Cid finally returned to his mob life.

Don't get him wrong, he was very happy to spend time with Seven Shades, but, how to say that… He was absolutely not ready for the amount of affection they drowned him in, so upon coming back to the academy he could finally sigh in relief.

Now he needs to think about upcoming terrorist attack…

Cid already saw some girls in Shadow Garden's uniform (Eta said they enhanced the slime suit he once created so they probably give it to their workers) standing at the rooftops and watching over the academy, so it seems Shades were quick in their work. He has to thanks them later… Though he would prefer not being smothered for hours.

Oh, he also saw Claire (wasn't she supposed to go to senior years' gathering or something?), but instead of running to choke him she instead smiled mysteriously and winked at him. He doesn't want to know the implications behind that…

Alexia, on the other hand…

"Dearest Poochie, mind explaining to me where the hell have you been the whole previous week?" yep, she decided to do Claire's job and was "gently massaging" his neck from behind.

"Oh, I took a leave because of my wounds," he replied, "And please stop doing that, I want to breathe."

"Yea-a-a-ah, you were so injured that you somehow slipped past five top students, guards, and Assistant Principal himself. Hm, yeah, totally," she didn't buy it at all.

"Try to live with a sister like mine that wants to find you and do unspeakable things to you, and you will learn even more."

"Oh, what kind of unspeakable things does our Claire do to her cute helpless little brother?" he didn't want to think what perverted thoughts were hidden in that silver-haired head of hers…

"Oh, you know, riding me in the morning…"

"R-Riding?"

"Yeah, then she lowers her head to whisper in my ear how much she loves me…"

"L-Love?!"

"Uh-huh, and then, you won't believe it, she finishes it by choking me! Again!"

"U-Uh, you know, I need to go out real quick… Uh, yeah, welcome back, sorry for running away that fast, okie bye!"

Cid was laughing internally as he watched the princess running off to Claire. Technically he didn't say a single lie, it's just that… Alexia is really, really perverted. Well, it's not like he never saw even more insane women in his life… Brrr, Eta…

Ahem, back to the point.

It's still morning, so right now he should go on his lessons. Usually terrorist attacks happen mid-lessons in order to catch everyone quickly, so if he had to estimate… around noon? Yeah, should be something like that… Now he only has to give a signal to someone… Oh, that brown-haired girl looks kinda familiar…

"Hey, Nu," yep, that's the "thirtieth" of Shadow Garden.

"Huh?… Oh, Mast- Cid, did you want something?" she quickly managed to look like a proper student talking with a friend of hers, props to that!

Right, now he has to give some cool lines and say when to act…

"Hm…" profound humming, "when darkness falls in the middle of day, when shadows eat away at the blood of heretics… Is the moment when Garden blooms."

Yes, he delivered!

"Understood, Lord Shadow. I shall immediately convey this to Lady Gamma," she made a quick bow and disappeared among the sea of shadows. So cool!

Nice, now he only needs to go back and look like an average student. Man, if only his mob friends still talked with him… But they were still resentful at him for getting attention of girls. You know, he himself didn't want to do that! Women find him themselves!

It was already the last lesson and there were still no terrorists. Could girls be mistaken in their information? Or was it a prank?

"…And this is where our lesson for today ends. However, do not leave as of yet. Student Council President, Rose Oriana, among other council candidates, wishes to give a speech. Please stay and listen."

Meh, looks like he got nothing in the end. Kinda wished for it to actually happen…

As Rose stood in front of the class, she noticed Cid sitting near the window. Smile bloomed on her face as she gave him a nod and went up to make her speech.

'Damn these women, making my mob life even harder!' he noticed the stares from his classmates.

"Greetings. I am Rose Oriana, the current Student Council President, and I wish to talk with you about upcoming election…"

Blah-blah-blah. Basically, what it boils down to is "please vote for me" from each and every candidate. Except Rose. She's heroine material so she just explained what the hell is going on and then went to the side eyeing him from distance. Meh, he has enough with Shades already…

Hold on, what's that feeling?

Cid just felt that his magic became a bit harder to control. If he didn't have experience of being in Eta's anti-magic cuffs, he could say that it would give him about a minute or so before figuring out how to get control back.

'So it's actually happening.'

Well, now he's a little motivated. Maybe he could even cancel the effect of this field? It looks like everyone else didn't even notice that…

Crack!

The door was blasted.

A group of men in black entered the classroom, quickly destroying any and all swords students left there.

'9/10 entrance, could be better if you entered through the window.'

"We are Shadow Garden."

Hold up?

