"Power isn't just about how much you can take—it's about how much you can endure."
Hunter Academy – Dungeon Training Begins
The academy's combat instructors gathered the students at the massive underground training facility, a simulation chamber designed to replicate real dungeon conditions.
The air was thick with tension. Everyone knew that the upcoming China National Hunter School Competition would be the ultimate test of their generation.
And today's dungeon training?
It was meant to separate the truly elite from the mediocre.
Instructor Zhao stood at the front, his arms crossed, surveying the assembled students with a piercing gaze.
"This training simulation will push you to your limits," he said. "You will enter as teams. You will clear as many waves as possible. And if you fail to work together—"
He paused deliberately.
"You may not walk out of there without injuries."
Silence.
Some students swallowed nervously. Others grinned, eager for the challenge.
Joshua?
He simply adjusted his wrist wraps, unfazed.
"I fought in dungeons far worse than this in my past life. This should be easy."
That was, until he glanced at his assigned teammates.
Sung En & Wei Cheng.
He exhaled. "Of course."
The Dungeon Gates Open
With a deep metallic groan, the gates to the simulation dungeon slid open, revealing a dark, cavernous battlefield.
Joshua and his team stepped inside, weapons drawn.
[Dungeon Activated: Monster Horde Simulation – Mid-Tier Difficulty]
Almost instantly, the first wave of monsters appeared— a group of giant armored wolves, their crimson eyes glowing hungrily in the darkness.
Joshua smirked.
"Let's see how much I can push myself."
Battle Begins – Joshua's Precision, Sung En's Magic, Wei Cheng's Defense
The wolves lunged.
Wei Cheng moved first, stepping forward with his heavy shield, intercepting the beasts.
Sung En followed, conjuring wind-enhanced flames, launching searing projectiles that exploded upon impact, setting several monsters ablaze.
Joshua?
He moved with silent precision, his twin daggers a blur.
A wolf lunged at him—he sidestepped effortlessly, driving a dagger into its skull.
Another beast tried to flank him—he twisted mid-air, kicking off its back and slashing its throat.
Their coordination wasn't perfect—but it was efficient.
The first wave fell quickly.
More monsters emerged.
A second wave. Then a third.
The deeper they went, the stronger the creatures became.
The Turning Point – Joshua Tests Dual Resonance Again
As they reached the fifth wave, the monsters shifted.
Their enemies were no longer just wolves.
They were Nightmares—shadow-infused creatures immune to normal attacks, requiring magic or high-density Aura to defeat.
This was a perfect chance to test something.
Joshua stepped forward, flipping his daggers in his grip.
Time to see if his body could handle it now.
He inhaled sharply, channeling Aura and Mana at once.
[Attempting Skill Activation: Dual Resonance]
A surge of unstable energy erupted around him.
For a brief moment, his daggers glowed with perfect balance—half infused with Aura, half with Mana.
Then—he struck.
A single, devastating slash.
The Nightmare in front of him was bisected instantly, evaporating into nothing.
The power was incredible.
But then—the backlash hit.
Joshua's entire body screamed in pain.
A violent shockwave surged through his veins, his muscles spasming from the strain.
He staggered, clenching his teeth.
[WARNING: Dual Resonance is Unstable. Overuse Will Cause Internal Damage.]
His hands trembled slightly.
"Damn it."
He forced himself to steady his breathing, concealing the pain.
Sung En turned toward him, her sharp eyes narrowing.
"…Are you injured?"
Joshua gritted his teeth and shook his head. "I'm fine."
Sung En didn't look convinced.
The Final Wave – Joshua Pushes Himself Too Far
The final wave of monsters was the deadliest yet.
A massive six-legged obsidian beast emerged, its aura radiating overwhelming hostility.
It lunged toward Wei Cheng, its claws glowing with dark energy.
Joshua moved without thinking.
Ignoring the pain, he activated his Aura, sprinting toward the monster.
He slashed—but his movements were slower than before.
His body wasn't responding properly.
His strike was a fraction too late.
The beast's claws raked across his side—a deep wound blossomed, staining his uniform with blood.
He hissed in pain but kept fighting, refusing to fall.
Sung En's eyes widened.
She reacted instantly, conjuring a wind-enhanced barrier, pushing the monster back.
"Joshua—"
"I said, I'm fine!" Joshua cut in, his voice sharp.
For a moment, she was stunned.
Then her expression hardened.
She turned back to the beast, unleashing a devastating barrage of flame and wind, obliterating it completely.
Aftermath – The Unspoken Concern
As the simulation ended, the dungeon gates opened once more.
Joshua exhaled slowly, forcing himself to stand straight.
He ignored the sharp pain in his side, ignoring the blood soaking into his uniform.
Sung En watched him closely.
She didn't say anything.
She didn't confront him.
But she saw.
She saw the way he gripped his side subtly.
She saw the slight hesitation in his movements.
And most of all—she saw how he refused to acknowledge any weakness.
That bothered her more than she expected.
Dark Shadow – The Secret Organization
Far away from the academy, in a hidden underground base, an organization known as Dark Shadow held a meeting.
At the center of the dimly lit room, a woman with long, flowing black hair sat on an ornate chair, her gaze sharp and unreadable.
Yue.
Leader of Dark Shadow, an organization whose goal was to dismantle the monarchy and break the control of noble factions over hunters.
"The National Hunter School Competition is approaching," one of her lieutenants reported.
Yue tapped her fingers against the table.
"Then we'll go," she said simply.
She smirked, a hint of intrigue glinting in her dark eyes.
"This generation might have… interesting prospects."
Her thoughts drifted to the 5-star Hybrid Aura user who rejected the 2nd Prince.
Perhaps, it was time to see him for herself.