Hello dear readers,

  I’m an Italian student with a deep passion for writing. Unfortunately, I’m not fluent in English, so I used an AI translator to make the first chapter of Novus Orbis readable for those who don’t know Italian. I apologize for any translation errors or issues that may have arisen from it! I hope Novus Orbis can give you the same emotions that keep me writing.

  A big hug,

  TheUnluckyLord

  (P.S. If any native English speakers would like to help refine the translation, I’d be incredibly grateful!)

  Novus orbis

  [Day: 5 | Month: October | Year 3005] [Scuola Superiore Vittorio Em.]

  After the war in 2450, because of the radioactivity that had covered the entire atmosphere, many humans died, and the [Gashes in the sky] began to appear...

  An interested-looking student raised his hand, which interrupted the teacher's history lesson, she allowed him to speak, even if this annoyed her not a little;

  The boy, happy to be able to talk, showed off a 32-tooth smile and asked the question that almost the whole class was thinking, asked her what exactly those Rifts were, and what impact they had on their planet;

  The professor, annoyed, replied by saying that until today no one had been able to understand it, the only information worth mentioning was that anyone who even slightly touched a Gash was sucked in, with no way back.

  The standard classroom contained 16 single green desks joined two at a time, all around the walls was covered with wardrobes and the empty parts were filled with tedious and severe regulations, The wall facing east housed a very large window, which showed a large part of the town.

  In the corner of the classroom, near the window, there was a boy called Francesco with a robust size, long brown hair resting on his shoulders, his gaze instilled a slight fear, given his often bored and annoyed mood, He continued to stare at the Gashes with a particularly bored look until the bell rang to indicate recess.

  Gianluca, a rather tall boy, with hair that immediately attracted attention: black, but with some shades of white scattered here and there. That detail had made him the object of bullying during his school years, helping to form an insecure and worrying character in him.

  Gianluca approached Francesco, took a chair and placed it in front of his desk "H-hello, Francesco... Can I talk to you a little?" he asked hesitantly.

  Francis turned, snorting at his presence. "Phew, hello Gianluca. Tell me," he replied in a tone of voice that betrayed a certain annoyance.

  Gianluca: ?Sorry if I disturb you... I know you all hate me." Gianluca looked down, sad, and started to leave, but Francesco stopped him.

  Francesco: "I didn't snort for you in particular. I just don't like interacting with others. If you had anything to ask me, go ahead," he replied in a calm and sincere tone.

  Gianluca, relieved by those words, sat down again and said: "Why is it that during lessons you are always looking at the gashes? Are you a science enthusiast?" he asked in an ironic tone.

  Francesco: "I'm definitely not a science enthusiast," he replied, smiling just before continuing. "They make me uneasy, think about it... We don't know anything about them, and all the people who come into contact with those gashes disappear without a trace."

  Gianluca: ?Mhmm, it actually makes sense, who knows what it's for-?

  A sudden roar interrupted the dialogue of the two boys. The ground beneath them began to shake violently, a deep rumble that seemed to come from the bowels of the earth. The walls of the room vibrated, the walls creaking as if they were about to collapse at any moment. The chairs moved by themselves, banging against the walls, while the window panes trembled menacingly, ready to explode into a thousand splinters.

  Francesco and Gianluca exchanged a look of panic. "Under the desks!" shouted Francesco, his voice rising above the roar of the earthquake.

  The two threw themselves on the ground, crawling quickly under the desks, which were anchored to the floor by a series of massive bolts. The earthquake seemed to be unstopping: the floor swayed as if it were made of jelly, and the air was filled with dust rising from the cracks in the wall.

  Gianluca clung to the foot of the bench, his knuckles white for the grip. "What's going on?!" he screamed, his voice shaking with the ground.

  Francesco, also clinging to the bench, tried to keep calm. "Hold on! Don't give up!"

  The shock lasted for 10 minutes, an eternity in which every second seemed like an hour. Then, slowly, the earthquake began to subside. The vibrations became less intense, the rumble subsided, and the room returned to an unnatural silence, broken only by the labored breathing of the two boys.

  Francis stood up cautiously, looking around. The room was a mess: overturned furniture, cracked walls and objects scattered everywhere. He turned to Gianluca, who was still on the ground, visibly shaken.

  "Gianluca, are you okay?" he asked, extending a hand to his friend.

  Gianluca grabbed his hand, pulling himself up with a groan. "C-c-what the hell happened! I was afraid I would die without even having had my first kiss!" he said, trying to joke despite his still trembling voice.

  Francesco looked at him, a tired smile that was printed on his face. "What an idiot—" he murmured, shaking his head.

  he laughed heartily before noticing something different at the window, Outside stretched a long main road, now littered with wrecked cars, flames and monstrous creatures intent on killing fleeing drivers. On the sides of the road, some small apartment buildings were assaulted by green humanoids armed with long sharp claws. In the distance, a tower stood imposingly on the horizon, now transformed into a nest by a huge winged lizard, whose size instilled terror. Just below the school, the courtyard was invaded by those green beings, who emitted high-pitched and chilling screeches, filling the air with a sense of death and destruction.

  The sky, meanwhile, was an intense and menacing red, as if painted by a blood-soaked brush. Between the dark and swirling clouds, you could see the gashes, sinister openings from which creatures of all shapes and sizes incessantly emerged, ready to pour into the world below. It was an apocalyptic spectacle, which seemed to herald the end of all that was known.

  Francesco: "Gianluca... Tell me I'm having a bad nightmare while the history teacher explains... All this cannot be real..."

  Gianluca: "It's horrible... What the hell is going on?" Gianluca burst into tears, holding his head in his hands, terrified.

  Suddenly, screams were heard coming from the corridors: excruciating cries for help that resounded like a sinister echo. Those screams made Francesco recover from the shock. He was a fan of isekai video games and manga, and this situation, as absurd as it was, seemed almost familiar to him.

  Francesco: "Gianluca! WE NEED TO FIND A SAFE PLACE! NOW!" Francesco grabbed Gianluca by the arm and slapped him on the cheek, making him abruptly return to reality.

  With Francesco's directives, the two ran to the exit of the classroom, Crossing the door, a long corridor opened flanked by classrooms on both sides. Some windows allowed a glimpse of the inside of the classrooms, while at the back there were stairs leading to the other floors. The corridor was a waking nightmare: the floor was stained with blood, and everywhere lay corpses with deep wounds. Panicked pupils ran in all directions, trampling on anyone in their path. In the chaos, the green beings moved with agility, their horrible red eyes glowing with sinister joy as they watched the terror they had unleashed.

  At that sight, Gianluca vomited, overwhelmed by fear and terror, while Francesco was paralyzed for a moment. The green being, noticing their presence, rushed towards them with a menacing leap. Just as he was about to hit Gianluca, another boy in the class burst into the scene and, with a powerful shoulder, threw the creature into a nearby classroom.

  ???: "RECOVER, IDIOTS! RUN!" At his cry, Gianluca and Francesco shook themselves and resumed running at breakneck speed towards the warehouse, heading for the basement.

  The basement housed all the rooms used for sports activities. As soon as we got off, we could see some equipment leaning against the walls near the doors. However, the room closest to the stairs was the warehouse, protected by a large iron door and closed by a large red padlock. This warehouse was used to store materials and equipment necessary for all the institute's facilities, such as the canteen, bathrooms and gymnasiums.

  The three boys, having arrived in the underground corridor, noticed that the door of the warehouse was locked by a padlock. They frantically searched around for a key, but to no avail.

  Francis: "How the hell do we get in? They're probably coming!"

  At that point, Gianluca, usually taciturn, approached the door. He grabbed the padlock with one hand, leaving the other students speechless. His hand began to turn bright red, and smoke began to come out of the pores of his skin. After a few seconds, the padlock untied, and Gianluca opened the door, turning to the others.

  Gianluca: ?It worked! ALL IN!"

  Still confused but without hesitation, all the boys present in the gym rushed into the warehouse. They barricaded the door with heavy furniture found inside, while Francesco's group moved to a corner to discuss the situation.

  The warehouse was a medium sized room. On the right side there were two cold rooms used for the canteen, while on the left were piled up all the spare equipment for sports activities: mattresses, weights and large containers full of soccer balls.

  The boy who had saved Gianluca was called Simon, a classmate of theirs who was very popular among his peers. Simon played on the town's basketball team, and this had given him an athletic and well-defined physique, as well as an above-average height. Although he had very little hair left on his head, he did not make a drama out of it: on the contrary, he often joked about it, demonstrating a confidence and self-irony that made him even more loved.

  Francesco: ?Lucky that Simon arrived in time, otherwise I don't want to imagine what would have happened to you, Gianlù.?

  Gianluca: ?Thank you very much, Simon. Without you I would probably have died..." Gianluca turned pale at the mere thought of what could have happened.

  Simon: "Imagine, I'm glad I was helpful. Rather... First, what the hell did you do with your hands? They seemed to be made of lava for a moment!" he replied with a mixture of amazement and curiosity.

  Gianluca: ?That being reminded me of a video game I played some time ago. There, you had to say [Status] to open a screen where you could set your stats... Well, as you can imagine, it worked!" After explaining, he made a few movements in the void with his hand, and suddenly his [Status] became visible to others as well.

  Francis, amazed by the scene before his eyes, asked: "So you used the skill [Magmatic Arts (E)] to make the lock melt? Bravo, you had a good intuition!" He patted Gianluca on the shoulder, smiling, and then turned to Simon.

  Francis: "Simon! Show us your [Status] too, now I'm curious!"

  Simon, a little confused by the situation, nodded and invoked the status, still invisible to the eyes of others.

  Simon: ?Gianlù, how did you show it? I don't understand anything, look. Tell me how to do it for a moment."

  Gianluca: ?Of course! Then... At the top right is a small button that allows you to change your status settings. There you have to click on show and then choose the players to make it visible to, then the two of us."

  Simon: "Here it is! Thank you very much, I'm not used to things like this, it's new for me..."

  Francis: "Come on, come on, show us your [Status]! Who knows what power we have all gained."

  Gianluca: ?You have two skills! And they both seem very strong. It seems that you used the [Bull Charge (F)] when you helped me... It would explain that explosive force!"

  Simon smiled, a little embarrassed by Gianluca's words.

  Francesco: "Guys, I have a theory about our statistics, but let's wait to see my status first. Then I can make sure." With a wave of his hand, he also brought out his status.

  Gianluca: ?Oh my God... -10 in luck? How is this possible? That's why half a thing hasn't gone well for us since we've been together! However... you have the most balanced stats of all of us, and an S-rank ability too!"

  Francesco: "As I imagined. Statistics vary according to our age. We're all 16 years old, aren't we? Well, all of us, even if in different arrangements, have 16 statistic points. And above all... I'M THE ONLY ONE WITHOUT AN OFFENSIVE ABILITY! Damnation... Let's see the only ability I have, even if it would seem a bit useless."

  Francesco murmured the name of the ability, and instantly a huge book appeared. But, opening it, he noticed something shocking: the sheets were completely white.

  Simon: "Er... maybe you can take those monsters with book shots?" He burst out laughing like a madman after throwing his joke.

  Gianluca, worried, approached Francesco and said: "Francesco, don't worry, we are on the front line in case something should happen." But Francesco immediately noticed Gianluca's shaky legs.

  Francesco: "Don't worry, Gianlù, I'm calm. This ability will have some use... well, I'll find out later. For now, let's try to figure out how to solve the situation. The stocks here in the warehouse will last a maximum of three days with all these people..."

  Simon now laughed replied: ''actually it's a big problem''

  The warehouse was in turmoil. Twenty-three people, including twenty boys and three girls, moved frantically between the cold rooms and sports equipment piled up along the walls. The air was full of tension: some cried in silence, others tried to console each other, while someone stared into space, still shaken by the horror of what they had seen. The screams and screeches coming from the upper floors only fueled the panic. Some had tried to further barricade the door with mattresses and weights, while others checked the food and water supplies, already aware that they would not be enough for everyone. The warehouse, once an orderly and silent place, was now a chaotic and desperate refuge.

  Gianluca: "We should try to calm everyone down and understand what they are able to do, and then establish an escape route."

  Francesco: "I agree. Gianlù, you go to the girls. Simon is too stupid to go to them, it would scare them." He gave Simon a face to tease him, then continued, "Simon, the two of us let's share the wings of the room and think about the rest."

  Simon: "All right, Mr. Bad Luck!"

  After a brief group laugh, the three boys split up as planned. Gianluca approached the girls and, after a long chat, managed to calm them down and even make them laugh, showing his skill. However, he found that the girls lacked skills useful for combat.

  Meanwhile, Simon met a boy named Michael, who had the ability to hide his presence, an ability that could prove invaluable in the situation they found themselves in.

  Michele was a short boy, with very long hair and a not particularly trained build. Usually, his face conveyed a listless air, as if nothing really interested him. But this time it was different: his gaze was full of fear, and every feature of his face betrayed the anxiety and tension of the moment.

  Simon: "Michael, right? You said you developed a useful skill. Could I see your status?"

  Michael: ?Of course, if I can be useful, let me know!?

  Simon launched into an explanation on how to show his [Status], albeit with somewhat confusing and approximate words. After a long sequence of attempts and some funny mistakes, Michele finally managed to find the right setting and set about showing his Status.

  After viewing Michael's Status, Simon jumped for joy, imagining how useful it could be for finding resources. After him, however, he did not find other people with useful skills to get out of the situation, so he decided to take Michele with him.

  Francesco, on the other hand, found two people with interesting skills. The first was Luigi, a fit, responsible-looking guy who exuded some leadership, even if he wasn't perfectly calm at the time.

  Francesco: "Guys, don't worry, at the moment here we should be safe from those green beings. They didn't seem so strong to me, and we barricaded everything properly. Rather, Luigi, you said that you have developed particular skills. Can I see them? They could be useful, we need more people to rely on."

  Luigi: ?Okay, I'll show you my status right away, but I admit that I'm a little embarrassed... Don't laugh, please..."

  After receiving instructions from Francis, Louis was able to show his [Status]. At the sight, Francesco grabbed Luigi's shoulders, incredulous...

  Francesco: ''Luigi... You are incredible! Far from useless, yours is the best ability I've seen at the moment, try to activate it immediately, making this place safe is the priority, secondly, we have to create a party of guys ready to go out on reconnaissance and that 10% could be useful against those little monsters out there.

  Luigi: ''Well, I'll try to do what I can here then, I'll leave it to you to go out unfortunately, I'm sorry to give you the riskiest task'' while he was saying it, Luigi was really worried about the boys, you could see from his look of care towards Francesco.

  After chatting with Luigi and telling him to join the main group, Francesco turned to the other boy with abilities

  Francesco: "Hello, what about you? What's your name?"

  Francesco D.: ?Nice to meet you, my name is Francesco too. My surname is D. Santo, I have awakened a somewhat strange ability, but it would seem very useful." After speaking, he showed his [Status] to Francis.

  Francesco: ?They are excellent skills, but we still don't know exactly what you mean by Martial Skills. I would say that you are also eligible to join the recon group. With your skill, I don't think a stone hatchet can scratch you."

  Francesco D.: ?I tested it involuntarily before arriving. The blow from that being did absolutely nothing to me, but I couldn't use it again for another two minutes."

  Francesco: "Well, I would say that it is more than fine. For five minutes you should be invulnerable. Well, follow me, I'll take you to the rest of the group."

  All six met in the corner of the room and, after introductions, began to devise a plan to survive the shortage of resources.

  Francis: "Well, now that we are all here, let's move on to the important part: how do we want to act?"

  Gianluca: ?I would say wait for the waters out there to calm down. Going out now would mean facing too many green beings all at once. We should wait for them to disperse."

  Simon: ?Gianlù! You're forgetting that there might be other survivors! We have to save them as soon as possible, there is no time to relax."

  Luigi: ?I agree with Gianluca. It is too rash to go out now, it would lead us to certain death."

  Francis: "You, Francis... we will call you D., so as not to confuse us. Q., what do you think?"

  Q.: "Mhmm... I would rather go and save as many people as possible."

  Francis: "I understand... Let's do this. Michele, would you feel like going out alone with your ability? Of course, we first need to test how it behaves with green beings. They may be of a higher level than us."

  Michele: "........ S-if I really have to... How are we going to find out if my ability is working?"

  Francesco: "That's why I have an idea. Luigi, activate your ability [Impregnable Fortress (A)] in the center of the room. Let's see if he can protect it all."

  Luigi nodded his head and said the name of the ability. A kind of invisible barrier emanated from his chest, which widened until it slightly passed the door of the warehouse, covering the entire room of about 50 m2. But at that moment, everyone inside was paralyzed, unable to move, and a dialog box suddenly appeared in front of Luigi.

