"A completely white world? Where am I? There is nothing but emptiness, what does this mean?"
Dante tries to explore the place he is in but he doesn't understand anything. The more he walks, he feels that nothing changes. What is happening? A strange echoing voice reaches Dante's ears.
"You are not just a survivor... You are something else. The power you carry will tip the balance... Existence or nonexistence? The choice is yours..."
Dante quickly opens his eyes. Was it a dream? What did he mean, existence or nonexistence? Power? The world was empty? Does he's meant what he said? For now, that's doesn't matter. I have to wash my face now.
Dante came out of his tent and the sun had just risen, the snow was shining and the trees were white with snow.
Dante walked towards Julie's tent, opened the curtain and found her asleep "Huh, that's good, she's still asleep, that's proof that she trusts me, I should be safe for her."
Dante closed the curtain and went for a walk thinking about the dream... Suddenly Dante felt a feeling in his pocket, he reached into his pocket and found the elixir glowing brightly "What is this?! Why is it glowing now exactly more than ever? I just woke up, wait a minute... I just woke up? Was the elixir responding to me while I was asleep?"
Dante stopped at the river bank and started washing his face "What a cold water, and also I just arrived and the water was just liquid, and now I see it in front of me turning from liquid to solid, and snow covering all the surfaces, and fog and frost blocking my vision, where exactly were we banished? I have to tell Julie about this later."
Dante was on his way back, gathering some tea and mint herbs to prepare breakfast. "I wonder, can I find eggs here? It's very clear that I can't, there's no way I'm going to find chickens here. Oh my god, I didn't know responsibility was this hard. When you feel that someone is important to you, you try to really take care of them. Thank you for everything, my second father, Dabi… I wonder what your kindness is doing now. I wonder how many people it has saved your sorrow in this short period of time now. Was that how much you cared for me? I understand you now, and I understand what you meant, and what you were trying to convey to me. It's impossible for me to forget your concern for me. I miss you…"
Dante arrived carrying a bag of herbs and some fabrics and furs. When he arrived, Julie was awake and sitting waiting for him. She was surprised when she saw him carrying furs and some fabrics.
Dante: oh you've woke up, good morning.
Julie: good morning! I knew that you not gonna left me.
Dante: yes, of course, How is your body? Is the disease gone and you became better?
Julie: Yes, I feel better. Thank you Dante, for everything.
Dante: what are you saying, It's my duty to protect you.
Julie sighed and smiled, then looked down shyly.
Dante: anyway, I'm going to have breakfast now, you shouldn't stay outside, you'll get sick.
Julie: Okay, you too.
Dante: Okay I won't be late.
*after ten minutes*
Dante: Julie, Food is ready to eat.
Julie: Okay, thank you.
Dante: where do you want to eat?
Julie: where do you want?
Dante: in my tent.
Julie: I'll eat with you!
Dante: huh?!Aren't she afraid of me? ". ."
Okay, Do whatever you want.
It's good that I said in my tent, if I said outside, she would eat outside too. ". ."
Dante He made Julie enter first, they entered and started eating.
Julie: Dante, why are you carrying so much about me?
Dante:... Honestly, everything that happens bad to my friends is because of me.
Julie: Oh, so you don't want to lose someone else who's important to you.
Dante: yes...
Julie: actually Dante, I think you weren't bad with your friends, you care about strangers' feelings and take care if something happens to them. So, I think all your acquaintances are grateful and indebted to you.
Dante: Really? Thank you!
Julie: Hahaha yes!
Dante: Julie, what about you, What happened to you before the negotiation Explosion?
Julie: Actually my father is the emperor of the Lava Kingdom, my father wanted me to give up my feminine actions and be more powerful before the Elements Academy.
Dante: What?! What kind of father is this?
Julie: He not only forced me, he was even forcing me by force.
Dante: huh?! Was he beating you?
Julie: yes, he even once scared me with a sword and scratched my forehead, so now this scar is there.
