’Dang.’

Cillian found himself grouped with Aster and Vin. Raising his gaze to the sky, where the moon at least provided a faint source of light amid the horrifying situation, his eyes then landed on the strong pillars of bone.

Cillian stretched his hand forward, lightly tapping it.

The texture of the bones was hard, though not so beyond what one would expect from massive bones.

’Aster might be able to break this, but it’s too soon for him to go all out. That’s the last thing I should let him do.’

Cillian glanced around, looking ahead, behind, and to both sides. There was a path leading back the way they came, and another ahead where the robed individuals showed themselves. Even what was left from the makeshift rooms was scattered around everywhere in the complex.

It was a mess.

Worst of all, there was no way to spot anyone beyond the towering pillars that stretched high above them. For now, only people who remained beside them were their temporary group.

For most people, it is a matter of luck. They either survive by chance as they move forward or encounter one of the black-robed individuals and suffer the consequences.

However, such a restriction doesn’t work on Cillian.

"Nearby Flag Presence."

[Nearby Flag Presence Activated]

[Nearby Flag Presence Detected]

[Red Flag x12]

[Black Flag x13]

[Death Flag x2]

Cillian observed the screens in his peripheral vision before turning his attention to Aster, whose flag raised showed a Death Flag, and Vin, who showed a Black Flag.

He then looked around and saw nearby flags scattered beyond the walls they were in. Some were far away, others close, and varying from red flags to black flags.

No white flags.

’It looks like flags were raised. Well, almost everyone had flags when I left the makeshift room earlier, since everyone is already exposed to the dangers. But now it had become worse. Aster’s and my flags still didn’t change, but Vin’s flag had turned black if I don’t include his flag at the probe.’

Speaking of flags, Cillian observed how the black-robed individuals also had Death Flags above their heads.

If he counted their numbers...

’There are at least fifteen people that I need to be worried about since we all saw two people getting killed by the instructors who somehow planned an ambush. But we don’t know if that’s the only ones they have deployed here. These people are too unpredictable.’

Even seeing the number advantage by gathering around in one area, something Cillian achieved by exposing their plans, they still didn’t back away.

But it made sense when they had this ace up their sleeves.

’Even the Academy collapsed. Talk about being a really powerful organization.’

Cillian deduced calmly inwardly, rummaged through his pocket for Mouthful Eye, and then called out to the two of them.

"I think we should run away from those people. Aster, reserve your strength. We will need it when we encounter some of them. Vin, what are your strengths?"

Vin, who understood the importance of this situation, showed Cillian a pair of knives hidden under his academy uniform. He then said.

"This and first-tier spells. Though I’m not good at conjuring them. I’m... also secretly a Ruiner, but I didn’t start at [One]. I’m Ruiner [Two] but with one piece. The Piece’s name is Buddy, where I can summon an iron golem. I can summon it once per day. If it’s killed, there’s a one-week cooldown. I can summon and unsummon it any time, but there’s always a two-second difference if I summon it again."

"An Improper Ruiner, huh?" Cillian nodded. "Can it fight?"

Vin nodded once.

This raised Cillian’s options as he demanded strongly.

"Okay, show it to me."

"Show it to you?"

"Yeah."

Vin was confused at first before motioning with his hand and forming hand seals as if he was conjuring a spell. An iron golem then spawned between them.

Just as Cillian started seeing Vin summoning the golem, he was also doing his own thing.

"Mimicry."

[Mimicry Activated]

[Mimicry Failed]

Cillian clicked his tongue.

[Mimicry Activated]

[Mimicry Failed]

Vin was pretty much done in a few seconds, but Cillian remained unbothered as he continued using one of his Faceless active abilities, Mimicry.

Cillian had already tried ten times as Vin continued watching him, muttering "Mimicry" under his breath.

"Mimicry."

Finally, on the eleventh try, Cillian saw something different instead of the skill activating and failing as before.

[Mimicry Activated]

[Mimicry Success]

[Name: Mimicry

Reserved mimicry storage: Jack Trade’s voice, Buddy [Two].

Temporary mimicked activated: None]

’Okay. Phew.’

Cillian let out a sigh, feeling that even repeatedly using Piece is bound to have some aftereffects. It was quite low for now, but he was starting to feel it.