  Luigi: "Guys? Why are you all standing still and not talking? Oh, what... it must be for this message. I would say yes, I dare not imagine what could happen otherwise."

  Luigi murmured yes, and instantly everyone started moving again. Confused by what had happened, they turned to Luigi.

  Luigi: "Sorry... I think it was my skill. Now we should be safe, I accepted everyone. Now, explain to me what you intend to do," he said, turning to Francis.

  Francis: "Well... Follow me to the door, and you will understand it at once."

  Everyone headed for the door, and Francis asked to clear the access of the furniture that had been used to barricade it. The boys, amazed by the apparently crazy request, objected.

  Gianluca: ?Francesco! You are crazy? Do you want to have us all killed by those things?"

  Francis: "Trust me. If something happens, I will take responsibility and run out to be chased," he replied in a firm tone.

  His words left everyone with a lump in their throats. No one wanted Francis to die, but, given his firmness, they decided to help him free the door.

  Francis: "Well, are you ready? Michael, I want you to use your skill and go out the door slightly the moment I open it. If they notice you, run back inside as much as you can."

  Michele nodded, but you could see a slight tremor in him. Like everyone else, he was scared, but the only difference was how much he managed to hide it.

  Francis: "3... 2… 1… NOW!"

  Francis opened the door. Immediately, two green beings were noticed chewing on a student's arm near the stairs, while three others were in the front room, in the central area of the volleyball court. Michele walked out the door with his active invisibility. The green beings noticed the door open and slowly approached.

  Francis: "Michael, move slightly away from the door and see if they are looking at you. Hurry up, we have to close the door again just in case."

  Michael, hesitant, walked away from the door. He walked about ten meters and noticed that the green beings continued to stare at the door and approach it, without paying the slightest attention to it. However, the goblins noticed people inside the room and started running towards it.

  Francis: "MICHELE, RUN! AND WHEN YOU'VE PASSED, HIT ME ON THE SHOULDER!"

  Michele began to run as fast as he could towards the door and, passing it, he tapped Francesco's shoulder. But what happened next left everyone speechless: Francis had not closed the door. On the contrary, he had placed himself at the center of it, staring with bravado at the beings running towards him.

  Q.: "Francis! What the hell are you thinking of doing? Get inside! You risk dying like this!"

  Francis: "Trust me and observe!"

  At those words, Simon ran to drag Francesco inside by force, but he didn't arrive in time. A green being was already one step away from hitting Francis...

  Simon: ?FRAAAAAAAA!?

  But, to everyone's amazement, no cry of pain was heard from Francis. Instead, a crazy, hysterical, almost demonic laughter rang out. Several dull and sinister noises could be heard beyond him, but none of those shots reached him. Luigi's barrier was absorbing every goblin attack, protecting him completely.

  Francis, however, did not seem in the least worried. He laughed, a laugh that seemed to come out of the depths of an abyss, as he stared at the goblins with shining eyes and a distorted smile. "HAHAHA! HAVE YOU SEEN? DID YOU SEE?!" he shouted, spreading his arms as if he wanted to embrace the danger. "YOU CAN'T TOUCH ME! YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING!"

  His voice was a mixture of triumph and madness, as he continued to laugh, almost as if he were enjoying every single moment of that encounter with death. "I KNEW IT! I KNEW I WOULD WIN! DEATH DOESN'T WANT ME, GUYS! HAHAHA!"

  Her eyes shone with a maniacal light, and her smile was so wide that it seemed unnatural. "I CHALLENGE YOU! I CHALLENGE YOU ALL! COME, TRY TO CATCH ME!" he shouted, clapping his hands like an excited child.

  The others watched him in silence, stunned and terrified not only by the goblins, but by the sheer madness that Francis was showing. It was as if, at that moment, he had completely lost touch with reality, embracing chaos with an almost demonic joy.

  After a heavy silence that lasted two minutes, it was Luigi who broke the ice.

  Luigi: "Imbecile... You made us worry about nothing, idiot. You could have warned us earlier," he said, sighing deeply.

  Francis, still with that crazy smile on his face, replied: "And where was the beauty, then? Look at the little faces you have!" He laughed again, making fun of the boys, and then turned to the green beings with an almost fascinated look.

  Francesco: "In any case, the plan has succeeded. Michael, tomorrow you will go on an expedition to confirm the situation out there. Don't take anything, you could risk being seen. I advise you to rest while you can."

  Michael: "You're really an asshole," he replied, still upset by what had happened. "Okay, anyway. I'm pretty confident in my ability now! I could be the strongest among you," he chuckled, trying to look confident.

  Q.: "Francesco, what are you waiting for to close? Want to test more?"

  Francesco: "Exactly," he chuckled, and then hit the face of a green being with a punch aimed at the nose. The blow broke the creature's hideous nose, causing it to bleed profusely. With that, he closed the door calmly, as if nothing had happened.

  Simon: "If you wanted revenge, you just had to say it, eh," he said, shaking his head.

  Francesco: ?No, I didn't want to take revenge. Think about it for a while... I managed to hit him without crossing the barrier. What do you think this means?" An evil smile painted on his face as he spoke.

  Everyone was confused for a moment, but the person with the greatest competence in calculation immediately came to a conclusion.

  Luigi: "We can... Kill... from within." He said it with a gloomy look, almost troubled by his own statement. They were all high school boys, none of them had ever killed anything even remotely sentient, let alone a humanoid figure. Those words shook all those present, who until a moment before seemed calm.

  Francesco: "Exactly. I know it can be bad to say, but we have to do it. Them or us. One of the two groups will have to die for the survival of the other."

  Having said that, Francis ordered everyone to study their skills well until the next day. The boys dispersed, beginning to test and understand the flaws and merits of their abilities. Francesco, on the other hand, approached the door again. The latter had a small window blocked by iron bars. Through it, he began to observe the behavior of beings more carefully, stealing various information.

  Francesco: "Mhmm... In addition to their axes, we should watch out for those putrid-looking claws. They could create infections even with just a scratch."

  During his gathering of information, Francis noticed a rather peculiar scene that left him deeply confused. The being he had knocked out with a fist now seemed to be the victim of mistreatment by the other green beings. They beat him, hit him violently, as if they were punishing him for something. At a certain point, the being stopped moving, and a small light leapt out of his body, heading towards Francis and entering his chest.

  Francesco: "What the heck? What was that little light?"

  His questions were answered almost immediately. A dialog box appeared before his eyes.

  Francis: "How...? Added to the Diary of the Sage?"

  Without wasting time, he summoned the diary. For the first time, on the opening page, he found something written. The words seemed to appear on their own, as if the book were answering his questions.

  Francis: "So, in order to use Solomon's Diary, I must first defeat a monster... Let me check it out a bit, I hope it's at least a little useful now."

  He quickly skimmed through the information. "As I imagined, they are goblins. They have a maximum level of 5 and we have to be careful with their ability [Filthy Claws (F)]. Mhmm... in addition to this... Kills for summoning and stealing? What do you mean? Probably the first will allow me to summon one, but the second? Theft of what? And above all... 1000 KILLS?! Solomon, doesn't that seem a bit excessive? Phew, at least now I know I'm not totally useless."

  With this new information, he decided to go and see how the training of the other boys was progressing. He started with the person closest to him: Gianluca. He approached in silence and began to observe him. Apparently, Gianluca could use his ability on both arms. He saw him strike pieces of iron with his magmatic hands, and with each touch, the metal melted like butter. Gianluca seemed proud of his abilities.

  Francesco: "We, Gianlù! I notice that your ability is stronger than we thought," he said smiling, looking at the boy's completely magmatic arms.

  Gianluca: ?Yes! I'm super happy! They look really cool... The only problem is that... I don't think I feel ready to use them against something alive."

  Francesco shook his head and replied: "I understand, Gianlù. And I would like to make you worry less, but I want to remind you of a very important thing that is going unnoticed..."

  Gianluca: ?What? Did I miss something important while I was training?"

  Francesco: "Do you remember what we saw at the window? The whole city is reduced to the same way... Do you understand what I want you to understand?"

  Gianluca: "....... Our families!" He turned off his abilities and put his hands on his face, collapsing to the ground at the thought of never seeing his loved ones again.

  Francis approached him and hugged him, whispering to him: "They could still be alive. We need to get stronger as soon as possible. We have little time. If they've locked themselves in a safe place like us, we can still save them, but they wouldn't last more than 20 days without supplies."

  Even after hearing those words, Gianluca cried for five minutes before calming down.

  Gianluca: "You're right... We must be strong and fight... There is no time to pity the lives of monsters." He was still hesitant to kill with his skill, but at least now there was a glimmer of determination in him.

  Francesco, not wanting to leave him alone, decided to take him with him to check on the others. But suddenly, a loud noise pierced the air, coming from Simon's position. Everyone turned to the right wall of the warehouse, now full of cracks.

  Simon: "SORRY EVERYONE, I WAS TESTING MY SKILLS!"

  After Simon's cry of apology, everyone calmed down and went back to doing what they were doing. Meanwhile, Francesco and Gianluca approached Simon.

  Francesco: ?You could have warned me that you were an idiot, at least I knew it and I didn't insult you!? he said jokingly, while Gianluca laughed out loud, his laughter echoing throughout the room.

  Simon: "You think, if you had told me that your best skill was Clown SS rank, I would have believed it!"

  Everyone burst out laughing. That little scene had been positive: the two boys had managed to lift everyone's morale, even if only for a moment.

  Simon: "Anyway! How are you doing with your skills? I think mine are very strong. My [Bull Charge (F)] could definitely kill one of those things."

  Francesco: ?I would say yes, look what a mess you have made... Anyway, I've finally discovered what my skill is for," he said proudly, and then continued: "It's a kind of encyclopedia of monsters. It also has weird features that I'm not sure how they work at the moment. And above all... I got my first exp point, even if by pure chance."

  Gianluca: ?COOOSA?!?

  Simon: "How is that possible? Did you come outside while we weren't looking?"

  Francesco: "I'm not that crazy yet, come on. First of all, those beings are actually goblins. Do you remember what I hit in the nose?"

  Simon: "Yes."

  Francesco: "I don't know why, but he was killed by his companions. He probably gave me the XP for my fist contribution."

  Simon: "Cit, he was the unfortunate one... what an asshole."

  Gianluca: "They probably killed him because he was considered inferior, given how you hit him."

  They chatted until 8:00 p.m. By now, everyone was used to their abilities, and Francis decided to make a short speech to everyone present, about future plans and what would happen the next day.

  Francesco stood in the center of the room, raised his voice and called everyone's attention.

  Francis: "LISTEN TO ME ALL FOR A MOMENT!"

  Everyone turned to him, confused. Some grumbled, unhappy with the noise.

  Francis: "As you may have understood, the situation outside is hell. You will see people torn apart, others eaten, and you will witness horrific scenes of monsters thirsting for your blood. And yet, we cannot stay here and wallow in despair."

  A girl interrupted Francesco. Her name was Aurora, and it seems she was on the school volleyball team.

  Aurora: "Do you mean we have to go out? Don't think about it at all! I remain here safe!"

  Francis: "Only some of us will leave for the moment, but later on, even you, who have not been chosen, will have to start moving. I know it can be bad and scary, but remember that your families may be in danger. And in the worst case... they may already be dead."

  The room fell silent. People's eyes were lost in space, as they tightened in a despair now completely nestled in their hearts. Many were in tears, while others, like Simon, looked at Francis with pride and fighting spirit.

  Francis: "But don't despair! The moment you surrender to fear, everything will end. And sooner or later... Die. As you may have noticed from your Status, everyone can earn XP points and increase their strength, with or without combat skills. Those goblins are easily beatable. Their Status amounts to 8 stat points, while ours amounts to 16. All of you are much stronger, smarter, and more resilient than those little green idiots."

  Another boy reacted, his voice trembling: "But we've never fought before..."

  Francesco: "You will have time to train. As long as you are inside the barrier, nothing can twist a hair on it. Tomorrow, the reconnaissance team, composed of Michele, will begin to scour the school to understand how to advance. Meanwhile, the combat team, consisting of me, Gianluca, Simon and D., will clear the dungeon of the goblins. Once the dungeon is cleared, we will return to the barrier to rest and evaluate the gains."

  They all hung on Francis' lips. Probably, thanks to his days spent reading and playing similar video games, he was far more prepared than his peers. The boys' spirits rose, and Gianluca, to contribute, shouted: "We will survive and save our families!"

  His words echoed through the room, and everyone followed his example, filling the air with an unimaginable ardour.

  Francis: "I'm glad you've recovered." After smiling at everyone, he continued, "Our first goal is to take control of the school. But it won't be easy. Apparently, goblins are part of a tribe of at least 200 specimens. This means that we will have to kill at least 200 of them in order to conquer the whole school."

  Simon: "We'll take them down easily!"

  Q.: "You can count on our strength, guys!"

  Gianluca, with a theatrical scene, transformed his arms into magma and showed them proudly, making the room sparkle with a reddish glow.

  By now, everyone had taken a little courage, but the fear cannot be alleviated so easily.

  Francis concluded his speech and sent everyone to sleep. By now there were only 10 hours left before the start of the operation, and he had already predicted that many would not be able to sleep a wink.

  [Day: 6 | Month: October | Year 3005] [Vittorio Em. School]

  Francesco woke up first, thanks to the alarm clock on his cell phone that was now almost empty. It was 06:00, so he decided to avoid waking the others. But, to his great surprise, he found D. already awake and intent on training. D. was shirtless, completely immersed in a series of push-ups. Francesco had never noticed his friend's build before, but he was really massive. He had probably been training for some time: he was full of defined muscles, and sweat ran down his skin like water from a river.

  Francesco approached slowly, trying not to make noise so as not to wake the others.

  Francesco: "Good morning, D.! I notice that you are well trained... When did you wake up?"

  Q.: "Oh, day! Out of habit, I always wake up at 05:00 to train. I'm almost done now, don't worry," he replied, continuing to do push-ups without losing his rhythm.

  Francesco: "Now we explain the skill [Training]. How long have you been training? You have an incredibly developed body, I guess for at least 2 years!"

  Q.: "Hahaha, almost! I've been training for 6 years. I started when I was 10 years old, when I was doing judo."

  Francesco: "Mhmm... As I thought."

  Q.: "What?"

  Francis: "Our abilities have been given to us based on what we usually do and what we love. For example, I can read a magic book and I'm out of luck. It coincides exactly with my life before all this. I'm a fan of manga and novels, so I used to read a lot. As for bad luck... well, you can imagine." He laughed before continuing, "Anyway, are you ready for today?"

  Q.: "Not really... The idea of killing someone makes me feel terrible. But I'm going to save my family, so I'm going to have to get strong."

  Francesco: "Don't worry, it's very normal for you to feel like this. Almost all of us feel the same way. Think of this situation as if you were in a game: those are imaginary beings. That's what I do."

  Q.: "You're right, thank you very much, Fra... Can I do something for you? You are working harder than anyone else to make us survive, but no one has yet thanked you properly..."

  Francesco: ?Thank you for the thought, D. Look, I would be very happy if you would help me train my body...? He squeezed his slightly plump hips with his hands and continued, "As you can see, I'm not really in shape, and that could lead to problems in the future." He sighed before looking hopefully at D.

  Q.: "Certainly, Fra. But don't worry, you're not that fat. It shouldn't take much to get that annoying bacon removed! Well, have you ever done training?"

  Francesco: ?Every month I think about starting the diet, and so I spend like five days training to the point of exhaustion. But then I start to get tired of it and stop..."

  Q.: "I understand... Then you should—"

  He was interrupted by a sudden notification.

  Q.: "Mhm? My ability has been activated!"

  Francis: "In what sense? Do you mean [Iron Leather (E)]? You seem normal to me..."

  Q.: "No! I mean [Training]. Maybe it has a hidden function! He tells me I can create a workout for you... Let's try!"

  After saying this, D. murmured a yes, and a notification came to both of them.

  Francesco: "A training sheet? What should it be used for? Just to track my progress?"

  Q.: "There's only one way to find out!" She looked at Francesco with a smile and motioned him to begin.

  Francis: "And that's fine... Beginning, beginning!"

  After about an hour, a tired Francesco finished all the exercises. And, just then, the screen changed.

  Francis: "Can you collect it too?"

  Q.: "Yes..."

  Both accepted the award at the same time, and received two new notifications. The first, for Francis, was:

  Francesco: "Eh, go figure... Damn, the creator really hates me, eh!"