Julie lifted her hair bangs, revealing her scar, a horizontal line from her right horn to her left horn.
After Julie reveals her scar, Dante feels a mixture of anger and sympathy. He looks at her and sees the scars of the past in her eyes. Dante (with suppressed anger): "I can't believe... that your father did this to you. How could someone treat their own daughter like that?" Julie (with a sad smile): "I know it's tough, but that's life. I was always weak in his eyes, so he wanted to make me strong in his own way."
Dante: This isn't strengthening, this is torture... You didn't have anyone to protect you?
Julie: "I had my older brother, but he couldn't do much, in the end he left the palace... and left me alone."
Here, Dante can start to feel closer to Julie because he sees in her story a reflection of his own suffering.
During this emotional conversation, there is a sudden interruption when Dante hears a strange sound outside the tent. When he goes out to see what is happening, Dante can find a strange creature or a new threat, such as:
Another ice golem monster, but larger and more powerful than the previous one.
Dante's body stiffened as he stared at the massive golem, his eyes fixed on the rocks that encased his body like an impenetrable armor. The beast roared in a voice like a roar of thunder, and charged at him with steps that shook the ground beneath him. Dante quickly stepped back, raising his sword ready to fight, but deep down, he knew he was in a tough spot—he didn't stand a chance against such a powerful creature.
But he didn't have the luxury of running.
At that moment, a pained scream tore through the air, a scream whose owner he instantly recognized—Julie! He turned quickly, and saw her trapped beneath the rocks, her wounds strewn across her body, her eyes staring at him in silent pleading.
His grip on the sword tightened, anger raging through his veins. He had to save her. No matter what it took.
The golem lunged at him again, swinging its massive rock arm, trying to crush him with a single blow. Dante leapt to the side, dodging the blow by a hair, but felt the shockwave of the impact shake his body. He quickly turned, using his momentum to strike with his sword, but his blade did nothing more than scratch the rocks with a superficial dent.
"It's so solid…" he muttered as he walked away.
He quickly glanced at the elixir the golem had left behind in the previous battle, a strange flash emitting from it. There was no time to hesitate. He rushed towards it, grabbing it with his hand. The moment his fingers touched the mysterious liquid, a strange energy wave exploded within his body.
He felt a heat surging through his veins, as if something inside him was awakening. It wasn't just a feeling… it was a transformation.
He raised his head, his eyes glowing with an unfamiliar light.
As the golem charged at him once more, Dante didn't feel fear this time. Instead, he felt… power.
Without thinking, he rushed forward at a speed he didn't think was possible, smoothly dodging the golem's strikes, and jumping high above him. At that moment, he saw a weak spot—his own gleaming eye in the middle of his rocky skull.
"That's the target."
He landed on his arm, then sprinted toward his head with lightning speed. He raised his sword, new energy surging through his body, enveloping the sword in a dim light. He wasn't sure what to do, but he followed his instincts.
With one strike, he plunged the blade of the sword directly into the golem's eye.
A feral scream erupted from the beast, and the rocks covering its body began to crack. It staggered backwards, its body shaking, then suddenly, it exploded into scattered pieces, leaving behind thick dust and a flash of fading energy.
Dante stood in the dust, panting heavily, his gaze shocked at what he had done. This wasn't normal… it wasn't his usual strength. His body felt lighter, stronger, as if the energy itself was surging through him.
"Dante…?"
He turned to find Julie staring at him, her eyes wide with surprise and disbelief. She thought he was strong... but she never thought he was this strong.
She walked towards him cautiously, as if she was approaching someone she didn't know. "What...? How did you do that?"
He couldn't answer. The truth is, even he didn't know.
He looked at his trembling hands, feeling the traces of strange energy still flowing inside him, but there was no explanation for what had happened.
He sat on the ground, looking up at the dark sky above him, his mind filled with questions.
"What was that?"
"What does this have to do with the elixir?"
"Is this... my true power?"
But he had no answer.
All he knew was that something inside him was starting to awaken. Something that could change everything.