I regressed and became the Sword Ice King

A silence trailed the end of his statement. Leaving enough room for the trio to relapse into their thoughts.

The moment was over. Their task ended as the light that once flared alive in Morris's eyes drained its last battery.

With it, was the quiet of his heart and the stillness of his bones.

Death had finally embraced him.

The sight, though a far cry from how Mila's death may have played out, still held a heavy weight.

His presence— his strength— had left a mark on the world. Whether or not he had fought well for the cause of his leader.

'Though….that leader is dead.'

One of them, at least.

He could confirm it.

Not obviously as he was far away from her presence, but subtly, in the air.

Miasma had been cut off. Mana too, and a part of Aura.

If it were a normal clash of Transcendent, then mana and aura alone would have been affected.

'But Miasma?'

That spoke volumes.

The sudden disappearance of the clouds where the fight was postulated to commence was also taken into consideration

While Mila had revealed herself to the world. Her powers were difficult to ignore even from a mile away.

The storms, the distinct mana patterns. Everyone had a mana pattern special to them, like a fingerprint, or an iris scan.

It was a mark that could not be copied elsewhere.

The effects of their battle had spread throughout the Academy. Or at least, up to this point.

After all, the Garden of Forests wasn't so far off from the Fields behind the Hostel Buildings.

Two qualities of the Academy that made it special in a sense.

In a manner that the Academy treasured trees and natural life. A bit of humanity in the momentum of Inhumane strength.

Thanks to that, he could easily identify Mila from a distance. The others, though….

'I didn't register their mana pattern until now….so currently..'

A sigh escaped his lips as he pulled his sword away from Morris's body. Turning around to face the girls.

The Spears of ice behind him began to melt under his presence. Trickling down into water while descending Morris' body back to the earth.

"The others. I recognised four distinctive mana patterns." He said as he strolled past them.

The girls glanced at each other before rushing after him.

"Some were familiar. You didn't register the patterns of those around you?" Elsie asked.

"No, I didn't," Raph replied.

Rita scoffed. A humorous groan escaped her lips.

"Even the all-so smart and mighty Raffaelo Jun forgot to do the basic of basics."

He shrugged. "You focus on so many advanced concepts that you sometimes forget the basics…." He licked his lips as he stopped and glanced at her.

"Nonetheless, they're all part of the learning process."

Rita's gaze pulsed with life as it met with Raph's.

A moment of lingering tension ensued between the two.

She had always found Raph an oddity. A streak of black in a stream of red.

Someone who stood out even without trying to.

Of course, not just because of his physical features….or confusingly good, innocent looks.

She was an artist. Building or creating something beautiful was as easy as breathing, but imbuing that painting with character… a form of singularity to make them stand out from the rest.

Now, that was extremely difficult.

And why, whenever she saw him. Observed his actions.

His choice of words. Choice of actions. Emotions and changes in expressions when faced with a wild-spin decision.

She would be puzzled.

Because, unlike many others, Raph didn't add up.

As a person. Even a concept.

His entire personal….didn't add up.

"I see." She muttered with a slow mumble as she glanced away.

Her thoughts reeling in.

'I must be overthinking things. He's probably just extremely perceptive.'

Perceptive individuals tend to be very smart.

They knew how the world worked, so they were talented in most areas, which would bring a maximal survival rate to themselves.

Thus, they were strong. Not just in power…but mind as well.

"Alright. Enough dilly-dally." He said with a light smile as he glanced at the sky.

Far ahead of them. Beyond the Hostel Buildings where the cleared skies came into view.

He let his words hang for a moment as he prepared to take the next step.

"Let's go find out what caused that disturbance."

Elsie nodded. Her tail wagged behind slowly as he led them forward.

Her ever-sensitive hearing was active while her nose twitched ever so slightly.

Perceiving the variety of scents and smells in the air.

Both senses were working overtime.

Now wasn't the time to drop their guards.

After all, Morris was dead… and, presumably, Mila too.

