Villain: The Last Dawn

"Alright, that's enough for today," Alex said, his voice steady as he wiped the sweat off his forehead.

Leon collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. His face twisted into a pout as he glared up at Alex. "Haaah… why are you always so rough on me?" he complained, his tone a mix of irritation and exhaustion.

Alex, as usual, looked completely unbothered. He didn't even glance back at Leon's sulking face. Instead, he turned to Lila and said, "Today's training is done. You can wrap up here."

Lila let out a small sigh of relief, her shoulders relaxing. "Finally," she mumbled under her breath before walking over to Leon. Kneeling beside him, she began casting her healing magic, a soft glow surrounding her hands.

Meanwhile, Sophia crossed her arms and shot Alex a look of disapproval. "You know, you could go a little easier on him," she said, her tone sharp.

"She's right," Lila chimed in while focusing on Leon's injuries. "If it weren't for my healing magic, his face would've been unrecognizable by now."

"Thanks for the concern," Leon muttered sarcastically, though his expression softened when he looked at Lila. "You're my only friend, you know," he said with a small, sincere smile.

Hearing that, Lila's cheeks turned a rosy pink. She quickly looked down, pretending to focus more on her healing, but her hands trembled slightly.

Alex, on the other hand, stayed indifferent. He didn't even blink at their exchange. "Alright, you guys should head out now. I'm taking the next two days off from training with you."

Leon perked up, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "Wait, what? Why? Tomorrow's a day off for everyone! Don't tell me—you've got a date! Who's the lucky girl?"

Alex raised an eyebrow at him, unimpressed. "No. I've got work to do."

Leon narrowed his eyes suspiciously, clearly not convinced. "Yeah, sure. That's exactly what someone trying to hide a date would say."

Sophia chuckled while Lila finished healing Leon and stood up, still avoiding eye contact after his earlier comment.

After a bit more playful banter and teasing, the three headed back to the dorms, leaving Alex alone in the training area. He watched them go, shaking his head at their antics before turning away to prepare for whatever was keeping him busy the next day.

After a refreshing shower, Alex sank into the soft cushions of the sofa, letting out a deep sigh. The quiet stillness of his room was a stark contrast to the intense training session earlier. With a flick of his wrist, he called out, "System."

A familiar blue screen blinked into existence before his eyes, displaying his updated stats. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he scanned the details.

Name: Alex Reinheart

Age: 14

Hunter Level: D+

Strength: C+

Defense: C+

Agility: C

Stamina: C+

Mana: B

Skills:

Swordsmanship: C

Weapon Mastery: C

Dash: C

Moonlight Sword Dance: C

Blessing of Gaia: (???)

Stealth: C

Attributes:

Divine Essence: The power of Gaia's blessing continues to flow through your veins, elevating your abilities and granting access to divine energy.

Mana Resonance: Your body naturally attracts and stores mana at an enhanced rate, increasing your magical potential.

Enhanced Physique: Your strength, speed, and durability have been significantly improved.

Weapon Proficiency: Your bond with the Celestial Shifter has boosted your mastery with both swords and bows.

Weapon:

Celestial Shifter (Shape-shifting Sword)

Abilities:

Gluttony: Absorbs mana and life force from defeated enemies to enhance the weapon and the wielder.

Shape-shift: Transforms into different weapons on command.

Mana Absorption: Pulls in ambient mana, boosting your mana reserves.

Adaptive Evolution: Evolves based on the wielder's growth and battles, unlocking new abilities.

A satisfied smirk crept onto Alex's face. His stats had improved a lot—better than he'd expected. "Not bad," he muttered, his eyes lingering on the B-ranked Mana.

Leaning back against the sofa, Alex let his head rest on the cushion, his gaze drifting to the ceiling. "With this much, tomorrow's dungeon ride should be a breeze," he thought, already planning his strategy.

As Alex lay on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts drifted to the dungeon he planned to tackle tomorrow. It wasn't just any ordinary dungeon—it was a special one, one that held a deeper significance for him.

In his second life, this dungeon had been a turning point. It was where he acquired the legendary sword technique, Sword of Gray, a technique so refined and deadly that it had shaped the course of his battles ever since.

