Dante’s senses heightened as he heard Alex’s chilling remark. He had already demonstrated his prowess, but Alex's words suggested that the confrontation was far from over. The crowd’s murmurs grew louder, their fascination and fear evident as they witnessed the aftermath of the skirmish. Dante has never been threatened in his life, not because he was powerful, but because he lived in a peaceful village. So he had to admit that being threatened left a bad taste in his guts, but it wasn't enough to make me cower.Alex’s sinister smile widened, and he stood, his eyes glinting with a dark promise. "You may have won this battle, but the Golden Lion Academy has long arms. Your actions here will have consequences."Dante’s expression remained composed, though he could sense an underlying threat in Alex’s words. "I stand by what I did. Bullies shouldn’t go unchallenged."Alex's eyes narrowed, his voice low and menacing. "You’ll soon learn that actions have repercussions, especially when deali

The morning after his first sparring session, Dante was walking through the academy grounds, trying to absorb the enormity of the place. He had expected the academy to be grand, but the reality far exceeded his expectations. Tall towers, sprawling training yards, and massive libraries filled every corner of the campus.As he rounded a corner, lost in his thoughts, a loud voice called out to him.“Hey! You’re Dante, right?”Dante turned to see a boy around his age rushing toward him with a broad grin. He had sandy hair, bright green eyes, and a playful energy that seemed impossible to ignore. The boy skidded to a halt in front of him, barely catching his breath.“I’m Finn,” the boy said, extending a hand. “I saw you at the sparring grounds yesterday. That was insane! I’ve never seen someone move like that with a sword. You made it look so easy!”Dante took the offered hand, a little taken aback by Finn’s enthusiasm. “Uh, thanks.”“Man, I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” Finn contin

The forest simulation was quiet for a moment, but the tension in the air was palpable. Dante and his team stood in a clearing, surrounded by the towering trees and the distant roars of monsters. Lucian and his group circled closer, their elemental powers flaring up, each eager to show Dante that they weren’t to be trifled with.“Time to teach you a lesson,” Lucian sneered, the flames on his fingertips growing larger, casting an eerie glow around him. His friends—an earth user, a water manipulator, and a lightning caster—stood at his side, equally confident in their abilities.Finn and the other two teammates tensed up, but Dante remained calm, his expression unchanged.“Let’s see how well you handle this,” Lucian said, launching a barrage of fireballs toward Dante.The fire came fast, but Dante moved faster. With effortless precision, he sidestepped the flames, feeling the heat graze past him but not even bothering to draw his sword yet.“I told you we shouldn’t have messed with him,

The students inside the simulation had been battling monsters for what felt like hours. Exhaustion was starting to set in for some, and others were barely holding on. Amidst the chaos, a sharp, clear message cut through the noise.“This is Miss Sapphire,” her voice rang through the simulated forest, audible to every student. “All students ranked A and above, unite and focus on dealing with the monsters. Those ranked below, take cover and hide. Survive for the next four hours, and the test will automatically come to an end.”The students exchanged glances, and for a moment, the fear subsided as they found direction. Groups immediately began to form, with the lower-ranked students retreating into hiding spots scattered throughout the dense forest.In contrast, the elite students—the A-ranks and above—moved swiftly to gather, forming a powerful alliance. Among them was **Elijah**, a rare A-rank elemental awakener with control over two elements: **lightning and water**. His tall figure an

The battlefield was quiet now, the last of the monsters lying defeated at Dante’s feet. The elite students, many of whom had been struggling to stay alive just moments before, stared at him with a mixture of awe and disbelief.Elijah’s jaw tightened as he forced himself to stand tall, trying to mask the sting of his pride. He could feel the weight of Aria’s gaze, and his heart sank as he realized she hadn’t taken her eyes off Dante since he had stepped forward.Dante sheathed his sword, barely acknowledging the onlookers as he turned to leave. To him, this was just another fight—a simple task that hadn’t required his full strength.Elijah, unable to contain his frustration, stepped forward. “You think you’re something special, don’t you?” His voice was laced with bitterness.Dante turned, his gaze calm and unbothered. “I just did what needed to be done.”Elijah’s hands clenched, electricity sparking at his fingertips. “You may be strong, but you’re still a swordsman. Without magic, yo