[Lava Field.]
The scorching heat of the lava field felt lukewarm compared to the aura radiating from the young woman standing amidst the ash. Everyone watched in stunned silence as Mirabella and Cupcake walked out of the destroyed forest, the air shimmering around them.
"You actually did it without Awakening stones... You must have a very powerful bloodline or power in you," Zoginoi said, adjusting his glasses. His voice was calm, but his gaze was intense, dissecting her with the precision of a surgeon.
Mirabella stared at him, her expression unreadable. "I don't have anything special..." She said flatly.
'And you expect me to believe that?' Zoginoi thought, his mind racing. 'As the Sun Family heir, your potential is limitless. You just took down a Realm World Boss. That isn't "special," that is divine.'
On the outside, however, he offered a polite, knowing smile. "No worries, you saved us this time." He said.
Mirabella narrowed her eyes at him, sensing his skepticism, but remained silent.
'That Crystal Emperor is so annoying... He just kept blabbering and exposed the sun family...' Mirabella sighed internally.
'I can't defeat him when he turned invisible; Chess Art was the only way I can do it... Anyway, forget it. No one will dare attack me with the Academy backing me up; Even if they try it, I can simply kill them.' The thought wasn't arrogant; it was a factual assessment of her new God-tier reality.
"Ok, let's go back."
Elizabeth broke the tension, her voice carrying the authority of a seasoned warrior. She turned to the destroyed land where Zoginoi had built the bridge, now just a memory.
She placed her palms together, channeling her spirit energy. "Now that the Boss is dead, we can summon the gateway." She added.
The group watched as the space before them tore open. It wasn't a gentle opening; reality screamed as a dimensional gateway appeared, spinning violently with blue and purple energy.
"Let's go," Elizabeth stated.
Grace's and Carl's team didn't need to be told twice. They rushed forward without hesitation, desperate to leave this forbidden land ASAP before another calamity struck.
Cupcake, sensing the shift in atmosphere, shrunk back into a cat. She jumped into the air, landing gracefully on Mirabella's right shoulder. Mirabella started walking towards the gateway, following behind Carl and Grace with a casual stride that belied the destruction she had just wrought.
Behind her, Hitachi stopped.
'What is happening? Why can't I see through her?' Hitachi thought with gritted teeth. His eyes were fully activated, the celestial pupils spinning madly as he stared at Mirabella's back.
Usually, he could see spirit energy flow, muscle tension, even intent. Now? Nothing.
'It's like an invisible shield is all over her, blocking even my eyes...'
He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms, and forced himself to retract his celestial eyes. The strain was giving him a migraine.
'Has she become so powerful that my eyes can't even pass through her defenses?! Impossible!! I must get stronger. I must!!' He yelled inwardly, his pride as the Young Master of the Azul clan fracturing.
TAP!
A hand landed on his shoulder. He froze and looked over his shoulder to see Zoginoi standing there. The man had removed his sunglasses again, his eyes filled with a mix of pity and stern guidance.
"I know how you feel, Hitachi... You can take her as a rival, and I know you... You never lose to anyone." He smiled softly, a mentor speaking to a troubled student.
"But don't face her in any battle... You must at least be a God Rank player before even suggesting that. Understand?"
The words hung heavy in the sulphurous air. God Rank. That was now the requirement just to spar with her.
Hitachi stared at him for some seconds, his expression unreadable, warring between ego and logic. Finally, he nodded his head.
"Yeah, I understand." He said, his voice low. He turned and started walking towards the gateway, his back straight.
Elizabeth stared at the two men, analyzing the shift in dynamic, then followed. Lastly, Zoginoi stepped through the portal, leaving the ruined dungeon behind.
___
[Dragon Empire - Academy's Dungeon Hall]
The atmosphere in the hall was thick with tension. Hayatobi, Gaga, and Merlot stood with their arms crossed, watching the massive gate glow again. The runes etched into the metal frame lit up as the vortex started spinning.