  While D. fared much better

  Q.: "I got a skill upgrade token. You?"

  Francesco: "A lucky point..."

  Q.: "So you don't have -10 in luck anymore?"

  Francis: "Of course... THAT NOT! Obviously there was a mistake, and I received absolutely nothing..."

  D.: ?Hahaha, worthy of Mr. Bad Luck!?

  Francesco: ?Aaaaah, rather... That token, what skill are you going to use it on?"

  Q.: "I don't know, honestly... Maybe [Iron Skin (E)]?"

  Francesco: "It could be an idea. Or you could further upgrade [Training (F)]. It seems like a very strong ability, it can power us all up if used well."

  Q.: ?Probably yes... But I prefer to power up [Iron Leather (E)]. It could come in handy today. I want to defend you as much as possible!"

  Without further ado, D. used the token on the chosen ability.

  Q.: "YES!"

  Francis, at the sight of D.'s status, rejoiced for him. Now it was also immune to corrosion, an extra protection that could have been useful.

  Francis: "Great, D.! It's a great skill. Now you are immune to corrosion and can maintain the transformation for 10 minutes!"

  D.: "I was hoping for something better, but I would say that it is fine to be only grade D," he said, smiling at Francesco.

  Francis: "Well, I would say that it is time to wake up today's protagonist!"

  Having said that, Francesco approached Michele, who was dozing near the cold room. She shook him slightly before speaking to him.

  Francesco: "Michele, it's time. Wake up, come on."

  Michael, still half asleep, muttered: "Another ten minutes, mother..."

  Francis patted him on the head and replied: "Idiot, it's me. It's time to become the invisible man."

  Michele jumped, moving back two meters: "Oh my God... Bro, you scared me, damn it." He yawned deeply, rubbing his eyes with his hands, before continuing, "Give me 10 minutes to wake up..."

  His voice was barely a faint sound, and his eyes closed again, as if sleep was already taking him back. His body felt heavy, and every movement was slow and awkward, as if he were still trapped in a dream.

  Francesco: "No problem. Wait for me at the door when you're ready."

  Francesco went to wake up the rest of the combat team, and all together they headed for the door.

  Francesco: "Ok, everyone awake?"

  Simon, yawning, replied, "Yes, professor!"

  Everyone burst out laughing when Francesco imitated the history teacher, brandishing an imaginary wand and assuming a stern air.

  Francis: "Well, you are all awake, I would say. Michael, for the moment you will only have to observe the situation throughout the dungeon and tell us the exact amount of goblins and their location, as much as possible. Then you will have to come back. Once here, knock on the door three times, and we'll open it right away. Do you understand?"

  Michael: "Yes, but are you sure you won't leave me out?"

  Francesco: "Regardless, if you are still not here in 30 minutes, we will come looking for you."

  Michele: ?Okay, I'm ready!?

  Francesco opened the door slightly and let Michele out, closing it immediately afterwards to avoid attracting unwanted attention. Then, they began to discuss the positions in battle.

  Francesco: "So, Simon and D., you will be our tanks, since you have defensive skills. Gianlù, you will be our striker. You will have to defeat as many goblins as possible with the help of tanks. Unfortunately, I still don't have any kind of useful skills, so I'll have your back from behind and give you directives to help you. Do you all agree?"

  The three boys said yes, but another came forward in disagreement.

  Luigi: "Aren't you risking a little too much, Fra? You're the worst off in combat. What if the goblins caught up with you?"

  Francesco: "I still have the highest statistics of all of you, so don't worry, I'll get by."

  After that, they waited, looking anxiously at their cell phones. The minutes passed: 10... then 20... Of Michele, still no trace. They arrived at 30 minutes, and Francis, worried, said: "We have to go. He should have already been here... We hope nothing happened to him."

  Francesco grabbed an iron bar used for gym activities and opened the door, leaving with the team. Before doing so, they had obviously created a party with everyone, including Luigi, to receive 10% more stats.

  In front of them, in the staircase, were three goblins fiddling with the fingers of a dead student. Francis promptly had everyone put themselves in position.

  Francis: "Simon, D., forward! Get their attention! Gianluca, be ready behind them!"

  Simon and D. dashed forward, attracting the attention of the goblins. Simon used [ Bull Charge (F)] on the leftmost goblin, throwing him with brutal force against the corridor wall. The impact was tremendous: the goblin slammed against the wall with a dull and slimy noise, making the boys shiver. The goblin's body slipped to the ground, still trembling, but Francesco wasted no time. He quickly approached and, with a sharp blow of the iron bar, smashed his skull, putting an end to his suffering.

  Meanwhile, D. was fighting the goblin further to the right. Thanks to his [Chromatic Skin (D)], each of his punches was like an iron baseball bat. The goblin tried to fight back, but its filthy claws slipped uselessly over D's metal skin. With a powerful blow, D. broke the goblin's arm, followed by another blow that shattered his chest. The goblin collapsed to the ground, lifeless, his body now reduced to a mass of broken bones and mangled flesh.

  The last goblin, left in the center, had the worst death. Gianluca and Simon faced it together. Simon immobilized him with a grip, while Gianluca, with a fiery fist, hit the goblin's head directly. The green leprechaun's skull melted instantly, like wax under a flame, leaving a headless body that collapsed to the ground with a dull thud.

  Francesco: "Congratulations, guys! Let's keep it up! However, Gianlù... What a disgusting scene..."

  Gianluca: ?What can I do? Ugh, it's always up to me to do horrible things!"

  Simon: "Do you see what happens to be a friend of Francesco? You become horribly disgusting..."

  Francis: "Look, you are too, you idiot!"

  Simon: "Exactly!" he said, pointing to his shoulder completely soaked in blue blood released by the goblin.

  Q.: "Well, at least it gives you blue!"

  Everyone burst out laughing, but the moment of lightness did not last long. Notifications appeared before their eyes, reminding them that the battle was only just beginning.

  Francesco: ?We got 15 XP! 3 more goblins and we'll go up to level 2, guys." Then he turned to the door leading to the volleyball court, noticing five goblins approaching, probably attracted by the noise of the previous fight.

  Francesco: "Five goblins are approaching. Let's go back to training, we'll think about the levels later."

  At his words, everyone quickly got into position: the tanks at the front, the striker in the center and Francesco behind, ready to take advantage of every opportunity created by Simon.

  Simon: "How do we continue? Shall we go inside immediately?"

  Francesco: "No, in a large area we could be at a disadvantage given their numbers. We must deal with them in close environments, if possible, so as to avoid possible encirclements. D., as soon as they enter, grabs two of them and pushes them towards the stairs. Simon, you charge the third to enter. Gianlù and I will take care of the rest."

  Q.: "Received, leave it to me!"

  Simon: "We have to hurry, Michele could be in danger..."

  After a few seconds, the boys heard the goblins' footsteps approaching the door. D. prepared to block the first two, while everyone was slightly tense. This time, they were the ones who were outnumbered.

  The first two goblins walked through the door, panting and greedy in their eyes. D., with his ability still active, charged them with impressive force, grabbing one of them by the arm and dragging them near the stairs. The goblins screamed, trying to free themselves, but D.'s grasp was like an iron grip.

  The third goblin, confused, came running in with an axe in his hand. But to his misfortune, Simon caught him off guard with his [Charge of the Bull (F)]. With a scream, Simon lashed out at him, sending him flying at least seven meters down the corridor. The goblin slammed into the wall with a dull thud, letting himself fall to the ground, unconscious.

  Meanwhile, the remaining two goblins, now frightened, froze in the doorway, hesitating to enter.

  Francesco: "Gianlù! We have to go there! If they run away, they might warn others and we'll be fucked!"

  Gianluca: ?Let's go!?

  Gianluca reactivated his ability, and his arms began to turn into glowing magma. He ran inside the volleyball court, the warmth of his arms lighting up the environment. With a powerful punch, he struck the first goblin in the chest. The extreme heat of the magma caused Gianluca's fist to pass the goblin's body, leaving him with a huge smoking hole. The goblin collapsed to the ground, dead instantly.

  Francesco, on the other hand, had a more complicated life. Without combat skill, he moved quickly trying to hit the second goblin in the head with his iron bar. But, unfortunately, the goblin stumbled just then, dodging the attack. Francesco cursed under his breath, trying to kick him in the nose, but the goblin managed to partially block the blow with the handle of the axe, cushioning the impact.

  Francis: "Damn! My misfortune haunts me!"

  Gianluca, noticing the situation, came forward. With a swift movement, he struck the goblin from the left, melting his entire shoulder in black, acrid smoke. The goblin screamed in pain, but he didn't have time to react. Francesco took advantage of the opportunity and, with a precise blow, pierced the goblin's eye with his iron bar. The goblin's body stiffened for a moment, then collapsed to the ground, motionless.

  Soon after, six notifications appeared, a sign that the battle had been won.

  Simon and D. rejoined their companions immediately after settling the three remaining goblins. Hearing Francis curse, they burst out laughing.

  Simon: "Let me guess... Has your luck struck again? Hahaha!"

  Francesco: "Yes, funny, if I didn't risk my skin every damn time," he snorted regretfully.

  Q.: "The important thing is to have defeated them."

  Gianluca: ?We have also moved up a level!?

  Francis: "This is not the time to rejoice. We have to go and look for Michele. He doesn't seem to be here..."

  Gianluca: ?We are only missing two pitches: the football court and the basketball court.?

  Q.: "Football is the biggest. Let's go there at the end, it might contain more goblins, and I need to wait for my ability to recharge."

  Francesco: "I agree. Let's go first to the basketball one. Here it would seem that he is not there, we would have noticed his obnoxious purple and black sweatshirt."

  Simon: "Then it wasn't just me that sucked!"

  The boys walked towards the door to the basketball court, finding it half-open. They immediately thought that it could be a confirmation of Michele's passing.

  Francis: "The door is slightly open. Michele may have been here. Let's peek first to understand the situation."

  Francesco and D. approached to look through the crack in the door and saw a frightening scene, Humans still alive. The basketball court was wide and spacious, with two rows of seats extending along either side, forming a kind of amphitheater. Mattresses were hung on some walls, usually used for jumping training. The scene, however, was anything but ordinary.

  Humans were tied up and scattered near mattresses, in desperate conditions. Most of them were conscious, but panicked. Many were gagged, so their moans and screams were muffled, creating an eerie and claustrophobic atmosphere. Their eyes were filled with terror, and their bodies writhed desperately, trying to free themselves from the ropes that held them captive.

  Michael did not seem to be among them, but both lost their minds in anger. They immediately noticed a slightly taller goblin, about 1.60 meters, armed with an axe and shield, surrounded by three other normal goblins.

  Francesco: "That goblin seems dangerous... I want you tanks to look after him, but be careful. We don't know how strong he is. While we, Gianlù, will face three.?

  Gianluca: "Sure, Fra? I remind you that you have no combat skills! It's risky."

  Francesco: "Let's put it this way: this is the strategy that gives us the best chance of winning. In the worst case, I could get hurt myself. Don't worry."

  Gianluca sighed and accepted the strategy. Without a doubt, it was the best they could implement. Simon and D. were the most resistant of the group, they would not have died so easily, while Gianluca had an immeasurable amount of offensive power.

  Francesco: "Q., is your ability ready?"

  Q.: "There are 10 seconds left. We can get started."

  Francis: "Good! NOW!"

  He kicked the door open, letting the two tanks through, who immediately ran towards the tall goblin. He and Gianluca stood between them and the remaining goblins. The tall goblin began to scream in anger and pounced on D., but D., now with the ability ready, decided to activate it at the last second. His skin turned to shiny metal just as the goblin struck him, causing him to bounce along with his axe.

  Simon, who was also ready, charged the goblin with his [Bull Charge (F)]. The goblin managed to parry with his shield and jump to cushion the impact, being pushed four meters back. But, other than the dent in the shield, he had not received any damage.

  Meanwhile, Gianluca had already finished off a goblin with a magma punch, reducing it to a smoking mass. Unfortunately, however, due to an oversight, the other goblin threw himself towards Francesco, hitting him from behind with his hatchet. Francis cried out in pain, blood gushing copiously from his left shoulder. With a desperate effort, he threw the iron bar at the goblin's face in front of him, hitting him straight and knocking him out.

  Francis: "... I'll leave the rest to you, Gianlù."

  He collapsed to the ground, in pain, while he watched the goblin who had hit him being charred by Gianluca's shots.

  Gianluca: ?FRA!?

  Francesco pointed to the goblin who had fainted from the blow of the bar in the face, signaling to finish him off. Gianluca nodded, tears in his eyes at the sight of his friend reduced so badly. He ran to the goblin and smashed his skull with a stomp.

  When that goblin died, in addition to the XP notifications, Francesco received an entirely new notification.

  Francis did not think twice and confirmed the evocation, hoping for something useful.

  Francesco: "Go and attack that goblin high!" Then he shouted to his friends, "THE SKELETON IS ON OUR SIDE!"

  The skeleton goblin ran towards the tall goblin with an unnatural speed. Coming up behind him, he stabbed his skeletal arm into the tall goblin's body, piercing his heart and killing him instantly. Simon and D., not having heard Francesco perfectly, immediately became defensive, but were warned by Gianluca.

  Gianluca: ?He's on our side! Don't attack him!"

  The Skeleton Goblin returned to his master, awkwardly trying to help him. Francesco, in his frenzy, did not give too much importance to the appearance of the goblin, but now he looked at him clearly. It was a totally black skeleton, with a blue flame burning in the eye sockets of its skull. Small horns sprouted from the top of the skull, giving it a sinister and almost demonic air.

  Francis tried to speak, but his strength was failing him. Blood continued to flow from his shoulder, and his vision blurred. "Gianlù... Simon... D…? he murmured, before collapsing to the ground, unconscious.

  Gianluca: ?Run! Francis is wounded!"

  All of a sudden, a figure appeared next to Francis. It was Michael, who was crying desperately near the skeletal goblin, who kept awkwardly trying to help his master.

  Simon: "Michael! Where were you?!" he yelled, his voice shaking in anger.

  Michael: ?I-i-the g-goblin could see me... I had to hide between the seats so as not to be noticed... Sorry..." he sobbed, his face streaked with tears and his body trembling like a leaf. His voice was broken, and his eyes were filled with terror and remorse.

  Simon's anger subsided almost instantly. It was not Michele's fault. No one could blame him for being afraid.

  Gianluca: "We have to bring him to the base! Immediately!" he shouted, his voice full of concern. He looked at Francesco, pale and motionless, and his heart tightened.

  Q.: "And the boys tied here? We can't leave them here..."

  Gianluca: ?... I have an idea, but it will be risky."

  Simon: "Speak, it can't get any worse than this."

  Gianluca: ?There are too many to be able to fit all in the warehouse. We bring Luigi here and wait for his ability to cooldown, defending the entrance. When he's ready, he can block the access zone with his ability."

  Q.: ?Excellent... But what do we do with Francis?"

  Michele: "Entrust me with the task of bringing Luigi and the rest of the people."

  Simon: ?Aaaaaah, that's fine! Go! This time be more careful, Francesco's life depends on it."

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Francis' life, in reality, was not in immediate danger. The goblin's axe was badly made, and the most that could have happened was the loss of his left arm. But, being young and inexperienced, the sight of all that blood had frightened them to death.

  Michael: "I'm going!"

  He ran as fast as he could to the warehouse, while Simon and D. began to untie and check on the other tied students. Among them, the most peculiar person was a certain Daniela, a girl with long black hair and, for some reason, with eyes of an intense and luminous gold.

  Q.: "There are 4 injured out of 30 people... I would say that it went well."

  Daniela, hearing D.'s words, approached him, making him jump.

  Daniela: "Sorry... I think I can help out..."

  Q.: "Oh, uh... Do you have combat skills?"

  Daniela: "No...", said the girl shyly, lowering her gaze.

  Q.: "Can I see your Status? Maybe I can understand better after seeing it."

  Daniela hesitated for a moment, but looking at Francesco wounded and motionless, she decided to trust him. With an uncertain gesture, he showed his Status to D., hoping that there might be something useful to help.

  

  
1. was stunned to see Daniela's statistics. He had less physical strength than a goblin, but a very high intellect. The thing that made him happier, though, was his ability: [Minor Heal (E)].


  

  Q.: "Please, try to use your ability to heal on Francis. It's the main reason why we're all still sane and alive." He pointed to the unconscious boy next to the skeleton goblin, his voice altered, as if he was barely holding back his concern.

  Daniela nodded and approached Francesco. The skeletal goblin, noticing her, stood in front of his master to defend him, but D. quickly explained to him that he was on their side. The skeleton, after a moment's hesitation, stepped aside, allowing her to pass.

