The arena's atmosphere buzzed with electricity as the crowd settled down, their voices falling to a low hum of anticipation. The duel between Carl and Sara had been intense, but the prospect of Damien stepping into the ring sent waves of excitement rippling through the audience.
Carl's aura surged once more, the spectral image of the bear behind him growing more defined. Its claws shimmered faintly as if promising carnage. He cracked his neck, his confidence radiating through his posture.
"You are quite brave, Damien. I'll give you that. But guts won't save you."
Damien, on the other hand, stood calm and composed. His pale features were impassive, his dark brown eyes gleaming faintly under the arena's lights.
" What is this guy talking about? " Damien wondered, " I just wanna test how much my strength has increased, what is all this talk about guts and bravery " Daien was pretty much confused.
"Less talk, more action," he said, his voice cool and steady, his hands resting on the hilt of his sheathed sword at his waist.
" Hmm, you are clearly injured, let's see how long you can maintain this facade "
From the senior's section, the seniors watched intently, their auras subdued but their focus razor-sharp.
"Do you think Carl stands a chance?" the pink-haired woman asked, her voice tinged with skepticism.
The brown-haired youth beside her shrugged. "Hard to say. Carl's Earthbound Bear Force Technique is powerful, but if this Damien is as formidable as the rumors suggest…" He trailed off, leaning forward with interest.
"Let's not forget he is injured here " another person reminded.
" Yeah, it seems that Darius clan kid is gonna bag another win"
Everyone in the group nodded, but they all watched with interest.
On the platform, the arena instructor signaled for the match to begin.
" Earthbound Bear Fists " Carl's body was covered in a brown light and the image of the bear appeared behind him.
He dashed forward at Damien, covering the distance between them in a second.
He was using his strongest attack at the very beginning, he wanted to defeat and humiliate Damien by using a single move to win.
Looking at Damien, who stood still, he smirked: So you are injured and just pretending".
He smashed his huge fists at Damien's chest. The looming force-covered fist tore through the air creating a gust of wind that blew everything in its path, yet Damien did not move.
Everyone could almost imagine the impact, Carl's fist would make when it would touch Damien's chest. Just as the fist was about to reach him, the hand resting on the hilt of his sword moved, and with a silent flash of light, it swept toward Carl's fist.
There was a booming sound as sword and fist connected and Carl was sent several steps backwards.
" What a powerful sword Force skill..." One of the seniors muttered and everyone nodded in agreement.
On the dueling stage, gone was the smirk on Carl's face, he now had a look of fear as he stared at Damien, his mouth wide open in shock.
On his fists, a small cut had appeared, This was what had shocked him so much, the Eathbound Bear Force Skill enhanced one, 's defenses the most but Damien had unexpectedly cut through
" Is he not supposed to be injured? " he thought.
Damien on the other hand had also ignored Carl, after using the Invincible Sword Skill: Sword Draw, he had realized that his comprehension of the technique had increased greatly...while it may not have the same effect as the Sword Draw he had produced during the Demon Hunting Expedition...it was close. What was an invincible Sword?
Simple, it was a sword that could cut through everything, and for that, it needed two things power and speed. The Swordsman who had appeared when he was inheriting the skill possessed the two things. But now Damien had mastered the speed part of it, he had a feeling he would master the Power aspect very soon.
Perhaps his Vampire ability that raised battle instincts was at play here.
" Let us end this duel first " Damien sighed and turned his attention properly to Carl.
Meeting Damien's eyes Carl gritted his teeth and forced out the fear in his heart.
" Hmph...you are just a pretty boy "
" Pretty boy...what is that, this guy sure talks weird, " Damien thought, the greyish Force light covering his body. His expression was nonchalant though
" I can beat you !! " Carl roared, the bear image behind Carl released an ear-splitting roar as well, his body and muscles grew larger and began rippling as if they had life.
" Earthbound Bear: Muscle Expansion
" Bang " A small crater was created beneath Carl's feet as he leapt up soaring into the air.
