The lecture hall buzzed like a beehive. Rows of aspiring galactic hunters, Titan trainees, and a handful of Eternal Era reserves filled the amphitheater-style seats. The walls glowed faintly, holographic panels already prid for projections.
Dante slipped in quietly, hoodie drawn low, slipping past clusters of students who were animatedly replaying Eternal Era’s latest senior squad victory.
"Did you see Grim slow the entire pitch with Shadow Zone?""Forget that—Lionel tracked Void Step. Void Step! No one’s done that in years.""Scarlet’s goal setup was filthy. The Europeans never stood a chance."
Their voices swelled in excitent. Dante settled near the back, hands in his pockets, listening more than joining. He had witnessed it himself—the gulf between Rising Stars and the Senior Titans was wider than galaxies.
The instructor entered, a stout man with a faded cap and eyes that glead like polished iron. His grin stretched wide as he clapped his hands.
"Settle down! Today, we broaden your vision. Football doesn’t belong to one city or one team. It belongs to galaxies. And if you dream of standing at the top, you need to know the battlefield."
With a flick of his wrist, a holographic board unfurled across the air. Nas and emblems shimred in glowing tiers.
Galactic Team Rankings
#1: Orion Phantoms – Masters of telepathic football, illusions woven into every pass.
#2: Centauri Blades – Ruthless martial integration, every player a living weapon.
#3: Androda Stormbreakers – Fastest strikers in recorded history, elental speed incarnate.
#4: Sirius Dominion – Known for relentless aerial dominance, gravity-defying leaps.
#5: Titanforge United – Balance and durability, the iron wall of the galactic leagues....
#18: Eternal Era (Solar Galaxy League) – Rising, feared, but not yet among the untouchables.
The room erupted in chatter.
"The Phantoms are untouchable. Illusions so real you don’t even know where the ball is.""No, Centauri Blades are monsters. Did you hear they train with live combat drills?""Androda’s Stormbreakers? They say one striker hit Mach 2 on a sprint."
Dante leaned forward, eyes narrowing. He wasn’t dazzled. He was analyzing. Every team had a flaw. Even the greats.
The instructor cleared his throat. "And lucky for you, Eternal Era sits within the top twenty. That ans you’re training under giants. But giants fall if they don’t adapt."
The opposite door slid open. The hall hushed instantly.
A tall figure walked in, broad-shouldered, dark hair swept neatly back. His aura was crisp, like blades slicing air. His Eternal Era senior kit shimred faintly with the sigil of a cyclone etched into the chest.
"Class," the instructor announced, his grin widening. "et Victor Kain. Titan na—Steel Tempest. Midfielder of Eternal Era’s senior squad."
Gasps rippled through the students. Dante felt it too—the weight of a seasoned professional. Not flamboyant like Scarlet, not elegant like Anastasia, but precise, disciplined.
Victor scanned the class with cool indifference, then spoke, voice like tempered steel.
"Rankings an nothing without balance. Eternal Era struggles not because we lack stars—but because we’ve leaned too much on brilliance, not enough on unity. Balance midfield, and you balance the ga. Rember that."
He folded his arms. "Now—let’s see if any of you understand that."
Debate Spark
The students jumped at the chance.
One boy stood. "Offense wins gas. Look at Androda Stormbreakers—speed is king."
A girl countered sharply. "Wrong. Defense holds championships. Lionel proves that."
Another chid in. "Telepathy and illusions outclass both. Orion Phantoms are proof."
The room beca a storm of voices.
Victor let them argue before raising a single hand. Silence fell like a dropped curtain.
"And what of you, Anderson?" His gaze pinned Dante. "You’ve been quiet. Speak."
Whispers broke out."That’s the Rising Star reserve.""Bet he says sothing stupid."
Dante exhaled slowly, then stood. His voice was calm but firm.
"Football is war. Every pass is a decision. Every duel is survival. Speed breaks defenses, strength builds walls, illusions create openings—but none of it matters if you don’t adapt in the mont. That’s why Eternal Era struggles. You can’t script war. You live it."
The hall fell silent. Even Victor tilted his head slightly, intrigued.
"...Interesting," he murmured.
Duel in the Arena
Victor gestured. "Words are wind. Show ."
The floor split open, revealing a mini-pitch lined with faint energy grids. A ball rolled forward.
Victor pointed at a cocky trainee—the sa one who had mocked Dante back in his first class. "You. Face him."
The trainee smirked, stepping down. "Perfect. Ti to end the hype."
They squared off. Whistle.
The trainee charged, using a lunging Tiger Step, claws of aura extending from his boots. Dante shifted lightly, his stance low. With a flick—Vanishing Steps. His form split into three blurs. The trainee’s tackle t air.
Gasps.
Dante reappeared behind him, ball still at his feet. He darted forward. The trainee spun with a desperate sweep kick. Dante’s veins pulsed crimson, Elental Speed crackling. He surged past the kick in a flash, ball glued to his boots, then flicked it into the goal.
Boom. Lights flared green. Point, Dante.
The hall erupted. "What—? Did you see that?""He vanished—no, he moved through the attack.""That speed... that wasn’t normal speed."
Victor’s eyes narrowed. Not with anger. With interest. He clapped once, sharp.
"Enough. Anderson wins."
He stepped closer, gaze drilling into Dante. "Your techniques are raw. Powerful. But uncontrolled. A blade too sharp can cut its own wielder." His voice softened, almost a warning. "Learn control... or you won’t last long."
Dante held his stare, silent, but a fire lit behind his eyes.
Foreshadowing
As the class dispersed, whispers trailed Dante."He’s insane.""Did you feel that aura?""Dangerous. Too dangerous."
Victor remained at the front, still watching Dante as though trying to solve a puzzle.
Outside the academy gates, the man in the dark coat leaned against a post, phone in hand. His partner joined him, eyes sharp.
"He’s getting attention," she said.The man smirked, watching students exit. "Good. The more the world sees him, the more expensive his head becos."
Unaware, Dante stepped into the night air, fists clenched. Balance. Control. Survival.
The path ahead wasn’t just about proving himself. It was about outpacing the hunters already circling him.
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