Chapter 13 A-Class Descends
1001 Words
Night Domain Perimeter.
02:17 AM.
The alarm sounded for the first time—truly sounded.
Not academy-level.
Not trial-level.
But—
City-level.
The western energy tower of Raven City began to tremble violently.
The black energy pillar at the Night Domain Node expanded to three times its size.
Cracks surfaced across the defensive barrier.
Urgent reports flooded the communication channels:
“Confirmed A-class fluctuation!”
“Repeat—A-class Outer Domain entity breaching containment!”
City defense forces mobilized immediately.
All academy members A-rank and above were forcibly deployed.
The entire Special Observation Class received the summons.
—
Academy Plaza.
The air felt suffocating.
Kane’s voice was low and heavy.
“This is not a trial.”
“This is real combat.”
“All units follow command.”
Lucas grinned.
“Finally.”
Karl silently checked his weapon.
Ava looked at Leon.
“Where are you now?”
“Forty percent.”
She inhaled slowly.
“Don’t brute-force stack again.”
Leon didn’t answer.
But he knew—
If he retreated today,
The city would fall.
—
Beyond the defensive line.
The Night Domain rift fully tore open.
A massive figure slowly stepped out of the darkness.
Three meters tall.
Arms like blades.
A dark violet core embedded in its chest.
Mid-stage A-class.
The air warped around it.
Ordinary hunters lost balance within thirty meters.
Kane unleashed his A-class domain in suppression.
“Hold it!”
The first assault wave—
Was blown back instantly.
The ground exploded apart.
The energy tower flickered again.
Ava expanded her ice-blue domain to its limit.
Freezing radius maximized.
The A-class entity merely paused for half a second.
Then—
Its blade-arm swept horizontally.
Three B-rank hunters were sent flying, coughing blood.
For the first time—
The city truly felt the gap of A-class.
—
Leon stood at the second defensive line.
The system interface appeared.
[Failure Catalyst: 40%]
The pressure in the air was unprecedented.
He knew—
This was the best environment.
And the most dangerous.
Lucas stepped beside him.
“Brother.”
“This time, don’t carry it alone.”
It was the first time—
He called him that.
Leon nodded.
“Hold ten seconds.”
Lucas grinned.
“Ten seconds I can give you.”
—
The A-class entity tore through Kane’s domain.
Charging straight toward the energy tower.
If the tower fell—
An entire district would lose its barrier.
Lucas rushed forward.
Domain fully unleashed.
He took the first strike head-on.
Bones cracked dully.
“Now!”
Leon inhaled deeply.
First release.
Failure.
[41%]
The A-class pressure nearly forced him to his knees.
Second.
Failure.
[42%]
Blood trickled from his ear.
Ava rushed to support the flank.
“That’s enough!”
“Not enough!”
Third.
Failure.
[43%]
His energy fluctuation began to rise.
The A-class entity locked onto him.
It sensed the anomaly.
A blade slashed through the air.
Lucas blocked it forcibly.
Blood sprayed from his shoulder.
“Hurry!”
Fourth.
Failure.
[44%]
Fifth.
Failure.
[45%]
The system glow deepened to crimson.
The A-class entity leapt.
A heavy strike descended.
The ground collapsed.
Leon was blasted back several meters.
His vision blurred.
For the first time, Ava shouted—
“Leon!”
But he didn’t stop.
Sixth.
Failure.
[46%]
Seventh.
Failure.
[47%]
Pain approached its limit.
The sound of bone fractures was clear.
Lucas knelt, barely holding on.
“Don’t die…”
Eighth.
Failure.
[48%]
The air trembled violently.
The energy tower destabilized.
The gray-haired man stood at the distant command platform.
His eyes dark.
“He can still climb.”
He did not order retreat.
He was gambling.
—
Ninth.
Failure.
[49%]
The A-class entity lunged again.
This time—
Targeting Leon’s core directly.
Ava rushed forward.
Ice-blue domain at full suppression—
Shattered in a single blow.
She was thrown aside.
Just as the blade was about to pierce Leon’s chest—
Tenth.
Failure.
[50%]
—
The system interface flashed explosively.
[Failure Catalyst: 50%]
Amplification doubled.
Energy structure underwent qualitative transformation.
Leon opened his eyes.
Crimson light nearly stained the entire defensive line red.
He was no longer suppressed.
He stepped forward—
Actively.
For the first time.
Successful release.
Not a linear blast—
But a cross-cutting rupture wave.
It cleaved directly through the A-class entity’s chest core.
Purple energy erupted outward.
Silence fell across the battlefield.
The A-class staggered backward.
For the first time—
It emitted something close to fear.
Lucas stared.
“You…”
Leon breathed heavily.
[50%]
This was not the end.
Only the beginning.
The A-class entity roared in fury—
Preparing to charge again.
In the distance—
Damian appeared.
His face pale.
Black residue energy still lingering within him.
But this time—
He did not rush toward Leon.
He rushed toward the A-class flank.
“Not for you,” he muttered.
“For proof that I’m not finished.”
His gravity domain erupted.
Unstable—
But enough to buy a second.
Leon looked up.
“Lucas.”
“Last three seconds.”
Lucas forced himself upright.
“Let’s end it!”
The three joined forces.
Ava stood again.
Ice-blue and crimson intertwined.
Final strike—
The crimson rupture pierced the core completely.
The A-class entity collapsed.
The Night Domain rift began to contract.
The defensive line stabilized.
The city towers regained their light.
Silence lingered for several seconds.
Then—
Cheers erupted.
But Leon did not smile.
He looked down at the system interface.
[Failure Catalyst: 50%]
In the distance,
The gray-haired man watched.
His expression complicated.
“Confirmed.”
“He has surpassed the original model.”
Under the night sky,
Wind swept across the broken defensive line.
Lucas punched Leon’s shoulder.
“Brother.”
“Next time, don’t carry it alone.”
Ava stood beside him.
This time—
She did not stop him.
She simply said softly,
“You won.”
Leon gazed toward the deeper darkness of the Night Domain.
He knew—
Something even deeper
Was watching him.
- Writer