His fists were like canons punching out powerful air blasts that could even break the toughest steel. Damien's sword lit up with grey light, the sword in his hands slashed out a few times, releasing waves of sword Force that cut through the gusts of wind.
Damien's legs bent forward and with a jump, he shot through a torrent of air blasts, directly appearing above Carl.
" Damn it " Carl cursed in anger, but Damien did not care about his anger, his legs swept down landing on Carl's chest.
There was a bang, followed by a gushing wind produced as a shockwave of the attack.
Then the sorry figure of Carl appeared landing on the stage with a booming sound.
He coughed up a mouthful of blood and tried to get up, a sword appeared on his neck.
" You have lost " the referee stepped in to announce. The members of the Emperor class broke into loud cheers, while the students of other classes stared at the two figures on the platform in a daze.
One was on the ground while another pointed a sword at him, they had been expecting an intense battle but the series of events had their mind blown.
" That seemed too easy right ? "
" Damien did not even seem to use his full strength "
" Hmm..so much for bragging all he knows how to do is kick people when they are down." the audience broke into a clamor, some voicing their doubts and others ridiculing Carl.
Damien sheathed his sword and turned to leave.
" Damien " Carl called out to him.
Damien stopped and looked at him.
" I won't lose to you again"
" Okay," Damien simply nodded and got down.
Carl: ....
" Is he looking down on me, bastard " Carl gritted his teeth in hate. However Damien could care less about his thoughts, he only had one enemy and one goal...everything else was trivial.
Once he stepped down, he was surrounded by his class people who asked him, if he was fine, whether he had fully recovered or not, and other stuff.
Damien felt tongue-tied listening to everyone at once, it could not be helped after all he was not a social butterfly.
Jason walked over with a smile and pushed through the crowd..." You should all give space to my bro"
" How does it feel to be famous , huh ? "
" Not very good " Damien replied with a chuckle.
" Come on everyone, tonight's dinner is on me...we celebrate Damien " Jason announced pulling Damien along.
In the stands, the scouts from the different guilds were looking at Damien in shock.
" There is no doubt...his force strength has broken into the Rank 1 slayer stages, " the pink-haired lady said.
" He should be about 16 years right " someone added. A sixteen-year-old Rank 1 slayer, there were only a few in history but they had all become at least Rank 8 slayers.
Their gaze towards Damien intensified.
" He has to join my guild," they all thought.
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At a restaurant in the academy, the members of the Emperor class had occupied the first floor and were eating heartily, every now and then, they would praise Damien.
" Originally after you defeated me, I thought I could catch up and even surpass you but as the days passed...the gap between our strength kept widening...I am afraid I may never be able to catch up to you "
Damien looked at Jason's downcast expression...he wanted to encourage his friend but he did not know the words to use.
He could not say, don't worry you will surpass me one day, could he?
" But I won't give up, if one day you are all alone and you look back, you will find make standing right behind you. "
Damien nodded.
" By the way, the guilds may contact you soon "
" Guilds? "
" Yes, with your performance today, I am sure of it...The guilds are established by the senior Slayers...one has to be Rank 6 before they can create their own guilds, there are many benefits of joining guilds too....." Jason went into details about the guilds.
_____________________________________________________________
Later that evening, after Jason's celebration dinner, Damien decided to take a quiet stroll across the academy grounds. The night air was crisp, the distant stars scattered like diamonds in the velvet sky. For once, the world around him seemed peaceful, he did not feel like training tonight, he just wanted this peace to last forever
But peace, it seemed, would be fleeting.
From the shadows of a nearby pavilion, a figure stepped forward—a woman with striking pink hair tied neatly into a high ponytail. Her piercing blue eyes locked onto Damien with a gaze that was sharp and calculating. She was dressed in a sleek uniform embroidered with the emblem of her guild, the Silver Vanguards, one of the top guilds in the empire.
"Damien," she called out, her voice steady but carrying a weight of authority.
Damien paused mid-step, his brow furrowing. He recognized her aura immediately—it was powerful, far beyond that of most Slayers in the academy.
