In the original novel, when I read about the academy’s destruction, there was one part left unclear... who started it? All I remembered clearly was—

I froze the moment I heard the drum sound coming from the sacred gates. That place had the Divine Seal. It protected the academy and the Beastsworld from demons if Lilith was there....

I immediately took to my heels and arrived at the door. I pushed it open, but what I saw made me gasp.

Lilith...

Was that black magic?

I gasped and moved toward her, but suddenly I flew backwards as something pushed me away. Luckily, Veyra caught me in his arms.

"She’s protecting herself," Azrael said, stepping closer. I panted heavily. This wasn’t good.

"Lilith, stop!" I screamed, yet she kept knocking on the divine door with her psychic power. A huge hammer appeared, slamming against the door repeatedly, and I ruffled my hair.

This can’t be happening...

Earlier, I had decided to lay low and see how everything unfolded... but Lilith, if that door opened, she would die. Those demons would take her soul, devour it, and she would be gone.

I can’t let that happen...

"Is there any way I can get there?" I asked, yet my beastmen looked like there was definitely no hope.

I stepped closer. She looked like a mindless zombie, like someone being controlled... I instantly gritted my teeth.

"Elowen..."

It had to be her. She must have said something to Lilith, but what exactly did she do? I couldn’t wrap my head around everything.

[Female Lead Rank Board Loading...

Name: Elowen

Age: 19

Beastman: One

Rank: B-rank

Powers: Manipulation, Illusion, Ice Magic, Divine Luck / Reverse Misfortune

Weakness: None

Rival: Raven, Nytheris]

Seeing her information, I couldn’t help but let my jaw drop.

Oh my fvcking gawd...

With this, Elowen was practically invincible. Then why was she only slandering me with words? There had to be something else. Was she trying to get something? Especially why was I even her rival? And who was Nytheris...

My thoughts snapped back to reality the moment I felt the seal suddenly crack, and as expected, the entrance door flew open and Headmistress Lysanadra rushed in with Sonia.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped at me, but the moment she stepped closer, her breath hitched. The horror was visible in her eyes.

"What did you tell your sister to do?" she yelled, and my eyes darkened. My lips parted, but no words escaped them.

"Let’s seal it first," Sonia and Lysanadra said, raising their hands into the air and pouring in all their energy, yet the shield was too strong...

The magic backfired, but we all dodged and black mist exploded everywhere.

Just like that, we were thrown out of the sacred gate. I coughed out dust, waving my hand around my nose to clear the dirt.

As I looked closely, I spotted Lilith’s shoe, and she smiled.

"Death is calling... and coming," she said.

The dust outside immediately disappeared, but Lilith stood right in front of me without saying a word, and then I saw it.

The demon-like ghouls....Dark purple mixed with black....They are probably demon-Ghouls, locked up forever seal.

I had read about them once in the novel. The moment they passed through a body, they took the soul. My eyes widened in horror and I stretched my hand forward.

"Move!" I shouted, but Lilith stood there, and just like that, the first Demon-Ghoul passed through her.

It didn’t even take a second before her body collapsed to the ground.

I stood up and rushed toward Lilith’s body, gently taking her into my arms.

"How can I bring her back?" I yelled, and everyone just stared.

"I’ll take her. I’ll try to call onto her soul... I can still hear her," the Headmistress said, yet I only stared at her uncertainly. What if shegeied to kill Lilith?

I gazed at Sonia, who nodded that I should.

Carrying Lilith’s fragile body, I walked toward Lysanadra, who held her instantly before they disappeared.

Just then, bells rang around the academy. "The academy is under attack! Fight the Demon-Ghouls!"

I sighed, watching as chaos broke out everywhere. It wasn’t hard for my beastmen to kill a few, and they protected me while I stood between them.

I stared at the cracks spreading further and further and sighed.

"What can I even do in this situation?"

I watched as the ghouls moved around, flipping through things, and eventually students began rushing toward the sacred seal. I even spotted the Duke nearby. Next to her stood Elowen and Darian safely inside her shield.

