The Elite Class met before dawn.
Aren walked into Training Hall 3, a massive arena lined with reinforced walls, mana-absorbing sigils, and racks of weapons. Sunlight hadn't even risen yet, but the other elite students were already there—stretching, sparring, whispering.
As soon as Aren entered, all eyes locked on him.
Whispers spread instantly.
"That's him…"
"The Forbidden Tier kid…"
"He broke the Evaluation Crystal."
"But he's just a Unique rank!"
Aren ignored them and walked to the empty corner.
But someone stepped in front of him.
Kale.
Golden tattoos faintly glowing across his arms, jaw clenched.
"You don't belong here," Kale said quietly, but his voice carried across the hall. "Unique rank? You're a defect. A mistake."
Aren stared calmly. "If you want a fight, just say so."
Kale's aura flared.
"I don't fight trash."
He walked away—but not far. He stopped beside a group of elite students who nodded at him with respect. His faction. His supporters.
It was clear:
Aren had walked into enemy territory.
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The doors slammed open.
Kane entered, boots echoing sharply.
The room snapped into silence.
"Elite Class. Today begins your real training. If you think yesterday was tough, forget it. That was just screening."
His eyes swept across the room.
"There will be no favoritism. No excuses. Only results."
He pointed at the group.
"Pair up. Combat drills."
People immediately moved.
Kale headed toward a tall boy with twin blades.
Three girls teamed together.
Two support-class mages grouped up.
Aren… was left standing alone.
Nobody wanted to partner with the "system anomaly."
Kane noticed.
"Pair Aren with—"
Kale cut in instantly.
"I'll take him."
The hall stiffened.
Kane raised an eyebrow.
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely." Kale smiled without warmth. "I want to see what a 'Forbidden Tier' really looks like."
Kane stared at him for a long moment… then nodded.
"Very well. Arena Two."
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Aren and Kale entered a sparring ring marked by glowing white lines. The barrier rose around them—pure mana forming a dome.
The other elite students crowded the edges.
"He's dead."
"Kale's going to break him."
"This is the worst possible matchup."
Kale cracked his knuckles.
"You humiliated me yesterday. Today, I correct that."
"I didn't do anything," Aren said.
"That's what makes it worse!"
Kale exploded forward, aura bursting like golden flame.
Titan Fist Warrior (S-Rank) — Combat State Activated
He closed the distance in an instant and threw a punch powerful enough to crater stone.
Aren felt it before Kale moved.
Spatial Awareness lit the world in shimmering lines—attack trajectory, angle, timing.
Aren sidestepped.
The punch missed by a hair.
Kale swung again.
Aren leaned back.
Another punch.
Aren stepped right.
Another.
Aren slid left.
Kale's attacks smashed the ground, sending dust flying, but Aren didn't take a single hit.
Whispers rose in the crowd.
"He's… dodging everything."
"No way."
"Is this the Unique's power?"
Kale roared and slammed both fists down.
Aren stepped away with clean precision.
Kale's breathing grew harsher.
"STOP. DODGING. AND FIGHT ME!"
Aren finally raised his bow.
Kale laughed.
"You think that weak wooden toy can scratch me?!"
Aren pulled the string.
Void energy gathered in a thin, sharp line.
He released.
FWIPP.
A flicker—too fast for normal eyes.
Kale barely saw it.
The arrow appeared at Kale's cheek and detonated softly—POP—leaving a thin burn mark.
Gasps erupted.
Kale froze.
He touched the burn.
"You… you hit me?"
Aren lowered his bow.
"You said fight. I fought."
Kale's expression twisted into rage.
"NO ONE marks me!"
He charged, aura exploding to its peak.
Kane instantly appeared at the barrier.
"That's enough!"
But the punch was already mid-swing.
Aren read the distortion—
—and moved.
He didn't dodge backward.
He stepped inside Kale's guard, raised his hand, and pressed two fingers against Kale's wrist.
Void energy flickered.
Kale's aura collapsed like it was crushed by invisible pressure.
His punch died mid-air.
His knees buckled.
He dropped to the ground.
The entire hall went silent.
Kale stared up at Aren, eyes wide, shaken.
"What… what did you do to me…?"
Aren stepped back.
"I moved your mana flow. You can't fight like that."
Kale trembled with humiliation.
"You—!!"
Kane's voice cut through like a blade.
"Enough!"
He stepped between them, eyes sharp.
"Both of you. Step back."
Aren obeyed.
Kale didn't—until Kane's aura pressed down on him like a mountain.
"Back. Now."
Kale stumbled away, face pale.
The other students stared at Aren with a mix of fear, awe, and confusion.
Kane turned to the class.
"Lesson of the day:
Do not underestimate what you don't understand."
He glanced at Aren.
"And do not provoke something the system cannot classify."
Aren exhaled quietly.
He didn't want enemies.
But Kale wasn't going to stop.
Aren could feel it in the burning hatred behind Kale's eyes.
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Later, as Aren left the hall, Kane caught up.
"You handled yourself well," the instructor said. "But listen carefully."
Aren paused.
"That sparring match will have consequences."
Aren frowned. "From Kale?"
"No." Kane's expression darkened.
"From the city."
Aren tensed.
"Your awakening spread through the upper ranks. Commanders, researchers, nobles. They want to know what you are." Kane lowered his voice. "Some see potential. Some see a weapon. Some… see a threat."
Aren stayed silent.
Kane continued:
"You need strength faster than normal training allows. Which means one thing."
He handed Aren a metallic badge.
Dungeon Permit: Restricted Zone C-14
Aren stared.
"You're sending me into a dungeon?"
Kane nodded.
"Tomorrow morning. A real one. No simulations. No safety nets."
A pause.
"A dungeon where most Level 1s die instantly."
Aren looked at the badge.
Then nodded once.
"Okay."
Kane exhaled sharply.
"You really are strange."
He walked away.
Aren pocketed the badge, unaware that the moment he agreed…
…a violet eye opened in the depths below the city.
The chained dragon rumbled:
"Finally. A dungeon.
A place where void awakens."
The chains strained.
"Go, boy.
Grow for me."