"Haah... haah...!"
"Damn it... why did it come to this..."
"N-no... I don't want to die..."
Multiple humans were running across the Sabnock Plains, gasping for breath and letting out cries of despair.
Their destination was the entrance to the plains — the exit from this hell.
"Hurry up! Don't stop moving!"
"B-but... senpai..."
"If you stop moving, you'll die! Run if you don't want to become monster food!"
The woman dressed in men's clothing running at the front urged on those behind her.
They had enhanced their physical abilities with magic, yet the unbearable fatigue left them gasping as they desperately forced their legs to keep moving.
A group of roughly ten. All of them were students of the Royal Academy.
They were fleeing with everything they had, from the depths of the Sabnock Plains toward the entrance.
(Tch... why did monsters suddenly come pouring out...!)
The woman running at the front of the group twisted her expression.
Despite being female, she wore a male uniform. Her name was Isis Carbelt — a third-year student who served as the leader of the student council enforcement division.
Isis had joined the rescue team as a member of the enforcement division, but... she had suddenly encountered a horde of monsters surging from the depths of the plains and was now fleeing with the students in tow.
The cause was unknown.
From the depths of the plains — the territory of the monsters known as Sabnock, where entry was forbidden — monsters had suddenly emerged.
Not one or two. The number of monsters that had come out numbered in the dozens, even hundreds.
She had anticipated several accidents when she volunteered as part of the rescue team, but... this was an event she never could have predicted.
Isis led as many students as she could and fled from deep within the plains.
There were still many students left behind. Members of the rescue team who had stayed behind to buy time, too.
Even so, Isis chose the best option she had — abandoning them and scooping up only those she could save.
(I'm sorry... I'm sorry... If only I had more power...!)
Isis was a top-class performer in her third year of the Magic Department.
She had already been confirmed for appointment as a court magician — the most promising young talent on the fast track to the elite ranks.
Yet even with all of Isis's power, all she could do in this situation was run.
She guarded the roughly ten students she had managed to bring with her as they headed back toward the entrance of the plains.
"Out of my way!"
"Graah!?"
"Hurry! Faster than that!"
She blasted the monsters that appeared ahead with magic and urged the other students to press on.
The fleeing students' faces were blank with exhaustion — none of them were in any state to fight anymore.
Without Isis protecting them, there was no way they could break through the plains.
"Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!"
"...!"
Just then, from overhead— —came a shriek like that of a monstrous bird.
What swooped down from above was a monster from deep in the plains—a great serpent with wings growing from its back.
"Ah…"
Just then, a female student running in the rear tripped and fell.
A second-year in the Magic Department. A junior that Isis knew by face.
"Yulia!"
And there—Isis made the wrong call.
To shield the fallen student, she stopped in her tracks and ran back.
(What am I doing…!)
If she had judged rationally, she should have left the girl behind.
Isis had a responsibility to lead the students here to safety. She shouldn't make a decision that endangered everyone else for the sake of just one person.
"You…!"
"Senior…!"
"SHRAAAAAAA!"
The junior she helped to her feet threw her arms around her.
With one arm wrapped around the girl, Isis tried desperately to meet the great serpent head-on.
"…!?"
But in that instant, a silver flash shot across the sky.
A bolt of light, launched from somewhere, pierced straight through the serpent's face.
"What the…!?"
Isis could tell. That was an attack powered by magic.
Where on earth had it come from... She turned her gaze toward the direction the bolt of light had flown from, and far in the distance, she could make out a tiny, bean-sized silhouette.
(No way... Someone sniped it from that distance!? At this range!?)
Even with her vision enhanced by magic, she couldn't make out who that distant figure was.
The only thing she could tell was that the person was a mage on a level far surpassing her own... no, a magician.
"Shaaah...!"
The great serpent was still alive.
But silver flashes rang out — two, three, four — piercing the serpent's wings and driving it down to the ground.
"Run! Move it!"
"Y-Yes...!"
Isis grabbed her junior's hand and broke into a sprint.
They chased after the backs of those who had fled ahead of them.
(I'm sorry... no, thank you... I'll repay this kindness with everything I've got...!)
Isis directed her heartfelt gratitude toward the faceless stranger.
Perhaps the silver flashes before had blown away even her terror and panic... Isis's heart felt clear.
"Senior... are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine..."
But in its place... Isis's heart was pounding for an entirely different reason.
It would be a while yet before Isis realized the true nature of that feeling.