[Northern Training Arena – Midnight]
Winter stood at the center of the frosted ring, her breath forming crystals in the air. Around her, a group of elite senior students—S-rank mages, swordmasters, and summoned beast users—circled like vultures.
"Still think you're the strongest, Ice Queen?" one sneered.
She didn't answer.
> [System Notification: Draconic Core – Stable]
[Skill: Frostflare Pulse – Ready]
[Combat Limiters: Off]
She raised her hand.
And then—
The world went white.
A dome of pure frost exploded from her core, halting every mana thread within thirty feet. The other students froze mid-cast, their auras extinguished in an instant.
> Crack—crack—CRACK.
Weapons shattered. Barriers disintegrated.
Even the arena walls began to ice over.
Winter opened her eyes—now glowing with a deep, glacial blue.
> "Still want to test me?"
The others dropped to their knees.
---
[Academy – Watchtower]
Lohan watched from the shadows, arms crossed.
"She awakened it faster than I expected."
A slow grin tugged at his lips.
> "Interesting."
Behind him, a transmission rune flared to life.
> [Incoming Mission: Priority Black – Unknown Divine Agent Infiltrating Academy Grounds]
> [Reward: 1 Divine Fragment]
[Penalty for Ignoring: Death]
He rolled his neck.
> "Guess it's my turn."
---
[Eastern Forest – Just Outside the Barrier]
Justine kneeled by a tree, eyes shut, whispering in an ancient tongue. Her skin steamed as divinity bled out of her—too unstable to hide, too dangerous to suppress.
> "He's stronger than before," she muttered. "The blade responded to him."
She looked up at the moon, fingers trembling.
> "...Why did I hesitate back then?"
The ground behind her rippled.
A shadow emerged, clad in robes stitched with the symbols of a lesser god.
"Fallen Disciple Justine," the figure said. "Your hesitation is our final warning."
She didn't turn.
She just smiled.
> "Then let's see if I still remember how to kill."
---
[Academy – Night Watch Grounds]
The assassin descended—fast, cloaked in silence, blades humming with divine venom.
His target: Lohan Ardyn.
But the moment he struck—
Clang!
His dagger met the edge of Ashen Vow.
"You picked the wrong mortal," Lohan said coldly.
With a twist of his blade, he broke the assassin's wrist—and kicked him across the courtyard.
> [Skill Activated – Soulburn Slash]
Lohan blinked forward, his sword glowing red.
And then, with one clean slash—
> BOOM!
The divine agent exploded into ash and flame.
---