Dante sat on a bench near the training field, watching as students prepared for the upcoming competition. Some sparred against each other, while others focused on refining their techniques. He wasn’t particularly interested in the event itself, but Vida’s words stuck in his mind."She is not bad."He glanced toward the school garden, where he could see Vida and Aria still walking together, deep in conversation. He had expected some tension between them, yet they had gotten along instantly. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a dangerous thing.“Enjoying the view?”Dante turned to see Finn approaching, holding two drinks. He tossed one to Dante before taking a seat beside him.“I see you’ve been getting along well with the ladies,” Finn teased. “First Vida, now Aria? You’re really living the dream.”Dante smirked. “We’re just friends.”Finn shook his head. “You’re insane. But you should be careful. The guys in this academy already don’t like you. If you keep attracting the stron

Dante sat in his dimly lit dormitory, calmly sharpening his sword. The rhythmic scraping of the whetstone against the blade was the only sound in the room. He knew they were coming. The way Elijah had been watching him lately made it obvious, and the rumors Finn had shared only confirmed it. He didn't go to bed, he made sure to wait for them and asked Finn to go to sleep.Then, just as expected, he heard the approaching footsteps. Slow, deliberate. There were multiple of them.A heavy knock echoed through the wooden door."Open up, Dante," a voice called. It was Elijah. "We need to have a little chat."Dante smirked, sliding his sword back into its sheath before standing. He took his time reaching the door, savoring the tension. When he finally opened it, Elijah stood at the forefront, flanked by five senior students. Each one bore the confident expression of someone who thought they had already won."I was wondering when you’d show up," Dante said lazily, leaning against the doorfram

The air trembled as a deep hum resonated through the streets, sending shivers down Dante’s spine. Before he could react, the sky was torn apart by a blinding crimson light, and with a deafening roar, a massive gate burst open. Unlike dungeon gates—fixed structures leading to explorable labyrinths filled with treasure—this was a portal gate, an unstable tear in the void that connected their world to a realm of chaos. While dungeons had a boss and would only close once it was slain, this portal gate had no such requirement; it simply shut after a great number of monsters had been eliminated. It glowed red, signifying a B-rank gate, and unlike dungeons, it wasted no time in unleashing its horrors.With a sickening squelch, grotesque creatures began pouring out. Some gates took hours or even days before releasing monsters, allowing hunters to enter first and clear them. But this one was immediate—an ominous sign. The first wave consisted of hulking, malformed beasts with jagged fangs and

With only a day remaining until the competition, Instructor Bane decided it was time to impart some crucial knowledge about swordsmanship to Dante."There are three known ways to improve as a swordsman," Bane began, his voice steady and firm. "The first is to follow the path of established skills and practice them to perfection. The second is to acquire the knowledge of many sword skills and use that foundation to develop your own. The third is to carve your own path, forging techniques from your heart, influenced by existing skills but uniquely your own."Dante listened intently, absorbing every word."The first method is the most common," Bane continued. "It’s a safe route, one that guarantees results because success has already been proven. The second is far less traveled, as it is difficult and uncertain—you might spend your entire life without ever creating a true skill. But if one succeeds, they might develop a supreme skill or, at the very least, a powerful one."Bane’s express

"Are you ready to dazzle the world?" Aria came and stood beside Dante. Elijah saw this but ever since Dante beat him together with the senior, he made sure to stay clear from Dante and anything to do with him."I can feel a lot of powerful awakeners, I might not be able to dazzle the world with them around." Dante joked"I know you will," Aria said before walking ahead to meet up with her friends while they all followed their instructors to their lodging area.As the students from Mighty Ones Academy arrived at their designated lodge, a sense of anticipation filled the air. The grand competition, which would last for an entire week, was set to begin the next day, and students from different academies had already gathered in the vast city that hosted the event.Dante walked beside Finn, his eyes scanning the large number of students scattered throughout the lodging area. There were groups dressed in distinct academy uniforms, each representing their respective schools, and every one of