Currently, he used the Moonlight Sword Dance, a highly versatile and upgradable technique passed down through the Rainheart family. The more one mastered it, the more its power grew, with its potential capping at S-class. It was a powerful tool—something every Rainheart could learn—but it wasn't the Rainheart family's ultimate technique.

That title belonged to the Blaze Sword Technique, a sacred skill reserved for a select few. Only the chosen ones, those with extraordinary talent or unique qualifications, were granted the right to wield it. 

Even Leon, his ever-sulking training partner, practiced the Moonlight Sword Dance. It was, after all, one of the Rainheart family's best foundational techniques. Alex had to admit, Leon wasn't bad with it. If Leon pushed himself enough, he could one day master it and reach its full potential.

But the Sword of Gray... that was a different beast altogether. It wasn't just a skill you could inherit or practice—it was something you had to earn. 

Alex glanced at the shape-shifting sword leaning against the wall. The weapon had immense potential, yet even now, he hadn't fully tapped into its true abilities. This dungeon, however, was the perfect chance.

"The Celestial Shifter," Alex mused, his fingers lightly brushing against its hilt. "You've been holding back, haven't you?"

The next morning, Alex made his way to the dungeon's entrance, tucked neatly behind the Academy's training grounds. A few staff members were stationed there, ensuring no unauthorized individuals could slip through.

As Alex approached, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his Academy ID. The staff member in charge glanced at it, then did a quick double-take.

"Rainheart family, huh?" the man muttered under his breath, his tone shifting to a mix of surprise. Without much hesitation, he stepped aside and gestured for Alex to proceed.

Another staff member, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow. "Wait, we're just letting him go in alone? Even if it's an E-rank dungeon."

"Not our problem," the first man replied with a shrug. "Our job is to check IDs, not babysit Academy brats. Besides, he's from the Reinhart family. He can handle it."

With that, the conversation ended, and Alex stepped into the dungeon.

Inside the Dungeon

The air was damp and heavy, carrying the faint scent of earth and decay. The narrow corridor Alex walked through soon opened into a wide chamber, dimly lit by faintly glowing moss on the walls.

"Here we go," Alex muttered, his hand resting on the hilt of the Celestial Shifter, which currently took the form of a sleek longsword. His senses were sharp, alert to the slightest sound.

A low growl echoed through the chamber, followed by guttural chattering. From the shadows, a group of goblins emerged. Their green, warty skin glistened in the dim light, and they carried crude weapons—rusty swords, wooden clubs, and makeshift shields.

There were six of them, their beady red eyes locked onto Alex. They snarled and hissed, clearly eager to attack.

Alex smirked.

One of the goblins screeched and lunged forward, swinging its club wildly. Alex sidestepped with ease, his movements smooth and calculated. As the goblin stumbled past him, Alex spun and delivered a clean slash across its back. The creature collapsed to the ground with a thud.

The other goblins hesitated for a moment, eyeing Alex warily. Then, as if spurred on by rage, they charged at him all at once.

"Bad move," Alex muttered, gripping the Celestial Shifter tightly.

He dashed forward with a burst of speed, weaving through the goblins like a shadow. His blade glinted in the dim light, striking with precision.

The second goblin raised its shield to block, but Alex's sword effortlessly pierced through the flimsy wood and into the creature's chest. Pulling the blade free, he ducked under a wild swing from another goblin, countering with a swift upward slash that sent it sprawling.

"Too slow," Alex said, his voice calm, almost bored.

The remaining goblins hesitated again, their earlier aggression giving way to fear. But Alex wasn't about to give them a chance to regroup.

With a fluid motion, he activated Dash, instantly closing the distance to the next goblin. His sword flashed, and the creature fell before it could even react.

The last two goblins turned to flee, but Alex wasn't letting them go. He raised the Celestial Shifter, its blade shimmering faintly as it absorbed the mana from the fallen enemies.

"Not so fast."

With a quick series of steps, Alex caught up to them. The first fell to a clean slash across the neck, while the second was taken down with a decisive stab to the chest.

As the final goblin collapsed, the chamber fell silent once more. Alex stood amidst the fallen creatures, his breathing steady and his blade gleaming with absorbed energy.