After the ceremony, I returned home immediately, with my focus centered on seeing my siblings.

It has been some time since we had spent quality time together, and I was eager to see them.

As I entered the house, the warmth of familiarity washed over me.

I could hear the laughter of Percy and Jackson drifting in from the backyard, where they were playing.

The sight brought a rare smile to my face; these were the moments I fought for, the moments that reminded me of my purpose.

"Hey you two..." I called out, kneeling beside them. Percy and Jackson looked up, their faces lighting up at the sight of their older brother.

I could see the curiosity in their eyes, they knew that when I called for a talk, it was usually important.

"What is it Levi?" Jackson asked, his eyes sparkling with a mix of curiosity and concern.

I hesitated, trying my best to choose my next words carefully. "Now that the semester is finally over, I'm going to take some time for myself..."

Percy's face fell and he crossed his arms defiantly. "Are you going somewhere far? We want to come with you!".

My heart softened, and I reached out to place a palm on his shoulder. "No, it's not a place for you. I promise I won't be long. But I need you both to stay safe here. I've arranged Kovira to look after you while I'm gone."

Jackson looked down with a slight frown on his face. "But what if something happens? What if we need you?"

My gaze softened as I looked between them. "I will be back soon," I replied earnestly with my voice filled with sincerity.

"This is something I must do alone. You both have to trust me."

After a moment of silence, Percy finally nodded, though the worry in his eyes hadn't faded entirely. " Okay, we'll be safe. Right, Jackson?"

Jackson sighed heavily but ultimately agreed. "Fine, but you better come back soon, okay?"

I ruffled their hair affectionately, a fond smile on my face. "I promise..."

With my siblings reassured, I turned my attention to the preparations for my next assignment.

This wouldn't be a simple task as it was going to be my very first attempt at venturing into the unknown dimension of The Hoseki, where dangers and mysteries awaited me at every turn.

I knew I was fully prepared, but the thought of stepping into a realm of challenges even my parents couldn't conquer filled me with a creeping sense of doubt but also excitement and trepidation.

I gathered my gear, double checking each item to ensure I had everything I might need.

Potions, food supplies and tools were meticulously packed, along with weapons and armour.

Every item was carefully chosen, each one holding the potential to be the difference between life and death.

As I packed, I paused to check if the artifact which Chancellor Hans Wagner gave me was intact. It was designed to give the user the ability to regenerate his or her Arcane reserves extremely quickly naturally without using Anti-arcane stones, that was very useful in my current situation, because the cocoon that would metamorphosize my new Arcane pet was consuming a huge amount of Arcane energy from my reserves, and since I secured this item that steep decline wasn't an issue no more. Just as the energy was being drained it was also replenished.

And now the Metamorphosis stage was at a whooping 50%.

I knew that within these uncharted territory, I would encounter monsters and perhaps uncover secrets related to my family's past.

Before leaving, I took a moment to stand on the porch of the house, looking out over the familiar scene.

The backyard, where I had spent a lot of hours with my siblings, was bathed in the golden hues of the setting sun.

It was a sight I would carry with me, a memory to remind me of why I fought so hard.

The laughter, the warmth, the bond I shared with Percy and Jackson these were the things that gave me strength.

"Time to go," I murmured to myself, gripping my supplies bag tighter.

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of responsibility settle over me, with one last look at the house, I turned and made my way back to the academy.

»»»«««

CAMPUS GROUNDS

REAPER ASSOCIATION ACADEMY: CINDRALOCK

RESTRICTED AREA OF THE SCHOOL.

I arrived at the location just before the moon rose up, it was a pitch black night but I managed to make my way using an Arcane lamp for visibility.

The moment I stepped into the restricted area of the school that was cut off from the campus grounds, an overwhelming pressure wave hit my like a ton of bricks.

The air was unnecessarily hot and I could smell the waves of Anti-arcane energy hovering everywhere nuke and cranny of my line of sight.

"How can a Dungeon gate leak so much energy as if it's already open..." I muttered under my breath, using an arm to shield my nose from the stench.

On getting to the spot, I saw it, I saw the Hoseki — the half a century year old Dungeon gate that has released it's monsters into the world and is reportedly u sealable.

It was a massive gate, glowing with an ethereal light that seemed to pulse in time with my heart beat.

I stepped closer, and it was only then I noticed individuals standing on opposite sides leading to the threshold of the gate.

I recognized Chancellor Hans Wagner, Vice Chancellor Elara Voss, S-Rank Reaper Korvessa, Professor Fiona and a few other high ranking members of the school.

They were waiting for me, hoping for me. They had their hopes up, thinking that I would be the one to put perform my superiors and finally close this gate before it opens.

I truly don't know if I could do it, but as long as I can stand, I can fight and I will always try my best to not let those who believe in me down.

The Higher ups didn't say anything, they just watched me walked down the aisle and step right next to the threshold.

I inserted my hand and it immediately began to spaghettify.

There was no turning back now.

The air around me crackled with energy, and the gate shimmered, swirling with colours that danced before my eyes as the rest of my body was pulled in.

"Here goes nothing," I muttered, steeling myself for whatever awaited me in the other side.

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