As Wolfgang raised his hand to signal the start of the match, a violent gust erupted across the arena, shaking the ground from the collision of two intense auras.
Peter launched forward, his bow already ignited with flames. Arrows whistled through the air, but Alex dashed between them, swiping with his twin daggers—each strike knocking flaming projectiles aside with sharp metallic clangs. The moment Peter stopped firing, he drew his bowstring again and released a concentrated shockwave of compressed sound. The wave hit Alex directly, launching him backward.
But Alex flipped mid-air, recovered his footing, and planted both daggers into the arena floor. "Let's see you dodge this!" he shouted.
With a powerful upward slash, the ground beneath Peter cracked and surged upward like a wave of stone. Reacting fast, Peter leapt high—but too late. One of Alex's daggers had already been hurled his way. It zipped past, slicing his cheek open.
"Tch," Peter clicked his tongue, blood trailing down his face. He retaliated immediately by launching a downpour of flaming arrows, each more vicious than the last. Alex dashed across the battlefield, barely keeping ahead of the barrage.
Peter then ignited one leg in roaring flames and wrapped the other with a swirling wind cyclone. Boosted by both elements, he launched himself across the battlefield like a rocket. With one explosive strike, he closed the gap and slammed his leg down on the fleeing Alex.
BOOM!
The explosion shook the whole arena. Smoke and flames erupted.
Diana gasped from the stands. "Brother, what are you doing?! That's too much!"
But from the smoke, Alex emerged—his body covered in hardened earth armor, chipped and scorched, but intact.
He grinned. "Close one."
The two warriors stood a few meters apart, then—without a word—tossed their weapons aside.
"Now it was martial arts, get over here", Alex shouted with a crazy grin.
Peter dashed in first, swinging a strong right punch that landed on Alex's jaw. Alex stumbled but recovered, gripped Peter's waist with his legs, and threw him into the ground. He climbed on top and hammered Peter's face into the dirt with a hard fist. Peter, pinned, responded by blowing a flamethrower directly into Alex's face, forcing him off.
As Alex staggered back, coughing, Peter wiped his cheek clean of blood and dust.
"You're stronger than I expected, Alex," he said with a grin.
Alex cracked his knuckles. "So I'm an A-rank magician now, right, buddy?"
Peter gave a nod but raised his fists again. "Yeah… but the match isn't over. Come at me for real."
Alex's crazy smile widened. He stomped his hands into the earth, pulling up muddy gauntlets that covered his fists and arms like armor.
Peter took a deep breath, flames flickering at his lips. Then—
FWOOSH!
He unleashed a massive stream of fire, roaring like a dragon's breath. Alex raised his gauntlets to block, but the heat was overwhelming—his clothes singed, and the mud hardened and cracked.
Peter's breathing faltered. He dropped to one knee, out of breath.
Now was Alex's chance.
He dashed forward and slammed his gauntleted fist into Peter's jaw.
CRACK!
Peter was sent flying upward. Alex looked up, expecting the same attack from before.
"I know this move, Peter!" he shouted. "Flame leg and wind leg again? It won't work twice!"
But Peter flipped mid-air, inverted his body, and began using small explosions behind his back to boost his speed. Like a falling meteor, he descended with growing force—explosions blasting beneath him each time he slowed.
Alex's eyes widened. "Wait, that's—!"
BOOOOOOM!
Peter slammed his explosive fist into Alex's abdomen, cratering the battlefield and burying Alex deep into the stone.
Smoke filled the air.
Silence.
Wolfgang raised his hand. "Match over! Winner: Peter!"
The crowd erupted in cheers.
"That's a real match baby!", one of the man cheered.
From the stands, Diana exhaled. "He really is… an A-rank."
Behind her, the blonde evaluator scribbled notes on her clipboard. Diana turned to leave, but the woman approached her.
"So," she asked, "aren't you going to test your strength, girl?"
Diana shook her head. "Actually… I'm not confident in my skills yet. I'll pass for now."
The woman smiled then walked away, and Diana sat back to watch the remaining matches—until a familiar voice called out.
"Diana!"
She turned. "Maddie?"
"Come with me," Maddie said.
Diana followed her into the office hallway of the Evaluation Center.
"Where are we going, Ms. Maddie?"
Maddie smiled. "Your team's average rank has been calculated. You're a B+ rank team. Now, it's time to receive your official Hunter permit—from the elders themselves."
"Elders?" Diana blinked.
"They're the ones who revolutionized this world," Maddie explained. "Fifty years ago, there was no structure. Dungeon outbreaks wiped out entire cities. Then they established this center. They created the hunter magician system. Now the kingdoms fund and assign missions based on ranks."
Diana was impressed. "They… shaped the world's hunting system?"
Maddie nodded. "And they both are siblings. Here we are."
