One More Time: Rebirth

The sound of steel clashing against steel could be heard all around. Not only that I could smell blood, the familiar scent of blood. Damn it what the hell is happening?!

The messenger was limping toward us. She already has multiple sword wounds and has some burnt marks here and there. She staggered towards me and I caught her before she fell.

"Please protect the princess." Those were her final words as she fell down in her own pool of blood.

The situation was getting dire by the moment. My little sister looked at me her eyes which were crying a while ago were now showing great determination. I nodded at her, "alright first thing to do is get the princess out of here. So princess, how about escaping the kingdom with me?" 

"Oh my! Is this perhaps an invitation for elopement?" This girl has nerves of steel. To be able to joke like this in such a situation. But perhaps it's a temperament like this that will make her into someone great. I chuckled in response. This was no time to dwell on what happened to my parents. I need to believe that they're still out there. Also as a child of the Regius household, I have a duty to fulfill. 

"Sure let's make this into a story where a knight saves the princess and escapes to a faraway country." I held out my hand, the princess took it and smiled.

"Very well then my dear knight, let us go on an adventure, to a faraway place."

"Ahem, big bro sorry to interrupt the moment but we really need to escape now." With that, we escaped the third year dorm building and started heading toward the first-year dorm building. 

†

I used [full boost] and carried the princess in my arms, I think the princess carry is the most appropriate. I also told Sarah to get on my back. "Oh my truly bold of you Edge-, or do you want me to call you dear or honey now?" This princess really is something else. 

"Just Edge is good for now. So both of you hold on tight!" I then [air walk] and got around the battle field.

While I was running in the air I surveyed the area. It seems like the people attacking the academy were of a different class than those who attacked my village. They are actually pretty high ranked. Though the fight was not one-sided the advantage right now is with the true humanity. 

While running high above the ground a dozen or so [ice javelins] were heading my way. I easily warded the attack off, but still. This means the enemy has water mages with at least B rank, Also on the field, I saw most of them using void style, and their most probably around A rank as well. Most of the fifth years below can't handle that kind of rank one on one. Really the students are at a disadvantage. The only reason this hasn't turn into a massacre, is because of the teachers and the higher year students.

Damn it! With my current strength even if me and my group go into battle, not much could change. The enemy has a great advantage in numbers and experience in battle. I gritted my teeth, no use thinking about it! The priority right now is getting the princess out of here.

"So princess, why do you think they're attacking the school?" I finally asked the princess once I confirmed no one was attacking us. 

"Hmmm, I think Rain, wants to kill me and at the same time destroy the academy." 

"Ok I can understand why he would want to kill you, but why would he want to destroy the academy?" 

"Well the academy does take some orders from the royal family, but that's only for financial reasons. In truth, the academy operates separately from the kingdom. So I think Rain concluded that the academy will get in his way." 

Really? That idiotic straight forward justice-senpai would think of something like this? I really can't believe it, but still, I know little to nothing about him. I won't make the same mistakes again. But first, I really need to get out of here.

†

I finally reached the freshman dorm, once we got there a bunch of true humanity soldiers were lying dead on the side. Tsukiyomi and the others were waiting near the entrance. Even Leto-senpai and Clarise-senpai were there.

"So you finally came...." Tsukiyomi and the others noticed me and were silent for a moment.

"Who is that?" Tsukiyomi pointed at the princess who I was putting down.

"She's Princess Serillia remember we met during our first year." 

Everyone except Tsukiyomi and Tanith knelt.

"Oh my, we have no time for that, so everyone please stand. We need to escape immediately." 

"It seems you know the situation better than any of us. Care to explain?" Tanith spoke looking at the princess.

"There's no time for that! Tanith in your dragon form how many can you carry?" I interjected my own question.

Tanith still looking at the princess sighed and answered me. "I can carry around seven of you." 

"I see seven, but there are ten of us here. [Air walk] isn't fast enough... Tsukiyomi, Eri, and Eva you go and take care of the princess. Three first-years get on as well. I'm staying, senpais' are you ok with this arrangement?" 

Leto-senpai smiled fiercely as he answered."Of course, it is onii-sama! How could I let my lovely lolis fight?! That's absurd I would rather die a hundred deaths than let them fight!" 

I looked at Clarise-senpai waiting for her response. "It's alright Edge-kun, how can we call ourselves your senpai if we can't even do this." 

"Thank you senpais'," I bowed my head.

"Kukuku, why do you think everything is decided now? How can you ask your partner to leave your side?"

"I'm your bodyguard."

"Damn it, I won't allow you disappearing on me again."

"If big bro is staying then I'm staying too."

"Sarah is our friend and even Edge-senpai is staying how could we leave?!"

"That's right we can't let the senpais' do everything while we run." Tsukiyomi, Eri, Eva, Sarah, Willa, Terumi, all of them wanted to stay but we have no time.

"NO YOU CAN'T! Protecting the princess takes priority. We have no time for these arguments. Also don't you guys believe in me?" Hearing my words all of them showed complicated expressions.

Sarah then lunged at me. "No! No! No! Big bro you liar! You told me you won't leave my side! Yet you do so all the time! This time I won't allow big bro to leave my side!" I hugged my crying little sister tightly. The feelings of losing me after our parents must be making her fearful.

"I'm sorry Sarah, I'm sorry to have to break that promise time and time again. Still Sarah I need to do this. I love you, my precious little sister." I punched Sarah in the gut; the force I used was enough to render her unconscious. I then handed my unconscious little sister to Eri. "Take care of her," Eri nodded showing her determination.

"Tanith transform into a dragon."

"As you command my master." Tanith turned into her dragon form, all the people I told to escape rode on her back. The princess looked at me; She then whispered something in my ear.

"I will need you by my side, so return to me safely. I can't have an elopement without my partner." After saying what she wanted to say she rode on Tanith. I looked around good thing no one saw that, but still, the princess really is something else. 

"Edge! I will protect this princess for you, but once you return to my side... A very pleasant punishment awaits, Kukuku." Tsukiyomi stated so, that was when I felt a sudden surge of mana.

"Tanith go now!" Noticing the situation Tanith started to fly but was about to be blocked by a giant [earth wall]. The spell [earth wall] was a simple C class spell, and it only made a two-meter high wall of dirt. Yet the [earth wall] blocking Tanith's path was over fifty meters in height. It easily surrounded the area it was then about to block the sky.

Tsukiyomi was starting to gather mana into her hands. She was getting a large amount of mana from me. She then touched the earth wall and upon contact, it broke. "Move now LIZARD!" Tsukiyomi screamed.

Tanith and the group were able to get some distance. That was when I, Leto-senpai, and Clarise-senpai were about to face the greatest opponent this academy had to offer. There was only one person that could make a simple spell into something so powerful. I look behind me and as expected he was there. 

"It's been a while Jester-senpai."