Stefan couldn't believe how things had turned out. He, the prideful genius, had been defeated by nothing but a footstep. He growled and tried to stand, but he couldn’t—the gravity was too strong, forcing him down. He managed to glance at the prince and his guards, all lying flat on their stomachs with faces wrinkled in pain. A part of him felt pride for only kneeling on one knee, but that pride quickly vanished when he remembered he was facing a human of the same generation.Of course, there have been instances in history in which a human has defeated an elf champion. Lucian the Untouchable managed to do it. But never had an elf been so thoroughly defeated. Even when Lucian won against the elf of his time, the fight could have gone either way if the elf hadn't underestimated him. Stefan’s pride might not have suffered so much if he hadn’t been so completely overpowered.“You can stop now,” the princess’s beautiful voice reached Dante, and he released the pressure, allowing those under

“As long as I live, death shall never claim you.”Dante’s words echoed in her heart like a sacred promise, anchoring her in the storm. Despite the looming terror, Princess Sylvia felt an unexpected calm settle inside her. She felt safe, even in the face of death.Dante stepped forward, steady and sure, his tone cutting through the tension.“Look alive, gentlemen. We are not your average S-rankers.”Toma exhaled through gritted teeth, steeling himself. “It’s almost shameful, having a junior remind me of who I am... but thanks, Dante.”Lucian followed suit, his face composed, though his eyes were sharp with resolve. He stepped forward but paused long enough to cast a shimmering mana shield around Sylvia. Despite possessing the highest mana reserves among them, she wasn’t a fighter. Her strength was not meant for the battlefield.“There’s no holding back,” Toma reminded them. His voice was rough, and sparks of black lightning danced across his fingers.A sudden pulse shook the ground. Th

Dante remembered Toma saying they would face endless hordes of monsters, but he never imagined it would be this many. He opened the force-field and stepped inside so Sylvia could help him recharge. He could have waited for his mana to recover naturally, but that would take too long, and Sylvia had more than enough to share."Can you move this force-field?" Sylvia asked."Yes. We have to search this land. There must be a way out," Dante replied as he levitated the force-field. He needed a better view of the terrain."Wow," Sylvia muttered. As far as they could see, there were only monsters."They really are endless," Dante said, then began moving the force-field eastward as fast as he could.After a while, they heard a roar. When they turned, they saw a dragon spewing fire. If not for the force-field, they would have been reduced to ashes."That's a calamity-level monster," Aleric muttered, wondering if this was one of the legendary dragons said to be stronger than demons."This is jus

Dante could feel it in the weight pressing down on his chest, in the way the ground seemed to hum beneath his boots. He stood just in front of the ancient monument where the Seed of Yggdrasil floated, a sphere of green-gold light pulsing softly above a carved pedestal of runes. Beside him, Sylvia remained silent, her wide eyes fixed on the monsters that had gathered around them.Without hesitation, Dante raised his hand. A dome of shimmering silver light bloomed into being around Sylvia. The force field buzzed softly, enclosing her within a safe sphere. She gasped and reached toward him through the translucent wall.“You can’t fight them all alone,” she said.“I won’t let them get to you,” Dante replied. His voice was calm, steady, even as his heart pounded like a war drum. “That’s the one thing I won’t let happen.”With a snap of his fingers, a cascade of lightning erupted around his body, arcing and weaving itself into armor. Crackling energy coated his skin and sword, running up hi

Everyone was surprised to see the demon race arriving at the tournament. The demons had never shown any interest in the event before. All they ever seemed to crave was pillaging and destruction.With their sudden appearance, the kings and powerful figures across the realms instinctively stood to defend their young ones.“I understand why you're all on edge because of our arrival,” Mikhail said calmly, unfazed by the hostile gazes of the human awakeners, Elven mages and warriors, or even the dwarves and beastkin. He stood there, relaxed—almost as if he could wipe them all out on a whim.“My fellow kings,” he continued, “I simply want my young ones to participate in the tournament.”“King?” Alarion muttered, stunned. It was unheard of for the demons to use that title. They had always followed a demon lord, the strongest among them, but never a king.“Yes, king,” Mikhail affirmed. “After we overthrew the tyrant, we decided it was time to become more civil. To come together as one. Look a