Noel kicked aside the last twitching corpse of an Obsidian Drakehound, exhaling slowly as its black scales dulled to gray. Steam rose from the ground, mixing with the fading crackle of lightning in the air. Revenant Fang dripped molten blood, still vibrating faintly from the impact of his last strike.

Above him, Noir in her massive form trotted over the ruin of the battlefield—shattered stone, scorched earth, frozen spikes jutting from walls like jagged teeth.

She lowered her huge head, golden eyes narrowing.

'Dad… we've been here for hours.'

Noel rolled his shoulder, feeling the ache settle in. "I know."

'No, seriously,' Noir insisted, voice softer but firm. 'Hours. Long ones. You've killed at least twenty Ascendant monsters and who knows how many Adepts. Your core is already around 84%. You've done enough.'

He wiped his blade on the fur of a fallen beast, then sheathed it with a smooth click.

"I could push a little more."

Noir's tail slapped the ground loudly—like a warning crack of a whip.

'Dad. Remember what happens when you "push a little more."

You overwork. You collapse. And then I have to drag your half-dead body back to the academy while everyone stares at me like I'm the irresponsible one.'

Noel snorted despite himself. "You complain, but you still drag me every time."

'I do,' Noir admitted, puffing her massive chest proudly. 'Because you're my Dad. But that doesn't mean I want to do it today.'

He took a slow breath, feeling the pressure in his core—full but not overflowing. The monsters here were good training, but Noir had a point.

"You think I'm overdoing it already?"

'Oh, absolutely,' she replied without hesitation. 'Your cloak is dimming. Revenant Fang is humming like a headache. And you, silly human, are pretending your arms don't hurt.'

"…They don't."

'Liar.' She bumped her huge forehead against his shoulder gently. 'You did great today. You're growing faster than anyone your age should. But there's no point if you can't walk tomorrow.'

Noel stayed quiet for a moment, staring into the darkness of the cavern system. The thrill of fighting stronger monsters always pulled at him—but Noir's voice… grounded him.

"Fine," he conceded at last. "We'll head back soon."

Noir purred triumphantly, tail swishing.

'Good. Because if you had said "one more monster," I was going to bite your cloak and drag you out myself.'

He chuckled, patting her giant paw.

"Alright, alright. Let's finish the sweep and get out."

'Deal,' Noir said. 'But after that—you're resting. Or I'll tell the girls you overworked again.'

Noel froze.

"…You wouldn't."

Her grin was frighteningly smug.

'Try me.'

Noel exhaled lightly and stepped forward, boot crunching over crystallized frost from one of his earlier spells. The cavern ahead opened into a connected chamber—smaller than the previous ones, but dense with mana.

Noir shrank down into her small size in a swirl of shadow and hopped onto his shoulder.

'Alright, Dad. Last sweep. No detours. No "just one more."'

He smirked. "We'll see."

'No. We won't see. We will leave.'

But as they rounded the bend, the last wave of monsters emerged as if summoned by Noel's stubbornness.

Three Ironback Ravagers (Ascendant–Common).

A Frostscale Puma (Ascendant–Rare).

And behind them—

A hulking Stonejaw Brute (Ascendant–Elite).

Noir sighed dramatically. '…Dad.'

"Not my fault," Noel replied, drawing Revenant Fang. "They came to me."

He lifted his hand.

"Glacialis."

A spear of concentrated ice shot forward, piercing the lead Ravager through the throat. It dropped instantly.

The other two roared and charged.

Noel snapped his fingers.

"Flare Trap."

A sigil burst beneath their feet—

FWOOOOSH—

A pillar of flame shot upward, engulfing them. Their armored hides cracked under the sudden heat.

Before they even had time to fall, Noel moved.

He stepped in—

Slash.

Turn.

Slice.

Revenant Fang cut through them like softened metal.

Three windows blinked.

[You have slain Ironback Ravager (Ascendant – Common). You have received 0.02% Core Progress.]

[You have slain Ironback Ravager (Ascendant – Common). You have received 0.02% Core Progress.]

[You have slain Ironback Ravager (Ascendant – Common). You have received 0.02% Core Progress.]

[Current Core Progress: 84.29% — Mana Core: Ascendant]

The Frostscale Puma lunged silently, claws extended, mana freezing the air—

"Chain Flash."

Lightning erupted from Noel's hand, striking the Puma in the chest. The bolt split into three smaller arcs mid-air—

CRACK–CRACK–CRACK—

The creature convulsed violently and collapsed.

[You have slain Frostscale Puma (Ascendant – Rare). You have received 0.05% Core Progress.]

[Current Core Progress: 84.34% — Mana Core: Ascendant]

Only the Stonejaw Brute remained.

It stomped the ground, sending shockwaves rippling through the cavern.

Noir perched lightly on Noel's shoulder.

'Dad… cloak time. It's hostile.'

Noel nodded, letting the Veil of the Silent Sentinel pulse. The Brute's killing intent washed over him—then slipped past harmlessly as the cloak softened its targeting instinct.

"Too slow."

He dashed forward.

"Voltage Needle."

A crack of blue—

He pierced the Brute's eye socket cleanly.

The beast staggered back, howling—

Noel murmured the finishing spell.

"Ice Spike."

A forest of jagged ice erupted beneath the Brute, lifting and skewering it in a single violent burst.

It froze mid-scream.

Shattered.

