---
The morning sun bathed the city of Darkwood as Dabi stood at the door, ready to leave for his exam.
His siblings, Mira and Eli, watched him with eager eyes.
"Good luck, Dabi," Mira said with warmth.
"You'll do great!" Eli added, brimming with confidence.
Dabi smiled at them and nodded. "Stay safe. I'll be back soon."
With that, he left, heading towards the national academy entrance exams.
His heart pounded, knowing this was one of the most important days of his life.
This wasn't just about his future; it was about building a path to uncover the truth about his parents' disappearance and to protect his siblings in a world brimming with monsters and uncertainties.
---
At the academy, over 200,000 candidates gathered, each one determined to secure a spot.
Among them were many noble-born, some boasting legendary classes and powerful families, their very presence radiating confidence and superiority.
Dabi noticed the air of pride that came from these candidates, but he was used to being underestimated and was not intimidated.
"They don't know what I'm capable of," he thought, suppressing a smirk as he focused on the task ahead.
The announcement rang across the grounds, signaling the beginning of the exams.
The first part of the trial was the Talent Test. Each candidate had to place their hands on a mystical stone that would assess and reveal their natural talent levels through a glow.
As expected, the legendary class candidates caused the stone to blaze with brilliant light, showcasing their incredible potential.
Murmurs of admiration filled the air as each noble-born student impressed the crowd.
When it was Dabi's turn, he stepped forward, calm but resolute.
The stone glowed steadily, marking him as above average, but nowhere near the brilliance of the nobility.
Some spectators gave him dismissive looks, while others barely noticed him.
Dabi wasn't discouraged; he knew his worth wasn't reflected in the intensity of a glow but in his resilience and ability to adapt.
Next came the Level and Stats Test, where each candidate's current level and stats were displayed on a large screen.
Dabi's stats, though decent, were overshadowed by those of the noble-born candidates, many of whom had been nurtured with resources that allowed them to level up and train extensively.
Their wealth and lineage were apparent in their impressive stats, which made Dabi look average at best.
"I'll make up for it in the combat test," he thought, reassuring himself as he took a deep breath.
Combat had always been his strong suit, honed through his training with his spirit pets and solo missions.
---
System Notifications: Complete the combat Test.
Reward: 10000 experience point.
Finally, the Combat Test began. Each candidate was assigned a monster to fight, the difficulty based on their level.
Dabi faced a mutated low-level creature, one that was fast, vicious, and agile.
However, his combat experience allowed him to anticipate its moves.
With precise strikes and careful maneuvers, he defeated it in record time.
The crowd barely reacted, too focused on the flashier battles happening nearby.
As he finished, Dabi felt a surge of power, leveling up to Level 30.
---
Mission complete.
System Notification: Level Up!
Congratulations on reaching level 30.
New Level: 30
Bonus Reward -
New Skill Unlocked: Dimensional Rift
Unallocated Stat Points: 10
Mana increased by 30
---
Just as Dabi began to relax, the ground trembled, and a massive creature burst into the arena a Mid-level Boss, towering at Level 50.
Its sudden appearance threw the exam grounds into chaos.
Other candidates, many still struggling with their assigned monsters, stared in horror.
Fear rippled through the crowd as the beast roared, shaking the very ground beneath their feet.
But Dabi stood firm, his gaze steely. He quickly assessed the boss's strength and knew it would be impossible to take down without reinforcing his stats.
Knowing he had unallocated points to spare, he quickly made the necessary adjustments.
---
System Notification: Unallocated Stat Points: 38
Dabi made his decisions swiftly:
Strength: +15 (New total: 48)
Endurance: +15 (New total: 49)
Agility: +5 (New total: 41 (+10 from the ring))
Memory: +3 (New total: 48)
Updated Stats:
Strength: 48
Agility: 41 (+10 from the ring)
Endurance: 49
Intelligence: 53
Mana: 135
Memory: 48
---
With his enhanced stats, Dabi activated his newly unlocked skill, Dimensional Rift.
The air around him shimmered as he created rifts in space, allowing him to slip between dimensions and evade the boss's massive attacks.
The rifts amplified his speed, enabling him to launch quick, precise strikes that caught the beast off guard.
The boss, enraged by Dabi's evasiveness, swung its claws with fury, but Dabi was always one step ahead, darting in and out of the dimensional rifts.
As the fight progressed, he began analyzing the creature's weak spots, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
With a final, calculated move, Dabi combined his elemental mastery over wind and lightning, channeling the energy through a rift to deliver a devastating strike directly to the boss's exposed side.
The energy exploded on impact, and with a deafening roar, the creature collapsed, defeated.
---
System Notification: Mission Complete!
Reward: 5,000 Experience Points, 5,000 Gold Coins, and Skill Progression
Dimensional Rift Leveled Up!
New Skill Gained: Dimensional Storage (Space Storage)
---
As the crowd watched in stunned silence, Dabi stood victorious.
The boy they had dismissed as unremarkable had defeated a mid-level boss before their eyes.
Even the legendary class candidates watched with a newfound respect. Dabi had proven himself in a way none of them expected.
He took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the victory settle in.
His body ached, his mind was exhausted, but a sense of pride filled his heart.
The Dimensional Rift skill had evolved, granting him a new ability: Dimensional Storage.
This would allow him to store items in a pocket dimension, giving him access to weapons and supplies anytime, anywhere.
It was a skill that would prove invaluable on his journey.
Exhausted but satisfied, Dabi left the exam grounds and began his journey home, his mind racing with plans for the future.
He knew the true challenges were yet to come, but he now had the tools and the confidence to face them.
---