"What exactly is this cursed energy?" Archon inquired, his curiosity piqued to know more about the mysterious force within him, a power that seemed unnatural for a human to possess.The grandmaster took a deep breath, preparing to shed some light on the enigma. "Cursed energy is a primal force that exists within all beasts to some extent. It is a volatile blend of raw emotions, instincts, and spiritual essence. Unlike ki, which requires discipline and focus, cursed energy is untamed and chaotic, embodying both immense power and chaos."Archon listened intently, his eyes fixed on the grandmaster as he absorbed every word. "Why is it referred to as cursed energy? And what is the origin of the beasts themselves?""Cursed energy is not inherently malevolent, but it is called as such due to its unpredictable nature. If misused it can unleash calamity and tap into your deepest desires and fears, becoming a double-edged sword." The grandmaster elaborated. "For a human to master this energy,
"What's our next move, Grandmaster?" Lady Zina's voice echoed with a mixture of excitement and curiosity, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.The grandmaster's gaze shifted between Archon and Lady Zina, his expression serious and contemplative. He understood the weight of his decision and the impact it would have on their lives."After careful consideration, I have come to a decision," the grandmaster spoke with gravitas. "In light of recent events and the impending threats we face, I believe it is crucial for both of you to attend the academies established by the seven kingdoms, a year ago after the beast attacks the seven kingdoms opened academies to train their people preparing them for the possibility of war.""Zina you'll be going to the Umbra Academy in the Umbra Kingdom, while Archon you will be going to the Blade Academy in the Blade Kingdom"Archon and Lady Zina stood in stunned silence, their countenances reflecting a mixture of surprise and reluctance. The idea of going
Archon found himself in a bewildering place, surrounded by an intense aura of cursed energy. Confusion and concern flooded his thoughts as he tried to comprehend his current predicament. "Where am I, and what is with this intense cursed energy?" Archon voiced in confusion, his tone filled with bewilderment and concern.The lingering presence of the mysterious corpse in the vault hinted at its involvement in his sudden displacement. Determined to find an escape, Archon began to cautiously explore his surroundings, he was making pretty good use of his eyes scanning every corner of the eerie place, only to discover a lack of any discernible exit or change to the scenery no matter how he looked at it, how long he walked the scene was exactly the same. After some time frustration mounted as he attempted to employ his unique eye ability, hoping to unveil a hidden path, but to Archon's suprise he wasn't able to, or even use any of his abilities in this place."The gods must have a twiste
"Those daggers you wield, Lady Zina, are quite impressive," Archon remarked, approaching her as she flexed her weapons."Indeed, they are called the Black Vipers Fang," Lady Zina proudly proclaimed. "Have you found anything that catches your eye yet?"Archon let out a sigh of sadness. "I have never actually had to choose a weapon by myself before. Perhaps you could lend me a hand?""Of course, Um here take this. I found it for you," Lady Zina said, tossing a black ring to Archon.He caught the ring and opened his eyes, sensing a peculiar disturbance within it. As he examined it more closely, he realized that it seemed like a deep spacious pit. No matter how deep he looked, it appeared to be almost endless."Is this a space ring?" Archon exclaimed, excitement bubbling within him."Yes, it is a fourth-rank A-grade space ring. Pretty cool, right?" Lady Zina responded, her words filled with excitement. "I also have a ring like this, but I thought you should have this one."Archon bowed h
Archon bent his knees and shot at lady Zina, his body moved with the precision of a bullet as he closed in on her, his blade poised to strike. The carefree expression on her face immediately transformed into a serious one, realizing that this attack wouldn't be as easily blocked as the previous ones.'Flaming Sword Dance, Continuous Strike'Archon executed his Flaming Sword Dance, Continuous Strike technique. His strike descended from above in a projected arc, and just as he reached Lady Zina, he swiftly pushed his sword behind him, initiating a circular motion as he brought it down. Lady Zina managed to intercept the strike with both her daggers, but the impact sent shockwaves of power around, her feets sank into the ground, creating a small crater in its wake.In the midst of their blades colliding, Archon vanished once again, leaping slightly above Lady Zina and twisting clockwise to generate momentum for another strike. He targeted her left side, swiftly retracting and moving ar
"What is this? I can't free myself," Archon panicked, struggling against Lady Zina's unyielding grip."No matter how hard I try, I can't break free. Has she lost control?" Archon wondered, feeling a sense of desperation.The harder he attempted to escape the tighter lady Zina would grip him. Her untamed energy started seeping into his body, draining his strength and leaving him weaker with each passing moment.Archon couldn't take it anymore, the little spar has somehow suddenly gone wrong. "If this is the power the grandmaster spoke of, I understand why she doesn't want to fully accept it. It's painful!" Archon thought, realizing the intensity of Lady Zina's struggle."You are scaring me, Lady Zina," Archon blurted out quietly, no longer resisting her hold, at this point resisting was just pointless."I am sorry, A-rchon," Lady Zina released him, stumbling back and clutching her head as she screamed, "STOP!"Even while unable to see her, Archon could feel lady Zina's powerful emotio
Lady Zina motioned for Archon to pay attention as she began to tell him a tale."A long time ago, there was a tribe of people called Demons. They possessed extraordinary strength, speed, and power like no other humans, but they had a flaw—an unquenchable thirst for blood and war. The demons killed without mercy and roamed the land to satisfy their violent desires. However, amidst their ruthless nature, they also harbored a longing to overcome their curse and live normal lives. Their salvation came when the chief of the demon tribe had a child with a human, and that child proved to be the solution. The child was able to overcome the curse while retaining the traits of a demon.""Realizing the path to redemption, the demons understood that the old generation had to be gone for the new generation to thrive. So, when the other human nations united to wipe them out, the demons didn't fight back. Instead, they surrendered themselves to be slain, offering their half-breed children—the new ge
Archon remained cautious, not lowering his guard. "Hunters? What business do you have with us?"Ging, the little girl with orange-colored hair, smiled playfully. "Oh, don't worry. We're not here to harm you. We were merely curious about the commotion and wanted to see who was causing it."Archon's expression softened slightly, but he remained vigilant. "Staying in this forest is dangerous. What kingdom are you both from?"Zina, who had been observing Gon and Ging, took a step forward and also asked a question. "You mentioned you're Hunters. What are you hunting?"Gon's smile faded, and he adopted a more serious tone. "We are not from around here; we come from the Ogromno Continent and got lost here in the Vegrandis Continent. You ask what we hunt young lady, we hunt various things, from dangerous creatures to valuable artifacts and treasures. We sense a demon kin from somewhere around here."Archon exchanged a knowing look with Zina. "So, you're after a Demon Kin?"Ging nodded. "Yes,