The gates of the Survival Domain slowly opened.
Cold air rolled outward from the massive entrance while students began stumbling out one by one, exhausted, bruised, dirty, but alive.
Some dragged monster corpses behind them.
Some clutched glowing monster cores tightly like treasures.
Others simply collapsed the moment they crossed back into the academy grounds.
The atmosphere around Star Martial Academy had completely changed from earlier.
Before entering the gate, everyone carried confidence.
Now?
Only the strong still stood tall.
And among them—
The names people whispered the most were obvious.
"Luciferus…"
"That black energy…"
"And Serenity too…"
"Those siblings are terrifying…"
The murmurs spread everywhere.
At the center of the courtyard, Luciferus walked out casually with his hands behind his head while Kara sat comfortably on his shoulder, chewing lightly on his sleeve.
The tiny Qilin looked oddly proud of itself.
Beside him, Serenity walked quietly, expression calm as always.
Meanwhile behind them—
Mystic exited the gate looking completely drained.
The moment his feet touched academy ground he let out a long sigh.
"…Finally."
He looked like a man who had just survived a full-time job instead of an entrance exam.
Camry walked beside him carrying several monster cores in a small bag made of frost.
"You complain too much."
Mystic looked at her blankly.
"And you enjoy fighting too much."
"I do."
"…See? That's concerning."
Camry smirked slightly.
A few meters away, Riven dropped to a crouch the moment he exited.
"Man… I'm tired."
Lightning sparks still danced faintly around his fingers.
Daxen walked beside him looking calmer, though scorch marks covered parts of his jacket.
"You were screaming the whole fight."
Riven pointed at him instantly.
"You were screaming too!"
"That's different."
"How?"
"My screaming had style."
Riven stared at him for a second before laughing loudly.
"You're actually insane."
Not far from them, Borin and Zayfer stepped through the gate next.
Borin stretched his shoulders and grinned.
"That was fun."
Zayfer looked at him.
"…You nearly got crushed three times."
"Yeah but I didn't."
"That doesn't make it better."
"It makes it legendary."
Zayfer sighed quietly.
"…I hate talking to you."
"You love talking to me."
"No."
"Close enough."
The students around them slowly began gathering in the central courtyard where Instructor Kael stood waiting with his arms crossed behind his back.
The moment everyone arrived—
Silence naturally fell.
Kael looked over the students carefully.
His sharp eyes scanned every injury.
Every expression.
Every change.
And internally—
He was genuinely impressed.
Especially by two names.
Luciferus Bellet.
Serenity Bellet.
The recordings from the Survival Domain were still replaying in his mind.
The Chimera.
The black light.
That final attack.
Even now, remembering it made the barriers around the observation room seem laughably fragile.
Kael exhaled slowly.
"…You all survived."
His voice carried across the courtyard effortlessly.
"That alone already places you above most people your age."
The students straightened instinctively.
Kael continued.
"I observed everything during the trials."
Riven immediately muttered—
"Uh oh."
Daxen snorted.
"You definitely embarrassed yourself somehow."
"I looked majestic actually."
"You got slapped into a tree."
"That tree attacked me first."
Camry pinched the bridge of her nose.
Mystic looked like he wanted to go home immediately.
Kael ignored them and continued calmly.
"The cores you collected belong to you."
Instant excitement spread through the students.
Monster cores were valuable. Very valuable.
They could be sold, absorbed, forged into weapons, or used in cultivation technology.
Camry quietly clenched her frost bag tighter.
"Yes."
Riven grinned instantly.
"We're rich."
"You're barely rich," Daxen corrected.
"Don't ruin the moment."
Then—
Kael's gaze landed on Luciferus.
"And you."
Luciferus blinked.
"Me?"
Kael looked at Kara sitting on his shoulder.
"You may keep the Qilin."
Instant silence.
Even the instructors nearby looked surprised.
A Qilin was not a normal creature.
Some nations would start wars over divine beasts like that.
Yet Kael simply continued calmly.
"Nobody in this academy has the right to take it from you."
Liciferus smiled slightly.
"Thank you."
Kara let out a tiny growl proudly as if agreeing with the decision.
Serenity glanced at the little creature.
"She likes attention too much already."
Kara ignored her completely.
Kael raised a hand.
"Now for the rankings."
The atmosphere immediately became tense again.
Students straightened.
Some nervous.
Some excited.
Some already expecting disappointment.
Kael spoke clearly.
"First place…"
A small pause.
"Luciferus Bellet and Serenity Bellet."
Nobody argued.
Not even slightly.
After what happened inside the gate?
There was nothing to debate.
Riven folded his arms and nodded.
"Fair."
Daxen shrugged.
"I won't argue with that."
Camry looked thoughtful.
Mystic just looked tired.
Kael continued.
"Second place — Mystic Lunis."
Mystic froze.
"…Why am I getting so much attention…"
Riven burst out laughing.
"Because you punch holes through drakes with your bare hands, you psychopath."
Mystic looked genuinely offended.
"That was self-defense."
"You ripped its heart out."
"…Again. Self-defense."
Camry shook her head.
"He's hopeless."
Kael ignored the chaos.
"Third place — Camry Augustus."
Camry nodded calmly.
"Fourth place — Riven Groth and Daxen Timeless."
Riven smirked.
"I'll take it."
Daxen folded his arms.
"Next time we rank higher."
"Obviously."
"Fifth place — Zayfer Feral and Borin Maximus."