  Daniela: ?... He did all this for all of us. Until the end, he didn't give up to give you a hand with that tall goblin. I hope I can help him..."

  She brought her hands closer to Francesco's wound and, pronouncing a few words in a whisper, a golden light began to come out of her fingers, enveloping the boy's shoulder. You could see the wound slowly regenerate, but it took time. Although not lethal, it was a deep and serious wound.

  While Daniela was treating Francesco, Simon began to play with the skeleton goblin, still confused by its origin. The skeleton seemed almost intrigued by Simon's gestures, but it always remained close to Francis, as if it felt the duty to protect him.

  After a few minutes, Michele finally arrived with Luigi and the others. As soon as they noticed Francesco unconscious in a pool of blood, they became alarmed and began to surround him, hoping that he would wake up. Some, however, remained at a distance, too frightened by the small skeleton that watched over him.

  Gianluca and some newly freed boys began barricading the room, preparing to defend the entrance while they waited for Luigi's ability cooldown to recharge. Two hours passed. The boys had finished barricading, but Francesco was still unconscious. They had laid him out on the seats in the right wing, trying to make him as comfortable as possible.

  Daniela kept casting her ability whenever she could, until she was exhausted. 10:00 p.m. arrived, and many of the boys had already fallen asleep, exhausted from the day. Simon and Gianluca remained on guard, while Daniela refused to leave Francesco's side. She sat beside him, watching him with worried eyes, ready to intervene as soon as her ability was available again.

  [Day: 7 | Month: October | Year 3005] [Vittorio Em. School]

  It was late at night when Francis slowly opened his eyes. He found himself with Daniela asleep above him, her breathing calm and regular. He was still groggy from the loss of blood, so much so that he thought he was dreaming. With a slow movement, he glanced at the notifications that had been there since the morning. In addition to the XP earned from the goblins, there were several much more interesting notifications, which made him jump despite his weakness.

  Francesco: "Mhmm? My summoning?"

  Confused, he looked around, noticing a small black skeleton near the entrance, next to Simon, who had decided to take the watch shift alone that night. Before moving, Francesco decided to check his Status to be sure, curious to understand what had happened during his fainting

  Francesco: '' A good 8 statistic points, should the others have 4 then? For the moment I will assign them like this, in the future I will see what to do''

  Francesco: "I am done with the Status." He turned to the still sleeping girl on his left and gently moved her, making her lie down in the seat where it was placed. He got up cautiously and walked towards Simon.

  The skeletal goblin immediately noticed his master's arrival and ran towards him, emitting a slight crunch that almost sounded like a cry of joy. Francesco, a little confused, caressed his skull as if he were cuddling a dog. The strange thing was that the skeletal goblin behaved exactly like an affectionate animal: he tilted his head, as if to enjoy the caresses, and gently grabbed Francesco's hand with its small bones, proudly accompanying him towards Simon. His every move was clumsy but full of enthusiasm, like a puppy seeking his master's approval.

  Simon: "Bro! All right? How do you feel?" he said with a worried face, looking at the boy's shoulder. He noticed that the sweatshirt was completely destroyed at that point, with the fabric torn and stained with blood.

  Francesco: "Shoulder? What do you mean?"

  Simon: "Don't you remember what happened before you fainted?"

  Francesco: "I only remember fighting until I felt an excruciating pain. Nothing else."

  Simon: "Gianluca cried all day, blaming himself for what happened to you. He was fighting two goblins while you were facing one of them. While he defeated the first, the second ran after you and hit you with his axe..."

  Francis: "I understand... It was not his fault. I had to be more careful. Rather... Who are you?" He pointed embarrassedly to the girl who was resting in his place, still asleep.

  Simon noticed Francis' embarrassment and could not resist the temptation to make fun of him.

  Simon: "Eh, my friend... you made an impression!" She gave Francesco a thumbs up, with a mischievous smile, before continuing: "The girl has been looking after her prince charming all day..." He accentuated the part of the "prince charming" to make it even more ridiculous.

  Francesco turned completely red and, suddenly, ordered the skeletal goblin to kick Simon.

  Francesco: "Skroll, kick us!"

  The skeletal goblin, obedient, kicked Simon, causing him to jump for a while and slam into the wall.

  Francesco: ?I enjoy it, asshole.?

  Simon: "Infamous! And I've been worried about you!"

  They both burst out laughing, especially at the sight of the skeletal goblin who seemed confused by the dynamic between the two friends. After a while, they calmed down and became serious again.

  Simon: "Instead... he... What is it?" He pointed to the skeletal goblin, who had crouched next to Francis, as a faithful dog.

  Francis: "I was able to evoke it through the [Diary of Solomon (???)], I imagine. I even received a title... Maybe I should give it a name?"

  The skeletal goblin, hearing this, began to hop up and down, showing his approval with an almost comical enthusiasm.

  Simon: "I see... Do you already have one in mind?"

  Francis: "What do you think of Skelly?"

  Simon: "My God, please don't... Everything except that!"

  Francis: "... I had a skeleton character in my favorite game... His name was Skroll. What do you think?"

  The skeleton began to jump even happier, as if he particularly liked the name.

  Simon: "I like him, he's more badass."

  Francis: "Good! From today your name will be Skroll!" she said, brushing his skull with an affectionate gesture.

  The skeleton goblin, now officially called Skroll, seemed almost moved by Francesco's gesture. The small blue flames in his empty eye sockets shone brighter, as if he were smiling. With an awkward but affectionate movement, she approached Francesco and rubbed her skull against the boy's hand, like a kitten looking for cuddles.

  Then, with a small creak, he crouched at his feet, looking at him with devotion.

  Francis: ?COOOOOOOOOOSAAAAAA?!?

  Simon: "What happened? Don't raise your voice, you idiot! You will wake everyone up!"

  Francesco: ?He empowered himself after receiving the name, gaining a new ability!?

  Simon: "COMEE?!"

  Francis: "Lower your voice too, you idiot! I'll show you his status."

  Francesco showed Skroll's status to Simon, sending him into shock.

  Simon: "... He is very strong... So much for useless skill."

  Francesco: "Yes... But this way I seem even more useless..."

  Skroll, hearing Francis' disappointed tone, approached and embraced his master's leg, rubbing the skull against him as if to console him. Francesco, happily surprised, caressed his head with a smile.

  Francesco: "Thank you, Skroll. You're a real friend."

  Skroll let out a slight creak, almost like a hum of contentment, and the blue flames in his eye sockets shone even brighter.

  Francesco: "You rather? How did the level up go?"

  Simon struck his chest fiercely, with a proud smile.

  Simon: "I'm pretty strong too, eh!" Then he showed his Status, while Skroll crouched at Francesco's feet, observing the scene with curiosity, like a faithful little dog

  Francesco: "Not bad, you chose well where to set the points. Bravo!" he said, smiling at Simon.

  While they were chatting, it was 05:00, and D., waking up, ran towards Francesco.

  Q.: "Fra! How are you feeling? Can you move your arm?"

  Francis: "Everything is fine! Look at the power!" He began to pose like a bodybuilder, making Simon and D laugh.

  Q.: "I'm glad you're well. You have no idea how worried we were."

  Simon: "Q., can I leave the guard post to you? I need some sleep..." he said, yawning.

  Q.: "Of course! You, Fra? Will you stay with me?"

  Francis: "Certainly! I've slept a whole day, I feel full force at the moment."

  The two were left alone, and at 06:00 the training card notification returned. Completing it, this time they did not get anything useful, just a stat point in strength for D.

  Francesco: "Mhmm, it's probably based on luck. I never get anything..."

  Q.: ?The important thing is to get fit. And then... You have twice as many stats at each level, I don't think you need more points!"

  Francis: "That's right... Rather, can I see your status?"

  Q.: "Of course!"

  Francesco: ?With the point obtained from training, you went to 6 in strength. You should be the strongest on the team now."

  Q.: "I thought it could be more useful. Increasing Vitality, at the moment, would be a waste, because of my ability."

  After a brief chat, Francesco asked D. to lead the way. He wanted to go out a bit alone, now sure that, with Skroll by his side, he could fight even without participating directly, while remaining safe. D. assessed Skroll's status and, after a moment's hesitation, decided to accept.

  Francesco: "Don't worry, I promise you that everything will be fine. This little guy is much more powerful than you imagine. He killed a [HobGoblin] in one shot, and now he's even stronger!"

  Q.: "Ok, ok... I trust your judgment, but be careful out there. If you notice anything dangerous, run here."

  Having said that, Francesco went out with Skroll. He headed first to the warehouse and then to the volleyball court, areas they had already visited. He found six goblins prowling around the area, but Skroll decimated them with incredible speed. Fights lasted no more than four seconds: Skroll teleported behind them thanks to the ability [Shadow Dash (A)], and then stabbed them with an iron spike created by Gianluca with his magmatic hands.

  Francis observed the scene with a mixture of amazement and pride. Skroll was a war machine, but a doubt began to assail him.

  Francesco: "Skroll, are you still able to fight?"

  Skroll nodded, looking at his master with his blue flames shining with determination.

  Francesco: "I could go to the football field alone... With Skroll's strength, even 10 goblins wouldn't be a problem..."

  He thought for a moment, then looked at Skroll with a mischievous smile.

  Francesco: ?Skroll, are you ready to level up a couple of times??

  Skroll began to jump happily and the two walked towards the soccer field, Francesco first looked through the lock to understand the challenge inside The soccer field was the largest room in the basement, a vast space that once resounded with shouts of encouragement and applause. Now, however, it was a place of death and desolation. The stands, similar to those of the basketball court, were covered with dust and stains of dried blood. The artificial turf, once green and impeccable, was now a crimson red carpet, soaked in the blood of the victims who lay massed on the edge of the field.

  Corpses were everywhere, piled up in messy piles, some still in twisted positions, as if they had desperately tried to escape. Their faces were frozen in expressions of terror, and the air was heavy with a metallic and putrid smell that attacked the throat.

  At the back of the camp, a band of three hobgoblins could be seen, taller and more massive than the common goblins, with armor made of pieces of rusty metal and bones tied together. They defended a strange chest, decorated with sinister symbols and shimmering with an unnatural light. Around them, seven common goblins moved nervously, armed with blood-stained axes and knives, ready to defend their booty.

  The atmosphere was oppressive, an unnatural silence broken only by the muffled moans of the dying and the grunts of the goblins. Every step resounded like thunder in that place of death, and the shadow of danger hung over every corner.

  Francesco opened the door slightly and sent Skroll to kill the goblins. This time, the battle was decidedly tougher. Skroll managed to take down the seven normal goblins and one hobgoblin, leaving the two hobgoblins closest to the crate for last.

  At that moment, Francesco noticed that Skroll was starting to struggle to move, his movements were less fluid, and the blue flames in his eye sockets seemed weaker. He decided to enter the field, clutching his iron bar in his hands.

  Francesco: "Skroll, focus on the one on the right. I take care of the other."

  Francesco charged the hobgoblin far to the left, keeping a safe distance. His iron bar had a greater range than the hobgoblin's stone axe, and Francis took advantage of this advantage. Every time the hobgoblin became impatient and tried to get closer, Francesco hit him with a precise slash, forcing him to retreat.

  Meanwhile, Skroll faced the other hobgoblin with agility and precision. Thanks to his 10 points in agility, he dodged every attack with fluid and almost dancing movements. With each dodge, he counterattacked violently, striking the hobgoblin with a force that seemed impossible for such a small being.

  Francesco continued to keep his opponent at bay, but something did not convince him. The hobgoblin seemed too easy to handle, and Francesco knew that when things went too well, there was always a trick.

  Suddenly, the hobgoblin let his guard down, pretending to be distracted. Francesco, for a moment, thought of taking advantage of it and struck a blow. But an instinct stopped him just in time. He withdrew the attack and, as he did, an axe blow grazed his face, scratching his right cheek.

  Francis: "Damn! I was going to fall for it!"

  The hobgoblin had pretended to be distracted to lure Francesco into an imprudent attack. But Skroll, seeing his master in danger, sprang towards them with incredible speed. He stabbed the hobgoblin in the leg, knocking him to the ground with a scream of pain. With a well-aimed blow, he smashed his skull, ending his life.

  Francesco, now tired but relieved, approached Skroll.

  Francesco: ?Great job, Skroll! Come here, little fellow!"

  She held him in her arms, fondly caressing his skull. Skroll seemed over the moon, the blue flames in his eye sockets shining with joy. He stayed to reward his summoning for at least three minutes, enjoying every caress.

  Then, Francesco became serious again, looking towards the chest.

  Francesco: "Mhmm... Why should there be a chest? These days then..."

  He reached over to touch him, but a notification broke the silence in the room, causing him to jump.

  Francesco: "Goblin Chest? Treasure Room?... That's why that number of hobgoblins was present in this room. Will I be able to open it later?"

  Immediately after saying this, the [Journals of Solomon] appeared in front of the chest, giving off a sinister light. With a dull noise, the chest was sucked into one of the pages of the diary, disappearing completely.

  Francis: "WHAT!? HEY, GIVE ME MY PRIZE BACK!" he yelled, reaching for the journal as if he could take it back.

  A notification appeared in front of Francis, and this left him incredulous.

  He summoned the [Diary of Solomon], quickly flipping through the pages for something to explain the disappearance of the chest. He found nothing, until it occurred to him to pronounce the magic word.

  Francesco: "Inventory."

  Instantly, a new page was created in front of him, revealing a list of items and a detailed description of the chest that had been sucked up.

  Francesco: "Mhm? Can I enter anything? Let's see... Here! Insert the iron bar!"

  The iron bar disappeared from Francesco's hand, ending up in his inventory.

  Francis: "Convenient! Well, I'd say it's time to go back to base."

  About three and a half hours had passed, it was now 10 in the morning and everyone was awake.

  Gianluca: ?WHAT? DID YOU LET FRANCIS OUT? D.! ARE YOU CRAZY?"

  Q.: "Don't worry! As long as he doesn't move away, he should be safe."

  Simon: "YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT ANYWAY!"

  Q.: "Excuse me..."

  Francis, as soon as he arrived in front of the door, heard everything and began to scream: "YOU CAN ALSO NOT GIVE ME UP FOR DEAD, THANK YOU!" He kicked the door open, making everyone jump.

  Everyone rushed towards him, happy to see him still in one piece, with only a scratch on his cheek.

  Gianluca: ?Idiot! Where did you go!? You had to rest!"

  Francesco: "Don't worry! I'm much stronger than I thought..." He began to giggle, trying to dampen the tension.

  Daniela approached, confused and still sleepy because of the noise.

  Daniela: "You have become stronger than before... What did you do?"

  Francesco, confused by the girl's words, replied: "How do you know, forgive me? And above all... Thank you so much for treating me..." As he spoke, his face turned slightly red with embarrassment.

  Daniela: ?Nothing... My ability allows me to see alterations in a person's body, including beneficial ones."

  Francesco: "Ugh, now I can't lie..."

  With an embarrassed smile, Francesco showed his new status after applying stat points.

  Everyone was amazed. His status was gigantic, he could probably take down three or four goblins on his own. But the problem was... how did he earn all those XP points?

  Simon: "... Tell us what you've been up to out there. If you did something stupid... we'll take you."

  Francis: "... Let's say I might have... how to say... cleaned the whole dungeon by myself with Skroll..."

  Gianluca: ?... I strangle him."

  Francesco: ?Eddaiii, this little guy practically did all the work!?

  To confirm what he said, Francis also showed Skroll's status. The skeleton goblin's stats were impressive, and everyone was even more stunned.

  Everyone fell silent, and after a minute of silence, only one word was heard in harmony among the boys:

  All: "CRACKED!"

  Q.: "See? I was right! He is very strong!"

  Simon: "You were wrong anyway, idiot!"

  Francis: "... Let's look on the bright side... Now we can advance to the ground floor of the school..."

  Daniela: ?... The important thing is that he is fine, but next time let us know... Don't take risks like that..."

  Francesco: "Okay..." he said, looking down with a slightly guilty air.

  After grooming Francesco well, the boys began to discuss how to proceed. Luigi was taken to the stairs to activate his ability, thus blocking the monsters' access to the dungeon.

  Francis: "This is how it should go. Well, now guys, I want to show you the hobgoblin page."

  Gianluca: ?Their status is much higher than a goblin, and they are able to boost their henchmen... Are they the smartest of the tribe?"

  Francesco: "I don't think so. Remember, the diary spoke of an intelligent specimen. We found four."

  Q.: "Right. Let's hope that one is not too strong..."

