Screams didn't stop.
They multiplied.
The first one had been shocking.
The second—
Terrifying.
But now?
It was chaos.
"RUN!"
"GET AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS!"
"WHAT IS THAT THING?!"
Students pushed each other, desks overturned, chairs scraped violently across the floor. Someone tripped. Another stepped over them without even looking back.
Fear erased everything else.
But Kai stood still.
His eyes tracked the movement outside.
Every detail.
Every pattern.
The creatures—those ant-like monsters—weren't random.
They moved with purpose.
Fast.
Aggressive.
Coordinated.
"…They're hunting," Kai muttered.
Reynard was still beside him, but even he looked shaken now.
"…Yeah, no kidding," he said, forcing a laugh that didn't quite land. "That thing just—did you see that?! It just bit him in half—"
He stopped himself.
The image was still fresh.
Too fresh.
Outside, one of the creatures leaped onto another student trying to crawl away.
Its mandibles snapped down.
A wet crunch echoed faintly through the glass.
Reynard looked away this time.
"…This isn't real," he whispered. "This can't be real."
Kai didn't respond.
Because his attention shifted.
"…Reyn."
"What now—?"
"…There's more."
Reynard forced himself to look again.
And then—
His expression changed.
"…What the hell…"
The glowing circle hadn't disappeared.
It had grown.
Bigger.
Wider.
More unstable.
And from within it—
More shapes moved.
But these weren't like the ants.
These were…
Standing.
Humanoid.
One stepped out.
Short.
Green-skinned.
Holding something in its hand.
"…A weapon?" Reynard muttered.
The creature turned its head.
Slowly.
Its eyes scanned the surroundings.
Sharp.
Aware.
Then it grinned.
A twisted, unnatural grin.
"…Goblin," Kai said quietly.
Reynard blinked. "You're naming them now?!"
But Kai didn't answer.
Because more were coming out.
And behind them—
Something bigger.
Heavy footsteps echoed.
A massive figure emerged.
Tall.
Muscular.
Carrying a crude weapon made of bone and metal.
"…Orc," Kai added.
This time, Reynard didn't joke.
"…We're dead," he said flatly.
Outside, the goblins immediately moved.
Not toward the students.
Toward the ants.
The first clash happened in seconds.
A goblin leaped forward, dagger in hand, and stabbed one of the ant creatures straight through its head.
Another swung wildly, slicing through its legs.
The ants screeched.
Fought back.
But the goblins were different.
They weren't just monsters.
They were fighters.
"…They're killing each other," Reynard said, confused.
Kai's eyes narrowed.
"…No."
A goblin ripped its weapon free, turned—
And lunged at a wounded student crawling nearby.
The blade came down.
Silence.
"…They're killing everything," Kai finished.
Reynard clenched his fists.
"…This is messed up…"
The classroom door suddenly slammed open.
"WE NEED TO GET OUT!" someone shouted.
Students rushed toward the exit, panic driving them forward.
No plan.
No order.
Just escape.
But Kai didn't move.
"Bro, come on!" Reynard grabbed his shoulder. "We can't stay here!"
Kai finally turned his head.
His expression hadn't changed.
Still calm.
Still focused.
"…If we go out there like that," he said quietly,
"…we die first."
Reynard hesitated.
Because deep down—
He knew Kai was right.
Outside wasn't an escape.
It was a battlefield.
And the ones running blindly…
Were the first to fall.
Another scream echoed from the hallway.
Closer this time.
Something had entered the building.
A shadow passed by the door.
Fast.
Low.
Then—
A student stumbled backward into the room.
Bleeding.
Eyes wide.
"…Help…"
Before anyone could react—
Something grabbed his leg.
Pulled.
His body slammed against the floor.
Dragged out of the room.
His scream cut off instantly.
Silence.
No one moved.
No one breathed.
Reynard's grip tightened.
"…Kai…"
Kai's eyes shifted toward the door.
Cold.
Focused.
"…They're inside now."
Another sound.
Closer.
Scratching.
Footsteps.
And then—
A small, green hand gripped the edge of the doorway.
Slowly—
A goblin peeked inside.
Its eyes scanned the room.
Locked onto them.
And it smiled.
Kai exhaled quietly.
"…Now we move."