Nathan and Natasha's unit stood their ground, their eyes locked on the hooded figures emerging from the trees.
The tension in the air was thick, the kind that made your skin crawl and your instincts scream to run.
Nathan didn't run. He wouldn't. Not when he had so many questions buzzing in his head.
'What are they doing here? How did they get past security? And why now? Now of all times.' His mind raced with unanswered questions.
From his point of view, this wasn't supposed to happen.
Afterall in the novel, the Fantasians didn't attack the cadets until the tournament. This was way too early. Something was clearly off.
And as for how he knew they were fantasians. It was simple.
One. This place was restricted. Unauthorised personnel weren't allowed in and regardless of how you put it, these guys were clearly unauthorized.
Secondly, their energy signature. The nano-tech suits and the faint hum of mana radiating from the hooded figures gave them away.
Terrans gained the ability to sense things like that. And the nano tech amplified said ability.
It also allowed them to project their intent, their will on someone. Like what Lancelot did to them in class over a month ago.
It also allows them to gauge their opponents approximate strength.
Besides these figures weren't even trying to hide their mana. So all things considered, it was quite obvious that they were Fantasians.
Nathan was the first to speak. "What do you want?"
The leader of the group stepped forward, pulling down his hood to reveal a bald-headed man with sharp, calculating eyes.
He pointed his sword at Nathan, his tone calm but laced with menace. "Your head. And the heads of the rest of the children of high society."
Nathan couldn't help but smirk, his wings flaring slightly as he hovered in the air. "Sure you can do tha—?"
Before the words fully left his mouth, the man was gone.
In the next instant, he was in front of Nathan, his sword slashing through the air with blinding speed.
Nathan was barely able to dodge the attack as it grazed his arm before launching a heavy kick at the man sending him flying into a tree shattering it on impact.
Nathan glanced at the destruction, and for some reason, he could feel the smirk on his face widen.
He looked around, counting the hooded figures as he gently dropped Natasha to the ground.
There were about twenty of them, their energy signatures were quite strong but nothing they couldn't handle.
He then chuckled, his voice seemingly dripping with mockery.
"You want our heads you say?" he said, his tone light but his eyes sharp. "You have no idea where you just landed, do you?...."
*********
Theodore's unit was surrounded by another group of hooded figures, their weapons drawn and their expressions hidden beneath their cloaks.
But Theodore wasn't scared. Far from it. A cruel grin spread across his face as he cracked his knuckles, his black-streaked red hair catching the sunlight.
"Well, well," he said, his voice low and menacing. "Looks like we've got some uninvited guests."
Elizabeth stood beside him, her icy demeanor unshaken.
Lenny twirled his mechanical katanas, his expression calm but his eyes sharp.
Aaron and Lisa, the commoners in the group, exchanged nervous glances but stood their ground.
The Fantasians standing around them didn't say a word. They didn't need to. Their intentions were crystal clear.
Which only made Theodore's grin widen.
"Let's see how many of you we tear apart before you realize you've made a mistake," he said, his voice dripping with malice.
*******
The Third Year cadets, who had been overseeing the test, were also surrounded by hooded figures.
But unlike the first-years, they didn't look worried either. Rather, they looked... excited.
One of the cadets, a fairly tall girl with flowing blue hair, cracked her neck and grinned. She bore a similarity in appearance with Natasha.
"Finally, something interesting's happening."
Her companion, a black haired boy with piercing red eyes, chuckled. "About time. The first year's were fun to watch but fighting myself..."
He didn't say anything more but the grin on his face said all that needed saying.
The Fantasians in front of them hesitated, their confidence wavering as they realized they weren't dealing with ordinary cadets.
*********
Stella stood in the midst of corpses as she currently gripped a half-dead Fantasian by the throat.
Her expression was calm but her eyes were burning with intensity.
"Damn lessers," she muttered, her voice soft but filled with disdain. She flung the man away as she turned and walked away, leaving the carnage behind.
'Damn.' The dying man thought as he watched Stella walk away. 'I didn't think she'd be here. The Red-haired Witch. Fuck. We're doomed.'
*******
"....You idiots just walked into your graves."