Before them stood a giant wooden gate with golden handles. Two knights guarded it. Maddie approached and whispered to one.
Moments later, the gate opened.
As Diana stepped inside, a heavy pressure hit her. Her breath caught in her throat. Sitting behind two massive desks were the legendary elders.
She looked at their deska, read their nameplates.
Sir Thorgrim—a broad-shouldered old man with a thick white beard, elegant black formal attire, black boots, a gold monocle over his left eye, and a black top hat.
Next to him, Sir Goldgrim—similarly built, same attire, but with only a white mustache, no monocle but specks.
They were buried in paperwork, deadly serious.
Maddie kneeled, so as Diana, following what she did.
"Where are your teammates?" Thorgrim asked without looking up at them, still signing the papers.
Diana straightened up. "They're injured, sir. Currently in the medical ward."
Thorgrim nodded. "Your team's rank is B+. You now need a team name."
Diana lit up. "How about Demon Hunter?"
"Taken," Goldgrim replied without looking up.
"Demon Slayer?"
"Used."
"Demon Slasher? Evil Fighter? Aura Rangers? Devil Hunters!?"
"All taken."
Diana groaned, clutching her head. "Ugh… Fine. I have a name I know no one has ever used!"
Thorgrim looked up. "Go on."
Diana grinned. "Demon F■ckers"!
Goldgrim finally looked up at her, with a shocked wide open mouth, dropping his pen. Maddie stared at diana with disbelief.
Thorgrim sighed, rubbing his temples. "You are such a spoiled child. Absolutely not."
He paused, sighed deeply while rubbing his temples. "Let me suggest one instead… Justice Seekers. Sounds good?"
Diana blinked. "Actually… yeah. That sounds good."
Maddie, Goldgrim, and Thorgrim all sighed in relief.
Suddenly, a voice roared from outside.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T GET THE PERMIT!?"
Maddie rushed to the door.
Outside stood Max Gorod, towering over the guards and the female in-charge.
"The rules say you need a team," she explained nervously, sweating but smiled while shaking from his presence, Max's aura overwhelmed her.
Max growled, his expressions turns rageful, he grab one guard's face and lifting him.
"I SAID I CAN CLEAR DUNGEONS ALONE!", his grip cracked the helmet of the guard.
In a blink, Elder Goldgrim appeared behind Max. No sound. No signal.
He grabbed Max's arm—and shattered his forearm bones instantly.
Max screamed, dropping the guard.
Diana stared in awe, thought "Space magic? I didn't even sense it... not like Judas. He just appeared... terrifying…"
Goldgrim blinked at Maddie, who quickly healed Max's arm.
Max fell to his knees, bowing. "Forgive me, Elder Goldgrim."
Goldgrim sighed. "Just don't cause trouble again. Come inside."
Max entered, now humbled. Diana glanced at him as he stood quietly beside her.
---
Meanwhile, in the medical ward, Judas lay unconscious.
In his dream, he met her again.
"Yori…" he whispered.
She knelt beside him, healing his wounds with a soft blue light.
"You always get hurt, Judas," she said softly with disappointment.
He frowned. "Yori, why do you only appear in my dreams? And only few times, why not always?"
She smiled faintly. "Because that's the only place I can exist."
"So… you're not real?"
She paused. "I'm just your imagination, Judas. A piece of your mind. That's why only you can see me."
"But why do I feel like… we're connected somehow?"
Yori blushed but didn't answer.
"Judas! Judas!"
His eyes snapped open. Peter was shaking him.
"Wake up, buddy!"
Judas sat up. "Peter? Alex?"
Alex stood nearby, both of them bruised and bandaged, Alex's arm was plastered.
"How did you guys…?"
Peter laughed. "We fought. Alex's rank? A."
Judas gasped. "Congrats, Alex!"
"Thanks buddy!", Alex chuckled.
The three walked out of the ward and met Diana in the hallway.
She was holding a scroll.
"We got it!" she beamed. "The official permit!"
All three jumped in excitement.
"Our team name?" Alex asked.
"Justice Seekers," Diana said, he smile soon fade, she added, "Our team, with five members."
"Five?" Judas blinked.
Behind Diana stepped Max Gorod, turn his face away rudely.
---
Elsewhere…
In a quiet farming village, a group of random hunters stood before a shimmering dungeon gate. Some were rookies. Others were mercenaries while some strong as an A rank.
"Let's move," said the team leader. "Clear this fast and get paid with lots of Lucious!"
His team consisting of approximately ten other magicians, both men and women, all cheered in unison, "Let's go!".
All of them stepped in.
As the last hunter vanished, the gate behind them pulsed—and turned blood red, emitting an omnious pressure, the contractor and other villagers who have collected shivered in fear.
The ground rumbled.
A thick, unnatural silence fell over there.
---{end of chapter 10}