  Francesco: "Guys, we have to conquer the school within a week. Otherwise, it will be difficult to save our parents."

  Simon: "You're right..."

  Francesco: "I propose that we go exploring today."

  Q.: "Always sending Michele?"

  Francis: "No, they would see it... He will walk with us in the combat party."

  Michele: "All right...", he said, his voice trembling with fear.

  Simon: "Good! When are we leaving?"

  Francesco: "First let's go and warn everyone else."

  They returned to the volleyball court and announced to everyone that the dungeon was free of monsters. Then, they informed the group of the imminent departure. By now, there were at least 70 students present, and Francis asked for a rather difficult favor...

  Francis: "Good! Luigi and Daniela will remain to manage the situation here. Train properly, you also have Daniela's care available. Become stronger and survive at all costs!"

  He stopped to give everyone a boost, then resumed with a gloomy face: "I need at least five people... They will have to move all the corpses to the football field, since it is the most destroyed and unusable place. Who feels like it?"

  Everyone remained silent, and Francesco began to get nervous, almost to shout, but Luigi stopped him with a calm gesture.

  Luigi: "I understand that it can be horrible and disgusting, but the combat team is risking their lives to protect you even one more day. If we continue to keep the bodies in all rooms except this one, we could catch a disease like the plague, and Daniela would not be able to cure it. If none of you come forward... We will be forced to punish you and put shifts on everyone, since you are not contributing to civilization at the moment."

  Everyone was amazed after Luigi's speech. In fact, everyone present was living only thanks to the exploits of the boys of the combat group, ready to sacrifice their lives to save someone else.

  Luigi: "Since there are about 20 girls, they will sleep in the warehouse, while we boys will sleep here. Right now... Who is coming forward?" He said, looking at everyone with a serious air.

  After a brief silence, ten people raised their hands. At the sight of this, Francesco patted Luigi's shoulder, whispering to him: "Well done. You were great."

  Luigi: "Good! You will take two turns then. You will receive more food and water than all those who have not raised their hands."

  Francis: "I would say that we can leave everything in your hands. Thanks again, Luì! We are going now."

  After a brief greeting the 5 boys went to the stairs, once they reached the ground floor everyone vomited. The school had a square shape, with architecture that had once been modern and welcoming. Now, however, the ground floor was a nightmare of glass and blood. The stained glass windows, which once showed a bright and reassuring panorama, were now stained red and chipped, with shards of glass scattered throughout.

  Inside, chaos reigned supreme. Classrooms, once places of learning and laughter, had become theaters of death. The blood had dried on the walls, forming dark, slimy patches. Human guts and limbs were scattered on the ground, as if they had been torn away with unprecedented violence. Goblins feasted on the remains, their red eyes glowing with greed as they voraciously feeded, emitting grunts and sinister giggles.

  The corridors were a labyrinth of destruction. Broken windows let in gusts of cold wind that moved the shreds of torn curtains. Deep scratches furrowed the walls, as if something huge and furious had tried to escape or enter. The disorder was unimaginable: overturned desks, broken chairs, torn books and papers scattered everywhere, stained with blood and dirt.

  The air was heavy with a metallic and putrid smell, a mix of death and decay that attacked the throat and filled the lungs with a sense of oppression. Every step resounded in that unnatural silence, broken only by the grunts of the goblins and the muffled moans of the dying.

  It was a place that no longer seemed to belong to the world of the living, but to an endless nightmare.

  Francesco, by now almost accustomed to macabre sight thanks to what he had seen on the football field, sent Skroll to settle all the goblins nearby. For Skroll, goblins had become mere toys. He killed them in less than a second, using his ability [Shadow Dash (A)] with deadly accuracy.

  As Skroll annihilated the goblin population, the boys struggled to recover from the horrible sight. Michael, overcome by terror, fainted on the stairs, but was grabbed by D. before falling. Unfortunately, however, D. also began to vomit, turning Michele's sweatshirt into a mixture of fabric and horrifying vomit.

  About five minutes passed, and the amount of goblins killed by Skroll had already reached 50, thus freeing almost the entire left wing of the ground floor. The boys, now recovered, began to walk. Michele, of course, had removed his sweatshirt and thrown it away after noticing the vomit.

  The five boys and Skroll headed towards the cafeteria, now cleared of all danger thanks to Skroll's strength.

  Simon: "I feel useless, though, like this..." he said, looking at Skroll with a mixture of admiration and frustration.

  Gianluca: ?Actually...?

  Francesco: "Guys, at the moment we are thinking about clearing the whole area as soon as possible. Then we'll see what to do next time."

  Q.: "Exactly. Guys, it's not a game. If we can do it without risking, so be it."

  Simon: "Okay..."

  Francesco: "Take as many supplies as possible. If we continue at this rate... We will probably be able to conquer the school within three days."

  Q.: "I agree. Skroll is a godsend."

  Thirty minutes passed, and each boy carried two bags full of food supplies in each arm.

  Francesco: "Well, first of all we bring these stocks to the base. Tomorrow we will conquer the whole ter—?

  Shots from the bathrooms, locked down, interrupted the boy.

  Q.: "What was it?"

  Francis: "Let's get closer."

  They approached the door cautiously, and Francis knocked lightly.

  Francis: "We are human. Is anyone in there?" he said, raising his voice.

  Soon after, the door opened, and two girls came out crying from the bathroom, while a third seemed rather calm.

  Francis: "Are you okay? We have a safe place. Stay close to us."

  Girl 1: "V-v-va b-bene..." he answered, sobbing.

  The calm girl looked at the boys and the skeleton, then asked, "How did you get to this place? Are the goblins gone? And above all... What's that thing?"

  Skroll, when he was called "thing," got a little angry. Noticing him, Francis stroked his head, calming him down.

  Francesco: "This little one is called Skroll. It is my evocation. He was the one who got rid of all the goblins, but even the guys here are able to take them down easily."

  Calm girl: "That gigantic goblin too?"

  Q.: "Gigantic goblin? What do you mean?"

  Calm girl: "He looked like a goblin, but he reached the roof with his head and had a serious obesity problem."

  Francesco: "Let's go back to the base first. This information is worrying... The roof is 3.5 meters high...?

  The boys went back to the stairs and introduced themselves to the girls. Apparently, their names were Marika, Fabiana and the calmest, Alessia. They had been stuck in the bathroom to hide from the goblins, terrified and waiting for help that never seemed to come.

  They went down to the base and handed the supplies to Daniela, now in charge of distribution. They left just something to give to the new girls, who were greeted with a mixture of relief and concern by the other students.

  At some point, however, something strange happened. Luigi's barrier expanded dramatically, even including the entire dungeon and a small part of the upper area. Francesco ran to Luigi to understand why.

  Francesco: "Luigi! What did you do? The barrier has become huge!"

  Luigi: "After accepting the girls with you, I noticed that I had moved up a level. So I awarded points... Better if you look for yourself."

  He moved Francesco's status to vision, showing him the new stats and enhanced ability.

  Francesco: "You never cease to amaze me... You are truly hallucinating."

  Luigi: ?Well, it seemed pointless to increase other stats, so I used all four points in mind, thus enhancing the ability... But I also got a title."

  Francesco: "Have you already tried the skill he gives you?"

  Luigi: "No, I'll try right away."

  He activated the ability [Eyes of the Master (A)] and immediately felt connected to his territory, as if he were part of it. He could clearly feel anything inside it, as if every movement, every breath, was an extension of himself.

  Luigi: ?It's a strange feeling, I don't know how to explain it to you... It's as if I were my own territory."

  Francesco: "Huh?" he said, confused, and then continued: "It would seem useful, though."

  Luigi's attention was drawn to a quarrel in the warehouse. The girls were surrounding Daniela, some asking for more escorts, while others seemed to just want to bully her, jealous of her position.

  Luigi: "Bro, we have to go to the warehouse. Something is happening. Daniela seems to be in danger."

  Francis: "Let's go!"

  The two walked towards the warehouse, and on the way they met Simon. They told him about the situation, taking him with them. Once they arrived, Francis opened the door, visibly angry.

  Francesco: "Skroll, take Daniela and bring her here. Anyone who tries to stop you, threaten them with your weapon."

  Skroll, with a lightning bolt, came to Daniela and gently grabbed her hand, bringing it towards Francesco and the others. Three girls tried to stop him, but Skroll glared at them, causing them to fall to the ground in fear. He arrived in front of Francesco and, naively, handed over the girl's hand to his master.

  Francesco: "S-Skroll! You don't need to give me your hand!"

  Simon: "Eh, well done Skroll! You know how to make someone proud!" he said, giving a thumbs up with an amused smile.

  Daniela, now totally red in the face, said shyly: "Thank you..."

  Luigi: "Good..." He raised his voice to make himself heard as far away as possible and continued: "NOW I WANT YOU TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT YOU ARE DOING!"

  The girls, still swaggering and full of themselves, began to show looks of hatred and defiance. Some of them spoke, in sharp tones full of contempt.

  Girl 1: "We need more resources than you, useless males! You are wasting food and water, while we need to be cared for and protected!"

  Girl 2: "That's right! We should be revered and treated as queens, not as if we were your equals!"

  Francesco was already about to explode, but he restrained himself, clenching his fists and breathing deeply for the good of all.

  Girl 3: "And we want you to bring us water to wash us too! We cannot live in these dirty and neglected conditions, while you work as if nothing had happened!"

  Their words were poisonous, charged with a sense of superiority that seemed to have no foundation. Their looks were full of contempt, as if they considered others little more than servants

  Francesco, at that point, could no longer hold back. His patience was exhausted, and the anger he had suppressed for the good of the group exploded violently and uncontrollably.

  Francis: "So I look like your slave, eh? Maybe you haven't quite understood the hierarchy in here! Let me show you!"

  He turned to the wall and, in a swift and brutal motion, threw a punch with 70% of his strength. The wall shattered on impact, creating a huge hole with a deafening noise that made the entire basement tremble.

  Francis: "IF YOU WANT SOMETHING, YOU WILL HAVE TO TAKE IT YOURSELF! IF YOU STILL HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, GO AHEAD, BUT BE PREPARED FOR THE CONSEQUENCES! I AM NOT A SAINT, NOR A DEMON. WE CAN ALL ABANDON YOU AND LEAVE YOU IN YOUR SEARCH FOR WELL-BEING!"

  The whole basement was shocked by the situation. No one had ever seen Francis so angry, so ruthless. The girls, to Francesco's fury, began to fall one by one, some urinating on each other in fright, others crying desperately.

  Francis: "I WILL REPEAT IT ONE LAST TIME: DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING?"

  The first girl who had spoken raised her hand, thinking to herself, "He won't do anything to me anyway! He can't do anything to me! It's all smoke and mirrors."

  Girl: "We girls need more stuff than you monkeys!"

  At this sentence, all the boys in the basement began to crack up, insulting her and shouting at her.

  Francis: "SILENCE!"

  His voice thundered, calming the boys instantly. Then, with an eerie smile, he continued:

  Francis: "Well, well... Do you still have the nerve to say something like that? Does anyone here have the same opinion as you?"

  The girls who had spoken earlier raised their hands, along with two others, for a total of five.

  Francesco: "Good. From this moment, you five geese will not receive anything from us. You will be banished from the warehouse and can only stay in the corridor."

  Everyone was amazed by Francesco's total apathy and ruthlessness. Luigi approached, together with Daniela, trying to mediate.

  Luigi: "Bro... Isn't that a little excessive?" he said softly.

  Daniela: "They didn't do anything to me, that's okay. Don't punish them so much..."

  Francis, raising his voice to show the compassion and kindness of the leaders, responded in an icy and sharp tone:

  Francesco: "I'm sorry, but I'm the one who captains the combat group. And if they are not even the slightest bit grateful for our work, after risking their lives for them, they can also starve to death and regret their horrible character. As I have already said, I am not a saint. I am not here to save everyone and look after them like a father. Everyone will have to earn the loaf of bread for themselves. I can only give him time to get used to it. I'm still human, I don't want anyone to die... But that doesn't mean that the death of these five geese makes me tender. Out there we witnessed a horrible sight. I've already seen more deaths than they can imagine. Three or five more doesn't make any difference to me."

  The girls who had raised their hands earlier were in tears, asking for forgiveness and seeking mercy from Francis. But he ignored them completely, his gaze empty and detached like that of a predator watching his prey.

  Francis: "Ah, one last thing, and this is for everyone: the next one who dares to twist a hair on one of the leaders... will receive even worse treatment."

  His tone was calm, almost calm, but charged with a threat so palpable that everyone held their breath. Francis turned and walked away, leaving a heavy silence and an atmosphere of terror that seemed to have frozen time.

  Luigi and the others, still in the warehouse, were speechless. But Louis decided to take the initiative and spoke.

  Luigi: "As you can see... We are not here to look after you. You girls can start taking your few things and go into the hallway..." he said in a calm voice, but with a slight pity for the girls.

  The girls, now resigned, took the last rations received and placed themselves on the opposite side to that where Francesco was.

  Luigi: "You can all go back to doing what you were doing!"

  Once the waters calmed down, Luigi took the whole group and went to Francesco. They found him sitting on the stairs, stroking Skroll's head with a sad, distant look.

  Luigi: "Bro... Was there really a need for such a punishment?... Obviously I'm not going against you, it's just that..."

  Francis: "I know... It may sound bad, but think about it. If everyone started doing like her, what would happen? You would be targeted, and while we are on the expedition, you would probably be attacked... Follow me upstairs."

  He turned around and began to climb the stairs. By now, the barrier had taken up a good part of the upper floor near the stairs.

  Francis: "Look..." He pointed to the corpses piled up at the edge of the corridor.

  Luigi and Daniela, at the sight, were horrified and began to retching.

  Luigi: "F-Fra! Why did you have to show us this? What connection does it have?"

  Francis: "If they don't start taking everything more seriously... All the people down there will die."

  Daniela: ?C-c-I understand... You played the part of the villain to make them move... instilling in them the fear of abandonment..."

  Francis did not answer immediately. After a heavy silence, tears began to run down his face, making everyone deeply sad. Francesco sat down, hugging his legs, while Skroll immediately ran to embrace his master.

  Gianluca: "Sorry, Bro... We should have said something too..."

  Simon: "You shouldn't have to take all these responsibilities on your own, bro..."

  Francesco: "Everything is ok... Just give me some time... Go down, leave me here with Skroll."

  Everyone, one at a time, patted Francesco on the back or gave him a hug, then went downstairs, leaving him alone with Skroll.

  Francesco sat there, tears streaming down as he caressed Skroll's skull.

  Francesco: "Don't worry, Skroll, I'm fine... Since this whole story began, I haven't even had time to be sad or be afraid... What captain would I be if I constantly showed her my weakness? I would love to see my family again... I hope they're okay..."

  Skroll, hearing these words, continued to embrace him, the blue flames in his eye sockets that seemed to flicker with sadness.

  About twenty minutes passed, and Francesco calmed down little by little.

  Francesco: "Thank you, Skroll... I'm calm now," he said, smiling faintly, still red-eyed.

  Then, with a sigh, he opened his [Status].

  Francis: "Since I have nothing else to do... Let's see our statuses..."

  He entered the statistic points and took a good look at the result, but his gaze was still veiled with sadness. Despite everything, the weight of responsibilities and nostalgia for his family continued to weigh on his heart.

  Francesco: "I would say that this can be fine. I don't mind how arrangement! Let's see your status, Skroll."

  Francesco: ?Skroll, you're really monstrous...?

  Skroll lowered his head, the blue flames in his sockets that seemed to fade for a moment, as if he felt offended.

  Francesco: "I mean good!" he caressed Skroll's head, trying to apologize for the misunderstanding.

  Francis: "We have become really strong... But that monster those girls were talking about... It is worrying. Let's just hope he's gone."

  The two went back downstairs, but in front of the stairs they met Daniela.

  Daniela: "Do you feel better?" she said, approaching in a sweet and worried voice.

  Francesco: ?Er... Yes!" he replied, taken aback and visibly embarrassed, avoiding his gaze.

  Daniela: ?I wanted... say thank you for being angry for me..."

  Francis: "Nothing... If you have any problems, please talk to me... Or with Luigi!" he quickly adjusted his sentence, trying not to make it sound like an invitation to talk to him often, but the blush on his cheeks betrayed his embarrassment.

  Daniela, hearing this, hinted at a giggle and said: "Okay, Bro... Or should I call you chief?"

  Francis: "Witty... Fra is more than fine, Miss Curator!"

  Daniela: ?Hey! That is not worth it!"

  Francesco: "Sorry, you're right... Miss Curator who falls asleep on patients!"

