The next few days passed quickly, like a flash. Now that Dante had managed to kill a few class D monsters, he was able to ascend to Silver VII while Sabrina and Rim prepared for ascension.

However, after a few days of killing D-level monsters, Dante's progression had stabilized again. He would need to at least solidify his core, according to Isaac, to reach the next stages. Then he knew how difficult it would be to achieve the desired gold.

The day before the announcement Hector had commented, Dante was at the height of anxiety. The day after tomorrow would be the big day. They would finally leave for the limits of the Qi areas, in search of Hector, Rim and Sabrina's progression.

Not all the details about the news were told, but still the anxiety consumed the young cultivator.

While following the usual routine, the scores of the four new friends did not change much. Sabrina, Hector and Rim were still comfortable at the top. Dante, however, had not yet reached the cut-off score.

Dante had wondered why they simply did not ascend to the castle, given that they would obtain spiritual treasures to access the necessary Qi with ease.

According to Hector, there was no way to be sure that those treasures would be enough, and when it came to moving on to gold, it was better to be sure. Accidents often occurred in progressions like this.

So, it was decided that the strategy would be to go to the point with the most concentrated Qi in the respective energy areas. Unfortunately, since there was no region dedicated to Shadow Qi, they would go to the limit of a region in the dead of night. That would have to be enough.

Meanwhile, Dante was back in his training room. Going to the middle of the hall, he performed his routine perfectly, just as he did every day.

First, he closed his eyes and felt the Qi of fire that permeated the environment. It was funny to look back and realize that a month ago, half of the Qi present there would have been enough to even hurt him.

However, now feeling the dense Qi of fire in contact with his skin was like coming back from a run and drinking an ice-cold glass of water. It was as if he had needed it all his life, but had never been told.

Taking a deep breath, he circulated the Qi through his meridians. His body was totally different from when he entered school.

He could feel his skin firm, immovable. At that moment, he felt invincible.

After making sure his core was at its peak, he reached out his hands and executed the yet unnamed technique. According to Sabrina, names were a serial thing, and should not be given randomly.

The claws, which before were nothing more than strangely formed and condensed Qi, now vaguely resembled those of a bird. They started out thick at the tip, and thinned out in a slightly curved manner.

The shape of the Qi, combined with the scorching temperature, made this a perfect weapon against the vast majority of the monsters Dante had fought so far.

But he knew that could change at any moment. Rim and Hector had speculated that more powerful monsters would soon be released to the students, which meant that Dante would need to get even stronger.

"You've come a long way, kid," Isaac said, emerging from a corner of the room. Dante could have sworn he had been alone for some time. "You are developing well. We will just need to strengthen your base for the progression to gold to occur well."

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

As Isaac approached, Dante noticed that something was different. Normally, Isaac would look at Dante like a carnivorous animal would look at a plant, without any kind of interest. Now, in that look... was it pity?

"I have another proposal, too. Have a seat."

The two sat down on the wooden base that Dante usually cultivated on. The platform seemed to conduct fire Qi well, because all the training so far has not even left a mark on its surface.

"I've been researching about people with physiques just like yours. Tell me, how do you think you'll do by the end of the year if you continue at the current rate of progression?"

"Well, I think things so far have been pretty good. But, come to think of it, all my peaks in progression happened when I faced monsters with different types of Qi. It seems that my body adapts to the other Qi. I also felt something different when I absorbed other types of fire. But now that I've killed a monster from each of the regions up to class D, I'm no longer sure."

Remembering the past few weeks, Dante can't help but be surprised at how well things worked out. He had managed to kill at least one Class D monster from each of the Qi regions and absorb one of the attacks of each monster. Sure, Sabrina had to save him a few times, but this was already becoming so routine that he wasn't even ashamed of it anymore.

"Yes, I thought the same thing. The thing is, I think we can accelerate your progress by utilizing your special physique."

"But I thought I was already advancing in the fastest possible way, no?"

"You're a smart young cultivator. Tell me, when you look at you and Hector, what do you think the chances are of beating him in, say, six months?" asked Isaac. He knew how discouraging the conversation would sound, but he needed Dante as motivated as possible if they were really going to use that method.

"I think I would need to advance at least to gold, and even then I'm not sure I would survive even a few seconds against him. If he was almost gold before we even entered the school, I can't even imagine how strong he is now," Dante said, dismay stamped in his voice.

"I think you're right. The problem is, the others at the top of the rankings are evolving rapidly. Unlike you, many were already on the slope to the gold stage. Rumor has it that the Draco clan is preparing a grand advancement ceremony. More than ten clan members will advance if the rumors are true. Do you know what this means?"

Dante looked at the ground, desolate. The feeling of helplessness gripped his being once more, making all the progress so far seem irrelevant.

"That's why I'm going to offer you a path. And I won't blame you if you don't choose to follow it, either. The pain you've already felt will be nothing compared to that, so be prepared."

Dante raised his head instantly, like a hungry man looking at a roasted lamb. He felt nothing less than a desire for the new chance of power. Greed overtook him. As long as he didn't stay behind and helped his friends, he would do anything.

"I thought that would be it. Now, after you spent quite a while with the new Qi, in addition to the increased regenerative ability, you told me that new types of fire seemed to help the base of your Qi. Lucky for you, kid, "said Isaac, extending a hand upward "I don't know of any fire that is capable of burning a volcano."

"Do you intend to get me to absorb some of your Qi, master?"

"I don't think you would be prepared for that, so no. What I am going to do is put your body at the absolute limit. For a few hours every night, I will injure you hard enough that only a spark of life remains. Then you will regenerate. And I will hurt you again."

Isaac saw that the boy didn't even blink. In those eyes, he found only pure determination. Good. He would need it.

"Before we start, the day after tomorrow I'm leaving for a trip with my classmates. Hector, Rim and Sabrina are at the limit of their progression, and we're going to go somewhere they can move on to the next stage. Is it okay if I miss the next few days, master?"

"No. Actually, I figured they would be at the apex of silver. Remember you asked me to keep an eye on them, after all. However, I want you to come here tomorrow so I can give you the assignment that the dragon mentioned in your meeting. It's about time."

Dante swallowed dryly. He hoped that maybe the dragon had forgotten the mission, or that it was something simple. He knew that nothing coming out of that training would be simple. The dragon's words were still in his mind.

The second is that you must access, until approval, a chamber that I have left hidden on the outskirts of the sect land.

"I'm ready," Dante said, as he removed his clothes.

Dante would, in years to come, describe what happened next as a life-changing effect. The next day he would wake up and describe what happened with a vague memory. That was the magic of the human mind.

In the face of the unsalvageable, it would shut down.

However, to the boy's bad luck, his consciousness proved to be as stubborn as his body. When all was ready, Isaac began.