Dante woke up drenched in sweat.

Ever since he had left home, the same nightmare tormented him every night. When Dante slept, images of his clan in flames, with his relatives screaming for help, invaded his mind.

On this particular night, the last until his trial to become a Slayer, the dream was the worst of all. He saw his sister, little Lou, screaming for help amidst the devouring flames.

The cultivator got out of bed, still stunned by what had happened. The small window of the room had no light, so Dante deduced it was still in the middle of the night.

Exercising his hard earned habit, Dante circulated his Qi. through his meridians. His meridians harbored red energy, which filled him with strength. The cultivator's body complained about the sudden flow of energy, which forced awakening.

Before long, he could feel the Falcon's energy embracing his muscles, invigorating his mind. Every cultivator had a Monster Core inside. Dante's, a Flaming Falcon, was typical of his clan. It wasn't extraordinary, but it was consistent. It made it possible to live a life beyond those who didn't manipulate Qi.

At such times, he couldn't help but imagine his talk with the Falcon. When a cultivator advanced to Gold, communication with the Monster Core was possible. Apparently, each monster had a unique personality. Dante bet his Hawk would be as determined as he was.

Satisfied, he opened the door and descended to the ground floor.

His room was not ideal, far from it. It was the sort of place that houses those who had nothing, or who had lost everything. A dump taken by hopelessness.

But it was all Dante could afford. He had invested every penny in his cultivation materials, so that he would be in his best condition for tomorrow.

As he descended the stairs, the sound of the tavern met his ears.

Despite the type of residents on the second floor, the tavern was home to all kinds of people. Cultivators showed their Qi openly, while others played games of precision with a dexterity beyond human.

On a small stage, a cultivator summoned little white stars around his body. He danced among the little orbs of energy, almost as if he were mingling with his own life force.

As he reached the bar, Dante's belly made a long noise. He sighed immediately, outraged at his own body's betrayal. Opening his pocket, Dante glimpsed just enough for a meal. If he ate now, he could not eat breakfast, and he would not be at his peak until the test. Priorities.

"What'll it be, kid?" asked a woman behind the counter. She had a strong bearing, the kind that has solved many problems by force.

"A cup of tea, please," replied Dante. That would have to be enough.

The woman looked at Dante long enough to become uncomfortable. "Tea, boy? You know this is a bar, right?"

Before Dante could open his mouth to complain, however, the woman went behind the counter and picked up some herbs, while putting water to heat in a nearby kettle.

"Thank you," was all Dante could say.

Anxiety and fear of tomorrow weighed heavily on the cultivator's shoulders. He didn't know exactly how the trial would turn out, and this weighed even more heavily on his mind. If it were a combat trial, Dante would certainly be at a disadvantage. His body, poorly nourished by cultivation materials over the years, was no match for a descendant of a noble clan.

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"The usual for me, please," said a man with a voice that made the cup in Dante's hand curl.

When he turned to see the figure, he found himself face to face with gray eyes staring into his own. The man was perhaps the biggest human Dante had ever seen. A kimono dressed his toned muscles, as if the man had just come out of training.

"Another for the boy here," the man said to the woman at the bar.

Dante protested, trying to stop the kindness. "No need, I'm not hungry."

Another roar from Dante's belly put his words in check with ease.

The man gave a long laugh. "Don't worry," he said, as he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

When the plate was served, Dante could not contain his desires. He devoured every drop of the stew, his mouth relishing in the spicy spices of the broth.

"Tell me, kid, why is someone like you here?" the man said, as he pointed to the rest of the bar. "You don't look like the kind who doesn't have a family, nor very adventurous."

Dante didn't know what to say. The world of cultivators was cruel. If he told the truth, he might become an easy target for other disciples who would attempt the trial tomorrow.

"I am getting ready for something important. I need to save money," Dante said timidly. He did not want to lie to his benefactor, but he was also not a fool to take unnecessary risks.

"Another one who wants to become a Slayer, oh," the man said, in a tone too loud.

Dante looked around, frightened. Many cultivators were staring at him.

A sudden pressure took over the boy's senses. An external force was oppressing his Qi, making him feel dizzy. Dante held his breath, not knowing what to do in the face of the sudden force.

When the sensation passed, he let out a long sigh.

"Don't worry, now they won't bother you anymore," the man said.

Only then did Dante realize that those who had been staring at him with a predatory gaze were also gasping for air, recovering from the sudden pressure.

"Who are you?" asked Dante. Few times in his life had Dante felt an actual intent behind Qi. Life energy could be used like this, he knew, but it took someone at a stage far beyond anyone in Dante's clan.

"I am who I am. My name is Marco. Nice to meet you," the man said, as he extended a hand to Dante.

Dante shook the cultivator's hand without blinking. Whoever he was, Dante had long ago learned that being nice to someone stronger than him was the smart decision.

"What is a cultivator like you doing here? I mean, you don't look like the guy who has no family," Dante asked with a slight smile. If he was out of his normal environment, so was the man. A cultivator of that level was no match for a bar.

The man smirked. "Well, it looks like the child has a tongue. All right, I'm here on business. I'm only staying for the day, so I might as well try to save a little."

Dante nodded in agreement, though he doubted a cultivator couldn't get a better place if he wished.

There were five levels of cultivators in the mortal realm. Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

Everyone had the potential to be Iron. It was enough just to manipulate Qi the first time, and the first meridians formed. Bronze, on the other hand, required the union of the cultivator with a Monster Core.

He couldn't even imagine what stage the man was at. That kind of Qi control, that intent, was something Dante had never seen equally. He himself, in Silver, could not even exert his Qi externally.

After eating, the man wasted no time. He got up, paid what he owed, and turned to Dante. "See you later, kid. Good luck tomorrow."

Before Dante could thank him, the cultivator had already gotten up and left.

Dante went back to his room, thoughtful. That was actual power. Power to change someone's night with no consequences. All his life, Dante had needed to measure the consequences of acts, no matter how insignificant. A ramen late at night meant a less generous meal another day.

A cultivator was someone who didn't have to answer to anyone. Someone blessed with freedom and wealth. A Slayer, even more so.

For the last time before the test, Dante sat up in bed and circulated his Qi.

Crimson energy danced through his meridians, stronger than ever. Dante was in the first Silver stage, but he could already clearly feel the difference in his body. His limbs were responding faster. His skin was more resistant.

Dante took the letter from his family in his hands. Every time he looked at it, he felt invigorated, more so than with any pill.

He needed to win. Not just for freedom. Not just to do what he wanted. But to give the same chance to his family, those who had always supported him. He would honor the Flaming Falcon clan.

One last time, he looked out the window. The small town that hosted the arena was quiet, asleep in the dead of night.

Tomorrow, the sun would rise, and with it, Dante's chance.

The immense building that the trial would take place crackled in blue. The Sapphire Sect was one of the largest in the world. Its Slayers, legends among legends.

It was time to sleep, because tomorrow was time to succeed.