Chapter 102: A New Semester Begins

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As Dabi walked towards his classroom, the morning sun casting long shadows across the academy grounds, his mind was focused on more than just the upcoming lessons. The Heart of Eternity—a powerful and ancient artifact—was in his possession, and it had been nearly two months since he'd taken money from Headmaster Raghnall Ferrin to acquire it. Dabi knew he couldn't reveal that he had purchased the item through the mysterious system shop. No one knew about his system, and he intended to keep it that way. Instead, he had crafted a believable story: the Heart of Eternity had been recovered from Loira's family vault, located in a ruin within a dangerous dimensional gate. Today, he planned to return the favor and hand over the powerful artifact to the headmaster.

"I'll find Headmaster Ferrin after class," Dabi thought, a slight frown creasing his forehead. Despite the headmaster's trust in him, the weight of deception lingered, but Dabi reminded himself that it was a necessary act. He had bigger enemies to face, and for that, he needed allies like Raghnall Ferrin to be at full strength.

Upon reaching the classroom, a new face greeted him and the other students. A tall man with sharp eyes and a formidable presence stood at the front, exuding an aura of power and confidence. "I am your new combat instructor, - Farag Ferrin" the man announced in a deep, steady voice. "This semester, you will learn to fight not just different types of monsters, but also how to adapt to difficult situations, ones where your lives may be on the line. By the end of this semester, each of you will face the ultimate test: soloing a dimension gate for your final exam."

A murmur of excitement and nervousness rippled through the room, but Dabi remained calm. He had raided dimension gates more times than he could count, and he was no stranger to dangerous situations. In fact, the combat training that his classmates were anxious about seemed almost like a break to him. "This semester might actually be a peaceful one," Dabi thought with a smirk. Little did he know, the tranquility he hoped for was about to be disrupted.

As the afternoon sun began to descend, signaling the end of class, Dabi gathered his things and made his way towards the headmaster's office. The hallways were mostly empty, with only a few students lingering around, chatting or studying in groups. Dabi preferred solitude, a habit ingrained in him from his childhood when his weakness had set him apart from his peers. But now, he was different—stronger, more capable. His powers had grown exponentially since his awakening, and with the Heart of Eternity in his possession, he was about to change the course of the academy's future as well.

He knocked on the heavy wooden door of the headmaster's office. "Come in," called a familiar voice from within. As Dabi stepped inside, Raghnall Ferrin greeted him with a warm smile. The headmaster, a man who had once been one of the most powerful saints in the world, now stood weakened by an old injury. Yet, there was still a commanding presence about him, a reminder of the strength that had once coursed through him.

"How are you, Dabi? What have you been up to lately?" Ferrin asked, motioning for Dabi to sit.

Dabi settled into the chair across from him, his expression serious. "I was in a difficult situation recently, Headmaster," he began. "I tried to find you, but you were out of town."

Raghnall Ferrin's eyes narrowed with concern. "Tell me what happened."

Dabi recounted the harrowing encounter with Zarek, the rogue who had attempted to capture Loira. He explained how Zen and the Velin family had come to his aid, and how they had uncovered a shocking truth: Zarek was not acting on his own, but was a servant of an ancient race. "They are far more powerful than saints," Dabi said, his voice lowering. "Loira told me that 2000 years ago, this race had at least 14 individuals stronger than saints. I can only imagine how many they might have now. Their goal is to conquer all the world, and every race their servants."

The headmaster's brow furrowed deeply. "An ancient race, you say? We have no records of any such race... Our history before 1000 years ago is lost to us."

Dabi nodded. "I believe they originate from the Void Era. We have very little information about them, but they are not to be underestimated. Loira said they can't come different in our world, but they can send Thier servants and minions. We need to be careful."

Raghnall Ferrin sighed heavily. "This is troubling news indeed. I must speak with Loira about this ancient race. Can you arrange a meeting with her?"

"I can," Dabi replied. "But she's still recovering from the injuries she sustained. You'll have to wait a bit. Soon you will also be on recuperation."

The headmaster leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled in thought. "Very well. But what did you mean when you said I would be on 'recuperation' soon?"

Dabi smiled slightly and reached into his pocket, activating his dimensional storage skill. From the invisible space, he pulled out the Heart of Eternity. The artifact gleamed in the dim light of the office, its golden and silver curves reflecting a soft glow. The headmaster's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Is that...?" Raghnall Ferrin began, his voice trailing off as he stared at the item.

Dabi nodded and placed it on the desk in front of him. "The Heart of Eternity. It's real. I got it for you."

For a moment, the headmaster was speechless. He had given Dabi a substantial amount of gold—1.5 billion—but even he had doubted that the legendary artifact would ever be found. The Heart of Eternity was an item lost to history, known only through fragmented texts, Which found in a ruins by a Oracle 950 years ago. Yet here it was, sitting before him.

"Oracle's are scholar's who devoted them to studying old text and research after crossing void breaker rank. They are same rank as saint but battle power is little weaker."

Dabi watched as the headmaster picked up the artifact with reverence, his hands trembling slightly. "This... This can heal any injury," Ferrin whispered. "I've read about it, but never thought I'd see it with my own eyes."

"It has limits," Dabi cautioned. "The Heart's healing power is finite, and once it's exhausted, there's no known way to recharge it."

Raghnall Ferrin nodded, his eyes still fixed on the Heart of Eternity. "It's been almost 12 years since I fell from the saint rank," he murmured. "I've been stuck at grandmaster ever since... but with this, I can finally regain my power."

Dabi stood. "I'm glad I could help, Headmaster. You deserve to be at full strength again."

As Dabi turned to leave, Raghnall Ferrin spoke again. "Wait, Dabi. I have a task for you."

Dabi paused and looked back at the headmaster, curiosity piqued.

"Next week is the entrance exam for new students. I want you to go to Darkwood City as Astral Heaven Academy's recruiter this year. It's the city you've called home for 18 years."

Dabi hesitated. "I can go, but... I'm not sure if I'll be able to recruit anyone. Growing up, I was always alone. People praised my academic results, but I was weak. No one really wanted to be around me."

Raghnall Ferrin smiled. "Don't worry about that. Just go and see if you find any promising students. Also, start preparing for the National Ranking Tournament. Astral Heaven Academy hasn't participated in the tournament since I was injured, and we've lost our status as the number one academy. It's time to reclaim our place."

Dabi nodded slowly. "I'll do my best, Headmaster. Can I bring someone with me?"

"Zen, right?" the headmaster asked knowingly. "You're both from Darkwood City, and I think it'll do him good to go home for a while. But keep your distance from the Vantore family. Reniel Vantore might be there, and although they've promised not to interfere, it's best to avoid him."

With that, Dabi left the office, his thoughts swirling. As he returned home, he found his siblings playing with Fen and Whity in the yard, while Nafo sat perched on the roof, watching over them like a silent guardian.

"I'm going to visit our old home for a few days," Dabi told Eli and Mira. "Do you want to come with me?"

His siblings' eyes lit up with excitement. "We'll have to ask for leave from school," Eli said. "But we definitely want to go!"

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