Still, it wasn’t that much for now.

The important thing is that he mimicked the ability and had the information stored on his head.

"Hey."

Cillian called out to Mouthful Eye in his hand before placing it on his shoulder. The artifact’s eyelids quivered for a moment before opening, making both Vin and Aster look at it with doubtful looks.

However, it still didn’t talk.

"Let’s go."

But Cillian had no time to entertain their questions, even as they gave him doubtful looks. The three of them started running in the opposite direction from where the black-robed individuals were located.

As they ran, they discussed their formation in case they encountered one of them.

...

A maze.

Cillian easily concluded that these bone pillars stretching into the sky were structured akin to a maze. They were wide enough for four to five people to pass through, and it didn’t appear to be that narrow.

Is exit a possibility?

Cillian considered it, but he didn’t pin his hopes on it.

Even if it was a maze, it didn’t seem to function like a normal one, especially since it had been activated by the deranged Captain, who had nearly been caught by Darwin.

Who knows what would happen if Cillian thought that the maze itself was safe? He might let his guard down and think it is safe as long as he won’t encounter an enemy.

Additionally, Cillian had already seen these bone pillars during his very first death probe, well, at least something similar to them, and they acted like a cage surrounding the outside of the academy walls.

If that was the case, is escaping possible?

It could be, but avoiding being hunted by the black-robed individuals comes first. Creating an escape is only possible if there are exits to use.

And so far, no exits are showing.

That’s why Cillian created foundations, like always.

"First, we run away as usual. Second, we gather around students and instructors we met along the way. The more people, the better. Third, we work on our numbers advantage."

"And then?"

Aster asked, hoping that Cillian had thought this through, until he saw him shrug his shoulder as if that was the right response after building everything up.

"Dunno. Not die, I guess?"

Aster got annoyed by that half-assed reply, but he calmed himself down. As a matter of fact, his plan didn’t seem sound good at first, but it raises the chance of surviving at this moment.

"Everyone’s just moving around. We can’t encounter anyone at all. Well, who would even stay at one spot?"

Cillian kept his Nearby Flag Presence activated, which acted as a danger meter, and he was almost sure that the "nearby" distance of this ability was just a little over fifteen meters.

Anything beyond that point, he was unable to see the flags that left its perimeter. That’s why he encountered flags from time to time, but no routes led them to form a group.

After all, Cillian needed to see the person directly for the Possibility Flags to work passively with nothing blocking his vision.

’Man, I’m discovering a lot of things in a time of crisis. Talk about a tough way to learn lessons!’

Cillian complained inwardly before adding.

’Thankfully, using this ability doesn’t consume anything, unlike the two, which seem like they want to exchange my life just for them to activate. Well, it’s only natural if it’s an okayish ability.

’Nearby Flag Presence is working wonders right now because something is blocking my way to use the Possibility Flag’s passive. I’m almost sure that even if I’m blind or something related to that hinders my vision, using this ability is enough.’

His eyes were there to track the Possibility Flag and use its passive. But even when he closed them, the active ability still worked because he could sense their presence.

’Haha, imagine someone who doesn’t have a flag attacking me. I’m really going to be screwed.’

Cillian couldn’t help but wander his thoughts around while they moved inside the maze.

Aster and Vin tried to remain as vigilant as possible, but Cillian continued moving forward without hesitation, as though he could see through the walls and had no fear of pushing ahead.

If it were another person, they would’ve surely hesitated at least for a moment. But if they don’t move, they are bound to encounter problems. However, even if they move, things could get hectic one way or another.

That’s why Cillian’s presence felt different as these two watched him.

"Wait."

Suddenly, Cillian’s voice grew stern.

[Red Flag x5]

[Black Flag x3]

[Death Flag x14]

’Twelve Death Flags in one group?’

Cillian’s eyes darted across the wall in the nearby area, which doesn’t lead a path through.

Excluding the Death Flags above him and Aster’s head, there are twelve people nearby who have raised the same flag.

It’s their current situation that made the flags above their heads change into possible outcomes of dying.

’Someone has caught up already? So fast?’

Cillian couldn’t help but be suspicious, knowing that the reason their flags were like that was that an opponent was nearby.

It meant their possible deaths have become part of their ending.