Zay awoke.

From his sapphire throne, he watched over countless worlds. At the moment, the light of one of them shone brighter than all the others.

That was the world Zay looked at the most. Besides promising disciples, there were some of his personal pupils there. This was the true reason Zay had left a piece of his soul in that world. He liked it.

Now, he watched as the artifact, capable of guiding revolutions, was taken away by that foul creature.

Zay had always despised the Onyx Sect more than anyone else. Among the great sects, they were the only ones that submitted to the alliance of those creatures.

While Zay waited, his chance passed. The dragon could retrieve the artifact. All it took was a command from his mind and the item would be his again.

But, some losses are worth it in the end. To show up in that situation would only be to give the black dragon what he wanted. And Zay would not do that.

With one of his claws, he opened a crack in space. On the other side of the vibrating energy was a dark world, nourished by crystals that exuded the energy of the night.

The dragon closed his eyes, regretfully. He had known for a long time that this would be inevitable. With the threat of monsters contained, there was nothing to quench his brothers' thirst. Again, the situation would go back to the way it was.

Again, there would be war.

This time, there could be no mercy. The dragon suspected the practices of the Onyx Sect. Recent events denoted a level of gravity never seen before.

After closing the first dimensional passage, Zay opened another, slightly smaller one.

Now, on the other side, lay his favorite world.

Isaac was collecting the disciples. Some dead, others wounded. Luckily for the dragon, he had lost none of his bets.

The selection for Slayer, however, would be ruined. In any case, perhaps the goal had been accomplished. Those survivors would be worthy to experience the grace of a higher world.

"Come forth, my champion," Isaac said.

In front of him, a whirlpool of energy surged. As it dissipated, the volatile energy gave shape to a body with strong musculature.

"Master," said the newcomer. With blue hair, the man focused entirely on the dragon.

"I need you again, destroyer of worlds. The time has come."

"Shall I warn the others?" asked the champion.

"For the moment, no. We need a quick, overwhelming victory, not an all-out war."

Next, the dragon passed him the necessary information. They dare stole from him? Very well.

He would steal, too.

As the champion disappeared, the dragon sighed.

The problem with wars was that they were never one-sided. There were always casualties on both sides. Even the Slayers closest to divinity could face tribulations. After all, combat would call some monsters that challenged the divine.

When a crack opened beside the dragon, he reached out with his hand. Receiving the orb of Qi sent by Isaac, he merely dissipated the energy into the air. He already knew what the master had said.

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Zay prepared himself. After all that had happened, they deserved a personal visit.

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Dante grunted as he stood up. His whole body ached, as if he had just come back from the dead.

Come to think of it, that was kind of what had happened.

Anyway, he stood up and looked around. This time, the cultivator didn't wake up in the infirmary. Looking ahead, the reason was simple.

There was no more infirmary.

The entire castle was destroyed, as if a meteor had hit the structure. Hundreds of disciples were in the courtyard next to Dante. Some were recovering from minor injuries, while others were still unconscious.

It was easy to notice, too, that those were not all who had been in the castle before. The absence was as keenly felt as the presence.

Dante just relaxed when he located his companions. He was glad, too, to locate Asta and Yajeel's team.

With strides, Dante walked towards Sabrina and the others. Next to them was someone Dante had never seen before. A strange man with bandages all over his body.

"Good morning, sunshine," Rim said, as Dante approached. "I thought you would be the fastest to wake upt, but it looks like it was the other way around."

Dante laughed, embarrassed. "Sorry. It seems the last fight taxed me more than I had expected. I'm still exhausted, to be honest."

"Don't be silly. Sabrina told us everything. How Dante, the white knight, arrived to save the helpless maiden," Hector said, as he placed a hand on Dante's back. "Congratulations, my friend. Now we can all take even greater flights, and together."

Dante sighed. After all that, advancing to Gold had taken a mountain of weight off his back. Finally, he was not that far behind the others. Now he would also be useful in the challenges that were to come.

"Thank you for saving me. I couldn't have done it without you," Sabrina said, her cheeks red.

"It was nothing. Now we're even," Dante replied.

With a huff, the swordsman who saved Hector and Rim attracted the attention of the entire group.

"Now that everyone has been reunited, the time has come for me to leave. Rim, Hector, it has been a pleasure. I hope we can meet under better conditions next time," the man said as he walked off. "I'm sure it won't be long. Good luck."

Before he could say anything, a huge pressure afflicted everyone present. Dante looked up into the sky, where there was now a tremendous crack.

Out of the crack came a dragon. The dragon. Unlike in the training room, the creature now was large enough to challenge the castle in size. The pressure of Qi was putting Dante's advancement to the test. Next to that, his Qi was still minuscule.

"You fought bravely today, my disciples," the monster said, without moving its mouth. Dante was used to speaking to the creature in metaphysical voices. "Today, you fulfilled your role masterfully. Together, you were able to repel the threat that afflicted us.

The dragon swept the site with his gaze, giving a few seconds' pause. "Our battle was far from a complete victory. We took damage, both personal and physical. The enemy attacked in an experienced and cowardly manner."

"But, such is the world of cultivators. It is utopian to expect that the challenge will come to us only when we are fully prepared. Thus, those who are here are worthy. Today, everyone will move on to the second phase of the Slayers' program. In advance, of course."

A wave of shouting took over the place. Now, there was no longer a single cultivator sleeping in the environment.

Just there, Dante noticed something different. Since Zay had appeared, his Qi was regenerating at an abnormal rate. The mere presence of the monster totally changed the atmosphere of the place.

When the noise subsided, the dragon continued. "I ask that you do not celebrate too soon, disciples. The challenges ahead are even more difficult than those passed so far."

The faces of many cultivators on the scene were not ones of joy. Despite the excitement, many had just seen their companions die.

"I will understand if you are not prepared to leave now on a new journey. Next year, I will personally guarantee the same opportunity for each of you. However, we can't waste any time. Recent events only reinforce the urgency of training."

The dragon touched the crack. With the touch, the portal extended to the ground, dividing the entire space.

On the other side, Dante could see a city. The architecture resembled the castle, although the dimensions were much larger.

"To those who are resolute in conviction, I ask you to follow me. The training will begin promptly. You will receive the rewards and Slayers' points should you decide to stay or go. Decide."

Dante looked at the group. In the eyes of his companions, he saw no doubt. He saw no regrets.

He saw only the flame of revenge. They would need to become stronger, to make those who attacked them pay. It was obvious that the attack had been part of someone's plan. Someone had killed disciples, and tried to kill them. Someone other than Draco.

After everyone agreed, the cultivator located his master.

On his master's face, Dante did not see the usual humor. Isaac was looking at the void, thoughtful.

When the master sensed Dante's gaze, however, he nodded. The signal was clear.

With strides, Dante, Rim, Hector, and Sabrina set off toward the new world.

The first phase of the Slayers was over.

Now, it was time to go after the heavens.