The time was just after 12 PM, and usually around this period was among the times the expansive garden should be peaceful and tranquil, as each one of the students would be in class.
But unlike what many would expect, it was currently anything but tranquil.
The chatters and murmurs of students filled the space as a tsunami of students walked through the expansive garden.
The ruckus that a particular white haired boy caused had attracted the whole of the students and staff in the leader's section of the academy.
Currently, everyone was outside. From the 1st years to the remaining second years below the 100th rank, to the third years.
Hell, even the instructors came to watch! With more people streaming into the expansive garden every passing second.
The first years in Atticus's class were at the forefront of the group, as each one of them had immediately ran out as soon as Atticus burst out of the class.
Each one of them were currently just outside the 2nd year building and could all feel the tremors from the battle happening in the building.
'Stop being worried, lovebird. You should be more worried about who he went after,' Lumindra's voice suddenly sounded in Zoey's head, immediately snapping her out of her thoughts.
Zoey cleared her throat awkwardly and instantly retorted, 'I wasn't worried.'
Lumindra rolled her nonexistent eyes,
'Sure Zoey, sure.'
Kael was also standing not far away from her, his gaze completely glued to the second year building, both his hands folded on his chest. Every one of his sheathed swords was trembling with intensity as though begging to be unleashed.
Each of the students steered clear of Kael, the space around him devoid of anyone. And this was because of the oppressive aura that kept emanating from his form.
Kael currently looked so hungry for battle that each of them were worried that he would attack them.
At a location not too far from Kael, the form of a Lila stood while staring at the 2nd year building with a worried gaze, her heart racing.
'Please tell me it's not Dell,' she thought worriedly.
Apart from the first years, each of the third years was also present. Ember stood with her usual aloof gaze while staring at the building, completely unbothered.
The forms of Zezazeus Enigmalnk and his short psyquillian subordinate stood at a location not too far away from her.
For the first time since his appearance, Zezazeus currently had a serious look on his face, which was completely odd for an Enigmalnk, but only he knew the myriads of thoughts that were currently running through his head.
The forms of Isabella and many other instructors were suspended in the air. Unlike the students, each of their gazes was focused directly on the unfolding battle through the hole that Atticus had made when he breached the 2nd year building.
"What the fuck is this boy still doing in the academy, Isabella?" Isabella turned to see Jared floating just beside her, his gaze also fixed on the battle, an intense grin on his face.
He had been training with Atticus during these past months, and that beast had learned every single thing that took him years to learn.
It was crazy to think that this monster was kept here with a bunch of kids.
Isabella chuckled before shaking her head in the next instant, "I ask myself the same question every single day."
Just as Jared was about to speak, an explosion suddenly rocked the space as the insanely sturdy wall around the hole Atticus had created suddenly erupted, sending a wave of debris flying through the expansive garden.
Each of the students used their unique methods to protect themselves from the wave, and without wasting a single second, they each turned their gaze upwards, their eyes widening as they saw the ongoing scene.
A staggering amount of youths had just shot out from the second year building, each one of them with their noses caved into their heads, completely deforming their faces as each of their forms fell from the air.
Before any one of the onlookers could understand what was going on, the form of a white haired boy suddenly appeared in the sky, his icy gaze looking at each of the descending youths with the kind of look one would give ants.
It was the same boy that every one of them had been searching for, Atticus Ravenstein.
Atticus suddenly raised his right arm, and the sky immediately turned crimson as hundreds of massive fireballs flickered into life behind him.
Their scorching forms instantly shot towards the descending second years.
Arlo, the tier-one youths, and many of the second-years struggled to regain their senses, and they all shook their heads in the air.
As soon as they saw the scorching wave approaching them, as fast as lightning, they each tapped their chests.
Instantaneously, the same transformation Gerald had undergone unfolded as different colored materials erupted from each of their chests, enveloping each one of them, including their faces.
In the next instant, the intricate lines on each of their suits lit up with intensity, and their powers increased to staggering levels.
The searing fire struck the forms of many of the second-years who couldn't react in time, their artifacts quickly reacting and teleporting them away from the area.
But the others who had deployed their Exosuits released an intense blast from their forms, easily dispersing the flames.
Each of them unleashed their newly gained aura fully as they all charged towards Atticus at supersonic speeds, releasing sonic booms in the air.
A cacophony of AI voices filled the space in the next instant,
"Deployment of your exosuit against a lower year is against academy rules. Unequip it immediately or you would be punished accordingly."
It was then that each one of the students watching got a clear read of the situation.
Atticus Ravenstein, a first-year student, was currently facing the entirety of the high-rankers of the second year and was… winning?
The shock that enveloped every single student currently watching the scene was insanely palpable.
But none of them were ready for what they would witness next as a voice, as calm as it was frightening, suddenly permeated the entire space,
"Katana series, 2nd art:
.
.
.
.
.
.
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Endless blade."