Kenji stood before the swirling, radiant purple portal, the Essence Breakthrough Pill already dissolving on his tongue. He turned to the drone hovering silently behind them, its lens a single, unblinking eye broadcasting to the world. A mischievous glint entered his eye.
"For everyone watching," Kenji's voice resonated, calm and confident, carrying across the global live feed, "this week, the Dawn Breakers will be diving into 100 Dungeons. We'll be clearing every single one on the verge of a Dungeon Break, ensuring the safety of countless lives." He paused, letting the magnitude of the announcement sink in.
A smirk touched his lips, a touch of the cocky confidence he'd learned from Kaito. "And just to make things interesting, I'll be personally diving into an extra ten Dungeons a day by myself." His eyes sparkled with challenge. "Our goal is to complete all 100 within four days. Wish us luck."
He winked directly at the drone's lens, a playful, yet utterly bold gesture. "Oh, and one more thing." Kenji's voice rang out, clear and strong, filled with a subtle, public flirtation. "Hanae-chan! Wish me luck!"
Across the globe, the reaction was instantaneous. Billions watched, their jaws dropping.
"He just called out the Grandmaster's daughter!"
"And winked! The new S-rank is bold!"
"Four days?! 100 Dungeons?! He's insane!"
"He's making a statement! This is the start of a new era!"
"Did he just call the Grandmaster's daughter 'Hanae-chan'? Is there a romance brewing?!"
The online world exploded. The S-rank Council members watching, including the Grandmaster and Kaito, exchanged knowing glances, a mix of amusement and pride on their faces.
"Let's go," Kenji commanded, his smirk fading into a look of fierce determination. He stepped into the swirling purple portal, Ataraxia humming softly at his side. His team followed, their faces set with grim resolve.
They emerged into a vast, cavernous dungeon, its walls pulsating with a faint, bioluminescent glow. The air was thick with the scent of sulfur and ozone. This B-rank Dungeon, teeming with lesser demons, was about to be put through the wringer.
The Dawn Breakers moved like a single, perfectly coordinated entity. Their training, their new gear, and the subtle boost from the Essence Breakthrough Pills had transformed them. Their coordination was unlike anything before.
"Akari, suppress! Renji, front line! Hiroki, flank left! Saki, protective barrier!" Kenji's commands were crisp, efficient.
Akari, with her Whisperwind Recurve, drew and fired three spiritual arrows simultaneously, their Phantom Draw ability making short work of a trio of charging Imps. Renji, empowered by his Terra Fist Gauntlets, slammed a massive spiritual punch into a charging demon, the Earth Shaker ability rippling through the ground, momentarily stunning a dozen more. Hiroki, with his Shadowflame Twins, became a blur of motion, his Rapid Ascent ability activating as he danced through the demons, leaving trails of crimson fire. Saki, his Veridian Bloom Staff glowing, maintained a mobile protective barrier around them, deflecting stray attacks, while Goro, cloaked by his Whispering Shade Cloak, strategically moved to cut off escape routes.
Kenji, at the forefront, was a force of nature. Ataraxia flashed with blinding speed, carving through demons with effortless precision. He moved with unparalleled Agility (S-Rank), his crimson Solar Flare Manifestation aura pulsating with controlled power. He was a whirlwind of destruction, clearing pathways, intercepting threats, and eliminating anything that dared to stand in their way.
They sliced through hordes of demons, their efficiency terrifying. The B-rank dungeon felt like a mere training ground. They didn't just fight; they flowed, a river of coordinated power.
Incredibly, they reached the boss chamber in under nine minutes.
The boss, a hulking, four-armed Gore-Fanged Ogre, snarled as they burst into its lair. Its eyes burned with fury, its massive clubs already raised to strike. It looked utterly furious, enraged by the rapid intrusion.
"Everyone, hold the line! Give me an opening!" Kenji commanded, his eyes locked on the Ogre.
As the Ogre roared and began its charge, Kenji lifted Ataraxia. A brilliant, blue angelic aura erupted from the blade, crackling with pure, raw energy. It was the first time he had unleashed this power, a new facet of Ataraxia's ancient abilities that had awakened within him. The air around them electrified, shimmering with potent spiritual force.
The Ogre, massive as it was, froze for a split second, sensing the unprecedented power. But it was too late.
Kenji, faster than thought, a flash of crimson and blue, was upon the beast. He didn't bother with a series of strikes. With a single, decisive movement, he brought Ataraxia down. The blue angelic energy surged, forming a blade of pure light. The Gore-Fanged Ogre had no time to move, no time to even finish its roar. The blade, crackling with divine power, cut the demon cleanly in half, a vertical slash that bisected its monstrous form from head to crotch. It disintegrated into dust and fading spiritual energy before its halves even hit the ground.
The dungeon went silent. Nine minutes. Cleared. Kenji stood amidst the fading remnants of the Ogre, Ataraxia glowing faintly, not a single drop of sweat on his brow. He didn't even seem winded. The drone faithfully broadcasted every detail.
The world reacted with stunned silence, then a burst of incredulous awe.
"Nine minutes?! For a B-rank?!"
"He didn't even break a sweat!"
"That blade! What was that blue energy?!"
"The new S-rank just casually cleared a dungeon faster than most teams can find the boss!"
"He's a machine! Unstoppable!"
The Dawn Breakers stood for a moment, soaking in the silent victory, the oppressive atmosphere of the dungeon lifting. A sense of elation, of profound accomplishment, washed over them.
Then, it happened.
One by one, a soft, faint golden aura began to emanate from each of Kenji's teammates. Akari, Renji, Saki, Hiroki, and Goro. Their bodies shimmered, their spiritual signatures surging with a sudden, overwhelming power. They had used the Essence Breakthrough Pills, they had pushed themselves to their limits in the preceding weeks, and Kenji's powerful leadership combined with the clean, overwhelming victory had provided the perfect catalyst.
They were all breaking through at once.
Akari's aura solidified, her C-rank now officially B-rank. Renji's surged, his C-rank becoming B-rank. Saki's glow pulsed, his C-rank pushing to B-rank. Hiroki's essence surged, his C-rank now B-rank. Even Goro, already a B-rank, felt his spiritual core solidify, reaching the peak of High B-rank, almost on the cusp of A.
The world watching the live feed was stunned even further. Five Awakened, breaking through their ranks simultaneously, bathed in faint golden light.
"They're all… ranking up!"
"This is unprecedented! What kind of power does Kenji possess to inspire this?"
"The Dawn Breakers are truly living up to their name! A new dawn for humanity!"
Kenji watched his teammates, a proud, satisfied smile on his face. This was just the beginning. The Dawn Breakers, truly forged in the fire, were ready for the impossible.