I created my own system

A few moments before Apollo and Alicia discovered the ancient altar, three brave students from the High class decided to assist the academy's security in searching for food and water.

"We can help, sir!" Darius declared, eager to prove himself and be useful to the adults. His enthusiasm radiated through the group, bolstering their spirits.

"No need, student Darius. Please head back; it's too dangerous," the security officer responded, attempting to mask his concern with a reassuring smile. In truth, they were not genuinely seeking food or water; they were scouting for potential enemies lurking nearby.

"Why can't we help? Apollo and that black-haired girl from the Lower class were allowed to go, but we aren't? Isn't that unfair?" Rose, another student from the High class, protested, her voice tinged with frustration.

"Yeah, sir! We want to be useful too!" Monny chimed in, determined to prove their skills in front of the first-year students.

"Students, I understand how you feel; however, we can't bring you along. It's too dangerous, and you lack experience in fighting or dealing with opponents," the security officer said firmly. His words rang true, leaving the three students feeling defeated.

"Now, now, don't be like that. Let's just head back, okay?" He tried to sound encouraging, but the disappointment was palpable in the air. Weakly, the three students nodded in response. However, as they began retracing their steps, they quickly realized they were walking in circles.

"Sir," Rose called out, her voice quavering with fear as they sensed the danger closing in around them. They were certain the camp was just behind them, but when they turned around, all they saw were thick trees looming ominously.

"We are under an illusion," the security officer deduced, his calm demeanor contrasting sharply with the rising tension in the air. He moved the students closer to him, wanting to ensure their safety.

Suddenly, amid the peaceful songs of birds, they heard the faint sound of footsteps. Panic surged through them, and although they wanted to run, their bodies felt rooted to the ground, overwhelmed by a suffocating sense of dread.

"The steps... they are everywhere," Darius's voice cracked as he spoke, trying to maintain his composure. Despite the unfolding nightmare, he resolved to be strong for his friends.

"Here they are!" a voice called out suddenly, the tone laced with a sinister hiss. "Is this the boy we were told to get?"

"Don't know? Well, let's just deliver him to that wolf. If we got the wrong one, we can always grab another kid."

The voices grew closer, and the three children huddled tightly against the security officer. From the shadow of the tallest tree, three figures emerged. Cloaks obscured their features, but the officer could tell at once they were not human. Their tails and ears gave them away instantly.

"I see two boys. Which one should we take?" one of the cloaked figures asked, his voice dripping with malice.

"Just grab them both!" urged the third figure, immediately dashing forward to seize Darius and Monny.

"Get behind me!" the security officer ordered, positioning himself protectively in front of the children as the enemies surrounded them. Although he was still recovering from the previous fight, he knew he could not let that stop him.

Rose stood near him, her determination flaring. She summoned her power, knowing a fight was imminent. She didn't want to be a burden, so she poured all her energy into casting a spell. Vines erupted from the ground, serving as a minor hindrance. However, given the vast distance between the enemies and the little girl, the spell barely served its purpose.

"Stupid brats," the lead figure spat, throwing back his hood to reveal a face contorted with anger. Rose's actions had provoked an unwelcome reaction from the humanoid beastman.

With a quick flick of his wrist, the lead figure unleashed a surge of dark vines that shot from the ground, ensnaring Monny and Darius by their feet. Simultaneously, another hooded enemy waved his hand, and a black tentacle lashed out, ensnaring the only protector of the children.

"Got you now!" the figure taunted, his voice dripping with glee, as the other comrades surrounded the four, effectively trapping them.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"Don't be such an arrogant beast!" the security officer roared, his face contorting in pain as the tendrils tightened around him.

With sheer willpower, a sword materialized in his hand, and a faint blue aura began pulsating around his body. A burst of energy flared outwards, dispersing the tendrils like mist. The children freed themselves from the shadowy grasp, and the security officer immediately launched a counterattack.

"Grab onto me!" he whispered urgently to the children, and they complied without hesitation. Though they looked somewhat ridiculous—like an oversized monkey carrying his three children—the security officer didn't care. His only priority was to get them to safety.

With a swift motion, he swung his sword, sending dozens of slashes of energy cascading through the enemy formation.

"Nice try, but not good enough!" the lead enemy taunted, opening his mouth to unleash a wave of flames.

Darius, reacting quickly, activated the artifact his father had secretly given him. A pendant shimmered as it summoned barriers of light that erupted around him, shielding them from the incoming flames.

The figures shrieked in dismay as the light barriers pushed them back, momentarily disrupting their unity. "You think you can stop us with a mere light?" one of them spat, regaining composure and glaring at Darius.

"Sir," Rose murmured, her voice trembling on the verge of tears. The security officer felt a renewed sense of determination to protect the children.

"Hold on tight. I will finish this quickly," he assured them, trying to calm their fears.

"We can help!" Monny insisted, unwilling to give up. He dropped something to the ground, creating a small cloud of dust that startled everyone.

"What was that?" the three exclaimed in confusion.

"It's a grenade," Monny explained calmly, as if that was the most natural thing in the world.

"What?!" the three exclaimed simultaneously, their shock palpable. In that unexpected moment, adrenaline surged through them, and the security officer vanished in a flash.

"Wait, where did they go?" the hooded enemies muttered in confusion, only to be met with the painful cries of surprise when five grenades detonated, filling the air with a deafening roar.

"Student, why did you have such weapons with you?" the security officer asked, catching his breath amid the chaos.

"Oh, it was given to me by my father. He told me to use it in case of an emergency," Monny replied matter-of-factly, a mischievous grin on his face. The security officer paused, questioning his own sense of normalcy in a world where children carried grenades.

With a burst of speed, he charged away at the enemies, determined to return to the camp. However, no matter how hard they tried, the path back remained elusive.

"This only means one thing," the security officer said grimly as the weight of the situation began to dawn on them. "We need to defeat the creature that created the illusion."

A wave of dread washed over the group, but they quickly composed themselves when they sensed their opponents closing in.