The night deepened.
Bo City, normally peaceful at this hour, felt unnaturally quiet. Too quiet. Even the wind carried a tense, metallic taste that made the back of Xu Mang's neck prickle.
Lu Jun stood beside him at the Lu Residence gates. The guards were hurriedly preparing their gear; the elite mages hiding their unease behind rigid posture. Everyone sensed it:
Something was coming.
A faint tremor rolled beneath their feet.
Xu Mang's breath stilled.
"That wasn't an earthquake," he muttered.
Lu Jun tightened his grip on his pendant.
"No. That was footsteps."
Another tremor.
This time stronger.
Followed by a distant rumbling growl.
Shadows shifted beyond the city walls.
Then—
A piercing alarm ripped through the sky.
"Level Yellow rising to Level Orange! All combat-capable mages report to your designated posts!"
People screamed inside their homes.
Doors slammed shut.
Lights extinguished one by one.
The city was diving into darkness.
Xu Mang and Lu Jun exchanged one look.
"It's starting," Xu Mang said.
Lu Jun nodded slowly.
"Bo City's trial."
Mo Fan had barely understood half of Zhan Kong's instructions when the floor beneath them vibrated with heavy, rhythmic thuds.
Zhan Kong's expression sharpened.
"Demonic beasts are moving."
Mo Fan blinked.
"Already? They couldn't even wait until morning?"
Zhan Kong didn't answer. He was already striding toward the balcony overlooking the northern perimeter.
The view was… horrifying.
Trees in the forest shook violently.
Black shapes darted between them.
The moonlight reflected off hundreds of eyes glinting with hunger.
A growing tide of beasts advancing toward the city wall.
Tang Yue grabbed Mo Fan by the arm.
"Come on. We need to release the patrol squads."
Mo Fan stumbled after her.
"Wait—me? I'm a student!"
Tang Yue stared at him.
"You're also a mage."
Mo Fan groaned.
"Why do people keep reminding me of that today?"
Zhan Kong raised his voice over the chaos.
"All available hunters, instructors, and city guard mages—form squads and move to the northern line! We hold the first wave at the forest edge!"
Mo Fan swore under his breath.
"Just my luck…"
But the fire stardust inside him was already stirring.
He sprinted after the hunters.
Lu Mei ran to meet the two boys, her expression deadly serious.
"Jun! Mang! You are not going to the front lines."
Lu Jun frowned.
"Sister—"
"No," Lu Mei snapped. "This is not a duel. This is a military-level threat."
Xu Mang shook his head.
"Lu Mei-jie, we know what's coming. The city will not hold with the current manpower."
Lu Mei's jaw tightened.
"The city guard and the hunters will handle it. You two are still students."
Xu Mang exhaled slowly.
"No. We're not 'just students' anymore."
Lu Jun stepped forward.
"With respect, sister… we can't sit and watch Bo City fall. We both know this generation is special. We're part of it."
Lu Mei's eyes flickered between them—one reincarnated strategist, one reincarnated fighter.
She could see it in their expressions:
They were already beyond Bo City's boundaries.
Already past the fear of novice mages.
Already tied to a future she couldn't comprehend.
Finally, she sighed.
"Fine. But you fight together. You stay behind the hunter squads. And if anything goes wrong—you retreat first."
Xu Mang nodded.
"We'll be careful."
Lu Jun touched his pendant.
"We're ready."
Lu Mei stepped back.
"Then go."
Across the city, in a luxurious villa, Zhao Manyan was lounging with a drink, complaining loudly to his house steward.
"What's with all this noise? The city better not collapse before I get my beauty sleep!"
The steward, sweating, rushed to close the curtains.
"Young Master Zhao, please, the alarms—"
Zhao Manyan sighed dramatically.
"If demon beasts invade, remember to protect my face first. It's my most valuable asset."
He paused, blinking.
"Actually… no. My wallet is more valuable. Protect both."
He had no idea that two reincarnated masterminds were preparing to make him the most overpowered defensive mage in the nation's future.
Xu Mang and Lu Jun ran across the rooftops as alarms echoed through Bo City.
Wails.
Flashes of magic.
Hunter squads mobilizing.
The northern wall came into view—and with it, the terrifying sight of hundreds of demonic beasts gathering at the treeline.
Xu Mang clenched his fists.
"Here we go."
Lu Jun exhaled.
"It begins."
The first beast broke from the forest.
A black shadow leaping through the night.
Xu Mang and Lu Jun stepped into position behind the hunter squads.
And as the first wave crashed against the city's defenders, the real war for Bo City's survival began.