I couldn’t help but frown at the terrified look on Elowen’s face, but as she stared at me, she suddenly gave me a wild smile that made my gut drop.

A ghoul rushed from above, trying to crash into me, but my dragon sword appeared in my hands and I immediately sliced through it. It turned into dust instantly.

"Guys, I can handle myself," I said, and my beastmen moved away, though they still gazed at me worriedly.

My sword flared red with flames, and my eyes burned. I watched Elowen’s smile slowly drop.

"System, is there a way to close the rift before the academy is completely destroyed?" I asked. If the demon-ghouls weren’t killed, they could escape and terrorize the outside world.

But staring upwards, I noticed the ghouls couldn’t escape and were being burned.

I looked at Azrael.

He was controlling the shield.

"Don’t waste all your strength!" I yelled. "I’ll close the gate," I said, and with the little magic inside me, I shielded myself and walked into the sacred gate.

"Sister!" Elowen shouted, acting all concerned as she rushed toward me too. The Duke’s heart rose in panic, but the gate collapsed before she could reach it. She staggered backwards as huge rocks covered the entrance.

[Enhancing Magic Potion]

I tapped on it the second I walked in.

The outside was shut closed, but the ghouls could still escape by passing through the rocks. I spotted the Divine Gate, its center completely split open.

Scanning around, there wasn’t anything useful, and for some reason, the ghouls were avoiding me.

Then I felt the intense presence behind me.

I immediately dodged as a hot purple-black fireball slammed into the wall. It crumbled instantly, and I turned to find her.

Elowen stood there, a fireball swirling above her palm and a mocking smile on her face.

"Playing hero, are we?" she asked, moving closer.

My eyes darkened, the frown on my face obvious, and she licked her lips.

"Why do you always get in my way, huh, Raven?" she asked, and my lips parted.

"Because you annoy me. Watching a loser like you win using pity and angel looks is disgusting," I snapped, and she clicked her tongue.

"Tsk."

She sighed, and the fireball in her hands disappeared. I knew clearly she was using black magic.

Where and how did she even find it?

In the very beginning, she had lied that I used black magic... while she was actually the one using it.

"Oh? Are you wondering how I got this?" She paused and moved closer. "Darian gave it to me as a gift. A little something to stand higher than you," she cackled.

But why would Darian give her something so dark?

He wasn’t a man who bowed to anyone, and he certainly didn’t do things for free. Giving Elowen that fire had to mean something.

My eyes didn’t shake or dilate like she expected. I stayed calm, and the jealousy in her eyes became clearer.

"You abused your beastmen. You made them a laughingstock. You let Darian trample over them. You would do anything to humiliate them... Yet you suddenly woke up overnight, became nice, and now they’re all over you, flocking around like fools." She spat, and I knew the word "nice" had struck a nerve inside her.

"I’m irresistible, I guess," I proudly said, and she gritted her teeth.

"No, you aren’t! There is absolutely nothing good about you. It’s like you’re a whole different soul!" she yelled.

I should have panicked, but I didn’t, because her words clearly only wanted to see fear in me. She wanted proof that I wasn’t Raven, so she could use it against me.

"Are you done?" I asked, gripping my sword tightly, and she smiled.

"Raven, my petty tricks are over. This time, everything will lead to death," she snarled and immediately threw a fireball at me.

I dodged, but before I could look properly...A kick landed straight against my face.

I flew backwards and crashed into the ground.

"Fvck..."

She was strong. But what did I expect? She was the untouchable female lead.

"See? You are clearly nothing. I should have had them! Everything..." she said angrily, but a mocking laugh escaped my lips.

"Apart from taking from others, what else can you do?"

Her eyes glared with rage, and she sped toward me. I moved too.

This time, the scorching fire erupting from her palms didn’t touch my face, and my sword sliced through the air.

I slid forward and thick chunks of black hair fell straight down.

They floated in the air around us, and Elowen froze.

Her long hair was now short, brutally cut off by me and a smile slowly appeared on my lips.

"Elowen... are you still cocky?"