Skye paused as she tried to get more sense of the situation...

Soon, she could feel it again... that faint ripple of Dark Energy in the air.

"Tsk... Why is this happening now?" She muttered.

Most Arcanists would have needed to activate detection spells to notice such a disturbance, but she didn’t. As a Homunculus, her senses were built differently. Every shift in energy, every trace of corruption, was clear to her without effort.

As a successful product created by the Church of the Fortune Goddess, she would never miss something like this at all.

It wasn’t just about detection.

Her body reacted naturally to changes in the environment. The vibration of the ground, the distortion in the atmosphere, even the faint wave of malice carried by the summoning... all of it reached her like instinct.

Where others relied on spells, she relied on what she was...

This was what she was made for... That was the reason why she knew immediately that the source was Dark Arcanists. Their energy was corrupted, unstable, and carried a mark she could never mistake... the stench of death.

The Evil Entities that had been summoned were no different. Even before they fully appeared, she could sense their presence pressing against the edges of her awareness. It was heavy, unpleasant, and impossible to ignore.

Skye didn’t waste time. She contacted the academy’s coordinators at once.

Marshall Academy had sent thirty‑six students to the competition since there were three students for each Arcane Arts... Needless to say, they were supported by more than two dozen officers. Among them was Professor Zeno, one of the senior instructors assigned to oversee their group.

She moved quickly to find him and reported what she had sensed.

"Professor, Evil Entities are being summoned nearby," she said firmly.

Zeno looked at her, then smiled faintly and nodded. "Do not worry... stay within your rooms. They will be dealt with by the city guards soon."

He then explained that he had already been informed by a Dark Spirit connected to Vale. The professor’s calm tone was reassuring.

Then, his eyes lingered on Skye for a moment...

He couldn’t deny that he was curious. How had she noticed it so early, before most detection spells could even register the disturbance?

But Zeno didn’t ask.

He simply added, "I will inform the others as well. Remain inside and do not wander. The guards will handle this."

Skye bowed her head slightly. "Understood, Professor."

Though she also wanted to help or know about the Evil Entities, she had no choice but to follow instructions for now.

In anycase, with so many Arcanists from various parts of the world, they should be safe from now.

She just needed to act like any other student, waiting quietly in her room while the officers and city guards dealt with the threat outside.

Still, she couldn’t ignore the feeling that the summoning was close. Her instincts told her more than the professor’s words.

She sat by the window, pretending to rest, but her senses remained alert...

***

Far from the competition grounds, a group of cloaked figures gathered in the huge sewers beneath the city.

At the center was Kristol, a man whose reputation among the underground circles was already feared.

Around him, several Dark Arcanists formed a circle, each holding fragments of Divine Crystals. The crystals glowed faintly, before releasing the corrupted energy being drawn out of them.

For mortals to possess such treasures was unthinkable. Divine Crystals were rare, sacred, and normally only handled by beings with Divinity or basically Immortals or those blessed by them.

The fact that Kristol’s group had obtained them meant only two possibilities... They had probably stolen them through illegal means, or perhaps, someone far stronger, like an Immortal, was aiding them. Either way, the presence of the crystals made the ritual far more dangerous than anything the city guards had prepared for.

The chanting grew louder, and soon, a void began to open in the center of the circle!

Kristol raised his hand. "Now... come forth."

From the void, a massive shape emerged. A serpent with red scales appeared!

The creature wasted no time. As soon as it broke free from the void, it charged upward, bursting through the chamber’s ceiling and into the streets above.

Civilians screamed as the serpent’s massive jaws snapped shut around them.

Meanwhile, weaker Arcanists tried to resist, but their spells barely scratched its scales.

"Someone summoned a Snake!"

"Find the Summoner!"

"This thing... Wait! I will capture it! Those scales could fetch a high price for sure."

However, these young Arcanists were overestimating themselves!

One by one, they were devoured before the guards could even react.

Chaos spread through the city. The Red Snake’s body coiled around buildings, crushing stone and wood as if they were paper.

But Kristol and his group were not finished. The ritual circle still glowed, and the Divine Crystals continued to pour more energy into the void.

"Do not stop," Kristol commanded. "Bring us more!"

Just like that, the chanting resumed, louder and faster.

Soon, the void widened, and then, other shapes of Evil Entities began to crawl out.

Then, they all went into the streets!

Some resembled wolves with burning eyes, others were winged entities,...

Within minutes, dozens of these creatures had joined the serpent, spreading destruction wherever they went!

It was at this point that the city guards finally arrived...

Even Zeno himself arrived in time!

He saw how the guards were actually being overwhelmed!

The Red Snake alone was enough to keep them occupied. The smaller entities dashed around while attacking civilians and scattering the defenders.

During all this time, Kristol watched from the shadows.

"Perfect. The city will know fear tonight..."

The other Dark Arcanists around him laughed nervously... They were emboldened by the success of their summoning, but they were also worried about their situation!

After all, they had achieved what few dared to attempt... They were able to open a void and call forth multiple Evil Entities with the aid of Divine Crystals.

However, that also meant that he was making many countries angry!