𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭 | ✓

SEVENTEEN.

As they turned a corner, they stumbled upon another scene of destruction. The attackers seemed to have left their mark all over the academy, and Y/n couldn't help but feel a sense of dread—just what was this? A hidden event, the system said. But what was the purpose of it? Why the hidden event?

"There's..someone there. With a knife," Angelina whispered, "I don't know. It's embedded with mana. I can sense it."

The organization that directly opposed the academy was called The Star—and in truth, it posed no threat. At least, it didn't typically serve as one. The members were weak and insignificant—but occasionally, they could pull off large scale attacks like this.

"He saw us," Y/n said softly, seeing how those brown eyes fixed on him—"shit."

"Do you recognize them?" Angelina said with bated breath, "perhaps he's with us.."

Y/n recognised that symbol anywhere. He was definitely part of the Organization.

As they observed from their hiding spot, the person with the knife began moving with eerie silence through the corridor, searching for something or someone. The dim light cast long shadows around them, making it even harder for Y/n and Angelina to identify the intruder.

"We can't stay here," Y/n said, making a quick decision. "We need to find a way to escape and get help."

Angelina nodded, her eyes never leaving the intruder. "Agreed. But how do we get out without being seen?"

Y/n scanned their surroundings, looking for any potential escape routes. He spotted a narrow passageway that led deeper into the library—which was where they had somehow stumbled upon, away from the intruder's current path. It was risky, but it might be their only chance to slip away unnoticed.

"There's a passageway over there," Y/n whispered, pointing to the hidden path. "We'll use that to get out quietly. Hopefully, it'll lead us to a safe place where we can regroup and come up with a plan." His leg throbbed viciously as he said it—and he glanced at it and immediately recoiled.

Poison.

There were black patches on it.

He pushed the edges of his clothes down, hoping to conceal it.

Angelina, fortunately, did not notice, and her hand was laced in his as they cautiously made their way towards the hidden passageway, keeping an eye on the intruder to ensure they weren't detected. Each step felt like an eternity, and Y/n's heart raced with every sound that echoed through the library.

As they reached the entrance to the passageway, the mysterious figure seemed to sense something was amiss. They turned in their direction, and for a moment, Y/n feared they had been caught. But then, the intruder's attention was drawn to a distant commotion in another part of the library.

Seizing the opportunity, Y/n and Angelina slipped into the hidden passageway and quietly closed the entrance behind them. The passage was narrow, barely enough room for them to walk side by side. But they pressed on, guided only by the faint light that filtered through small cracks in the stone walls.

"Where do you think this leads?" Angelina murmured, her voice echoing in the confined space. It made Y/n jump a little; but he was feeling particularly nervous.

"I'm not sure," Y/n replied, his voice shaking the teeniest bit. "But we have to keep moving. We can't risk going back out there with that person still in the library."

The passageway twisted and turned unpredictably. Y/n had no idea where they were headed, but he hoped they would find a way out of this dangerous situation.