Dante helped his village repair what was broken after they held funerals for those who had died. Everyone was surprised to see that Dante was still the sweet, humble boy they had watched grow up, and his powers hadn’t made him arrogant. The reporters left three days later when they realized they would get nothing from Dante. He had once smashed a reporter's camera for taking a photo of his mother. Most reporters would throw a tantrum, but after seeing Dante's cold glare, the reporter lost all intention of complaining. The incident served as a warning to others, and none of them dared to try taking a picture of his mother again until they left.“Why don’t you want to call her and have her come pick you up?” Mrs. Joan asked her son. After repairing the village and spending some days with his friends, Dante decided it was time to leave. Instead of calling Miss Sapphire, he chose to take the journey alone.“I want to experience the journey myself,” he replied with a smile.“The city is no
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
Dante’s instincts took over as he propelled himself forward, moving with a speed that left Marcus frozen in surprise. His focus was singular—reaching the boy before the ogre did. The young boy was stumbling, his face etched with determination and fear as he carried a younger girl on his back, trying desperately to escape.The ogre, a towering mass of muscle and rage, was closing in fast. Its heavy footsteps sent tremors through the ground, its mouth twisted into a snarl as it zeroed in on its prey.“Keep running!” Dante called out, his voice steady and calm, hoping to give the boy reassurance.The boy looked up, his eyes widening as he saw Dante approaching. With a renewed burst of energy, he pushed forward, his breaths coming in shallow gasps as he struggled under the weight of the girl on his back.Within moments, Dante closed the distance, reaching the boy just as the ogre lifted its massive club. Without breaking stride, Dante scooped the boy and the girl into his arms, pivoting w
The streets were quieter now, the echoes of roars and battle sounds growing distant as Dante, Aria, and Marcus led another group of civilians to safety. Dante’s focus remained steady, his gaze scanning the area for any sign of threats, while Aria coordinated the movement of the group with calm precision.As they rounded another corner, Marcus took the lead, his defensive stance reassuring to the nervous civilians. “Stay close, everyone,” he murmured, glancing over his shoulder. “We’re almost to the safe zone.”Dante stayed silent, only giving a brief nod when Marcus looked back at him, but his expression conveyed a sense of calm that seemed to settle the group. Though he spoke little, his presence exuded a quiet strength that reassured those around him.Suddenly, a shrill scream echoed from a side street. Dante’s head snapped toward the sound, his eyes narrowing. Without a word, he motioned to Aria and Marcus, who understood immediately.“Go,” Marcus said, stepping up to guard the civ
The city streets were eerily quiet as Dante, Aria, and Marcus made their way through, alert for any sign of civilians in need of rescue. The buildings bore the scars of the monster attacks—broken windows, cracked walls, and deep gouges in the pavement where claws and fangs had left their mark. Though the air was still, there was a palpable tension as if the city itself was holding its breath.Marcus, always quick to lighten the mood, broke the silence. “You know, I wasn’t exactly planning to spend my weekend dodging ogres and wyverns,” he joked, his voice low. “But at least I get to do it with decent company.”Aria rolled her eyes, though a slight smirk crossed her face, and Dante gave a nod, focused but appreciative of the humor.As they moved further in, the distant sound of crashing echoed through the streets, followed by faint screams. Marcus’s expression turned serious as he adjusted his stance, ready to step forward if needed.“Sounds like we’ve got some action up ahead,” he sai
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
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 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
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
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 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