. The bats were losing their strength, their flight becoming erratic as they struggled to maintain their form.
Soon, Ludwig was descending rapidly, the ground rushing up to meet him. He braced himself, preparing for the impact. Just before the bats completely dissipated, he leapt from their grasp, landing roughly on the ground and rolling to absorb the shock. He scrambled to his feet, his eyes darting around to assess his surroundings.
Turning back, Ludwig could see the Black Tower in the distance, its silhouette looming ominously against the night sky. From this far away, the chaos seemed almost surreal—flashes of light, bursts of magic, and the faint hum of Van Dijk’s overwhelming power. But what caught Ludwig’s attention was the figure standing at the top of the tower’s shattered window. Sebas. The man’s eyes were locked on Ludwig, his expression filled with malice and a twisted sense of satisfaction.
Ludwig’s grudge against Sebas only deepened, but he knew he couldn’t confront him now. He didn’t have the strength or the means to fight back, and Evan’s whereabouts were still unknown. All he could do was keep running.
‘But run where?’ Ludwig thought, his mind racing. He looked around, taking in the open plains and sparse trees that stretched out in every direction. The academy was visible in the distance, its lights dimmed and its halls eerily quiet. The Holy Order’s surprise attack had clearly caught everyone off guard, and the academy’s professors were only now realizing the severity of the situation.
Ludwig could see the faint glow of mana discharges in the distance, a sign that the academy’s teachers were mobilizing. He rushed to a nearby bush and hid there. He didn’t know if they already realized what the Holy Order was after… basically dark magic, and he was that exact same thing.
Olim, Joana, Cymoria, and others were rushing toward the tower, their forms moving with urgency. Olim’s voice echoed across the plains, his tone filled with determination. “HURRY UP! We can’t let the Holy Order do whatever they want!”
Joana’s eyes briefly met Ludwig’s as she passed by, and for a moment, Ludwig felt a pang of panic. But she didn’t stop. Her focus was on the tower, on the battle that was unfolding there. She didn’t know what was happening, and Ludwig realized that he was on his own.
‘That settles it,’ Ludwig thought, his resolve hardening. ‘They don’t know what’s going on. I have to hurry.’
He turned and sprinted toward the academy, his legs carrying him as fast as they could. Running aimlessly through the country randomly would only get him caught by the Holy Order. He needed to reach Silva, one of the few people who could help him and who was also a trusted ally of Van Dijk. If Silva helps him out, he can lay low until everything unfolds.
As Ludwig approached the academy, he saw the old guard standing at the entrance, his expression calm but his eyes sharp. Ludwig panicked, he thought that everyone had already left to the tower.
“Looks like you’re causing a lot of trouble, young man,” the guard said, his tone neutral.
“I’m sorry, but I have to go in,” Ludwig replied, his voice urgent. Hoping that the guard wouldn’t stop him.
The guard nodded, stepping aside. “I’m not here to stop you. As long as you’re a member of the Black Tower Academy, you’re allowed in and out. Go on now.”
Ludwig didn’t waste any time. He rushed inside the academy, the heavy doors of the maingate slamming shut behind him.
In front of Ludwig was an open garden and right at the end was the main entrance to the academy’s central building where the teleportation hub was at.
The atmosphere though was oppressive, the garden felt eerie. and too calm, and from the looks of the dorms from where Ludwig stood, they had all of their lights off. Nothing was moving outside the academy. Ludwig hurried through the garden as fast as he could and walked into the main building, closing the door behind him.
The halls are dark and eerily silent. The explosions and chaos from the tower were muted here, the academy’s wards dampening the noise and vibrations.
‘Where is everyone?’ Ludwig thought, his eyes scanning the empty halls.
Ludwig’s thoughts were interrupted by a sudden warning from Thomas. ‘WATCH OUT!’
A massive fireball hurtled toward him, its flames roaring with deadly intent. Ludwig dove forward, the heat of the explosion grazing his back as the fireball slammed into the wall behind him. He rolled to his feet, his heart pounding as he turned to face his attacker.
Evan stood at the right side of ludwig as if waiting for him in ambush, his staff glowing with residual magic. His expression was cold, his eyes filled with a dangerous intensity. “Oh, you dodged that one,” he said, his voice dripping with mockery. He tapped his staff twice on the ground, something that Ludwig had seen before, and this time, he was fully ready. Vines erupted from the floor, lashing out at him, and he jumped from there and landed deeper into the main hall.
Ludwig didn’t hesitate. He turned and ran, his feet pounding against the stone floor as he sprinted through the academy’s halls. Evan wasn’t stupid enough to cause trouble inside the academy, right?
He was wrong.
Evan followed him, his footsteps echoing through the empty halls. “Stop right there, you fiend!” he roared, his voice filled with venom. Another spell shot at Ludwig’s back, the force of the explosion sending him sprawling forward.
[-1200 HP!]
[You are suffering from {Burn} effect!]
-10 HP!
-10 HP!
Ludwig’s cape was on fire, the flames licking at his back. He rolled on the ground, extinguishing the flames before scrambling to his feet and continuing to run. His destination was the teleportation hub, where Silva operated. But where was everyone? The academy felt like a ghost town, its halls devoid of life.
As Ludwig turned a corner, he froze in his tracks. The sight before him was horrifying. Professor Vastion Oda’Ruh, the teacher of Dark Magic, was pinned to the wall, his body crucified in a grotesque display. His organs were missing, his arms twisted out of position, so were his legs, and his eyes plucked out and jaw torn apart. The scene was a nightmare come to life.
“What the fuck?” Ludwig whispered.
Suddenly, the symbol on Ludwig’s hand—the one Olim had painted on him this morning—began to glow. It resonated with a similar mark on Vastion’s lifeless torn hand. A red mark began to spread along Ludwig’s arm, and a notification flashed before his eyes.
[You are being tracked!]
Before Ludwig could process what was happening, another explosion rocked the hallway. Evan was gaining ground, his spells growing more intense and deadly. Ludwig didn’t have time to think. He sprinted past Vastion’s corpse, his mind racing with questions. The killer was now targeting teachers? How bold—and how terrifying.
“STOP RIGHT THERE!” Evan’s voice echoed through the halls, followed by a lightning spell that narrowly missed Ludwig. The bolt struck the wall, sending sparks flying in every direction.
Ludwig cast several explosive mines behind him, and began detonating them, doing whatever he could to try and slow down his pursuer. Evan too was a far stronger magician and necromancer than Ludwig, they’ve been with Van Dijk far longer and know more spells. Fighting them and hoping to win was the strategy of dumb heroes who hope everything will turn out right. Ludwig was no hero. So he ran like his life depended on it, which ironically was true.
Ludwig’s heart pounded—though he had no heart—as he ran, his eyes darting left and right. He needed to reach the teleportation hub, but Evan was relentless. If Silva saw Ludwig being chased by Evan, he would undoubtedly have questions—questions Ludwig didn’t have time to answer.
Just as Ludwig was about to turn another corner, a hand grabbed him and yanked him into a side room. “SHAMRACK!” a voice shouted, and the hallway behind Ludwig was plunged into darkness.
Ludwig looked up and saw Hoyo standing there, his expression a mix of surprise and urgency.
“Hoyo? What the fuck are you doing here?” Ludwig asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
