After looking around the area and finding no immediate signs of the monster, they all went into the school — Seishin Academy.

Naoya crouched low and pressed his palm to the ground, his fingers glowing faintly with green energy. Thick, sturdy vines erupted from the earth with a soft rustling sound, twisting and weaving together to form a quiet, natural ladder that reached the top of the high fence.

One by one, the group climbed over, their black outfits blending into the night as they landed softly on the other side with muted thuds.

The school grounds were dark and silent, the tall buildings casting long, eerie shadows under the moonlight.

The air felt cooler here, carrying the faint scent of polished floors and old books from the empty classrooms.

The group moved with careful, silent steps across the wide sports field, their breaths visible in the cool night air as they began their careful infiltration.

According to their timer and investigations, Jorogumo should arrive in about 20 minutes.

The group had calculated the monster’s nocturnal patterns carefully — she tended to appear after midnight, drawn to areas with vulnerable prey.

This gave them a narrow window to set up and prepare. In the meantime, they all walked around the school hallways, their footsteps echoing softly in the empty corridors.

Flashlights were kept low, casting narrow beams across lockers and classroom doors.

The hallways felt strangely nostalgic, filled with rows of lockers, bulletin boards covered in old posters, and the faint smell of chalk and cleaning solution that lingered even at night.

Hinata paused in front of one particular classroom, her eyes softening with a wistful smile.

"Awww, I missed the memories of when I was in this class," she said quietly, her voice carrying a gentle warmth as she looked through the glass window at the empty desks.

Both Hinata and Hanako had graduated from Seishin Academy a couple of years earlier.

The school held many shared memories for them. Hanako stepped closer, looking into their former classrooms with a soft smile on her face.

"So many memories lies here," she murmured, her high ponytail swaying as she tilted her head.

She turned to Hinata with a nostalgic grin and continued, "Remember when you were being ganged up by those bullies in the second year? They had you cornered near the stairs after class, pushing you around and mocking you for being too fiery.

You were trying to fight back but they were too many. Then I came around the corner, saw what was happening, and stood up for you.

I chased those bullies all away, yelling at them until they ran off with their tails between their legs... which signified the day of our friendship".

Hanako’s voice was warm and fond as she recounted the story, her eyes sparkling with the memory.

Hinata smiled softly, nodding as the scene replayed in her mind — the fear she had felt, then the relief when Hanako appeared like a fierce protector, turning a bad situation into the start of a strong friendship.

The two girls shared a quiet, meaningful look in the dark hallway, the nostalgia momentarily softening the rivalry between them.

Then, after this moment of reminiscing, Hanako checked her watch and said, "It’s almost time, let’s get into positions."

Her voice shifted back to focused determination.

The group left the nostalgic hallways and moved toward the largest, most obvious room in the entire school — the grand auditorium — where their target was likely to pass through.

The auditorium was a vast, open space with high ceilings, rows of seats, and a large stage, perfect for a creature like Jorogumo to move through or create her dimension.

They chose it strategically as the most probable entry point based on the monster’s size and habits.

They all took a formation best suited for the use of their powers.

Hinata climbed to a high vantage point above the open floor, settling on a balcony overlooking the entire auditorium to get a proper view.

From there, her exceptional vision could scan the entire area, seeing through walls and in complete darkness. Akane and Hanako stuck close to Rin, positioning themselves on either side of him like protective guards, their revealing outfits still on full display even in the serious moment.

Dracula, looking somewhat bored and amused by the whole affair, wandered off into different classrooms on his own, his long black coat billowing as he explored casually, clearly here more for entertainment than serious participation.

Naoya and Nagumo stayed on alert near the main entrance, ready to react.

Shiki called out his zombies and vampires, the undead figures rising from the shadows with black eyes and increasing power, standing silently as guards around the group.

Naoya turned to Shiki and said quietly, "Shiki."

Shiki looked in his direction.

Naoya continued, his voice serious, "Do not overdo it, okay?"

He was trying to warn Shiki not to use his ability too much.

If Shiki got caught up directly in the fight, his zombies and vampires wouldn’t act as effectively without his full concentration.

Also, if his summoned creatures struggled against a stronger opponent, Shiki himself would lose energy and stamina rapidly, potentially collapsing from the drain. The more he pushed his power, the greater the risk to himself.

Shiki gave a small nod, acknowledging the warning with his usual silent demeanor.

Now everyone was on alert, waiting for Jorogumo.

The auditorium was tense and silent, the only sounds being their quiet breathing and the distant creak of the old building.

Then they heard a sound — a loud, heavy, skittering noise like giant insect footsteps echoing down the hallway, growing closer with each passing second.

The sound was unmistakable, a chilling mix of clicking legs and shifting weight that sent a shiver through the group.

Hinata’s voice came through their communication earbuds, calm but urgent.

"Something just teleported into the building."

Everyone became even more alert, bodies tensing as they prepared for the confrontation, the air thick with anticipation in the moonlit auditorium.