Massacre 2

It was hectic, the cries of agony soured Leonard's mood further. He ran as fast as he could to the hall, he was stopped multiple times by some terrorists dressed as guards which he promptly took care of. 

His whole being was focused on using heal on critically wounded students. He even called Lenneza to help with the healing. 

"Where's the damn security from the Academy?!"

It was just the first day, the damn first day of school. Then, this was the first thing they had. A goddamn terrorist attack. 

—BOOM!

An explosion reverberated across the hall. What is going on?

***

The professors of the academy spread apart. They were fighting a powerful foe, a terrorist at that. 

"Hey! Respond goddammit."

He screamed at his radio. The man in the suit holding a one-sided sword held forward with sword mana coated in it was ready to dash forward and kill this terrorist. 

"Fuck!"

But it seems that they're having trouble on their side, so whatever it is, the professor took advantage of the situation and dashed forward in a blur. 

With all his might, the sword came down to the terrorist, the terrorist, however, had a fast enough reflex to dodge but not fully. 

"Argh!"

A stream of blood appeared under the terrorists' clothes. The professor didn't stop though, he continued and brought on an aggressive assault. 

It promptly ended the fight but something was strange. 

"Professor Sen!"

The professor, being Sen, turned around and looked at a ragged man with bruises and wounds. 

"They attacked the entrance ceremony!"

Ah, no wonder the Terrorists here were not aggressive in their assault. They were aiming for the kids. They were only buying time. 

"They did what!?"

However, to Sen, this is very bad news. Those are noble children mind you! Once it reaches their parents it's going to be chaos!

Sen sheathed his sword and started running, eager to prevent more deaths from the accursed terrorists. 

His foot sailed in the wind as he jumped out the window, going for a shortcut as he was on the 3rd floor of the large Academy. Better to minimize the damage sooner than later. 

He landed like a feather, slow but softly. And he dashed like there's no tomorrow, his leg bursting with vigour. Once he went to the hall, bursting the doors apart. 

What he saw inside was depressing. A hundred children lined up with cloth covering their faces. A. Hundred. Children. 

"God… I was late."

"T-the professor is here! W-were saved!"

The mood of the children, which were sullen, started lifting. They chose to stay here because they surely thought that outside is more dangerous, good thinking. 

"Don't go outside yet, it's not safe."

Sen shook his head, these noble children just saw hope the moment the professor came in, he looked around and saw that there was a massive black void covering what seems to be a hole in a wall. 

"What's this?"

"A temporary measure."

Sen looked to his right, and what answered him was a boy with red hair, he was casting heal repeatedly at a noble whose left arm was cut. 

"Tell us, Professor Sen., What happened to the barriers and security of the academy?"

The voice was calm, it made Sen grit his teeth and be embarrassed at the situation. The academy is known for its prestige, now with this accident, all of it is gone. 

"I'm not blaming the academy, but I want a full disclosure."

The boy demanded, with a bit more power in his voice. Sen looked deeply at the boy's red hair, right? There's one nobility with such crimson hair, the Marchens. Leonard Marchen. 

"It… it was a shapeshifter."

A shapeshifter. The moment he uttered that word, the Hall which was silently held more weight in it. 

"How?"

Leonard asked. 

"The plan was thorough. We have no idea how yet. But it seems by the damage on the magical formation that it was already heavily damaged that it only needed a little push before vanishing."

"Ha… and the people in the academy? The guards that were with us?"

The guards, there were guards in the hall, announcing the entrances of the students, they also attacked the students. Leonard finished healing the child before him. 

"No, I can already guess. Black magic?"

".... Yes." 

Sen bit his lips, he couldn't deny it. No, he can't deny it. 

"Right, the Academy is only acquainted with demonic attacks, I can't blame you for not being able to counter any black magic. The records were burned after all."

"Though. Good luck explaining all that."

He pointed at the dead kids. Anger seeped out of his eyes. Leonard couldn't help it. Out of all times he had to encounter a terrorist attack, blaming himself as well for not checking the damn system notification. 

He sat there, exhausted, even though he had a lot of mana he had to deal with healing children, which he has no proficiency with. 

He could only curse, what made them hurry their operations, what made them escalate their plans? Leonard started racking his brain. 

Human trafficking. Yes, the trafficking in the marchen territory. Leonard racked his brains out, it's the only event that involves crimes against humanity being used. 

What's the connection, what could possibly… Osbourne. That man has a hatred for Royalty and his comrades that betrayed him. 

He's the very sole reason why this operation moved forward, especially with what the professor said earlier. Shapeshifter. 

The demons managed to get in here because they damaged the magical formations. In the first iteration, this operation happened the next year, when Leonard and the main characters were already in their second year. 

The demons would've been led by Osbourne in the first iteration. Why? Because of next year. The princess, Heidi Marcia Winstead, will be enrolling in the academy, and thanks to Osbourne's studies of Mana particles he could hide the presence of black magic from being discovered in the Royal Palace, where he would get the news from. 

While there is no written record of black magic, that was far from the truth, as the Royal family held that information close, very close. So the Royal Palace is close to being an impregnable fortress in terms of defence. 

That's why demons couldn't get spies in. That's why the attack came in earlier. Because the princess is the same age as these children here, they thought she would enrol today. 

"Shit!"

In the end, it was also Leonard's fault why this moved forward, that's why he was so angered if he only knew. These children, they could've been saved. 

"Also…"

Leonard looked at Sen, who was guarding the door. 

"The numbers of the children wouldn't amount to a hundred that much, but there's another reason why they amounted to that much."

"Why?" Sen asked. 

"Some noble children here threw them at the terrorists. I can name them if you want."

Leonard with furrowed brows scoured the room, multiple eyes avoiding as he did so. But he just sat there, quietly. 

This is going on in the news, Leonard just hoped he won't make Lorraine and his Father worried sick. Though he hoped this won't stop academy operations.