The battlefield no longer felt like a battlefield.
It felt like something else.
Something wrong.
The Awakening.
A dark, shifting aura wrapped around Dazai like living smoke.
Not mana.
Not magic.
Something deeper.
Something hungrier.
The ground beneath his feet cracked—not from force, but from absence.
Mana… was disappearing.
Being pulled.
Devoured.
The Truth No One Understood
From a distance, Azlea's voice trembled.
"…That's not magic."
Kaizer stood frozen.
"…Then what is it?"
Seraphina narrowed her eyes.
"…A curse."
Not just any curse.
Something far beyond their understanding.
Inside the Storm
Dazai didn't move.
But the curse did.
It wrapped tighter around his body—
Like armor.
Like chains.
Like hunger given form.
More…
The feeling surged.
Not a voice.
A craving.
Endless.
Violent.
Uncontrollable.
The Goblin Lord Reacts
For the first time—
The Goblin Lord stepped back.
Its instincts screamed danger.
It roared—
A massive fireball forming again.
But the moment it released—
The flames flickered.
Collapsed.
Vanished.
Swallowed mid-air.
The Lord's eyes widened.
The First Step
Dazai moved.
Not fast.
Not flashy.
Just one step.
But the distance between them—
Closed instantly.
Impact
The Goblin Lord swung—
Dazai didn't dodge.
Didn't block.
He walked through it.
The fist landed—
But something absorbed the force.
The curse.
Dazai grabbed the Lord's arm.
And squeezed.
CRACK
The bone shattered.
The Shift
"W-what… is that…?" Kael whispered from above.
Lyra stepped back unconsciously.
"…He's not even using mana…"
Elion clenched his staff.
"…Then what is he using?"
No one answered.
Because no one knew.
The Beatdown Begins
Dazai stepped in.
A punch to the gut—
The Goblin Lord coughed blood.
Another punch—
To the face.
Then another.
And another.
No technique.
No style.
Just raw, relentless force.
The kind that didn't stop.
Two Hours of Horror
Time blurred.
Minutes felt like hours.
Hours felt like eternity.
Dazai didn't stop.
Even when the Goblin Lord tried to fight back—
It couldn't.
Every spell—
Swallowed.
Every movement—
Broken.
Every ounce of mana—
Drained.
The massive creature grew weaker.
Slower.
Desperate.
The Hunger Peaks
The curse pulsed violently.
Stronger.
Darker.
Heavier.
It wasn't satisfied.
It wanted more.
Always more.
The Final Moments
The Goblin Lord fell to its knees.
Broken.
Empty.
Drained.
Its glowing eyes dimmed.
It looked at Dazai—
Not with rage.
But fear.
The End
Dazai raised his fist.
Paused.
For just a second.
A flicker of himself surfaced.
Stop…
But the curse surged again.
Overpowering.
Overriding.
His fist came down.
CRUSH
The Goblin Lord's head slammed into the ground.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Until—
Nothing moved.
Silence
The battlefield froze.
No cheers.
No victory cries.
Only fear.
Everyone stared at him.
Not as a hero.
But as something unknown.
Something dangerous.
The Collapse
The aura flickered.
Weakened.
Then suddenly—
Vanished.
Dazai's body trembled.
His eyes rolled back—
And he collapsed.
The Shift in Reality
Light consumed everything.
The battlefield shattered—
Like glass.
The blood.
The bodies.
The destruction.
All dissolved.
Return to Reality
The participants reappeared.
Back at the academy grounds.
Whole.
Uninjured.
Alive.
As if nothing had happened.
The Truth Revealed
A man stepped forward.
Calm.
Smiling faintly.
"Impressive."
He wore elegant robes.
Eyes sharp.
Presence overwhelming.
"I am Professor Mirage."
A ripple spread through the crowd.
"One of the Four Pillars."
He raised his hand.
"The world you experienced…"
"…was an illusion."
Gasps filled the air.
"Pain, fear, exhaustion—real."
"But death?"
He smiled slightly.
"Not permanent."
The Numbers
"Out of 200 participants…"
"…only 47 survived."
Silence.
Heavy.
Crushing.
Even if it was fake—
The experience wasn't.
The fear wasn't.
The loss wasn't.
The Aftermath
Kaizer looked at Dazai—
Still unconscious.
"…Bro…"
Azlea knelt beside him.
"…He pushed too far."
Seraphina approached slowly.
"…That power…"
Veyron muttered,
"…He's dangerous."
The Assembly
Soon—
All participants regrouped.
Thousands gathered again.
The atmosphere—
Different now.
No excitement.