[You have slain Stonejaw Brute (Ascendant – Elite). You have received 0.10% Core Progress.]

[Current Core Progress: 84.44% — Mana Core: Ascendant]

Silence fell.

Noir flicked her tail.

'Okay, Dad. Now we leave.'

Noel exhaled slowly. "Yeah… now we leave."

He sheathed Revenant Fang.

Training complete.

The long stone tunnel leading back to the surface hummed faintly with residual mana, lit by embedded runes that pulsed in steady intervals. Noel walked with calm, measured strides, cloak swaying behind him in quiet rhythm. Noir perched on his shoulder again, grooming her paw as if they hadn't just slaughtered half the dungeon.

As the final bend opened into the guarded checkpoint, Noel could already hear voices—low, tired, irritated.

Three hunters sat along the wall, clearly recovering after a rough expedition. A mix of humans and an elf, all Ascendant-level judging by the aura swirling faintly around them. Their armor was scratched, dented… scorched.

The moment they saw Noel approaching, their conversation halted.

One of them—a burly human with a severed horn necklace—squinted.

"…Kid? You went in alone?"

Another, the elf with ash-colored hair, tilted his head, puzzled. "Hold on. You were the one who walked past us earlier, right? Alone?"

Noel lifted a hand in greeting. "Yeah. Just finished a session."

The last hunter, a woman with a bow taller than she was, frowned in disbelief.

"Finished? You were down there for hours. Alone?"

Her eyes dropped to Revenant Fang… then to the scorch marks, the dust on Noel's boots, and the faint lingering mana on his cloak.

"…What rank are you?"

Noel shrugged casually. "Ascendant."

All three hunters stared at him.

"That's not—"

"—you're too calm—"

"—did you even break a sweat—?"

Noir yawned loudly on his shoulder.

'Dad sweats plenty. He just refuses to admit it.'

Noel ignored her.

The horned man pointed toward the deeper tunnels.

"Listen, uh… not to judge, but we turned back early. There's an Ascendant Elite Behemoth somewhere in there. Big one. Real big. We barely survived scouting it."

Noel nodded politely. "Yeah. We killed it."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

The elf blinked slowly. "…I'm sorry. You what?"

"We killed it," Noel repeated, as if he were describing the weather.

The huntress leaned forward, eyes wide. "How? That thing's been down there for weeks! Even teams avoid it!"

Noel simply tapped Revenant Fang's hilt.

"Good weapon. Good partner."

Noir puffed her chest proudly. 'Correct answer.'

The hunters exchanged looks—half awe, half confusion, half mild existential crisis.

"That's insane…"

"No way you're just Ascendant…"

"Where did you even learn to fight like that?"

Noel lifted a shoulder. "A little of everywhere."

The elf finally stood, offering a respectful nod.

"…Whoever you are, kid… you're a monster."

Noel chuckled. "I've been called worse."

The older guard at the gate overheard and stepped forward, shaking his head as he opened the exit.

"Let the boy through. And don't ask too many questions."

Noel walked past them with Noir perched confidently on his shoulder.

Behind him, whispers followed like startled wind.

"…He took down an Elite alone—"

"—Is he even human?—"

"—What kind of technique was that—?"

Noir flicked her tail smugly.

'Dad, they're scared of you.'

"They had to see how incredible I am," Noel murmured.

And with that, he stepped into the sunlight of Valon—ready to head home.

By the time Noel reached the outer streets of Valon, the sky had already begun to dim.

The sun dipped low behind the western spires, painting the castle towers in gold and violet. Streetlamps flickered awake one by one as merchants packed up their stalls and citizens hurried home.

Noir stretched lazily on his shoulder, tail brushing his cheek.

'Dad… aren't you tired?'

Noel rolled his shoulders, muscles aching but functional.

"We've been worse," he said. "And we'll probably be worse again soon."

Noir's ears twitched. 'You mean the Northern Isles.'

"Yeah."

As they crossed the main avenue, Noel felt eyes on him—not out of recognition, thanks to the cloak, but because he was absolutely covered in dried monster blood and dust. People gave him polite distance, assuming he'd come from a high-rank hunt.

Noel didn't bother hiding it. He did stink.

They passed through Valon's inner gate, guards saluting absentmindedly before doing a double take at Noel's… state.

No one questioned him though—Class S students tended to return from strange places looking far worse.

The academy's white stone walls rose ahead, the crest shimmering faintly under the torchlight.

Inside the courtyard, the evening breeze carried the scent of pine and fresh-cut grass. Students walked in groups toward the dining halls, laughing or arguing about assignments. None paid attention to the hooded, blood-stained figure slipping through the side walkway.

Noir sniffed the air and made a face. 'Dad… you smell like you fell into poop.'

"We killed everything we saw, and not fell into poop you know."

'That doesn't fix the smell.'

Noel sighed and climbed the stairs to the Class S dormitory. The hallways were quiet at this hour—most students were at dinner or still training.

He unlocked his door, stepped inside—

—and immediately wrinkled his nose.

"Yeah… I need a shower."

His cloak was crusted. His boots looked like he'd stomped through a swamp of monster guts. Revenant Fang hummed irritably as if offended by the grime. Even Noir hopped off his shoulder the moment they entered.

'I love you, Dad, but I'm not sitting next to you until you fix… that.'

Noel rolled his eyes and headed straight for the bathroom.

He needed hot water and soap. A lot of it.

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