Chapter 9: Forgebound Power
The evening breeze was crisp as Yujin stood alone on the balcony of Dorm Block A, hands resting on the railing. His sharp gaze stared toward the glowing mana towers in the distance. His mind wandered—about strength, the future, and the threats still lurking.
Ding!
A message appeared on his crystal tablet.
> [Dargan Steelshard]: "The weapons are ready. Come immediately."
Yujin raised an eyebrow. Almost at the same moment, Kain appeared behind him, holding up his own tablet with the same message. "Let's go."
They quickly got dressed in layered travel gear and made their way to the academy's warp portal. The coordinates were already loaded.
A flash of light, and they vanished.
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The portal deposited them in front of a large, stone-built house nestled in a snowy cliffside. Lava pipes ran across its walls, emitting waves of heat.
Inside, it was boiling. Sweat began to bead on their foreheads instantly. The sound of relentless hammering echoed through the hall.
"Over here!" came a gruff voice.
Dargan Steelshard, the world's best blacksmith, stood shirtless, flames dancing behind him. His hammer still sizzled from contact with enchanted steel. "Follow me. You're gonna like this."
He led them down a spiraling staircase into a massive underground vault, where ancient runes glowed along the walls.
And then they saw it.
First, Kain's weapon—resting on a stone pedestal. A sword emitting dense blue mana that swirled like mist.
Phantom Blade.
Forged from the Frost Lord's Core, it had the power to cut through illusions, mana shields, and even paralyze enemies with cold pressure.
Kain grabbed the hilt. The moment his fingers closed around it, a gust of frost blew outward, covering the vault floor in thin ice.
Then came Yujin's weapon.
Two long pistols mounted on dark silver grips, glowing crimson from within. Fire mana radiated off them in intense bursts, the heat almost unbearable.
Demon Howl.
Crafted from Demon Lord El Diablo's Core, it was said to fire condensed magic bullets that burned through even dimensional barriers.
Yujin picked them up, and a surge of power shot through his arms. One of the walls behind him cracked, unable to handle the pressure of the aura.
Dargan grinned. "These two weapons are bound to you now. Also—" He pulled out two sleek black rings. "Special storage rings. Given only to cadets who pass the first semester with honors."
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They returned to Star Academy late at night. Students had already gone to their dorms. No one noticed the two boys heading toward the Virtual Dungeon Training Room.
Yujin tapped the console. "Simulation: Demonic Siege. 80 enemies. No support."
Inside, it was chaos.
Flames. Shadows. Dozens of demon-type constructs charging at them with axes, whips, and magic.
Kain dashed forward first, Phantom Blade slashing through the air. Each swing left behind a frozen trail, enemies shattering with a single clean hit. One demon raised its arm to cast—Kain's blade cut through both arm and spell.
Yujin stood still, one pistol aimed.
BANG.
A high-speed bullet slammed into a demon's forehead. Before it fell, he had already fired four more times—each shot precise, leaving trails of fiery mana in the air.
He spun, switching to the second pistol.
BANG-BANG!
Two enemies evaporated into steam as the bullets exploded inside them.
"Damn," Kain muttered, grinning mid-swing. "These things are insane."
Yujin simply smiled. "Perfect."
The final wave arrived—elite demons with layered barriers. Kain leapt, coating his blade with mana, and executed a wide slash. Ice shot across the battlefield, freezing the front line.
Yujin dashed past him, pistols glowing white-hot. He fired at the largest one—six shots in a pattern. Each bullet struck in sync with Kain's blade, causing a perfect elemental combo.
Within moments, silence returned.
They both stood, breathing heavily, surrounded by burning and frozen bodies.
Yujin holstered his weapons. "Before the second semester, let's hit a real dungeon."
Kain nodded. "Let's bring Taro Blaze. We'll need his brute strength if things go south."
They left the chamber and returned to their dorms. Neither spoke much after that. They didn't need to.
They were stronger now. Ready for the next level.
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