While they were waiting for their orders, whispers suddenly spread among a few students near the cafeteria entrance.
"T-There's… a strange crowd in front of the school," one of them said nervously.
Hikari immediately looked toward the door in surprise. Airi, who had been standing a few steps away, instantly turned serious and stared outside.
Without hesitation, Hikari, Airi, Arou, Lumina, Haru, Tomo, and Arthur rushed out of the school building to face the approaching horde of monsters.
Hikari stepped forward.
"Let me fight them alone," she said calmly.
Airi looked at her seriously.
"But there are too many of them."
Hikari lowered her head for a moment as an identity screen appeared before her eyes:
••Name: —
••Power: Group Destruction
••Nickname: Lower Monster Army
••Tier: D
Hikari smiled faintly.
"Relax. They're weak."
Arthur looked at Hikari with uncertainty but excitement.
"Can I help too?"
Hikari shook her head.
"No need. I just want a warm-up."
Even so, Arou, Airi, and Arthur insisted on joining the fight. Lumina also prepared herself, using her powers to disguise herself and attack from the shadows.
Haru and Tomo positioned themselves strategically on the sides.
Arthur summoned his weapon—a gigantic axe—which gleamed in his hands.
Hikari adjusted her stance, standing at the front of the group.
Arou stood beside her, while Airi stayed slightly behind. Lumina, Haru, and Tomo waited for a signal. Arthur prepared himself to attack from another side.
The monster horde drew closer, but the small team remained calm and focused.
Hikari let out a breath and stared at the monsters confidently.
"Alright… let's begin."
The monsters charged forward.
Hikari gripped her spear calmly at the front. Airi prepared her sword, ready to move quickly. Arou tightened his grip on his dual blades, his face serious.
Arthur summoned his massive axe into his hand and swung it once to test its weight.
Lumina used her ability to disguise herself as one of the monsters. Hidden among the crowd, she moved swiftly and attacked other monsters barehanded without being noticed.
Tomo and Haru stood near the edge of the schoolyard, watching with awe and anxiety.
Hikari stared at the enemies before her.
"Let's start."
The monsters rushed toward them, but the team moved in perfect sync:
Hikari thrust her spear forward, stopping several monsters at once.
Airi swung her sword precisely, eliminating any monster that got too close.
Arou moved swiftly with his dual swords, slashing enemies from both sides.
Arthur spun his axe and crushed the larger monsters.
Lumina slipped through the middle of the horde, taking down monsters one by one while remaining disguised. The monsters she attacked never realized she was among them.
Hikari carefully analyzed the enemy attack patterns.
Relax… they're weak. This is only a warm-up, she thought.
The team's coordination remained flawless. Arou and Airi constantly protected Hikari's sides, while Arthur guarded the opposite flank. Lumina continued attacking from inside the horde, causing several monsters to crash into each other in panic.
Tomo and Haru could only stare in amazement at Lumina's clever strategy and the perfect teamwork between Hikari, Airi, Arou, and Arthur.
Hikari spun her spear, preparing for the next wave.
"Alright… keep going!"
The monster horde was nearly wiped out when the atmosphere suddenly changed.
A new creature appeared.
Hikari stared at it and immediately saw its identity:
••Name: Wendigo
••Power: Physical Monster / Berserk
••Nickname: Wild Monster
••Tier: S
Hikari swallowed nervously.
"E-Eh… that thing? I thought it was only a myth."
Her eyes widened as she stared at the creature.
"So legendary monsters really do exist…?"
Airi looked at Hikari in confusion.
"Legendary?"
"Yeah… it's one of the strongest creatures," Hikari answered.
Without warning, the Wendigo suddenly charged forward and slammed Lumina—who was still disguised—sending her crashing into the school building.
Arou panicked.
"Even it can detect Lumina that easily?!"
Arthur stared at the Wendigo.
"Can we even defeat it?"
Airi turned toward Hikari.
"Hikari… what's wrong with your eye?"
Hikari suddenly felt a sharp pain in her right eye. She held back the pain.
Arou and Arthur noticed it too.
"Hey… there's something like black roots in your eye," Arou said.
Hikari's thoughts trembled.
Could this be the effect of my battle with Slenderman…?
Meanwhile, Airi, Arou, and Arthur immediately attacked the Wendigo. Haru and Tomo rushed to help Lumina after she was thrown away. Hikari still hadn't moved.
The battle between Arou, Arthur, Airi, and the Wendigo became intense and dragged on.
Then suddenly—
Hikari dashed forward and blocked Airi's sword strike with her spear.
Airi looked shocked.