No arrogance.
Only tension.
And respect.
The Principal Speaks
The principal stepped forward.
Her gaze swept across the students.
"You have all faced death."
Silence.
"You have felt fear."
"You have seen your limits."
She paused.
"And some of you…"
"…have gone beyond them."
Her eyes briefly rested on Dazai.
"Results will be announced tomorrow."
"Until then—rest."
"Reflect."
"Decide who you want to become."
Dismissed
The crowd slowly dispersed.
Groups whispered.
Some laughed nervously.
Some stayed silent.
Some—
Looked at Dazai.
Conversations
Kaizer & Azlea
"He's not okay," Kaizer said.
Azlea nodded.
"…I know."
"But we can't push him."
Kaizer clenched his fist.
"…I won't let that thing take him."
The Rankers
Seraphina crossed her arms.
"…We need to watch him."
Lyra nodded.
"That wasn't normal."
Veyron smirked slightly.
"…Interesting though."
Elion frowned.
"…Or dangerous."
The Hidden Meeting
Deep within the academy—
A private chamber.
The principal sat at the head.
The Four Pillars present.
Professor Mirage leaned casually.
"Well… that was unexpected."
Another professor spoke.
"…That boy."
"A curse beyond divine rank."
A third added,
"It devours mana itself."
Silence.
Then—
The principal spoke.
"…He is a risk."
Mirage smiled.
"…Or an opportunity."
The Decision
"Do we allow him in?"
A long pause.
Then—
The principal answered.
"…Yes."
"But under observation."
Mirage chuckled.
"This year will be interesting."
Night Falls Again
Back in the inn—
Dazai finally opened his eyes.
Darkness.
Silence.
Breathing steady.
But his mind—
Not at peace.
He remembered everything.
Every hit.
Every moment.
Every loss of control.
He looked at his hand.
"…Was that… me?"
No answer came.
But deep inside—
The hunger remained.
Quiet.
Waiting.
End of Chapter
The test was over.
But something far greater—
Had just begun.
The Awakening
Dazai's eyes opened slowly.
The ceiling above him felt unfamiliar for a moment—plain, still, quiet.
Too quiet.
He sat up.
"…Where…?"
The memories rushed back.
The battlefield.
The Goblin Lord.
That thing inside him.
His hand tightened unconsciously.
"…That wasn't me."
He swung his legs off the bed and stood up. His body felt normal—no wounds, no pain—but something inside him felt… heavier.
He walked toward the door.
Each step felt like he was walking toward something he wasn't ready to face.
Reunion
As soon as he stepped outside—
"DAZAI!"
Kaizer rushed toward him and grabbed his shoulders.
"You idiot! You scared the hell out of us!"
Dazai blinked.
"…Kaizer."
Azlea stood just behind him, her expression softer—but her eyes were searching.
"…How do you feel?"
Anugus stood a little further back, arms crossed, observing silently.
Dazai looked at all of them.
For a second—
He didn't know what to say.
"…I'm fine."
Kaizer frowned.
"Don't give me that 'I'm fine' crap."
He tightened his grip slightly.
"You collapsed after fighting a monster that even S-rankers were scared of."
Dazai looked away.
"…I don't remember everything clearly."
Azlea stepped closer.
"Then tell us what you do remember."
Silence.
Dazai's fingers curled slightly.
"…I remember losing control."
The air grew heavy.
Kaizer's expression hardened.
"…That thing."
Dazai nodded slowly.
"It's not just a curse."
Anugus finally spoke.
"…Explain."
Dazai hesitated.
"…It felt like something alive."
Kaizer's grip loosened.
"…Alive?"
"It wasn't controlling me completely," Dazai continued. "But it was… influencing me."
Azlea's brows furrowed.
"…That's dangerous."
Dazai gave a faint, bitter smile.
"I know."
The Truth No One Wanted
Kaizer stepped back, running a hand through his hair.
"…So what? We just pretend it didn't happen?"
Dazai shook his head.
"No."
Azlea crossed her arms.
"Then what's your plan?"
Dazai looked at his hand again.
"…I need to understand it."
Anugus nodded once.
"That's the right answer."
Kaizer scoffed.
"Right answer? That thing almost killed him!"
Anugus's gaze sharpened.
"And it also saved all of you."
Silence.
Kaizer clenched his fists.
"…I don't care."
Dazai looked at him.
"I do."
A Quiet Moment
The tension slowly faded.
Azlea sighed.
"…You're still an idiot."
Dazai raised an eyebrow slightly.
"That makes two of us."
Kaizer smirked.
"…Three."