  Daniela turned red and picked up Skroll, lifting him up to cover her face, trying to hide her embarrassment.

  Daniela: "I didn't do it on purpose... Sorry..."

  Francis, without thinking, replied: "Don't worry! I can be a very soft pillow, if necessary!"

  Immediately after saying this sentence, he repented, understanding the possible double meaning.

  Francesco: "N-N-I didn't mean anything wrong, I swear!" he turned around, red up to his ears, trying to hide his embarrassment.

  By now, the two were totally red, creating an almost comical scene. Simon arrived just then, after seeing the scene.

  Simon: "Already being lovebirds? Not even time to get out of the stairs!"

  Francis: "Damn! Viecce!" began chasing Simon into the boys' room, trying to distract everyone from the embarrassment.

  Daniela, standing there with Skroll in her hands, whispered something in a low voice before leaving Skroll and going to the girls' room.

  Daniela: "Not that I would have minded..."

  Skroll heard what the girl had said, but, not being able to speak, he decided not to think of it, and ran to his master.

  After the little jog, Francesco gathered the whole group and began to talk about the plan for the next day.

  Francesco: "Well, tomorrow we will try to conquer the second floor, and if we can, also the third, being much smaller."

  Q.: "Do you already have a plan?"

  Francesco: "Absolutely not."

  Everyone looked surprised at Francesco and said in unison: "Then he too is human!"

  Francis: "HEY!"

  Gianluca: ?Well, you usually always know what to do!?

  Francis: "I'm not a god!"

  Simon: "Maybe bad luck!"

  Everyone burst out laughing, while Francesco ran a hand over his face, trying to hide a smile.

  Francis: "... Entertaining... We said, I propose to separate."

  Q.: "In what sense?"

  Francesco: ?By now we are all able to defeat goblins, except Michele... But he too has to gain experience."

  Michele: ?... All right... Are you sure I don't take risks?"

  Francesco: "I'll put you in the safest, most peaceful group."

  Francesco stopped to think for a moment to make the teams, then said: "Show me your status for a moment, except Michele who should not be changed."

  Everyone: "Ok!"

  Francesco: "Well, I would say that groups are also easy to do. The first will be captained by me, will go to the 3rd floor and will be composed of me, Michele and Simon. While the rest will go to the 2nd floor, and will be captained by D. Everyone agrees?"

  Q.: "Are you sure you don't take risks?"

  Francis quickly showed his status to everyone.

  Francis: "Do I seem to be in danger?" He smiled, with an air of confidence.

  Q.: "Ok... But be careful."

  Francis: "One last thing..." He summoned the [Sage's Diary] and let out the chest.

  Simon: ?Well, mo has also become a freak!?

  Francesco: "The clown said! Anyway, this is a chest I found on the football field."

  Gianluca: ?[Goblin Chest] huh? Open it, come on!"

  Michael: "Peffoh!"

  Francis exclaimed: "Yes!" The chest vanished into thin air, leaving a battered iron sword, a shield, and what appeared to be a book on the ground.

  Francis bent down, looking at the remains with curiosity. "Mhmm, let's see them one at a time," he murmured, deciding to start with the sword. Francis raised his sword, looking at it with a critical eye. "Goblin's sword, eh... let's see," he murmured, turning it in his hands. The blade was worn, with a few notches along the edge, and the hilt showed signs of rust. It was certainly not a legendary weapon, but it had what it takes to do harm.

  "He may not be elegant," he thought, "but if he has done his duty in the hands of a goblin, he may do the same in mine." With a quick movement, he brandished it in the air, hearing the metal whistle. "Light, fast... perfect for quick fights," he concluded, satisfied.

  He put down his sword with a slight smile, already curious to find out what the other objects were hiding.

  Francis examined the sword with a nod of approval. "Not bad!" he said, then turned to Michele with a half-smile. "Michele, you take this. Since you're the weakest, you'll need something to inflict some damage with," he added, handing him his sword firmly.

  The tone was light, almost joking, but there was a note of sincerity in his words. Francesco knew that each member of the group had a role, and that sword, however modest, could make a difference.

  Michele: "Okay..."

  Francis, after handing the sword to Michael, moved to observe the shield.

  Francis raised his shield, looking at it carefully. It was clearly the work of a goblin craftsman: the workmanship was rough, but functional. The surface had some dents, a sign of past battles, but it still seemed to offer good protection against attacks from low-ranking creatures. He twirled it a couple of times, noting with pleasure that the weight was well balanced. "It's not elegant," he thought, "but it can still do its job. ?

  With a quick movement, he used it to simulate a blow, feeling the solidity of the metal. "He could protect and strike if necessary, Simon I think goes very well with your charge!"

  Simon: "I'll take him then!"

  Then, his gaze shifted to the book, the last remaining object. "And you," he said in a low voice, "what are you hiding?"

  Francesco took the book in his hands, his eyes shining with excitement as he read the title: "Martial Art: Goblin Master's Pass." "This could be a rare drop!" he exclaimed, turning to D. with an enthusiastic smile. "Martial Art... Q., you had that ability of yours that allowed you to learn them faster, right? Try it!"

  

  
1. looked at him, a little uncertain. "Sure? It was you who found this treasure..." he said, hesitating.


  

  Francesco shrugged his shoulders with a swaggering air. "I'm already too strong, don't worry! Take it, it's more useful to you."

  

  
1. nodded, still a little hesitant, and took the book from Francesco's hands. The moment his fingers brushed against the cover, a notification appeared in front of his eyes, signaling the beginning of learning. He stood still for a moment, focused, as information about the martial art began to flow through his mind.


  

  Francesco crossed his arms, satisfied. "There, see? It was just what was needed."

  

  
1. : '' I would say yes ''


  

  

  
1. remarked thoughtfully, then commented: "It's unbalanced! It should have taken me 168 hours..."


  

  Francesco looked at him, curious. "And instead?"

  

  
34. grimaced. "Only 34..."


  

  Francesco smiled, satisfied. "Perfect! Too bad we won't have him ready for tomorrow, but it doesn't matter. Well guys, tomorrow at 07:00 we will leave. Be found at the stairs... Michele...? She turned to him with a stern look. "Please, wake up by yourself this time!"

  Michael looked down, complaining: "... Ugh."

  The group burst out laughing, and the day passed quickly between preparations and jokes. When night fell everyone fell asleep, except Skroll, who, as always, could not sleep. He remained in Francesco's shadow, silent and alert, waiting for dawn

  [Day: 8 | Month: October | Year 3005] [Scuola Superiore Vittorio Em.]

  It was about 03:00 in the morning, and a heavy silence enveloped the room where everyone was fast asleep. At one point, the door to the boys' room opened slowly, with a barely perceptible creak. Skroll, the small goblin skeleton conjured up by Francis, with the blue fire dancing in its empty eye sockets and the small horns standing out in the darkness, immediately noticed the movement. The blue flames in his eye sockets intensified, a warning sign, as he flattened out into the shadows, carefully observing the entrance.

  A few moments later, two girls entered: they were the punished girls, to be exact the first two who had spoken during the assembly. The first, Claudia, was advancing with a determined step, a small knife clutched firmly in her hand, the blade gleaming faintly in the dim moonlight. Behind her, Giulia followed her reluctantly, her face contracted with anxiety, her eyes moving nervously in every direction. Skroll, although alarmed, remained hidden, respecting the order given to him by Francis never to attack humans. However, his small, bony fingers twitched, ready to intervene if necessary.

  The two girls approached Francesco, who was sleeping unaware, and their voices rose in a murmur full of tension. Giulia, the unarmed girl, murmured: "Claudia, it's not a good idea, it will end very badly... And above all, do you really want to kill a human?" His voice was a mixture of fear and despair, his hands wringing nervously.

  Claudia gave her an icy look, her eyes full of hatred and determination. "Be quiet, Giulia! That asshole will pay for what he did to me. How did he dare to humiliate me like that? We'll see if he'll still have the courage to be a braggart with a knife stuck in his back!" He chuckled, a shrill and disturbing sound, as he stared at Francesco with a look full of malice, the blade of the knife shaking slightly in his hand.

  Giulia shook her head, panic tightening her throat. "I... I don't want anything to do with this madness! I don't want to kill anyone, Claudia, and I don't want to risk ruining my life for your revenge!" Her voice was a faint sound, as she looked around anxiously, as if she feared she was already discovered. Without saying anything else, he turned abruptly towards the door. "I'm leaving, I can't stay here!"

  Claudia stared at her with contempt, a cruel smile that distorted her face. "Cowardly! Pathetic! I certainly didn't need the help of a coward like you. Go and hide, I can do everything by myself anyway. And remember, if you just try to talk to someone about this, you'll end up even worse than theirs!" Her voice was sharp, full of visceral hatred, as Giulia disappeared into the hallway, leaving her alone with Francesco still asleep.

  Meanwhile, Skroll, aware that he cannot act directly, teleported through the shadows, emerging next to Daniela. He lightly touched her with a skeletal hand, waking her up with a start. The blue fire in his eye sockets pulsed urgently, and with a quick gesture, he signaled her to follow him. Daniela, still numb from sleep, immediately knew something was wrong and got up quickly, following the skeletal goblin.

  The two reached the boys' room in a few seconds. Skroll stood in the doorway, his tiny skeleton almost invisible in the dark, as Daniela sneaked in. The scene that presented itself to her eyes froze her: Claudia was bent over Francesco, the knife raised, ready to strike. Without hesitation, Daniela threw herself forward, grabbing Claudia by the arm with a firm grip. "Enough, Claudia!" he shouted, his voice full of anger and disbelief.

  The noise of the fight instantly woke up the whole group. Francesco stood up suddenly, his eyes wide open. "What's going on?!" he shouted, confused and still half asleep.

  Daniela, holding Claudia still, replied: "He tried to stab you!" But he didn't have time to say anything else. Claudia, with a sudden jerk, stuck the knife in Daniela's shoulder, making her scream in pain. Blood began to gush profusely, forcing Daniela to let go and fall to her knees.

  Claudia straightened, the knife still in her hand, her face distorted by an expression of evil triumph. "Did you want to get in the way? Well, then you'll all pay!" he hissed, his voice full of hatred that seemed to burn more than Skroll's blue flames.

  Francesco: "Daniela!"

  His cry filled the room, full of worry and anger. He ran towards her, completely ignoring Claudia for a moment. With a quick and decisive movement, he grabbed Claudia and threw her with all his strength to the other side of the room. The girl flew through the air, slamming into the training mattresses leaning against the wall with a dull thud. Francesco didn't even glance at her, focusing only on Daniela, who was clutching her wounded shoulder, the blood flowing between her fingers.

  He knelt down beside her, his face contorted with anxiety. "Can you cure yourself?" he asked, his voice trembling but full of thoughtfulness. His hands moved nervously, as if he wanted to help her but didn't know how without hurting her.

  Daniela, pale and in pain, nodded weakly. "It hurts... but I should succeed... Sorry, I'm useless..." he murmured, his eyes shining with pain and frustration.

  Francesco gently stroked her hair, his gaze softened for an instant. "You were fantastic, Daniela. You couldn't have done more. I'll take care of it now, you rest." His voice was calm, reassuring, but beneath that tranquility lurked a storm of anger ready to explode. He turned to Luigi, who had approached, and passed Daniela to him carefully. "Stay with her, please."

  Then, he slowly stood up, and his gaze transformed. Every trace of sweetness vanished, replaced by an icy, almost inhuman expression. He turned to Claudia, who was struggling to get up, and his eyes sparkled with uncontrollable fury.

  "You've crossed the line now," she said, her voice low and full of a threat that made anyone who heard it shudder. With a lightning bolt, she was in front of Claudia, her dominant presence completely towering over her.

  Claudia, despite the fear that gripped her heart, tried to keep her nerve. "Idiot! You can't do anything to me! I am a thousand times more important than you!" she cried, but her voice trembled, betraying her insecurity.

  Francesco stared at her for a moment, then burst into cold, almost maniacal laughter. "Ah, yes? I'll make you regret not getting a punishment from me, then." He grabbed Claudia by the neck with a firm grip, lifting her off the ground as if she were a twig. The girl began to struggle, kicking and punching, but Francesco, with his vitality at 8, felt nothing. His expression was impassive, as if he were handling an insignificant object.

  "Let's take a walk, maybe we'll find some friends for you," he said with a wicked smile, his voice full of wicked satisfaction. Claudia, now terrified, continued to kick, but it was clear that she could not do anything to free herself.

  Francis took her to the first floor, walking with a firm step, as if he were completing a mission. When he saw a group of three goblins wandering around, his smile widened. "Oh, look, you have the same character! They too are idiots who try to go against me. Why not make friends?"

  After saying those words, he threw Claudia towards the goblins with an almost nonchalant movement. The goblins, confused, hesitated to move, feeling the aura of death that surrounded Francis. Claudia, who fell to the ground, quickly got up and began to run away, screaming for help desperately.

  Francis folded his arms, observing the scene with a sadistic expression. "What are you doing, little friends? It's a gift for you!" The goblins, still uncertain, remained motionless, terrified by Francis' presence. His patience ran out in an instant. "GO AFTER HER, YOU GOBLIN ASSHOLES!" he screamed, releasing his aura explicitly. It was a wave of pure murderous intent, an energy that only monsters could perceive, but which was so intense that it made even the air around him shiver.

  The goblins, scared to death, began to run after Claudia, obeying Francis' unspoken order. The girl's heartbreaking screams soon resounded in the corridor, echoes of terror that even reached the basement.

  Francesco stood there for a moment, listening to those screams with an evil smile on his face. Then, calmly, he returned to the basement, where the rest of the group waited for him in silence, some clearly frightened by his coldness.

  She approached the remaining punished girls, her gaze still charged with restrained fury. "I hope you have learned the lesson," he said, his voice low but full of a threat that left no room for doubt. "Anyone who tries to hurt my friends will pay. And Claudia is just the beginning."

  Francesco slowly turned to the remaining punished girls, his gaze was that of a predator who had just spotted his next prey. "Now whose turn? Who wants to die first?" His voice was a hiss full of anger, every word seemed to cut the air like a blade. The girls backed away, terrified, some already in tears.

  At that moment, Skroll, the small goblin skeleton, stepped forward. The little blue fire in its sockets pulsed insistently, as if it were trying to communicate something urgent. He placed himself between Francis and the girls, waving his skeletal arms as a sign of retainer.

  Francesco stared at him, his eyebrows furrowed. "Skroll... Moved. Unless you have a good reason!" His voice was cold, but Skroll didn't move, continuing to gesture towards the girls and then towards Daniela, as if to explain something.

  Daniela, meanwhile, arrived with difficulty, her shoulder bandaged and her breathing labored. "Francesco, wait... Skroll came to me, probably because of the order you gave him. The other girls were against it! They didn't want to participate." His voice was weak, but full of determination.

  Francesco turned to her, his eyes still full of anger, but now there was also a shadow of confusion. "And why didn't you stop her?!" he screamed, the voice echoing in the room. His gaze fell again on Daniela's wound, and his anger seemed to redouble. "Look what happened! You could have done something!"

  Giulia, one of the girls, stepped forward, trembling. "Sorry... He threatened us with a small knife... We were afraid." His voice was a thread of sound, his eyes downcast, unable to support Francesco's furious gaze.

  Daniela intervened again, placing a hand on Francesco's arm. "For now, forget them, they are probably telling the truth. It's not their fault."

  Simon, who had remained on the sidelines, approached. "Bro, calm down. Come with me and the others, you need a moment to recover." His voice was calm, reassuring, but Francesco still seemed poised between anger and the desire to listen to his friends.

  Finally, Francesco nodded, but before turning around, he gave a terrifying look at the remaining girls. "Next time it will be even worse," he whispered, his voice so low it sounded like a growl. "Whoever dares to touch what is dear to me... will suffer the pains of hell."

  The girls stiffened, terror paralyzing them. Three of them collapsed to the ground, fainting from the intense murderous intent emanating from Francesco. The last one stood up, but she was shaking like a leaf, unable to move or speak.

  Francesco approached Daniela, and his gaze changed drastically. From being a bloodthirsty tiger, he now looked like a grieving kitten. "Sure I'm fine?... Can I do something for you? I'm going to look for a medical kit in the infirmary, I'll be right back!" His voice was full of thoughtfulness, almost desperate, as if he wanted to repair the evil that had happened at any cost.

  Before anyone could stop him, Francesco had already disappeared from the dungeon, followed by Skroll who teleported into the shadows to keep up with him.

  Daniela sighed, shaking her head. "Idiot... I have the healing magic..." she murmured, a tired smile that brushed her lips. Despite the pain, she couldn't help but feel touched by her worry.

