Daylan dashed forward, sliding across the ground as he slashed an imp's throat.
Another came hurling toward him—he adjusted in an instant and drove his dagger into its forehead.
He stood still, his breath steady and slow, as the imps faded into nothing and vanished from the room.
"Are you sure you can take the two of us on? Astara's hearing is ranked at the advanced level, and her sword is at mastery. And don't forget—both my healing and sword skills are advanced too."
Daylan smirked. "Don't worry about me… I will be just fine."
Spiral Force System
[SPIRAL FORCE SYSTEM]
All things grow when they tarn. All truths are found in layers. All power builds when cycled.
Type: Advanced Ability
SUB-ABILITIES
Spiral Edge: 30% per cycle.
Spiral Edge: Rewind up to 1 minute. Max 7 loops per day.
Spiral Force: Max 10 per day. Less understanding.
Spiral Mind: No focus.
Dark Spiral: 35% per use. 2 minutes. Max 8 per day.
Daylan wore a deep grin. "You can heal instantly, right?"
Medora gave a firm nod.
The Illusion Room was a training ground reserved for the captain and his lieutenants—a place off-limits to ordinary Chivalries. But thanks to Astara's influence, they managed to secure it for a few hours each day. And despite the limited time, they made every second count.
Within a week, their hard work and determination had already begun to pay off.
Between personal training, quests, duels, and sessions in the Illusion Room, their progress was rapid—almost unheard of.
While it wasn't impossible—some great individuals had leveled up within days or weeks—it remained a rare feat. Yet they pulled it off.
Especially Astara, who pushed herself relentlessly, forging her sword into a mastery artifact in just a week—an incredible achievement, given how much harder it was to obtain a mastery ability compared to an advanced one.
Given their sudden improvements, Daylan was confident they were ready to face the people in black. But before setting out for The Coffee Shop, he wanted to test his ability—Dark Spiral.
He had tested it multiple times during training and figured out that the ability seized every emotion he felt once activated, channeling them into raw strength. But compared to how powerful he was during the tournament, it was clear the ability worked better in the dark.
And now, the percentage wasn't 5% anymore—it was 35%. He needed to know if that boost would put him on par with Astara and Medora's abilities.
Medora and Daylan grabbed their uniforms and left the illusion room, returning to their usual training center. Medora kept trying to talk him out of it, but Daylan did his best to assure her that he would be perfectly fine.
The moment they reached the training grounds, they spotted her—Astara. She was already training, slicing through the air with such precision it looked as if her blade could tear through dimensions.
As soon as she spotted them, she paused. "Are you sure you want to do this? You know if my sword touches you—it's over, right?"
Daylan scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile. "C'mon… Medora's here. She'll heal me."
"If you say so."
He wasn't afraid—he knew perfectly well they wouldn't kill him.
Daylan's voice grew steady and precise. "Two minutes. Once the two minutes are up, we stop. No holding back."
He turned to Medora. "You brought the timer, right?"
She gave a firm nod.
Daylan smirked.
Energy Manifest
In an instant, his palm landed on Astara's face, and he slammed her into the ground.
Medora dashed toward him, her sword swinging fast—but he blocked it effortlessly. Still, the force of the strike sent him sliding backward across the floor.
Before he knew it, Astara was back on her feet and sent a blade of light hurtling toward him. It was so fast, it caught him completely off guard.
Soul Spiral
In the blink of an eye, a shield formed in his hand, and he raised it just in time to block the strike.
Medora summoned her flames as they spread across the room, while Astara's sword began to glow with an intense light. Just the sight of it made Daylan feel weak.
Seizing the moment, both Medora and Astara lunged at him. It seemed inevitable—until, in a blink, Daylan appeared from Astara's shadow and struck her in the ribs before she could react, snuffing out the light from her sword.
The duel intensified. Blades flew at Daylan from all directions, but he weaved through the shadows to dodge many—though at times, he was still caught off guard.
The atmosphere grew hotter with every passing second, the building trembling under the force of their strikes. Even those outside could feel the rising heat as if the very ground beneath them was beginning to melt.
Before long, Daylan had only ten seconds left before Dark Spiral deactivated. He couldn't get close to Medora—her flames burned too intensely—and Astara's light was steadily draining his strength. Meanwhile, both of them were still going strong, their energy and power at their peak.
He refused to lose. As they charged at him, he seized the moment—hurling his dagger straight at the crystal bulb, shattering it.
In a flash, he vanished into the shadows, reappearing behind Astara to deliver a crushing blow that sent her crashing into the ground. Medora's eyes darted frantically, searching for him—but before she could react, she too was slammed down with brutal force.
In that instant, Dark Spiral deactivated—and the heat hit him all at once. His senses screamed in protest as he instinctively bolted out of the hall. Drenched in sweat, he avoided even brushing against his own skin. Every inch of him burned as if his cells were melting away with every breath.
He turned back toward the hall, watching as waves of heat shimmered through the air, the space practically evaporating from the intensity. And yet, Medora and Astara strolled out casually, unfazed—like the inferno hadn't touched them at all.
He instinctively wore a confused expression.
"How?"
Astara gave a casual nod toward Medora.
"Oh… she used her healing magic on me. Didn't feel a thing."
"So… you don't feel anything at all while your ability is active, but once it deactivates, everything hits you at once?" Medora asked, confused as she walked over to Daylan, placing a hand on him to heal his peeling skin.
As they walked through the halls, people shot them confused glances, bewildered by the state of the training center. Shards littered the floor, and deep strikes marred the walls, the building itself scorched and charred from the intensity of the battle.
Daylan glanced at his body, feeling as though he'd been reborn. The heat was gone, and he felt better than ever, but his uniform was completely burned.
Astara headed toward the library, her vest the only piece of clothing remaining intact as her uniform had been scorched. Medora and Daylan followed suit.
"You're right," Daylan said, nodding. "But I could tell something had to be hot or cold. I knew your flames were hot, just didn't know to what extent… you get me?"
Medora gave a firm nod.
"And I don't feel the damage inflicted on me after using it. I only felt it this time because it deactivated while I was still in the heat. I would've been perfectly fine if the hall hadn't been so hot when it deactivated."
The moment they reached the library, Astara grabbed two uniforms and tossed one to Daylan.
"When does everything begin?"
Medora and Daylan took their seats, leaned back, and relaxed as Medora held Daylan's hand.
"Tomorrow… tomorrow afternoon."
Medora clenched Daylan's hand tightly, causing him to scream out.
"We can't wear the mask with our uniforms—it'd be obvious we're from the Honor Chivalry. But we also can't leave the monastery without them. Has anyone thought about that yet?"
Astara stood by her desk, wiping herself with a towel. "Yeah, I did. I told Captain Stanley I wanted us to live among the citizens, take down demonic monsters, and really get a feel for the outside world. He agreed—said it'd help me understand the people better and grow even stronger."
Daylan smirked, though he couldn't quite tell why.
"Starting tomorrow, we won't be coming back until everything is settled. I've already secured a house for us, so we'll be living there from now on."
Daylan glanced at Astara. "I'm sure that cost quite a bit, but it's a solid plan. We'll be able to stay under the radar and have the peace of mind to reassess our strategies. Just hoping the house isn't too close to The Coffee Shop."
Astara gave a small smile. "Don't worry, it's far from The Coffee Shop. I made sure to choose a place that's quiet and isolated enough for us to focus on what we need to do without any distractions."
Daylan gave her a big grin and a thumbs up.
Their wait was over, and the journey ahead could lead to their downfall or their triumph.
But they were prepared, both mentally and physically. Unless something shattered their resolve, they were confident they'd return unscathed.