Geoffrey and others looked at Principal Sophia with eyes full of hope and anxiety.


    "Principal, what should we do next?"


    stair was dead, meaning the entire magic array had lost its power source.


    What awaited them next was the task of breaking the magic arraypletely.


    However, their energies alone were not sufficient to break the entire array.


    Thus, the only one who could shatter this barrier was Principal Sophia alone.


    Those who had been quite dissatisfied with Principal Sophia were now pinning their hopes on her.


    The children were just one step away from safety, and nothing could go wrong now.


    Principal Sophia wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and slowly stood up.


    Her petite figure seemed especially towering at this moment.


    "Attack the focal point of the formation with all your might!"


    "Yes!"


    Everyone stood to the side, exerting their utmost strength to attack the magic array.


    They knew that the more power they used, the greater the children''s chances of escaping safely.


    This was the only way they could ensure the children''s safe return.


    They all hoped to bring the children home.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Despite the tremendous power of their abilities, when they struck the magic array, it seemed as if their energy waspletely absorbed.


    There was no leakage of energy, and there were no excessive fluctuations in power throughout the process.


    Anxiety began to grow in everyone''s hearts.


    What was happening? Was their power still not enough?


    Some clenched their teeth, using everyst bit of their energy to unleash their skills.


    During this critical moment, Principal Sophia was far from idle; she knelt on the ground, using all her mind power to connect with the secret realm.


    Being the former master of the secret realm, she understood exactly what it was enduring.


    Therefore, to break the magic array, she needed to coordinate efforts from both inside and out.


    Soon, the glow around the magic array flickered continuously, as if a barrier was being shattered.


    The people around her felt a surge of hope and released their skills even more rapidly.


    It was working!


    Principal Sophia had not misled them.


    Just a bit more effort, and they might be able to rescue the children!


    Everyone gave their all, attacking the magic array with renewed vigor.


    ...


    Inside the secret realm, Isabe and the others could distinctly feel the earth itself seemed to tremble.


    At the same time, the besieging monsters appeared to have gone mad, violently crashing against the outer protective shield as if they were unleashing all their energy in the face of impending death.


    Even though their attacks did not harm the protective shield, but instead caused themselves extensive injuries, not a single beast stopped.


    Archibald and Leopold exchanged nces, a sudden feeling emerging between them.


    If they could just endure this ordeal, they would make it out.


    They would leave this ce far behind and escape deathpletely.


    "Everyone who wants to get out, hold your ground! This is ourst chance, we absolutely cannot back down!"


    Initially, many people were terrified upon seeing the frenzied state of the monsters.


    After all, they had already encountered a semigod-tier opponent, and although that person had left, other dangers still loomed.


    What would happen if these monsters wentpletely mad and broke through their protective shield?


    But hearing Archibald''s words, everyone rallied, gritting their teeth and hurling area-of-effect skills outward.


    Archibald was right! This was an opportunity for them.


    If they could just withstand this onught, they could make it out.


    Their parents were still outside waiting for them, creating the best possible chance for escape, and they were not about to give up themselves.


    Dying here would truly be the ultimate disgrace.


    Finally, under the dual assault from within and without, the ground that had started to stabilize began to tremble even more violently, and everyone felt a distinct pulling sensation.


    They were extremely nervous, unsure of what was happening or whether this sensation was good or bad for them.


    But then, one person clearly felt ufortable.


    "Why do I feel like..." but before they could finish their sentence, the next second, theypletely transformed into a white light and vanished from the spot.


    The people around watched theirpanion disappear, not with fear, but with eyes wide with excitement.


    They recognized this white light! It was the same light that had transported them out when they had failed before.


    This meant that they had indeed established a connection with the outside—they could get out!


    Everyone was thrilled beyond measure, eagerly waiting for the white light to envelop them.


    One by one, bursts of white light shed around, and everyone departed from that ce.


    Some parents, who had been actively waiting outside, broke into tears when they saw their children emerge, rushing up to embrace them.


    Even those parents and children who had been estranged looked at each other with eyes slightly reddened.


    Though they were not overtly emotional, they too moved forward to stand together.


    Perhaps they had experienced many unpleasant things in the past, but after going through this ordeal, nothing seemed more significant than life and death.


    Everyone understood that this event was somewhat different from what they had anticipated.


    But now, they dared not entertain any differing thoughts.


    If...


    If such an event were to happen again, they might not be so lucky toe back alive.


    Don''t wait until you''ve lost something to realize its value.


    Some parents were crying out in agony, their children having perished in this unforeseen tragedy.


    "Give me back my son!"


    "Star Cluster Academy and Dusk Sect colluded and caused my son''s death; you must give me an exnation!"


    "Why did everyone elsee out safely? Why did my son have to die inside?"


    "If my son can''t live, then you all must die, all of you must die!"


    While some parents were deeply grieved, they recognized the incident as an ident and managed to somewhat control their emotions.


    However, others were beyond constion.


    All they knew was that they had lost their children, and they could not stand seeing others happily reunited with their families.


    Some evenshed out, throwing several spells into the crowd, causing injuries.


    Geoffrey quickly responded, immediately arranging for security to restrain those who were out of control.


    The children had barely made it out; if they were to die not in the secret realm but at the hands of these people outside, that would truly be senseless.


    Isabe noticed that herpanions had all been taken away by the white light.


    She felt a slight relief in her heart, at least now it was proven they could still get out.


    But the situation with John seemed somewhat different.


    John''s body was incredibly heavy, so heavy it didn''t seem human at all.


    It was as if he were a massive boulder, one that they simply could not move.


    Lavinia, too, was anxiously watching John, about to say something, but in the next second, she was enveloped in white light andpletely disappeared within the secret realm.


    Isabe''s eyes held a trace of worry as she looked at John still lying on the ground, his eyshes and eyebrows turned snow white.


    The next moment, he too waspletely enveloped by the white light and vanished from this world.


    One by one, people inside the secret realm disappeared.


    Those outside, after carefully checking, realized that everyone hade out except for John!


    Leopold and the others were horrified.


    "Why hasn''t Johne out? What exactly is happening?" they demanded.


    "Principal Sophia, why hasn''t Johne out yet?"


    "Where exactly has John gone?"


    Several people gathered around Principal Sophia, eager to find out what was happening.


    Why had everyone elsee out, but John was still left in that part of the secret realm?


    Could it be… John couldn''te out?


    Benedict also looked anxiously at Principal Sophia, awaiting a response.


    After all… this was the child Victor had asked him to keep a special eye on.