Chapter 357
FLAGS (2)
Three hours passed in a flash, the time used efficiently as IAM revised several problems he had noticed in their formations. Small gaps were corrected, positions adjusted, and roles refined so that each person could respond more smoothly to the flow of battle rather than react too late.
He also spoke with Yohan and Reuel, the three of them coming to a quiet but shared conclusion—if something was going to happen, if there was anything abnormal about that devilborn, then it would most likely involve them. Natsuki included. That alone meant they needed to stay especially cautious.
After making the necessary preparations, they were ready to go once again.
This time, the group felt far more confident.
After all, if you beat a game once, what was stopping you from doing it again?
Natsuki didn't say a word as she activated the flag once more.
Twenty seconds passed quickly, the familiar tension settling in as everyone took their positions, weapons ready, eyes forward.
Then—
From several different directions, in a myriad of ways, the creatures began to emerge.
Some pushed through narrow openings between structures, their bodies forcing their way into view. Others dropped down from higher ground, landing with uneven impacts before immediately orienting themselves toward the students. A few slipped in low, weaving through tighter spaces, while others came straight on, their movements more direct and aggressive.
They didn't arrive as one clean wave.
They trickled, then surged, then overlapped—forcing the students to constantly adjust their focus.
Everyone set themselves.
The formation held.
Natsuki, Reuel, and Yohan remained slightly apart, their attention not fully on the incoming spawnlings but on something else entirely... for the eventual arrival of the devilborn...
That never came.
The bad feeling intensified.
What was happening?
Instead of a devilborn, there was only an increase in spawnlings. More and more of them appeared, their numbers rising steadily until it neared over two hundred. The pressure should have been overwhelming.
But IAM's expression was unreadable as an idea formed.
"Proceed as normal."
The order was clear.
And so they did.
Despite the massive increase in numbers, the battle felt… easier.
With Natsuki, Yohan, and Reuel present from the very beginning, the flow never tilted out of control. Spawnlings were cut down rapidly, their numbers dropping almost as quickly as they rose. Natsuki's sword moved continuously, Yohan held firm against stronger threats, and Reuel slipped through openings to strike where needed.
They were being massacred.
Left and right.
It didn't take long.
Soon, the last of them fell.
Silence followed, but this time it wasn't relief that settled in—it was confusion. Glances were exchanged, uncertainty creeping in as people tried to understand what had just happened.
Then IAM dropped down from the tree.
He landed lightly before speaking loudly enough for all to hear.
"I think I get what's going on… There is a total of five flags. We currently have control over one, so my guess is that there is a devilborn per flag. We just fought one for this flag, and since there are four other flags, that might mean five devilborns in total… Instead of getting another devilborn after using one flag, there is just an increase in spawnlings."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"We might need to capture the other flags to fight the rest of the devilborns… I'm also guessing that if we use all the flags at the same time, then that 'surprise' they were talking about would appear."
"Damn… if you're right… your brain's got some serious wrinkles!" Reuel exclaimed, stepping beside him.
IAM gave a small nod before adding, "If I'm right, this is actually a good thing. We can clear out as many spawnlings as possible—there should be a finite amount. When we're ready, we can focus entirely on the devilborns. It'll be much safer and easier that way… but we might need to test the limit of how many spawnlings a flag can draw."
As he finished, his gaze turned toward Natsuki.
She closed her eyes for a few seconds, thinking.
Then she nodded.
Around them, many of the students exchanged looks. Whatever they personally felt about IAM, they couldn't deny one thing.
His words made sense.
And more than anything—
They liked the sound of 'safe'.
They only took thirty minutes this time before everyone was ready once more.
This time, Natsuki kept the flag activated for as long as she could. No one rushed in immediately. Instead, they watched as the creatures began to emerge again.
At first, it came in the same scattered way as before. A few from one direction, then more from another, their numbers steadily building. The flow didn't spike all at once but layered over itself, wave after wave merging into a growing mass. The students held their positions, tracking the count, resisting the urge to engage too early.
More came.
Then more.
Until eventually—
It stopped.
The final number settled somewhere around two hundred and fifty. They waited, eyes fixed on every possible direction, expecting at least one more straggler to appear.
None did.
No matter how long Natsuki kept the flag active, no additional creatures emerged. The space beyond remained empty, offering nothing more.
Once they came to the conclusion that this was the maximum, the restraint broke.
Another gruelling massacre took place.
The formation moved in with far more confidence now, their coordination sharper, their timing cleaner. Shields locked in place, weapons thrust through gaps with precision, and those at the flanks pressed inward to compress the creatures further. There was less hesitation, less wasted movement—only repetition, efficiency, and control.
It didn't last long.
And then—
It was over again.
This process repeated again and again.
Six times in total.
Each round blurred into the next, the rhythm becoming mechanical. Activate.Engage. Eliminate. Reset.
Time slipped forward unnoticed.
By the time they were deep into the night, the strain had begun to show. Movements slowed slightly, reactions dulled at the edges, and breathing grew heavier between exchanges. Even with no deaths, the constant exertion weighed on them.
Eventually, Natsuki let the flag deactivate.
Begrudgingly.
Around her, the tired members began to look at her with a certain expression.
The kind of look a commoner might give a tyrannical dictator.