  Simon: "It is right for a prince to be concerned about his princess!"

  Daniela looked at Simon badly, and Luigi slapped him on the back of the head.

  Luigi: "This is not the time, Simon..." he said, pointing towards all the people traumatized by Francesco's act.

  Luigi raised his voice, his decisive and authoritarian tone resounding in the room. "Everyone listen to me!"

  There was a sudden silence, all eyes turned towards him.

  "I hope what happened today will never happen again. This is what happens if you try to hurt someone in this world. Laws no longer exist. Nothing can protect you, except your friends!" His voice was full of gravity, every word seemed to hammer into the mind of the listener.

  "Be friends, all of you. Get along as well as you can! At this time, there is a need for collaboration. If someone tries to destroy it... will suffer punishments that will vary according to the severity." He paused, letting his words ring out. "In this case, Claudia tried to assassinate Francesco, going so far as to injure Daniela and failing in her goal. If Francis had left it unpunished, it could have happened again. I am totally on the side of our Boss. Such acts cannot be considered human."

  Everyone nodded, understanding the reason for Francis' actions, which included not only the safety of his friends, but also that of other people.

  Louis ended his speech in a calmer, but still firm, tone. "Everyone go back to sleep. Francesco will be back shortly, don't worry."

  Everyone dispersed and went back to sleep, although most did not succeed, still shaken by the fear instilled by Francis' murderous intent.

  Daniela approached Luigi, deciding to stay. "Luigi, I'm staying here waiting for Francesco. It's my fault that he came out at this hour..." he said, his tone full of concern.

  Luigi placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to reassure her. "Don't worry, Daniela. Francesco is literally the most powerful person in here. Together with Skroll, then... there is no being who can beat him at the moment."

  Daniela smiled, even if her gaze was still thoughtful. "I'll stay here anyway. Thank you for trying to make me feel better."

  Luigi nodded, respecting his decision.

  Simon, always ready to break the ice, approached with a mischievous smile. "We would have liked to wait too, but how could we take the spotlight off the princess?"

  Everyone burst out laughing, while Daniela, blushing with embarrassment, patted him on the arm. "Enough, Simon!"

  D., who had remained on the sidelines, approached with a calm smile. "Well, goodnight to everyone then! Tell Francis that, whatever it is, he can talk about it with us too."

  Daniela nodded, her smile becoming more serene. "No problem! Night."

  Everyone went to sleep, while Daniela sat on the stairs, waiting for Francesco. The silence of the basement was broken only by the slight creaking of the wooden planks below her and the sound of the wind filtering through the windows. After about ten minutes, Francesco returned, finding Daniela sitting waiting for him.

  "I found a disinfectant, clean bandages and a cream that helps close the wounds! Go ahead and use them!" Francis said, waving the medical kit with a shy smile, as if he wanted to hide the worry that still shone in his eyes.

  Daniela started laughing, the light and melodious sound that resonated in the air. "Sit down, you idiot. Should I undress here to put them on?" She teased him, looking at him with an amused expression.

  Francesco blushed visibly, looking away. "Eh... no, er... I meant—" he stammered, unable to find the right words.

  Daniela, still smiling, made room for him next to her. "Don't worry, I understood what you meant. Come on, sit here for a while..." she said, her voice sweet and reassuring.

  Francis obeyed, sitting next to her with a little embarrassment. "All right," she murmured, looking at her hands as if they had suddenly become very interesting.

  Daniela looked at him for a moment, then smiled. "Thank you..." he said, his voice almost a whisper.

  Francesco shook his head, his eyes full of remorse. "And of what? You hurt yourself because of me..."

  Daniela gently stroked his head, his dark hair moving under his fingers. "It wasn't your fault!" he scolded him gently. "You're doing your best to handle all these people, and yet you still worry about me. The wound... I'm glad I received it. Otherwise it would have been in your back..."

  Francesco lowered his gaze, embarrassed by his words and caresses. "I would have preferred it that way—" he murmured, his voice almost imperceptible.

  Daniela looked at him with affection, her smile becoming more tender. "Don't be childish, come on! I'm not a child who doesn't know how to protect herself. And above all... If you protect everyone, who protects you?"

  Francis was silent for a moment, as if he were reflecting on his words. "It's no use... I'm used to managing everything myself. Even the friendship with the boys... It's a new thing for me..." he confessed, his voice charged with a vulnerability he rarely showed.

  Daniela looked at him curiously, her eyes full of understanding. "Didn't you know them before?" he asked, trying to understand better.

  Francis sighed, nodding slowly. "Gianluca and Simon were my classmates... But I never had much of a dialogue with the class. I tried to avoid people as much as possible..."

  Daniela observed him carefully, noticing the pain that crossed his gaze. "Why? Is there a reason?" he asked, his voice sweet and encouraging.

  Francis sighed again, as if he were deciding whether to open up or not. Finally, he nodded. "When I was 13 years old... I had a friend whom I considered a brother. We grew up together, but at some point... He began to move away, getting closer and closer to the bullies of my old class. Initially, although sad, I didn't give it much thought. But they began to bother me, making fun of me about things that only he could know... until the day came when I was expelled."

  Daniela looked at him with eyes full of compassion. "Expelled? You don't seem to me the type to make such big trouble..." he said, his voice full of disbelief and concern.

  Francis sighed, looking at his hands as if they were remembering something painful. "Exactly... maybe... That day my mother accompanied me to school, since she was supposed to go to the hospital for heart problems. Obviously those bullies saw him and started making fun of me. Fortunately, I never cared much about what they said..."

  Daniela looked at him with eyes full of repressed anger. "Damn you... but I don't understand... Why the expulsion?" he asked, his voice full of confusion and indignation.

  Francesco closed his eyes for a moment, as if he were reliving that day. "At some point, during recess, they surrounded me and started hitting me. Initially, I defended myself just to avoid, but the eldest of them insulted my mother, wishing her death..." His voice cracked, and Daniela noticed how his hands clenched into fists. "At that moment, I didn't see him anymore and..."

  Daniela placed a hand on his arm, her touch delicate and reassuring. "Don't worry, Fra. Speak up—" she encouraged him, her voice soft but firm.

  Francesco nodded, continuing with a gaze lost in space. "I reacted... I freed myself from the grip of the others and started hitting them, even using a chair. I sent three of those boys to the hospital. When I was summoned by the principal, my former friend was already there... He said I had gone crazy and that the bullies had done absolutely nothing."

  Daniela clenched her teeth, her eyes shining with anger. "Bastard..." he murmured, his voice full of contempt.

  Francesco shook his head, a bitter smile that touched his lips. "I sought help from the comrades present that day... but everyone said the same version of that bastard. And so I was expelled and forced to pay for damages to those bullies. From that day on, I decided to avoid people, for fear of being betrayed again..."

  Daniela could not hold back her tears. Without saying a word, she hugged him tightly, feeling his body stiffen with embarrassment. "Now you have people who admire you and who really love you..." he whispered, his voice broken with emotion.

  Francesco remained motionless for a moment, then slowly relaxed, returning the embrace with shyness. "I hope so," he murmured, his voice trembling.

  After a few seconds, Francesco moved away slightly, looking at her with a shy smile. "Daniela... I think you should rest now. Thank you for staying to talk to me."

  Daniela nodded, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "Okay... But promise me that when you're feeling down, you'll come and talk to me about it... and with the others!" he added, blushing slightly with embarrassment.

  They both burst out laughing, a soft sound that broke the tension. They greeted each other with a smile, proceeding to their rooms. Skroll, meanwhile, was stuck like a mussel to Francesco's leg, the blue fire in his sockets pulsating insistently, as if he feared he had disappointed his master.

  Francesco stopped, looking at the small goblin skeleton with a tender expression. "Don't worry, Skroll, I'm not mad at you. You were good. Next time, you have permission to stop any person who tries to do such a thing... without killing her, if possible, though!" After saying that, she stroked Skroll's head, a gesture full of gratitude and affection.

  Francesco and Skroll sat in their corner, waiting for the time agreed with the members of the group. While waiting, Francesco decided to train. By now, probably due to the increase in statistics, he no longer struggled with D.'s workouts, so he tried to do at least the same amount before the training notification. Every movement was fluid, every effort seemed almost natural, as if his body was getting stronger and stronger, more and more resistant.

  It was 05:00, and as usual, D. got up to train. As soon as he left his room, he noticed Francesco already intent on training with an unusual intensity. His movements were quick and precise, sweat running down his face despite the morning cold.

  approached, crossing his arms and looking at him with a curious expression. "Fra! How is the training going? Shouldn't you wait for the notification?" he asked, his voice full of a mixture of concern and admiration.

  Francesco paused for a moment, wiping his forehead with his arm. "That doesn't tire me anymore, unfortunately," he replied, his tone slightly frustrated.

  D. nodded, thinking for a moment. "Mhmm... I believe I can increase the intensity with my ability. That might be useful."

  Francesco shook his head, smiling faintly. "Think about it tomorrow. Today I have already done the training, and in a while the notification will arrive to continue.?

  D. nodded again, but immediately noticed that Francesco was colder than usual, his gaze distant and thoughtful. He got worried, getting a little closer. "Brother... Are you sure everything is fine?" he asked, his voice softer, almost cautious.

  Francis sighed, looking into the distance for a moment. "Well... if we leave out that I had to let a student die... not too bad."

  D. looked at him with eyes full of understanding, but also of firmness. "You know it wasn't really your fault, right? She wanted to kill you... he also injured Daniela. You did well, although the method may seem ... horrid."

  Francesco nodded slowly, but his gaze remained gloomy. "I know... But I still killed one person. Even if not with my hands. The thing that scares me, however, is something else..."

  D. stared at him, intrigued and worried at the same time. "What could scare our Mr. Bad Luck?" he asked, trying to lighten his tone with a joke.

  Francis did not answer immediately. Instead, he took out the sage's journal and opened it, showing it to D. "See for yourself," he said, his voice low and full of tension.

  D. took the diary, and what he saw left him speechless. One page contained an image of Claudia, along with her status. But what really shocked him was the message at the bottom of the page, written in a subtle, disturbing font:

  D. remained silent for a moment, staring at the diary with a thoughtful expression. ?... Now I understand what you mean," he said finally, his voice full of concern.

  Francesco closed the diary, looking at D. with eyes full of doubts. "This diary is more macabre than I thought... What do you think he means by subject?"

  D. scratched his chin, reflecting. "Probably something like Skroll? But... Do you really want to do it? He's a human, after all..."

  Francis shook his head decisively. "I certainly won't evoke her. Imagine if she had any resentment left for killing her..."

  D. nodded, but his gaze was still worried. "It seems as if he is directing you in a very specific way, I don't know if you are noticing..."

  Francesco looked at him, curious. "What do you mean?"

  D. took a deep breath, as if he were preparing to explain something complex. "Not to brag... But I am a great fan of religious stories. Do you know who Solomon is, mentioned in your ability?"

  Francesco raised an eyebrow, confused. "Absolutely... no," he admitted, shrugging.

  D. smiled, almost amused by his ignorance. "Well, I'll give you a little summary. He is said to have been the third king of Israel. He received wisdom as a gift from God, and... I don't remember why, but he received a ring from the archangel Michael, which allowed him to command demons. With their help, he built his temple."

  Francis stared at him, his eyes widening as the story progressed. "Brake... Brakes. And what does it have to do with the direction you were talking about earlier?" he asked, still confused.

  D. pointed a finger at Skroll, who was crouching in a corner, the little blue fire in his eye sockets pulsing faintly. "Think about it," he said, in an almost theatrical tone.

  Francesco followed his gaze, then went back to looking at D., the pieces that began to fit together in his mind. "Are you saying I have the same power as him? And that I can control demons?"

  D. nodded, a satisfied smile that printed on his face. "It would explain your situation like a glove. You always know what to do, you summon the dead... I'd say it's all on the list."

  Francesco ran a hand through his hair, trying to assimilate the information. "Actually... but why should I have this ability?"

  D. shook his head, his smile fading. "Good question. I don't know how to answer you..."

  Francis sighed, frustrated. "Phew, there's no point thinking about it now. We finish training and wait for the others."

  D. chuckled, trying to lighten his tone. "All right, Ancient King of the Dead!"

  Francesco gave him an angry look, but he couldn't help but smile. "Sucker," he muttered, returning to his exercises.

  The two continued to train, until everyone else woke up. Strangely, there was someone more at the roll call in front of the stairs. Francesco immediately noticed his presence and, curious, approached to ask what he was doing.

  Francesco approached the group with a smile, greeting everyone. "Good morning, guys! Uh... What are you doing here instead?" he asked, turning to Daniela with a slightly confused expression.

  Daniela crossed her arms, looking at him with an amused expression. "Hey!! It seems that my presence bothers you, eh!" She teased him, a mischievous smile lighting up her face.

  Francesco blushed slightly, stammering. "N-No... intended to

  Daniela interrupted him, laughing. "I know, idiot... I want to go with you."

  Francesco looked at her with concern, shaking his head. "It's too dangerous... it's better if you stay here."

  Daniela stared at him with determination, her eyes full of firmness. "I'm not a child! I want to help you too. I don't want to see you hurt without being able to do anything... as always."

  Simon, always ready to intervene, stepped forward with a dazzling smile. "Come on, come on, what will it be! Let's take it with us, what could possibly go wrong?"

  Michele, who was adjusting his sweatshirt, added: "On the other hand, there are you and Simon, aren't you? What could possibly strike us?"

  Gianluca looked at him with a sarcastic expression. "I remind you that you are also there to fight with them..."

  Michele froze, as if he had just accomplished something. ?... Oops, I almost forgot about that matter with the-?

  Before he could finish the sentence, D. grabbed him by the hood of his sweatshirt, dragging him back to his seat with an exasperated expression. "That's enough, Michele."

  Francis sighed, ignoring the scene. ?... Leaving aside the coward... Daniela, are you sure?"

  Daniela nodded enthusiastically, her eyes shining with determination. "Yes!"

  Francesco looked at her for a moment, then gave in, shrugging his shoulders. ?... Okay, but you'll have to stick to me, okay?"

  Daniela smiled, happy. "Hurrah! Thank you, guys!"

  Simon didn't miss the opportunity to make a joke. "A step closer to the happy couple!"

  Francesco rushed to give him a blow on the bald head, while everyone burst out laughing. "Enough, Simon!" he said, trying to hide the blush that rose to his cheeks.

  Once the laughter subsided, Francis addressed the group in a more serious tone. "Well, please, if it gets dangerous, I want you to run to the barrier."

  Everyone nodded, ready to follow his directions. With one last look of control, Francis turned toward the stairs. "Let's go."

  The group set out to climb the stairs, the atmosphere filled with a mixture of excitement and tension. Daniela remained close to Francesco, as promised, while Skroll followed them from behind, the blue fire in the eye sockets pulsating insistently.

  The boys arrived on the ground floor and finished clearing it very quickly, shooting down the remaining 35 goblins and 4 hobgoblins. Once the floor was cleared, they immediately blocked the entrances to prevent the arrival of new monsters. With one last look of control, they returned to the stairs to climb to the upper floors and separate. Gianluca and D. went to the first floor, while the rest of the group went up to the second.

  Arriving on the second floor, the situation seemed almost too calm. The atmosphere was oppressive, the silence broken only by the wind that filtered through the broken windows. The walls were stained with blood, and the corridors were strewn with corpses, some leaning against the walls, others lying on the ground in pools of dried blood.

  The second floor consisted of six rooms, each with a sinister and desolate air:

  The courtroom: The door was half-open, revealing a devastated interior. Overturned desks and books scattered everywhere.

  The teachers' room: The door was ajar, and a nauseating smell came from inside.

  The principal's office: The door was closed, but the opaque glass was chipped, as if someone had tried to break it down.

  The teachers' bathrooms: The door was open, and chewing noises and grunts came from inside.

  The empty room: The door was ajar, and an eerie silence reigned inside.

  The paperwork warehouse: The door was locked, but the lock had been ripped off, leaving only the broken hinges.

  The boys, cautiously, approached the teachers' bathrooms, the room closest to the stairs. The door was open, and inside they found 7 goblins and 2 hobgoblins intent on feeding on what appeared to be the corpse of a caretaker. Fresh blood dripped from their jaws, and the metallic smell was almost unbearable.

  Francesco turned to Skroll, the small goblin skeleton that looked at him with the blue fire pulsing in his eye sockets. "Skroll, stay close to Daniela and protect her. The two of you, on the other hand, get ready to enter. Michael, you will have to assassinate them with your invisibility ability. Even if they can warn you, they will be too busy with us to think of a possible attack from you."