"Hikari… why did you stop me?"
Hikari lowered her head, trying not to cry.
"I'm sorry… I can't control myself."
Airi stared at her in confusion.
"What do you mean? Stop joking around."
Hikari trembled violently.
"I really can't control myself… my body is moving on its own."
Arou, Airi, and Arthur immediately sensed something was wrong. The black roots around Hikari's eye slowly spread toward her cheeks.
Without realizing it, Hikari attacked Airi.
Airi blocked the strike instantly. Their clash caused panic among the nearby students.
One student shouted in shock,
"Why are they fighting each other?!"
Hikari, while seemingly fighting Airi, screamed with a hoarse voice,
"Mom… run away!"
Airi held her sword tightly and stared at Hikari firmly.
"If I run away… then who will stop you?"
Black tentacles suddenly emerged from Hikari's back, writhing on their own.
Arou looked horrified.
"D-Don't tell me… Slenderman is taking over Hikari's body?"
Arthur let out a breath while focusing on the enemies.
"No matter what happens, we still need to defeat those monsters first."
Arou nodded firmly.
"Right…"
The situation became chaotic: the battle against the Wendigo continued, while Hikari slowly began losing control over her own body.
Hikari stood in the middle of the schoolyard, her eye infected with black roots glowing darkly. Black tentacles crawled along her arms, moving with a will of their own.
Airi held her sword before Hikari, trying to stop her wild attacks.
"Hikari… you have to fight it! Don't let yourself be controlled!"
Hikari screamed in pain and rage.
"M-My body… it's not me! I… I can't stop!"
Arou cut down monsters trying to attack from the right side, while Arthur spun his axe to block the increasingly violent attacks from the Wendigo.
Lumina still lay unconscious on the ground, leaving the team without one of its key strategists.
Hikari's body suddenly lunged toward Airi at terrifying speed. Airi's sword collided with Hikari's spear, stopping the attack just inches away.
Airi stared into Hikari's darkened eyes, her heart breaking.
"Hikari… fight back! I'm here for you!"
Hikari writhed in agony as the black tentacles spread across the ground, trying to drag her closer to the surrounding monsters.
Inside her mind, a faint voice echoed:
I… am Hikari… I have to remain myself… don't give up…
Arou shouted from the side.
"We need to finish the Wendigo first! But be careful with Hikari!"
Arthur increased the pressure on the Wendigo, forcing the monster backward temporarily.
But Hikari continued attacking wildly, unable to control herself.
Haru and Tomo remained at the edge of the battlefield, watching anxiously, unable to interfere.
Everything had become complete chaos: Hikari fought against Airi, the Wendigo continued attacking the team, Lumina remained unconscious, and the black tentacles kept growing stronger—proof that Slenderman's control was deepening.
Hikari shut her eyes tightly, enduring the pain and darkness.
I… have to resist… I'm still Hikari… don't let him take over…
The chaos in the schoolyard intensified. The black tentacles covering Hikari's body moved violently, showing that Slenderman's control had become even stronger.
Suddenly, a terrifying voice echoed from Hikari's body.
"Hahahaha… I have taken over her body. And if she dies, then I shall live again!"
The voice was deep and horrifying.
Airi froze for a brief moment.
Then suddenly—
her face darkened completely, becoming almost invisible.
The sky above the school instantly turned pitch black, and every light across the area went out at once.
From Airi's darkened face, glowing white eyes and a wide smiling mouth slowly appeared, terrifying everyone who saw it.
Lumina, who had been unconscious moments earlier, awakened with widened eyes.
Arou, Haru, Arthur, Lumina, Tomo, the students, and even the teachers stared at the horrifying sight in shock and fear.
The principal shouted in panic,
"Why has the sky suddenly turned dark?!"
One student looked around in confusion.
"I-I don't know, sir… the electricity suddenly went out too!"
Arou stared at Airi anxiously.
"Airi…?"
Airi's face was now completely black, with only her glowing white eyes and terrifying smile visible.
Hikari, seeing Airi's transformation, panicked.
"M-Mom?!"
Without warning, Airi attacked brutally.
Every strike was aimed directly at Hikari, who was under Slenderman's control. Her swordsmanship and movements were fast, merciless, and deadly.
Arou, Arthur, Haru, Lumina, and Tomo held their breaths.
They realized this battle was no longer only against monsters—
it was also against Hikari herself, who was being controlled by Slenderman…
while Airi had transformed into something terrifying and lethal.
The situation descended into total chaos.
The black tentacles around Hikari trembled violently, her eyes glowing red, and Airi's brutal attacks filled everyone watching with fear.