"Can I help you?" he asked, his voice calm but guarded.
The woman smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "That depends on your definition of help. Allow me to introduce myself—Selina Vorn, Vice-Captain of the Ironfang Vanguards. I've come to discuss an opportunity with you."
Before Damien could respond, two more figures emerged from the shadows—a white-haired young man with a relaxed demeanor and a stoic older man with a scar running across his cheek. They were dressed in the insignia of different guilds, their gazes fixed on Damien like hunters sizing up their prey.
"This isn't just about her guild," the white-haired man spoke, offering a lazy grin. "I'm Lars, representing the Shadowspire Alliance. Looks like you've got a few admirers tonight."
Damien's eyes narrowed. He wasn't a fan of being cornered, even by powerful figures. "And the third?" he asked, nodding toward the older man.
The scarred man inclined his head slightly. "Torin, from the Iron Shield Alliance. We mean no harm, Damien. We're simply here to offer you a choice."
" Ironfang, Shadowspire, and Ironshield...these were the top 3 guilds Jason mentioned
"A choice?" Damien echoed, crossing his arms.
Selina stepped forward, her presence commanding. "We've been observing you since the Demon Hunting Expedition, and after today's display, it's clear you're a rising star. Each of us represents a guild that would be honored to have someone of your potential among our ranks."
Lars chuckled. "What she's saying is, you're a hot commodity right now. And we're all here to sweeten the deal."
Selina shot him a glare but didn't deny it. Instead, she extended a small crystal vial filled with a glowing golden liquid. "This is a Tier 2 Magic Potion. It enhances your Force recovery and strengthens your stamina temporarily. Join the Silver Vanguards, and this is just a taste of what we can offer—access to resources, advanced training, high-tier missions, and contribution points to climb the ranks quickly."
Lars stepped in, pulling out a small jade talisman. "The Shadowspire Alliance can match that and more. This talisman grants you entry to restricted training grounds exclusive to our guild. You'll have access to Slayer-level sparring partners and missions that'll push you to your limits—and pay handsomely."
Torin remained silent for a moment before speaking, his deep voice steady. "The Iron Shield Alliance isn't flashy, but we provide stability. You'll have a team that prioritizes unity and discipline. We offer long-term investments in our members—customized weapons, armor crafted by master blacksmiths, and a network that extends across the empire."
Damien listened quietly, his expression unreadable.
"All of this… just for me?" he asked, his tone skeptical.
"Of course," Selina replied. "Your performance speaks for itself. A sixteen-year-old Rank 1 Slayer with the potential to surpass us all? You'd be a fool not to see how valuable you are."
Lars shrugged. "She's not wrong. But don't let her scare you into thinking it's all serious business. With us, you'll have freedom, resources,, and missions that the other guilds cannot provide."
Torin folded his arms. "Or you could choose a guild that values loyalty and the bonds of a team over fame and fortune."
Damien sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. He wasn't used to this level of attention, and their offers, while tempting, felt overwhelming.
"Let me guess," he said, his voice dry. "If I don't choose now, the offers vanish?"
Selina smirked. "Hardly. But don't take too long to decide. Opportunities like this don't wait forever."
Lars laughed. "Take your time, kid. But remember, the Shadowspire Alliance values your freedom when you join."
Torin simply nodded. "Think carefully. We'll respect your decision, whatever it may be."
With that, the three guild representatives turned and walked away, leaving Damien alone once more under the starry sky.
Damien had already made up his mind to join a guild...it was the fastest way to become stronger, the guild would give you resources and in return, you had to fulfill the missions they gave out.
Most of the missions were to kill Otherworld monsters, so Damien felt like he had killed two birds with one stone.
As for which guild it was, he also valued freedom, he knew Lars was not lying....or the others would have pointed it out unless they did not want him in their guilds and that was unlikely and since they did not also offer freedom, Damien knew they could not offer it or it paled in comparison to the type of freedom Shadowspire could offer.