The barrier clearly separated the interior from the exterior. Even with my Comprehension attribute, extracting useful information was difficult in such a situation. I walked through the barrier, tearing the small obstruction with my staff. Inside, the air was smoky and dark, as if the entire place were bathed in the light of red lanterns.0

“Everyone, calm down,” a voice echoed from somewhere. 0

I followed it through the dormitory corridors until I reached the first-floor hall, where the dorm supervisor had gathered the children.0

“Professor!” someone shouted as soon as they saw me.0

They looked at me as if I were their savior, but I couldn’t afford to be friendly. The dense demonic energy inside the barrier was aggravating.0

“We're saved! Professor, what should we—”0

“Shut it.”0

The commotion died down instantly. I observed the dorm supervisor, noticing her sharp glasses, wrinkled clothes, dusty shoulders, and torn nails. I also noted every detail about the other students, from the fibers on their robes and the wrinkles on their faces to the reflections in their pupils. 0

“Is everyone here?”0

“There are still people upstairs,” the dorm supervisor stated.0

I took the Wood Steel shurikens out of my briefcase. Ten of them floated up the stairs to the upper floors of the dormitory, while the remaining ten descended to the basement. 0

With my eyes closed, I listened to the resonance of the steel. This was a bonus of my properties—a special skill I developed with my cherished item through my connection with fire, earth, and metal.0

The Wood Steel scoured each floor, relaying the presence of any...1