End of the First Year

After the festival wrapped up, it was time to face our theory exams before the long-awaited summer break.

Thankfully, the exams this time were much easier than what we'd dealt with before, and we got through them without feeling like corpses afterward. It was a relief to see everyone looking far more relaxed than usual.

Once the exams were behind us, our class held a small party to celebrate the end of the year. It was just for Class A, though we made an exception for Luke—he wasn't in our class, but he had become part of our social circle over the past few months.

The atmosphere reminded me of the party we had when winter break came early, though back then, Luke hadn't been with us yet.

"So, what's everyone's plan for the summer break?" Rachel asked, her bright smile lighting up the room as we all sat around the couches, gathered around a small table.

"Going to train with Mr. Third Place," Lucifer replied, flashing a light smile in Ren's direction. His comment earned an irritated look from Ren, but surprisingly, Ren didn't bite. He just scoffed and looked away.

'Has he matured?' I wondered, noting the change in his reaction. There was a time when Ren would have leaped at the chance to throw a punch or a sharp retort, but now he seemed more composed, more grounded.

As the conversation continued, we all settled into the comfortable, relaxed atmosphere of the party. The end of the year had been a whirlwind, but now we had a well-deserved break to look forward to.

"I'll be training too," Ren said eventually, his voice calm. "Gotta get stronger for next year." He glanced over at Lucifer with a determined look. The competitive spirit was still there, just tempered.

"What about you, Arthur?" Rachel asked, turning her attention to me. Her blue eyes shone with curiosity.

I leaned back slightly, thinking it over. "Training, definitely. There's still a lot I need to improve before next year. I'm not where I want to be yet."

Lucifer smirked at my response, but there was no malice behind it. "Always aiming higher, huh? Good. I wouldn't expect anything less."

Rachel chuckled. "You guys never stop, do you? Always focused on getting stronger." She shook her head, a hint of amusement in her voice. "I think I'll take it a bit easier this summer. I've been working hard enough."

Seraphina, who had been quiet for most of the conversation, finally spoke up. "I'll be heading back to Mount Hua. There's some training I can only do there." Her tone was soft, but her determination was clear. Seraphina was like that—quiet but fiercely committed.

"And you, Luke?" I asked, curious to hear what he had planned.

He scratched the back of his head, looking a bit sheepish. "Honestly? I'll probably be training with my family. Nothing too exciting."

As the conversation continued, more of our group began to chime in. Jin, who had been lounging on one of the couches with a relaxed expression, finally spoke up.

"I'll be going home for a bit," he said casually, adjusting the collar of his shirt. "The Ashbluff family has some... necromantic matters to attend to." He smirked, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "But I'll find time for training in between."

Rachel chuckled, shaking her head. "Leave it to you to casually mention 'necromantic matters' as if it's just another chore."

Jin's smirk widened. "It's all part of the family business, Rachel."

"Must be a fun business," Ian Viserion muttered, glancing up from his drink. "I'm heading back to the Southern Continent, so it'll just be training with my family. Not quite as exciting as necromancy."

Jin raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong, Ian? Battling Dark Beasts getting boring for you?"

Ian shrugged, but there was a glint of pride in his eyes. "Not boring. Just routine."

Cecilia, who had been quietly observing the conversation, finally chimed in. "As for me," she began, her voice smooth and measured, "I'll be spending the summer at the Imperial Palace, handling a few... family matters."

Her tone made it clear that the "family matters" were not something she looked forward to, but I had no doubt she would handle it all with her usual calm control.

Lucifer shot her a sideways glance. "Let me guess, politics and power struggles?"

Cecilia smiled faintly. "Naturally. But it's all part of the game. Besides, it's an opportunity to... solidify certain alliances."

I could see through her words. There was always more going on beneath the surface with Cecilia, and I knew she wasn't just talking about standard political maneuvering.

"Sounds intense," Ian commented, leaning back. "I'd rather fight Dark Beasts than get caught up in that."

Cecilia shrugged lightly, as if it was all in a day's work. "It's the life we were born into. We do what we must."

"That sounds like training for all of us then," Rachel said with a grin, raising her glass. "Here's to surviving the first year—and to making the most out of the summer break!"

We all raised our glasses in response, clinking them together in a quiet but meaningful toast.

"How about we play a game of truth or dare?" Rachel suggested, clapping her hands with a playful glint in her blue eyes. Her tone was light, but the challenge behind her words was clear.

I wasn't particularly in the mood for it, but everyone else seemed eager, agreeing almost instantly. No one could resist Rachel's enthusiasm, it seemed.

"Alright, I'll go first," Rachel said, her gaze sweeping the room before landing on Lucifer. "Lucifer, truth or dare?"

Lucifer leaned back, crossing his arms, his usual calm expression in place. "Truth."

Rachel's smile turned thoughtful. "What's the one thing you've never told anyone in this room?"

Lucifer's eyes flickered briefly before he answered. "That I almost didn't join the academy."

There was a pause, the weight of his answer catching us off guard.

"Why not?" Ian asked, genuinely curious.

Lucifer shrugged slightly. "I didn't think it would push me enough. But then I realized there are... challenges here worth my time." He glanced at me briefly, the implication clear. I'd made things interesting for him.

Ren remained quiet, though I caught him glancing my way. The unspoken rivalry between Lucifer and me had grown over the year, but Ren had his own silent grudges after our battle.

Lucifer shifted, looking at Seraphina next. "Truth or dare?"

Seraphina, calm as always, met his gaze without flinching. "Dare."

Lucifer's lips curled into a subtle smile. "I dare you to go an entire day without using any form of swordsmanship."

That raised a few eyebrows. Seraphina's swordsmanship was second nature to her—asking her to avoid it for an entire day was like asking her to hold her breath for hours.

But Seraphina simply nodded. "One day without a sword. Fine."

Lucifer nodded, clearly satisfied with her response. The challenges tonight were becoming less about fun and more about testing each other in ways that truly mattered.

Seraphina turned her attention to Ian, her eyes gleaming. "Ian, truth or dare?"

Ian smirked. "Dare."

She leaned forward slightly. "I dare you to create a firestorm in the training grounds tomorrow morning—something big enough to get the instructors talking."

Ian raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You know I could turn the entire training grounds into ashes if I wanted, right?"

"That's the point," Seraphina said.

Ian chuckled. "Fine. Firestorm at dawn it is."

After a few more rounds of truth or dare, the party started to wind down. The laughter faded, and the comfortable chatter softened as everyone began to prepare for the end of the night.

This marked the conclusion of our first year at Mythos Academy.

But the next few years would be anything but peaceful. The challenges ahead would be far more turbulent, with greater threats waiting in the shadows.

In the coming decade, Earth would no longer stand isolated. It would be exposed to other worlds—worlds with species we knew nothing about. Some would arrive as allies, others as enemies, bringing new powers and dangers we couldn't yet comprehend.

And in the end, two final enemies would rise above all others: Jack Blazespout and the Demon Overlord.