The gentle warmth of the morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting soft, golden light across Daemon's bed. Slowly, his eyelids fluttered open, the remnants of sleep still clouding his mind.
"Yawwwn..." Daemon stretched lazily, his body protesting the sudden movement. After the exhausting battles of yesterday, he had earned himself a well-needed rest. He had pushed himself to his limits, and today, he decided to give himself a break.
Not wanting to face the grind of the school today, Daemon decided to skip his Monday classes. Aegis Hunter Academy, despite being one of the most prestigious institutions in the human domain, was still, at its core, a school. The usual rules applied, and one of those rules was the Academy Points, or AP, system.
To stay enrolled, students had to maintain a certain number of AP, and if their points dropped too low, they faced expulsion. In Aegis Hunter Academy, AP wasn't just a grade system—it was also the currency that fueled daily life. It was how students bought supplies, paid for services, and lived their lives within the school.
And of course, attendance at Aegis Hunter Academy also contributed to AP. For someone like Daemon, who was ranked last among all the first-year students, every point counted. His AP was already dangerously low.
'Since my AP is already at rock bottom, skipping one class won't make much of a difference,' Daemon thought casually. He didn't seem too concerned about losing a few more points.
"I'll just train today," he muttered to himself as he climbed out of bed. Without wasting time, he brushed his teeth and took a quick cold shower, the chill helping him shake off any lingering drowsiness.
Feeling refreshed, Daemon made his way to the cafeteria. Approaching the counter, he said to the young cafeteria worker, "Morning Breakfast Combo, please."
The worker glanced at the clock for a moment. It was already 10 a.m. Most students had finished breakfast long ago and were now in class. The cafeteria was mostly empty, save for a few scattered students who didn't have morning classes.
Skipping classes was rare at the academy. Since attending lectures rewarded students with free AP, most made sure never to miss them. To the worker, Daemon's presence was odd—why would anyone skip an easy chance to gain points?
After about three minutes, his breakfast was ready. Daemon grabbed the tray, quickly ate the meal, and got up without delay. His mind was already on his next destination—the Training Hall. He had decided that if he wasn't going to class today, he would at least use the time to improve himself.
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The Training Hall of Aegis Hunter Academy was divided into three sections: Training Hall A, B, and C. Each hall served a distinct purpose, catering to different kinds of students and training regimens. Right now, Daemon was headed toward Training Hall C.
Without paying attention to the array of advanced training equipment lining the hall, Daemon walked straight to the AI Combat Room. He stopped in front of a sleek metal door and took out his student ID, holding it against the scanner.
Ding! A robotic voice echoed, calm and precise.
The door slid open with a quiet hiss. This particular room was designed for combat training, its AI system capable of adjusting the room's settings to match the user's desired difficulty and strength level.
<Please choose the difficulty,> the AI prompted.
Daemon paused for a moment, considering his options. He clenched his hand into a fist, feeling a flicker of excitement rise within him.
'Let's see how strong I really am'
"Set the difficulty to first stage," Daemon instructed calmly.
Daemon knew how these stages worked—each one required the user to fight AI-controlled robots. The challenge grew progressively harder with each stage. He clenched his fingers around the hilt of an ordinary training sword, leaving the [Knight's Greatsword] untouched. It was far too valuable and conspicuous to use in front of others. Better to keep it hidden for now.
Ding!
As the countdown ended, the bright lights in the room flickered off, plunging the space into darkness for a brief moment before dim battle lights illuminated the arena. Five humanoid robots appeared in front of Daemon, their mechanical limbs whirring as they moved into position.
Daemon's eyes locked onto his opponents. His heart remained steady
Without hesitation, the robots lunged at him in a coordinated assault. The first swung its metallic arm toward him, but Daemon sidestepped swiftly, avoiding the strike by a narrow margin. He parried the next incoming blow with precision, his plain sword meeting cold steel with a sharp clang.
This wasn't about winning. He could have ended this quickly if he wanted to. His strength had grown enough to crush these machines with ease. But that wasn't his goal. He was here to refine his technique, something he had little experience with. Though he had improved since his early battles, but he still lacked experience.
He carefully studied each attack, analyzing the movement and momentum of his opponents.
'Aim for the center of momentum and divert the energy.'
With that in mind, he shifted his stance. When the next robot attacked, Daemon angled his blade perfectly, redirecting the force of the blow to the side. Using the momentum of the parry, he transitioned smoothly into an offensive strike, targeting another robot nearby.
Daemon continued refining his sword techniques, switching between different focuses. At times, he emphasized defense, expertly parrying each attack with precision. Other moments, he worked on offense, delivering swift, calculated strikes. He even tested his speed, dodging and countering faster than before. The world around him seemed to fade as he immersed himself in honing his skills.
One by one, the robots fell, their metallic forms crashing to the ground until none remained.
"Stage complete," a robotic voice announced.
"Yes," Daemon replied without hesitation.
As he waited for the next stage to begin, a fleeting thought crossed his mind. The original Daemon from this world would have struggled to survive the first stage, let alone clear it so easily. Yet here he was, standing tall, ready to take on the second stage without even breaking a sweat.
A sense of pride swelled in his chest.
The lights dimmed once more, and with a faint mechanical hum, the robots powered up. Their metallic bodies gleamed faintly in the dim room as they moved into formation, their movements sharp and precise. This time, seven robots emerged, each more coordinated than before.
Daemon's eyes scanned his opponents, noting their positioning and the way they moved. He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, feeling the familiar weight in his hand. He took a deep breath, steadying himself, and waited for them to close in.
Without hesitation, the robots charged. Daemon met them head-on, deflecting their blows, dodging swift strikes, and countering when the opportunity presented itself.
Time passed, and Daemon lost count of how many robots he had faced. Each stage became harder, the number of robots increasing, their speed and strength improving. But Daemon pressed on, pushing himself further and further.
With a final swing of his sword, Daemon destroyed the last robot standing. Sparks flew as its metallic frame collapsed to the ground with a dull thud. He straightened, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his face.
Before he could even catch his breath, the familiar mechanical voice echoed through the room.
Daemon let out a slow breath, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. He glanced around the empty training hall, the broken remains of robots scattered across the floor.
"Not bad," he muttered to himself, sheathing his sword.
Since Daemon's rank was at the bottom, he didn't have access to unlimited tries in the combat room. While he thought it was a shame, he didn't dwell on it.
Stepping out of the room, he wiped the sweat from his face with the towel he had brought along. Since it was already he made his way to the cafeteria to grab a meal.
After finishing his lunch and taking a short break, Daemon headed back to the training area. Although the combat room was off-limits to him for the rest of the day, there were plenty of other facilities he could use to train.
'This will be my final session for today,' Daemon thought as he made his way to the next training hall. Tomorrow, he planned to make things official by registering swords as his primary weapon instead of daggers. It was a necessary step, as the academy required students to report any significant change in their combat style.
With that thought lingering in his mind, Daemon tightened his grip on the practice sword and resumed his training.
Suddenly, a familiar chime rang out, breaking his concentration. Daemon paused mid-swing, his eyes narrowing as he turned toward the source of the sound. A glowing notification window floated in front of him.
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Sorry guys for the late update. I couldn't update the chapters due to certain personal reasons.
And I wanted to add that, there are some changes
Monarchs ---> Venerables
Amelia Blaze -----> Amelia Emberfall
Thank you Guys for your support.