Dante waited for someone from the crowd to help the girl, but no one stepped forward. As a newcomer to the city, he was still unfamiliar with its workings and didn’t want to overstep his bounds. He endured the wait until he could bear it no longer, and finally, he had no choice but to act.“Who are you?” the boy in the middle asked, clearly the ringleader.“Who I am is not important,” Dante replied calmly. “What matters is that she is being forced to follow you three.” As Dante spoke, people around began to take notice of him. Despite his striking looks, there was nothing particularly extraordinary about him. His clothes were worn, his shoes scuffed, and his old backpack suggested an ordinary background.“Hahaha...” The ringleader laughed, clearly judging Dante as a country bumpkin. “I’m guessing you have no idea who I am.”Before the ringleader could continue, the boy standing to his right stepped up to speak. “This is Alex, the only son of the deputy mayor. And this handsome man in
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 Mighty Ones Academy stood before Dante, its towering gates a symbol of the greatness it promised. The academy was already bustling with activity as students trained, sparred, and honed their magical and combat skills. Though the semester had begun two months ago, Dante was an exception—admitted as the only new student due to his rare status as an S-rank awakener.As he walked through the courtyard, the gazes of the students turned toward him. Whispers followed him, not just because he was a new face, but because of his striking appearance. Dante’s chiseled features and piercing blue eyes were hard to ignore. Several of the girls in the courtyard exchanged glances, whispering to each other about the new boy.“Wow, is that him? The S-rank?” one of them murmured.“He’s even more handsome than I expected,” another giggled.But not everyone was so taken with him. A group of boys, standing off to the side, eyed Dante with barely concealed jealousy. His good looks and the attention he wa
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 students gathered in the large auditorium, where the instructors were explaining the rules of the midterm test. Dante stood next to Finn, his eyes scanning the room. He noticed Lucian and his group on the opposite side, their glares directed straight at him.“Alright, students,” Instructor Bane’s voice boomed through the room, commanding everyone’s attention. “The midterm test is a simulation battle, designed to test your skills in combat, strategy, and teamwork. You will be placed in groups and sent into a simulated reality, where you’ll face off against various monsters. The goal is to survive and complete the objectives. You’ll be graded based on your performance.”A large screen behind Bane lit up, showing the simulation environment—a vast forest filled with towering trees, dangerous-looking creatures, and dark, shadowy paths. Dante studied the layout, already mapping out potential strategies in his mind.“There will be monsters at every turn,” Bane continued. “Some will be ea
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,
Inside the control room of the academy, the teachers and instructors were gathered, monitoring the progress of the midterm test. Dozens of screens displayed various teams of students, battling monsters or navigating through the simulated reality.Everything was proceeding as planned—until the alarm blared.“What’s going on?” one of the instructors shouted as the room filled with red warning lights. He rushed to the control panel, his eyes scanning the data flashing across the screen.“It’s the simulation,” another instructor said, her voice tight with concern. “There’s been a malfunction.”Instructor Bane’s brow furrowed as he stepped forward. “A malfunction? What kind?”The instructor’s fingers flew over the keyboard, pulling up the information. “The system’s gone rogue. It’s generating monsters beyond the C-rank limit. There’s… an A-rank monster inside the test.”The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of the statement sinking in.“That’s impossible!” one teacher exclaimed. “T
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