The wooden stool thudded against flesh again, hollow and heavy, bouncing the sound off the metal walls like a dull drum. Dust didn’t fly, of course. This wasn’t an ordinary carpet. Instead, a feral scream tore from the creature beneath the blows, high-pitched and raw enough to make the metal pillars quiver.Kael Ardyn didn’t flinch. Not even a twitch. Big Bear, standing frozen by the doorway, looked like he’d seen a ghost. Kael didn’t even glance at him. He kept swinging the stool with calm, almost cheerful precision, like this was just another chore to tick off the list.Each strike left a red welt puffed up like dough. It vanished moments later as the Ripper’s regeneration stitched her skin back together. Faster than Kael could bruise it. If anything, it only made him swing harder, testing the limits of her healing.The Berserk Ripper had long stopped looking human. She was something else now, a twisted hybrid of wolf and vampire, claws extended, teeth bared. Her eyes glowed blood-r

Kael Ardyn burst out of the room, his muscles screaming in protest and his heart hammering so hard he thought it might punch through his chest. Behind him, only the unconscious Ripper and a fully alert Big Bear stayed put, their eyes following him, curious but cautious. The morning had been brutal. The War God System’s steward, Lyndric Fayne, had pushed him beyond his limits. Every sprint, every sharp turn around the Black Bat Squad’s training ground had tested him to the brink. Exhausting? Yes. Torturous? Absolutely. But necessary—that was exactly what the system demanded.By the time he slowed to a stop, Kael’s legs burned, his chest heaved, and sweat poured down his face. Two universal hours of relentless movement had left him completely drained. Hungry too. Alive, thankfully. He glanced at the hand device strapped to his wrist, tracing a path to the nearest cafeteria. Even the thought of simple food—a steaming bowl of porridge, maybe some pickles—made him feel a little lighter.As

Kael Ardyn guided the Reaper Mark V forward. Every joint, every servo moved like it had a mind of its own. There was a familiar hum beneath his hands, a reminder of countless virtual missions in the Aether Empire. This mech—it wasn’t just metal and circuits. It was part of him.He scanned the weapons. Sniper rifle. Sure Hit. Penetrate Arcane Mind Arts. The combination should’ve made winning ten rounds a breeze. Easy. But as soon as his fingers grazed the trigger, a voice spoke inside his head, calm and unflinching.“In the Aether Combat Division, your main goal is improving mech control. Real Arcane Mind Arts are blocked. Sniping skill can achieve a similar effect.”Kael froze. Screamed inside.“You’re joking. Right? You mean I can’t use my Arcane Mind Arts? You say it’s a training simulation, but now I have to win? One loss and I’m supposed to… what, commit ritual seppuku? Who does that? Who dies for a single mistake?”The voice didn’t care. Not even a hint of emotion.Frustration cl

The apartment at Moonspire Academy was pure chaos. A girl in playing-card pyjamas was bouncing around like she’d been shot out of a cannon. Her energy practically crackled in the air, making everything feel electric. Every leap, every spin, made it seem like the floor itself was shaking with excitement.“I’m rich! I won! I hit the bet!” she yelled, voice cracking with excitement. “Two-hundred-and-fifty-times payout! I’m set! Tomorrow, the mall won’t know what hit it!”Her younger sister, curled up in puppy-print pyjamas, just froze. Mouth hanging open. Eyes glued to the screen, replaying the Reaper Mark V video over and over. That mech, a giant of whirring metal and deadly precision, had dodged a flurry of dual-blade strikes and countered with one perfect, spinning scythe swing.“That dodge… that strike… how effortless. How precise…” she murmured. “If I were piloting the Tyrannos mech… could I have even moved fast enough?”She pictured herself twisting and spinning, ducking and rollin

The main command room of Glory Base felt unusually tense. Elara Myrin, the Skyward Empire’s Darkmoon Star Operations Commander, sat behind the holographic console, a detailed report floating in front of her like a window into last night’s chaos. She scanned each line carefully, her eyes sharp, calculating. The Black Bat Squad… that mess they’d gotten themselves into.Kael Ardyn. She let herself smile a little. He’d actually restrained the Berserk Butcher Girl. Fought her. Held his ground. Bold. Reckless. And, she had to admit, impressive.Her fingers drummed lightly on the console. No wonder he had chased Wan’er and even forced that kiss. The boy’s combat skills clearly exceeded all records. Still, he’d probably needed some trick to keep the Butcher Girl in check.Leaning back, she let a slow smile spread across her face. “I have to see this myself. Tonight, when she wakes from her berserk state… he’s going to face her again. This is going to be entertaining.”She called her guards wi