The moment Nero the words “MANA DOMAIN!” left Nero's lips, the air around him exploded with freezing power. A massive wave of frost burst outward, turning the entire battlefield into a frozen wasteland. Giant pillars of ice shot up from the ground, tall and sharp, spreading out in every direction. The temperature dropped instantly, and everything was covered in a thick layer of white ice. The sheer force of the rising pillars pushed everyone else backward, separating them. Even the onlookers present backed away because of the cold. Latisha acted fast. She grabbed Graece by the arm and teleported them both away just in time. Lucian was already running straight at Nero. Seeing the ice rising, he jumped high into the air and landed perfectly on top of one of the huge icy pillars. Now, there was only him and Nero standing face‑to‑face inside the frozen zone. “Now it’s just us,” Nero sneered, his voice echoing clearly in the cold air. “Your friends can’t step in to save you anymore. By

After everything was settled and they were free to go, Lucian didn’t head straight back to the dorms as everyone expected. Instead, he turned to the others and said, “Let’s not go back yet… I feel like unwinding a bit. There’s a nice café nearby. Why don't we go chill there for a while?” They all agreed. After fighting for their lives and sitting through a long investigation, relaxing over a warm drink sounded perfect. But as they walked through the academy grounds, Lucian hardly said a word. He walked a few steps ahead, his head slightly bowed, his mind racing with heavy thoughts. Even though he had become a Three‑Star Hunter, a rank many students could only dream of reaching, today’s fight had shown him the ugly truth he was still far too weak. “I thought I was getting strong,” he kept thinking to himself, clenching and unclenching his fists. “I worked hard, trained every single day, and pushed my limits… but Nero was on a whole different level. Just one second‑year student, a

Lucian’s eyes widened slightly as he read the name. A grin spread across his face instantly. Seraphina_X… he thought. Yeah, I remember her. She was really good. I barely managed to win last time. And she definitely wasn't happy about it. He chuckled softly to himself. “Well… I was just thinking about finding someone stronger. Looks like fate just handed me exactly what I wanted.” He accepted instantly. [INVITATION ACCEPTED] [CONNECTING…] [LOADING ARENA: SKY TEMPLE] The world dissolved into streams of light once more. When it solidified again, Lucian was standing high up in the clouds on a massive floating platform made of white marble and gold trim. Huge pillars rose around them, and the wind howled softly, making long ribbons of cloth tied to the pillars flutter wildly. Standing roughly twenty metres away was Seraphina. She looked just like she did the last time they fought wearing her fox mask, draped in a midnight-purple cloak. She held a Chain-Sickle Kusarigama

While Lucian headed back to the dorms to rest, very different events were taking place deep inside the restricted section of the Academy, the area known as the Inner AcademyThis place was completely different from where the first‑years lived and trained. The buildings were grander, older, and filled with powerful magic formations. The air itself felt heavier, thicker with mana and only instructors and second years were allowed in.Inside a large well-lit office, decorated with expensive belonging to Professor Vorak, the Head instructor of the Second‑Year students. He was a tall, stern‑looking man with greying hair, sharp eyes, and an aura of absolute authority. He was widely known as one of the strongest teachers in the academy, but he was also famous for something else and that was his loyalty to the powerful factions that controlled the nation.Standing before his desk were Nero and the four students together whoshed Harry earlier. Their clothes were still torn and dirty from the f

They sat opposite each other, only a few meters between them. Kenshi looked at Lucian before him. “What I am about to teach you is not the usual Hunter Combat System I teach in class,” he began, his voice calm but heavy with meaning. “First I am going to tell you a story of something far older, far greater, and far more dangerous than anything they teach within these walls. It is the legend of the Blazing Sun Sect, and the art they created called "The Way of the Phoenix.” He paused, letting those words hang in the quiet air words that had been silenced for centuries. “This style was created thousands of years ago, long before the Hunter Era even began. Its founder was a sage known as the Incarnation of the divine phoenix, a being said to possess the very essence of fire, rebirth, and unyielding strength. He forged a sect that became the greatest guardian order this realm had ever seen. For millennia, the Blazing Sun Sect stood as a shield and the strongest force on the continent