Confirmation would be a lot easier if they found out what occurred.

Still, that wasn't why she instinctively became alert.

'An executive died…'

She glanced at Raph.

'I don't know if Raph realises the situation at hand, but a dead Executive is literally a beacon.'

Like casting a blinding light in the black sea.

People like the Red Peacemakers certainly weren't the kind of people to let this kind of disrespect pass over their heads.

'They'll try something….wouldn't they?'

She wondered as they crossed over from the Fields into the Concrete ground.

Once again, they were at the Hostel Buildings after a brief moment of walking.

At that moment, her gaze shifted to the back of Raph's.

Emotions blossomed in the depths of her eyes.

She took a step forward and tapped him.

"Rap–"

"Guys…"

Rita's voice cut through her words before they could even form a proper statement.

It was a sharp tug that pulled both Raph and Elsie to the left.

At their sides were Year Two and Year One Hostels.

A skeleton of its former self.

Tethered under the destruction that they carried within themselves during the internal conflict within them.

The Year One Hostel was still holding.

A Lot better than Year Two, which had been demolished to mere rubble.

Leaving only a few walls that stood feverishly.

A stubborn will in the face of a powerful storm.

Pipes and beddings, clothing and household supplies could be spotted ever so slightly.

Riddled beneath the crevices of the large stones and boulders of the Hostel.

Though, that wasn't what caught her attention.

No, Rita was more intrigued by a different side.

Further ahead, just at the walkway to the Cafeteria, which stood in front of the Garden of Forests, which seemed to be… ash?

"Isn't that?" She murmured.

Raph's gaze darted between her and the figure that lay on the floor.

His gaze peered deeper. Images forming in his head.

"Oh." He muttered and suddenly increased in pace.

It wasn't a figure, but figures with many more surrounding them. Like a pile of lying bodies. Black with faces hidden behind their mask.

His gaze flickered with a malevolent light. A flicker of something more as it gripped the images and formed a clear form in his head.

The girls followed without hesitation, but Elsie's wrinkled expression caused a bit of it to her.

"Blood." She said,

Rita turned to her. "You smell blood?"

"Yes….a lot of it." She replied, then glanced at Raph. "Who is it…no. Who are they?"

A moment of silence rang without a distinct reply.

Just a tension that held meaning to them, because it meant Raph was choosing his words before he replied.

A moment passed, then a heavy sigh escaped as they got closer.

"Professor Kazim…." He halted slightly, then bit down on his lower lip. "...and Professor Rona."

Both were part of the Academic staff who had stood and protected the students even while their peers sought a revolution.

They understood the assignment.

The roles society has played out for them.

The importance of the Non-system Users and the System Users.

They could have different thoughts of course. Perhaps a doubt in their decision to side against the System Uprisers….but they chose not to.

That kind of imaging bestowed from them to the students was…..hard to describe.

Elsie sucked in air as she turned her head away.

Her chest rose and fell, a shivering breath escaping from her lips.

Rita's body tensed from her sudden act.

Confusion is playing coy with her reasoning.

"What is it? We will meet up with them and find the others, no? Why make that noise?" She asked.

Another silence rolled out. A much heavier one compared to the rest.

It was like the dawn of realisation that flourished through their scalps.

A moment of thought imagined the impossible. No, one that they wished was impossible.

Begged for, in fact.

Yet, there it lay. In a pile of their fallen foes, and with it….

Rita sighed as well. A wry smile played on her lips when they got to the figures.

One look around. One observation. One identification.

That was all she needed.

Her lips quivered. Hands raised slightly to her mouth as a choked gasp escaped.

Unbearable. Unacceptable. Impossible.

But it laid bare. They laid bare.

A pile of more in their wake, men, women. All in black and masks of the same kind.

"....They're dead."

The information was dumped in their skull like a hammer slammed on a nail.

It pierced deep into that form. That information. Difficult to accept, yet….right there.

While proof served as the salvation for many, oblivion was a better antidote for some.

So which was which for their case?