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
Dante stepped forward, his eyes steady as he took in the scene before him. The horde of monsters surrounded the group of elite students, their growls and screeches echoing through the forest. He could see the exhaustion etched on their faces, each one struggling to hold back the relentless onslaught.Elijah’s eyes narrowed as he watched Dante approach. A mix of irritation and doubt flashed across his face. “What does he think he’s doing?” Elijah muttered to himself, his voice tinged with disdain. Dante’s calm, almost casual approach seemed reckless—like he didn’t fully understand the gravity of the situation.*He’s going to bite off more than he can chew,* Elijah thought. Despite being aware that Dante was an S-rank, Elijah—like most others—had always believed that elemental magic wielded by an A-rank like himself was far superior to the skill of a mere S-rank swordsman.From the moment Dante had been admitted to the academy, Elijah hadn’t given him a second thought, dismissing him as
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
The simulated forest dissolved into particles of light, and in the blink of an eye, the students felt themselves pulled back to reality. The gentle hum of the academy’s simulation pods faded, and they blinked as they adjusted to the bright lights of the control room. One by one, the students sat up, looking around, feeling both the physical and mental exhaustion of the intense test they had just survived.As the doors to the simulation pods opened, Dante emerged, calm and composed as if he’d just taken a simple stroll rather than battled through hordes of monsters. He glanced around the room, noting the looks of surprise, admiration, and—most noticeably—respect that lingered on the faces of his classmates.The usual whispers and banter among the students were absent. Instead, they regarded Dante in awe. Those who had witnessed his strength firsthand during the test were particularly silent, their expressions a mix of disbelief and newfound admiration.Elijah, who had previously dismis
Two weeks had passed since the test, and life at the academy had returned to its usual rhythm. Classes resumed, training sessions filled the afternoons, and students once again focused on honing their skills. But something had changed: Dante’s presence was now a quiet force felt by everyone around him.Wherever he went, students turned to watch, whispering about his strength and the feats he had achieved during the test. Even upperclassmen, those who had once dismissed him as just another S-rank swordsman, now regarded him with a mixture of respect and curiosity.Dante, however, remained focused on his goals, unmoved by the newfound attention. His days fell into a steady rhythm of training, studying, and preparing himself for whatever challenges lay ahead. He kept to himself, finding peace in the routine, while Finn remained his only close companion, constantly chattering and bringing his usual humor into their friendship.During one of their training sessions, Finn shot him a grin. “
The following morning, students gathered eagerly in the academy’s courtyard, their faces filled with anticipation. This mission had sparked excitement throughout the school, and everyone waited anxiously to hear who would be selected to assist the Hunter Association.Miss Sapphire stood at the front, a list in hand. Her gaze swept over the crowd before she began.“The following students have been chosen to represent our academy and assist with the C-rank gate,” she announced. Her voice was calm but carried a note of seriousness that underscored the importance of the task.She began calling names, each one met with a ripple of murmurs and excited smiles.“Elijah Noland,” she read, her eyes briefly meeting his as he stepped forward confidently, his expression smug.“Aria Windstrider,” she continued, and Aria walked forward with her usual cool composure, her gaze focused and unwavering.Several other students’ names followed, each stepping forward to join the group, their expressions a m