For the first time since everything happened—
They smiled.
Night of Uncertainty
The night fell quietly.
But no one truly slept.
Kaizer lay on his back, staring at the ceiling.
What if he loses control again?
Azlea sat near the window, thinking.
That curse… it's beyond anything we've studied.
Dazai sat alone again.
But this time—
He wasn't looking at the sky.
He was looking inward.
If I can't control it…
Then it will control me.
Morning Light
"WAKE UP, YOU DEAD CORPSES!"
Kaizer's voice echoed through the room.
Dazai blinked.
"…What?"
Azlea groaned.
"Too loud…"
Kaizer grinned.
"Today's the big day!"
Dazai sat up.
"…Results."
Kaizer clapped his hands.
"Exactly! So stop looking like you're about to attend a funeral."
Azlea smirked slightly.
"…He's not wrong."
Dazai sighed.
"…Let's go."
The Rank Board
The academy grounds were packed.
Thousands of students gathered around a massive glowing board.
Names.
Ranks.
Stats.
Everything displayed for everyone to see.
The atmosphere was electric.
"Move aside!"
"I can't see!"
"Did you pass?!"
The Moment
Kaizer pushed forward.
"Let's find ours!"
Azlea scanned quickly.
"I see… top 100 section."
Dazai stayed silent.
Then—
Kaizer froze.
"…No way."
Azlea stepped closer.
"…What?"
Kaizer pointed.
"Look."
The Rankings
Top 100 — Final Selection
Rank 27 — Azlea Nydear
Rank 40 — Kaizer Ashford
Azlea blinked.
"…We made it."
Kaizer grinned.
"Told you."
Then—
His expression changed again.
"…Wait."
Azlea followed his gaze.
And her eyes widened.
The Shock
Rank 8 — Dazai Spartacus
Silence.
Then whispers.
Then chaos.
"Rank 8?!"
"That's the orb guy!"
"No way!"
"He's higher than most S-rankers!"
Stats Display
Beside his name—
A detailed panel appeared.
Dazai Spartacus
Rank: Top 8
Class: Fighter
Type: Unknown
Specialty: Close Combat / Adaptive Combat
Strength: A
Speed: B
Stamina: S
Endurance: S
Battle IQ: A
Mana: E (Anomaly)
Threat Level: Undefined
Kaizer laughed in disbelief.
"…BRO."
Azlea shook her head slowly.
"…This makes no sense."
Dazai stared at it.
Not proud.
Not excited.
Just…
Thinking.
The Crowd Reaction
Students whispered everywhere.
"He doesn't even use mana…"
"Then how is he ranked so high?"
"That fight…"
Some looked impressed.
Some looked scared.
Some—
Looked threatened.
New Characters
A tall boy with silver hair smirked.
"…So that's him."
Beside him, a girl with crimson eyes crossed her arms.
"Interesting."
Another student muttered,
"…We'll see how long he lasts."
The Announcement
The crowd suddenly went silent.
The principal stepped forward.
"Congratulations."
Her voice carried across the field.
"You have passed the entrance examination."
Cheers erupted.
Some cried.
Some laughed.
Some fell to their knees in relief.
The Next Step
"You are now students of the Academy of Ascension."
More cheers.
"But your journey…"
Her gaze sharpened.
"…has just begun."
Silence returned.
The Choice
"You will now choose your divisions."
She raised her hand.
"Combat."
"Magic."
"Alchemy."
"Engineering."
"Scholar."
"Support."
"Or…"
A slight pause.
"…Special divisions."
Murmurs spread.
"Your session will begin next month."
"Use this time wisely."
"Train."
"Grow."
"Prepare."
Personal Reactions
Kaizer
He grinned.
"Combat division. No question."
Electric sparks flickered slightly.
"I'm going all in."
Azlea
She nodded calmly.
"Magic division."
Then added—
"…but I'll cross-train in strategy."
Dazai
All eyes turned to him.
He looked at the board again.
At his rank.
At his stats.
At that one word—
Anomaly
"…Combat."
He said it simply.
But inside—
His thoughts were far from simple.
Closing Scene
The crowd slowly dispersed.
Groups formed.
Rivalries sparked.
Dreams ignited.
Kaizer stretched.
"Top 100, huh? Not bad."
Azlea smiled faintly.
"We're just getting started."
Dazai looked at the academy.
Tall.
Massive.
Full of unknowns.
"…Yeah."
But deep inside—
The hunger stirred again.
Not loud.
Not violent.
Just…
Waiting.
End of Chapter
The rankings were decided.
The paths were chosen.
But the real story—
Was only beginning.