"Did they succeed?" Gaga asked in confusion, leaning on her cane.
WHOOSH!!
Bodies were ejected from the portal. Daniel, Nina, Janet, and Connor flew out first, stumbling and falling to the polished floor in a heap of exhaustion. They were followed by the rest of the group, gasping for fresh air.
"They aren't even injured." Merlot muttered in disbelief, staring at Carl, Grace, and their teammates. Usually, a red dungeon run ended in stretchers, not stumbles.
Hayatobi frowned, his silver eyes narrowing. He turned to the gateway, watching as the silhouette of a girl emerged.
Mirabella calmly walked out of the gateway, untouched by the chaos she had left behind. Cupcake sat perched on her shoulder, cleaning a paw. Behind her came Elizabeth, Hitachi, and Zoginoi, all equally pristine.
"They all made it back. And not even a single scratch could be seen on them." Hayatobi muttered to himself, staring at the gateway as it powered down.
"If we don't know what happened, we would surely think it's a normal dungeon." He added.
"Something isn't right with that girl... Her strength seems to have increased dramatically." Gaga said, pressing her walking stick harder onto the ground. She could feel the vibrations of Mirabella's steps—they were heavier, more grounded in the world's energy.
"Yeah, I noticed it too." Merlot added, adjusting his monocle. "Her presence demands space."
Hayatobi exhaled, masking his shock with a warm, grandfatherly expression. He stepped forward.
"Good job you two, I never have a doubt." He said with a smile, and clapped his hands.
Two attendants in formal academy robes walked towards them, each holding a velvet tray with a heavy pouch on it—the promised Awakening Stones.
"Here are your rewards, the others have been sent to your Galaxy bracelets." Hayatobi explained, gesturing to the stones.
The two ladies stopped in front of Hitachi and Mirabella. They took the pouches, the weight of the stones signifying their achievement.
"Thank you, Elder." They greeted in unison, bowing slightly.
"Any other thing?" Mirabella asked, staring at Hayatobi. She wanted to leave, to test her new limits.
"Remember you have mage class tomorrow morning, then a general class, there is something I want to announce to you all." Hayatobi stared at the two, his eyes lingering on them for a second longer than usual.
"For now... All of you should get some rest, it's already seven O'clock."
He turned his attention to the adults in the room.
"Both of you can come with me... I want to know everything that happened in there." He said to Zoginoi and Elizabeth, and started walking towards the exit, the remaining two elders following behind him like a phalanx.
"Ok, Miss Mirabella. I will be back." Elizabeth said, bowing respectfully to her charge, and ruffled Cupcake's head before following the elders.
"Ok. Carl and Grace, come with me." Mirabella called out and started walking away.
"Huh?" The two looked at one another in confusion, exchanging worried glances, but quickly followed behind her.
___
[Some Moments Later - Hayatobi's Private Office]
The office was dimly lit, filled with ancient scrolls and holographic displays. Hayatobi paced behind his mahogany desk.
"So that old woman still achieved it."
He stood up, abandoning his desk, and walked around it, heading straight to the heavy oak door. His demeanor had shifted from the benevolent headmaster to the dangerous warrior known across the empires.
"Gaga, Merlot, both of you should stay in the academy... I have to pay someone a visit..." He said, his hand resting on the door handle. His silver eyes began to glow with a terrifying intensity.
"Attacking my students, even if it's in a dungeon, is a crime." He said, his voice dropping an octave.
"Your students?" The two elders were stunned. Even Elizabeth and Zoginoi, who knew much of the world's secrets, were dumbfounded. Hayatobi hadn't taken a personal student in decades.
"Yes... Both Mirabella and Hitachi are my personal students." He declared.
He opened the door and walked away, closing it behind him with a definitive click.
Inside the office, silence reigned.
"I hope he doesn't destroy the Sword Empire Academy. That will surely lead to war." Gaga said with a deep sigh, staring at the closed door. She knew exactly what Hayatobi was capable of when provoked.