Borin immediately grinned.
"Hah! We're officially legends now."
Zayfer looked exhausted already.
"We barely survived."
"Details."
Kael continued listing the remaining students one by one until the rankings were complete.
Some students looked happy.
Others frustrated.
But none dared complain openly.
Not after seeing the monsters inside that domain.
Finally, Kael stepped forward again.
"Tomorrow…"
His voice sharpened slightly.
"You will return to choose your career paths."
The students immediately focused.
This was important.
Extremely important.
Within Star Martial Academy, career paths determined everything.
Combat divisions.
Magic specialization.
Beast taming.
Assassin paths.
Weapon mastery.
Strategic command.
Support arts.
And even rarer classes.
Kael continued.
"Go home."
"Rest."
"Recover your energy."
"Because once classes begin…"
His eyes hardened.
"We stop treating you like children."
The pressure behind those words was real.
Several students swallowed instinctively.
Then Kael turned and walked away.
The examination Was officially over.
The capital streets glowed beneath the evening sky.
Mana lamps lit the roads.
Airships moved silently far above the clouds.
Hunters walked through the streets carrying weapons openly while advertisements for guilds flickered across giant screens.
Earth-10 truly wasn't the same world anymore.
Luciferus and Serenity walked side by side through the streets peacefully.
For once—
Things felt normal.
Luciferus yawned loudly.
"I had a good time."
Serenity looked at him sideways.
"Yeah right."
Luciferus laughed.
"What? I did."
"You almost erased part of the exam."
"It survived didn't it?"
"That's not the point."
Luciferus stretched his arms behind his head.
Kara rested comfortably on top of his hair now like a tiny crown.
After a moment—
Luciferus looked up toward the darkening sky.
"…It's been a while since I saw father."
Serenity became quieter.
"…Yeah."
A small breeze passed through the street.
"He's probably out there looking down on us…"
Luciferus smiled faintly.
"…Or erasing enemies."
Serenity nodded.
"That sounds more accurate."
Luciferus laughed softly.
Then sighed.
"Yeah… maybe I should go easy on mom."
Serenity raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"Not give her too much trouble."
A voice suddenly spoke from behind them.
"Brat… you finally realized you're troublesome?"
Both twins froze.
Then instantly turned around.
"Mom!"
Lysera stood there smiling casually with her arms crossed.
Beautiful as always.
Dangerous as always.
Luciferus blinked.
"Mom wh—what are you doing here?"
Lysera tilted her head innocently.
"Oh? Am I not allowed to go anywhere now?"
Serenity narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"That's not what he meant."
Lysera smiled.
"I was simply curious about the teachers of your academy."
Serenity suddenly stopped walking.
Then slowly covered her mouth.
"…Mom."
Lysera blinked.
"What?"
"…You didn't kill them did you?"
SMACK.
Lysera hit Serenity on the head instantly.
"Brat. What do you take me for?"
Serenity rubbed her head dramatically.
"A very dangerous woman."
"That's fair but still disrespectful."
Luciferus laughed loudly.
Lysera sighed and walked between them before pulling both closer with her arms.
"It's just normal parent behavior."
"Parents get curious."
Luciferus and Serenity exchanged looks before smiling slightly.
"…Sure."
They continued walking home together beneath the glowing lights of the capital.
A rare peaceful moment.
Far beyond Earth-10.
Beyond universes.
Beyond dimensions.
Beyond the reach of ordinary existence—
The Palace of Twelve Shadows stood silently.
An endless kingdom of black light.
At the center of the throne hall—
Ashura Bellet sat upon his throne.
One leg crossed over the other.
Black light moved around him like living authority itself.
And before him floated countless visions from Earth-10.
Luciferus.
Serenity.
Their growth.
Their laughter.
Their fights.
Ashura watched quietly.
Then smiled faintly.
"…Look at them acting all grown up."
A small laugh escaped him.
"…Kids these days."
The throne hall remained silent as Ashura slowly stood.
His cloak of black light shifted behind him while he began walking through the endless halls of the palace.
Each step carried pressure capable of shaking realities.
Yet his expression remained relaxed.
Thoughtful.
After a while—
Ashura stopped.
Then reached into his pocket.
The golden bead Veldoza once gave him rested in his palm.
Ashura looked at it quietly.
And remembered—
"If you ever decide to visit my reality…"
Veldoza's voice echoed in memory.
"…Just pour some energy into the bead."
"It will open a gate just like the one I stepped through."
"Depending on your energy…"
"The gate will change color."
"In my reality…"
Veldoza smiled during that memory.
"…We fight beings capable of destroying hypoverses."
A hypoverse.
A structure even greater than multiversal existence.
A universe made from endless multiverses layered together.
Ashura smiled slightly.
"…Sounds entertaining."
Then—
He poured a small amount of black light into the bead.
Instantly The golden color vanished.
It turned black.
The surrounding palace trembled softly.
Then space split apart.
A massive black gate slowly opened before him.
The pressure leaking from the other side alone distorted reality.
Ashura looked over his shoulder calmly.
"Armageddon."
BOOM.
A black distortion formed instantly behind him.
Armageddon appeared kneeling immediately in his humanoid form.
"Yes sovereign?"
Ashura looked back toward the gate.
"Watch over things until I return."
Armageddon lowered his head.
"As you wish… oh Eternal One."
Ashura smiled faintly.
Then Without hesitation He stepped through the black gate and the portal slowly closed behind him.