The sky above the academy shook as Ivy Woolworth clashed with Vondra Dracaeys. A wave of red energy spread from Ivy's sword, cutting through the smoke and splitting the ground beneath her feet. Vondra raised his weapon to block the attack, but the force pushed him several metres backwards. His black armour was covered in glowing red marks, and a long scar ran across his neck. Behind him stood a massive dragon with dark scales, two curved horns, and burning eyes that watched Ivy with the hunger of a beast waiting for its prey. Vondra Dracaeys was the strongest member of his family, and the dragon beside him was no ordinary beast. Its name was Gorrath, a powerful dragon that had fought alongside Vondra for decades. Their bond had been built through years of battle, and they could attack together without needing to exchange a single word. Vondra wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled. "Ivy, you're still beautiful even at this old age." Ivy's expression did not change

The Festival of Heroes had ended in bloodshed, and the news had spread across the world. "The Festival of Heroes has turned into a tragic day for humanity. Multiple students and teachers have lost their lives in an attack that destroyed large parts of CB5 Academy. Many of the victims were young Awakened who could have become great Hunters and helped protect humanity from the dungeons." A picture of the ruined academy appeared on the screen before the reporter continued. "The government has confirmed the arrest of Lucifer Damien, an F-Rank Hunter and student of the academy. He is accused of summoning an army of soldiers known as the Red Army and using them to attack the academy for reasons that remain unknown. According to official reports, his actions led to the deaths of students and the destruction of several buildings." The screen changed to an image of Lucifer being escorted away in chains. "Lucifer Damien is being transferred to the Awakened Prison inside Regional Dungeon 004

Lucifer did not stop running until the sound of falling trees had faded into the distance. After escaping the monster, he crossed a narrow stream and climbed a rocky slope before finding a small cave hidden behind a wall of vines. He checked the area with his Primordial Dragon Eyes, making sure nothing was waiting nearby, before entering the cave. The space inside was large enough for him to sit and rest, although the damp smell and the bones scattered across the ground made it clear that something had once lived there. Lucifer moved the bones aside and sat against the wall. He had no idea how long he had spent running, but the thought of fighting that monster after his recent battle with the Bloodfang was enough to make him glad he had chosen to flee. "Fucking monster." He looked at his sword before putting it away. He had no plans to fight another beast until he understood the changes that had taken place in his body. Lucifer raised his hand and called up his system. A blue sc

Lucifer woke up slowly as faint chatter reached his ears. He opened his eyes and frowned when he realized he was no longer in the place where he had fallen asleep. He was inside a large cage made of thick iron bars, with a heavy lock hanging from the front. The floor beneath him was covered in dust, and the cage was large enough to hold several people at once. He sat up and looked around. The building surrounding him looked like the remains of an old castle. Its tall walls were cracked, and large parts of the roof had fallen away, leaving broken beams hanging above the rooms. Stone pillars stood at odd angles, while weeds grew through the gaps in the floor. Several windows had lost their frames, and the walls were covered in dark marks from old fires. The place must have once been grand, but years of neglect had left it in ruins. Other prisoners stood around the cage, wearing torn clothes, old armour, and pieces of equipment taken from dead Hunters. Most had scars on their faces or

The group continued moving towards the north, crossing the chains that connected the islands.The Red Islands were divided into several regions based on their location and the dangers found within them. The southern region was the most crowded, as it contained the largest number of prisoners and settlements. Most of the turf gangs had their main bases there, where they fought over resources and controlled the paths used by other prisoners.The further north one travelled, the fewer settlements they would find. The islands were spread farther apart, and the monsters became more dangerous. Many prisoners avoided the region because travelling between the islands was difficult, and the lack of safe places to rest made long journeys risky.The northern region was also divided into eastern and western territories. The eastern side had more rocky islands and steep cliffs, while the western side contained larger islands with thick forests, rivers, and rich sources of food and herbs. These res