  Michele nodded, becoming invisible instantly. "Okay," he said, his voice sounding like it came out of nowhere.

  Francesco turned to Simon, a confident smile on his face. "Simon, do you prefer goblins or hobgoblins?"

  Simon grimaced, looking at the goblins crowding the room. ?I would say the Hobgoblins. Seven goblins is a bit too many."

  Francesco nodded, clutching his weapon. "Okay, I'll take care of them. Let's go in!"

  The boys entered the bathroom room, the nauseating smell of blood and decay enveloping them. Michael, invisible, took advantage of the opportunity to move silently behind the enemies. In a swift and precise motion, he stabbed one of the two hobgoblins, the blade sinking into his back. The Hobgoblin fell to the ground with a muffled grunt, while Michele quickly moved away, disappearing back into the shadows, waiting for the next prey.

  Simon, meanwhile, had charged the other Hobgoblin. With a battle cry, he raised the shield he had received the night before and hurled it with all his strength against the monster's head. The blow was devastating: the Hobgoblin collapsed to the ground, his skull smashed, while Simon was already preparing for the next attack.

  Francesco, meanwhile, had thrown himself against the goblins. With quick and precise movements, he killed four of them in the space of ten seconds. His weapon hissed through the air, striking with deadly precision. The remaining goblins tried to fight back, but Francesco dodged their blows with agility, his body moving like a shadow among the enemies.

  Just when it seemed that the situation was under control, another Hobgoblin appeared from one of the closed bathrooms. The monster hit Francesco off guard, the hatchet that sank into his left arm. Fortunately, due to its high vitality value, the wound was not deep, but the pain was still intense.

  Michael, seeing Francesco in difficulty, immediately rushed to help. With a silent leap, he stabbed the Hobgoblin at the base of the neck, knocking him to the ground with a grunt of pain. Simon, meanwhile, had charged two of the remaining goblins, the shield hitting hard, sending them crashing into the wall.

  Francesco, now up against a single goblin, made a dash forward. His weapon pierced the goblin's chest, and he fell to the ground with a groan. With a decisive kick, Francis threw it against the sinks, pulling his weapon from the enemy's body.

  "Thank you guys, great job," said Francesco, his breath slightly labored.

  Daniela approached immediately, her eyes full of concern. "Show me your arm!"

  Francis tried to play it down. "It's nothing special, it conserves energy..."

  Daniela stared at him with a look that did not allow for replies. "SHOW ME YOUR ARM!" he said, his voice full of determination.

  Francis backed away slightly, intimidated. "S-immediately!"

  Simon didn't miss the opportunity to make a joke. "Of course you don't make a fuss with her, eh!"

  Michael, still invisible, added: "Damn simp..."

  Francesco looked at them with an exasperated expression. "I swear I'll make you skeletons like Skroll one day."

  Daniela burst out laughing as she treated Francesco, her healing magic that quickly closed the wound. "Well, now you can continue," he said, smiling at the boy.

  Francesco nodded, becoming serious again. "Come on, let's go on..."

  The boys found about the same number of enemies scattered throughout the other rooms, leaving the room empty and the paperwork warehouse for last. Every fight was intense, but the group worked in perfect sync, demonstrating a strength and coordination that seemed almost unnatural.

  Francis paused for a moment, looking at his companions. "So far, everything manageable... I hope the guys downstairs are okay. Are you all ready to continue?"

  Simon responded enthusiastically, brandishing his shield. "Absolutely!"

  Daniela nodded, her gaze determined. "Of course!"

  Michael, on the other hand, grimaced. "If we really have to..."

  With that, they opened the door to the paperwork. Inside, they found 6 Hobgoblins, including one armed with a stirrup and wearing a red robe that distinguished him from the others.

  Francis observed him attentively. "This is new... Is he some kind of shaman?"

  Michele shrugged, ready for action. "Probably. Better get rid of it right away."

  Daniela stared at him, worried. "Mhm... it seems dangerous... be careful."

  Francesco nodded, turning to Michele. "Michael, you take care of it while we take care of the others."

  Michele smiled, the invisibility that enveloped him instantly. "Okay!"

  With a leap, Simon and Francesco burst into the room, attacking the hobgoblins with deadly precision. In a few seconds, they eliminated three of them, their weapons hissing through the air striking with force and speed.

  But the Hobgoblin with the stirrup began to speak strange words, a guttural and dark tongue. A ball of fire materialized in his hands, hurled towards Francis with a sinister hiss. Francesco, with surprising agility, hid behind another Hobgoblin, who took the blow for him. The monster screamed, the flames engulfing him completely, reducing him to a charred mass in a few moments.

  Michael, meanwhile, had joined the Shaman Hobgoblin. With a swift motion, he stabbed him in the side, the blade sinking into the flesh. The Hobgoblin, however, did not die instantly. With a roar of rage, he hit Michele with the stirrup, the wood that hit the boy hard, sending him flying away and disarming him.

  Simon, who had just defeated the last normal Hobgoblin, saw the scene and charged at the shaman. With a scream, he struck the monster exactly where Michael's sword was still lodged, pushing it even deeper. The Hobgoblin shaman let out a muffled groan, falling lifeless to the ground.

  Francesco approached Michele, who was getting up with a painful expression. "Michele, are you okay?"

  Michele massaged his side, making a face. "Yes, it was a big blow but..."

  Francis looked at him with a stern expression. "Next time, aim for the throat or at least a vital spot."

  Michele stared at him, sarcastically. "You're right! How could I not think of it before!"

  Simon did not miss the opportunity to make fun of him. "Idiot, then why didn't you do it?"

  Michele sighed, giving up. "......... ok, I hadn't thought about it... happy?"

  Daniela looked at him with an exasperated expression. "Idiot..."

  Francesco smiled, trying to restore calm. "Come on, come on, take up your sword. The last room is missing."

  The boys, once cared for and rested, came out of the paperwork warehouse. But waiting for them, in front of the door of the empty room, there was a creature that made the blood in their veins run cold.

  He was a green giant, at least three meters tall, with a thick unkempt beard and stained with dried blood. His belly was enormously swollen, as if he had swallowed whole animals, and his taut, shiny skin seemed ready to tear at any moment. In his right hand he held a gigantic scepter, surmounted by a human skull of disproportionate size. The skull seemed almost to smile, its chipped and blood-stained teeth glistening in the dim light of the corridor.

  The giant goblin seemed to have woken up to the noise created by the fights. His yellow, bloodshot eyes moved slowly, scanning the environment with a primitive but dangerous intelligence. When he saw the corpses of goblins scattered on the ground, he let out a terrifying roar, a sound that seemed to shake the very walls of the school. His breathing was heavy and loud, like the roar of a broken engine, and the smell he gave off was nauseating, a mixture of sweat, blood and decay.

  Francis turned to his companions, his face pale but determined. "That's dangerous... how big he is! How are we supposed to kill that thing?"

  Michele trembled visibly, his usual sarcasm vanished. "I want to go home!" he said, the voice that betrayed fear.

  Simon, on the other hand, tried to keep calm, analyzing the situation. "I think the only weak point is the head... Hitting him in all that fat would be useless."

  Francis looked at him with an exasperated expression. "Of course... except that to get to his head we need a ladder!"

  He turned to Skroll, the small goblin skeleton watching him with the blue fire pulsing in his eye sockets. "Skroll, can you beat him?"

  Skroll shook his head, his look almost saying, "Don't even try."

  Daniela approached, her face worried. "How do we proceed? Soon he will be here..."

  Francesco nodded, his gaze becoming serious. "We have no other choice... We have to face it. Daniela, you stay as far away as possible."

  Daniela nodded, though reluctantly. "Ok... Be careful."

  Francis turned to the others, his tone decisive. "The plan is different. Simon, you don't have to try to block his attacks in the slightest, you would end up smashed against the wall. Michael, you will have to get behind him and hit his legs to try to cripple him. Once on the ground, Skroll will stab him, and you, Simon, will charge with the shield in the same spot."

  Simon nodded, clutching his shield. "Okay!"

  The goblin giant, meanwhile, had begun to move towards them, the footsteps shaking the floor. His every movement was slow but powerful, as if every step could crush everything in front of him. His roar rang out again, a sound that seemed to come from the depths of hell.

  Francesco left the room and sprinted towards the green giant together with Skroll. The giant, with a roar that seemed to shake the air, raised his enormous scepter and hurled it towards the ground with devastating force. The blow created a series of cracks in the floor, but Francesco and Skroll's agility was such that they were able to dodge the attack with a side jump. Both tried to inflict damage on the giant's stomach, but their blows seemed almost useless: the monster's thick, flaccid layer of fat absorbed the attacks like a pillow, protecting him from any serious injury.

  At a certain point, Michele, invisible, hit the giant's right calf with a precise slash. The giant screamed in pain, falling on one knee. But the victory was short-lived. With a quick and unexpected movement, the giant spun around, brandishing the scepter and striking Michele with brutal force. The boy flew away, crashing into the wall with a dull thud, his body sliding to the ground, motionless.

  Skroll took the opportunity to jump on the giant, plunging his skeletal blade into the monster's neck. The wound was bleeding profusely, but it was not deep enough to stop him. The enraged giant punched Francis, but Simon, with a desperate act of courage, stepped in the way, using a charge with his shield to deflect the blow. The giant's arm moved sideways, avoiding hitting Francis, but the impact made Simon tremble to the bone.

  Daniela, seeing Michele on the ground, ran towards him, ignoring the danger. The giant, however, noticed his movement. With a titanic effort, he raised the scepter and hurled it at her with terrifying power. The scepter flew through the air like a bullet, directed towards Daniela and Michele.

  At that scene, Francesco exploded with rage. His body moved automatically, guided by a primordial instinct. With a lightning bolt, he stood between the scepter and the two.

  "CAREFUL!" Simon screamed, helpless.

  "FRAA!" Daniela shouted, her eyes full of terror.

  Francesco, now completely at the mercy of his instinct, raised his fist and threw it with all the strength he had in his body. His fist struck the scepter with a metallic noise, deflecting it upwards. The scepter stuck in the roof, almost completely, while Francesco's hand exploded in a mixture of blood and fractured bones. The pain was excruciating, but Francis remained standing, his body still erect like a wall in defense of his friends.

  The giant, after throwing the scepter, faltered. The accumulated wounds—Skroll's blow to the neck, Gianluca's punch to the temple, and Michele's cut to the calf—were too much for him. With a last, deep groan, the giant collapsed to the ground, his massive body shaking the floor. The monster was dead, but the price paid by the boys had been very high.

  At that moment, D. and Gianluca arrived. D. ran to the defense of Francesco, who seemed to have lost consciousness but was still standing, while Gianluca approached the giant to make sure he was really dead.

  Everyone rushed to Michele and Francesco, the panic and despair that could be read on their faces.

  "What the hell happened here!" exclaimed D., looking at the scene with eyes full of shock.

  Simon, still trembling, explained: "He had blocked us, and while Daniela ran to cure Michael, the giant threw his weapon at them. Francis, as soon as he saw this, placed himself between them..."

  Gianluca looked at the two wounded, his face contracted with worry. "They are in a very bad place... Will they be able to recover?"

  Daniela, in tears, began to sob as she spoke: "I-i-i-l bracc... and right leg... by Miche... They can't heal-? She burst into tears before she finished the sentence, the pain and frustration that overwhelmed her.

  D. sighed, running a hand over his face. "Damn it... It shouldn't have been like this..."

  Simon looked at his hands, the guilt that devoured him. "I couldn't do anything..."

  Francesco, recovering slightly, spoke in a low voice, the pain that ran through his body. "It's not your fault..."

  Daniela looked at him, her eyes full of relief and despair. "Francis!" He hugged him tightly, immediately checking his condition. ?... He'll have some problems, but I can save his hand!"

  D. nodded, trying to keep calm. "At least some good news, at last."

  Simon approached, his tone firm. "Come on, let's take them to the base."

  But a great surprise interrupted the young people. Luigi's barrier had expanded dramatically, coming to incorporate them completely.

  Daniela looked around, amazed. "The barrier? So far?!"

  D. shrugged, a bitter smile on his face. "Who knows what our fortress has done. He never ceases to amaze us, the cursed one. Let's take Michele and Fra down, though."

  Gianluca nodded, taking Francesco in his arms gently. "Let's go!"

  The boys arrived at the basement, immediately laying the two injured on one of the training mattresses on the volleyball court. Luigi ran up to them, his face full of concern.

  "What the hell happened!?" he asked, looking at the wounded bodies of Michele and Francesco.

  Daniela, still in tears, explained: "I tried to heal Michele in battle... Francesco injured himself trying to protect me..."

  Luigi looked at the two, his gaze full of despair. "Can you cure them?"

  Daniela was silent for a moment, looking at Michael. Then, in a broken voice, he answered: "......"

  D. intervened, the tone grave. "Unfortunately... Michele has lost his right limbs..."

  Silence sank into the room, a wave of shock and pain that overwhelmed everyone. After a few seconds, a shy voice broke the silence.

  A boy in the group asked: "... Francis instead?"

  D. sighed, trying to keep calm. "He's going to have problems with his hand, but he should be able to heal it."

  Luigi lowered his gaze, his tone full of resignation. "At least he..."

  Daniela wiped her tears, her gaze becoming determined. "Leave me here to take care of them. I'll join you later..."

  Luigi nodded, turning to the others. "Okay... guys, give air to Daniela and the wounded."

  Everyone walked away, but still remained watching from a respectful distance, their eyes full of hope as they watched Daniela's divine magic work, praying that it could save them completely.

  Simon turned to Luigi, a curious expression on his face. "Luigi, rather... Your barrier has expanded again! It took over practically the whole school!"

  Luigi nodded, a satisfied smile that printed on his face. "Yes, not being in combat, I immediately looked at the notifications. Congratulations on defeating a Rare Boss!"

  D. raised an eyebrow, curious. "Rare boss?"

  Luigi nodded his head in the affirmative. "Yes, then he made me choose a kind of profession. It is thanks to that that that my skill has increased dramatically... not to mention the new abilities!"

  The boys exchanged looks of amazement, then hurried to check their notifications. In addition to the various notifications of experience gained, they found two that immediately caught their attention.

  D. looked at the notifications with a puzzled expression. "Changed? So wasn't it normal that it was like this?"

  Simon shrugged, thinking. "Well... he was actually a little too big to be called Goblin..."

  Gianluca turned to Luigi, an eyebrow raised. ?Mhmm, excuse me Luì, but how is it possible that you have reached level 5? Shouldn't you only take 10% from each monster?"

  Luigi nodded, calmly explaining. "Apparently the reward for mutated bosses is different, so I also received 300 of them."

  Simon smiled, enthusiastic. "It's better this way, I'd say! Show us your status, I'm curious about your class."

  Luigi made a gesture, making his status appear in front of the other boys. "Get ready... It's rather strange."

  Simon couldn't hold back a laugh when he saw Luigi's status. "Sedentary... Pfft!" He burst out laughing, leaning forward slightly.

  Luigi looked at him with an exasperated expression. "Hey! What can I do about it!"

  D., on the other hand, observed the status with interest. "Well, it would seem useful though!"

  Gianluca yawned, looking at his watch. "Guys... It is getting late. I propose that we go to sleep and think about it tomorrow, perhaps with Francesco awake to advise us, if possible."

  Luigi nodded, stretching. "I agree. He could understand something more. Good night, boys!"

  While the others headed for their rooms, Daniela remained next to Francesco and Michele, her gaze full of concern and affection. He approached Francis, who was still lying on the mattress, his hand bandaged and his breathing steady. She looked at him for a moment, his eyes filled with a sweetness that only he could inspire her.

  "See? You managed to get us back to school..." he murmured, his voice a whisper full of emotion. "Even if I hurt you... Thank you."

  With a shy but tender gesture, she bent down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Her touch was light, almost imperceptible, but the blush that rose to her cheeks betrayed the rapid beating of her heart. She stood there for a moment, watching him sleep, his dark hair falling slightly over his face.

  "You're always so stubborn..." she added with a sweet smile, gently stroking his hair. "But that's exactly why—" He paused, blushing even more, as if he had almost said too much.

  She looked around, making sure no one was watching her, then settled down next to him, sitting on the floor. "Sleep peacefully, tomorrow you'll wake up and everything will be better..." she whispered, more to herself than to him.

  After a moment of silence, Daniela added, with a tone of admiration and confidence: "You will be able to guide us even in this new world... in Latin, we will call it Novus Orbis. Yes, Novus Orbis... it sounds perfect for you."