"We are here to occupy this academy. Stay where you are, and we can guarantee that you survive. In case of resistance, however… Heh, see that for yourself, kids."

"Oh? And what makes you think that I would allow that?" Rose took out her rapier.

"As I said: try around, find out," terrorist taunted her.

President took a stance and started channeling her technique, only to realize that…

"My magic?" indeed, her mana couldn't be controlled.

"Eh, you finally noticed?" man in black smirked, "Well, too bad. As I said, should you resist…"

'No, wait, hold on, that's a heroine material right there! She can't just die here! Damn, guess I gotta do mob-style death…'

And so Cid Kagenou jumped in to save Rose Oriana from impending death, determined to trade his life for hers.

Unfortunately, he did not realize that after his training he forgot to get accustomed to his even more developed power, and so instead of jumping in front of a sword he jumped on Rose, taking her to the floor with him as the sword passed through the air where they were.

However, that didn't stop him from activating his brand new technique that he used to control the air, discovering in the process its abilities to interfere with magic from other sources.

"Goddamnit, if only we were faster…" Alexia bit her lip as she stood at the entrance with Claire and Iris.

Alexia and Claire were just done talking about their relationships with Cid (as it turns out, all things he said indeed happened… just not the way she imagined it to be) and decided to head back to academy. However, they couldn't get in.

Upon realizing that gates were closed she called for guard, and at this moment anti-magic field enveloped the whole academy.

Such a commotion quickly got attention from Alexia's sister, Iris, and she called upon her newly established Knights branch, Crimson Order.

Unfortunately, even Iris herself would not be able to operate under the effects of magic dispel, so they could only wait until it runs out or someone knowledgeable interferes.

"And Cid is there as well…" Claire muttered. However, to Alexia's surprise, she did not try to rush in. Someone who loves her brother as much as Claire would surely try to break in no matter how much injured she will be.

'How strange…'

"Cid, Rose Oriana, Sherry Barnett…" Iris added, frowning, "High-level researcher, the current champion of academy, and the boyfriend of a princess… They knew how to choose their targets."

Ah, right. Not only Cid himself, but also the strongest fighter and the only person Alexia knew that could remove anti-magic field were also trapped in academy.

Alright, alright, she needs to focus. There ought to be a way…

"W-What's happening?!" huh?

"Look! Look! The barrier! Something breaks it!" what?!

True to soldiers' words, the scarlet anti-magic field was slowly being replaced by violet-colored one. A very familiar color…

'Shadow?!'

The only person she knows that has this color. The person with unmatched swordsmanship. Someone who could destroy a large part of the city with his magic release alone.

Red barrier gave its last resistance, before academy was surrounded in… shadows. That's right, anti-magic field from before merely altered the colors and blocked the magic. The current field, however…

"By the Goddess… the road…"

"I-I can't even see past a meter!"

The current field completely blocked out any and all vision. However…

"You can use magic inside this field," Iris informed after taking a step in it, "Moreover, it seems like upon entering the field you are able to see properly."

Indeed, as soon as Alexia passed through the gate, the view was cleared. She could see everything once again.

"Step back," a voice from behind.

She turned around to see a beautiful blonde elf in a black bodysuit. Behind her was a group of women in same uniform.

"Shadow Garden…" Iris squinted.

"That is not your battle to take," the elf spoke once more.

"Alpha, is it?" Alexia interjected.

"Alexia Midgar. I know of you. My Lord has spoken well of your achievements in swordsmanship," the woman called Alpha suddenly warmed up, "Should you ever find a wish to receive a teaching, you can find us. Would you be able to find us, however, is a question…"

Right, of course. Of course the man she saw twice in her whole life would suddenly be interested in her after fifteen years of being bashed by everyone. That's absolutely normal, Alexia, all girls go through that.

"However…" elf frowned, "That is still not yours battle to take. You are not ready."

"My friend is over there. While we are speaking, he might desperately try to survive," Alexia gritted her teeth, "and I will do whatever it takes to save him."

Alpha simply eyed her.

"And not to mention…" Alexia realized something, "if we were not needed there, field would still block our magic, right?!"

"You are…?" elf's eyes widened.

"Correct, the field made by, I assume, your leader does not affect us, which means we are not targeted by it," Iris confirmed her words.

"I see… So that's his plan…" Alpha nodded, "Then we shall go in and rescue the students, then take out the attackers. Questions?"

"Sounds like a plan for me," Alexia took out her sword.

"…Who is our enemy, anyway?" Iris posed her question, irritated that she didn't know something.

"Isn't it obvious?" elf simply smiled, "Cult of Diabolos."