The moment the class concluded, Dante stayed in his seat, anticipating Lionel's arrival. As expected, Lionel hurried over and sat beside him, exhaling heavily.
"You shouldn't have challenged the instructor," Lionel said, and Dante rose from his seat.
"I won't tolerate being ridiculed for a mistake. That man needs a reality check. And I thought you had something important to say," Dante stated, striding toward the door.
"Hey, Dante, wait!" Lionel called out, rushing after him. However, before he could catch up, a commanding voice echoed.
"Stronghold, are you coming with us?"
Turning back, Lionel glanced at Grim momentarily, but Dante had already vanished.
"Don't you want to know about him? He's our reserve member?" With a regretful sigh, Lionel returned.
"That's just a fancy term for a benchwarmer who might never see the field. And how good can someone be if they only managed four juggles?" she retorted.
"If you say so, but... The coach wouldn't have personally brought him if he was worthless," Lionel stated before walking through the door, disappearing into pixels of light.
'Dad brought him,' Autumn Leaf thought silently, maintaining her calm exterior.
Unbeknownst to them, the man their respected coach brought emerged from his Cerebral machine. Gazing at his improved physique, a smirk formed on his lips. He tidied his appearance, yawned, and headed for the bathroom.
Twenty minutes later, Dante emerged, attired like a young titan of the Eternal Era club. Glancing at his Phase Venom Bracelet, he widened his eyes—already 4 o'clock.
Picking up the leaflet, he exited his room, walking past classmates who either recognized him from class or were captivated by his appearance.
Arriving at the cafeteria, an entire floor bustling with activity, Dante grabbed a bottle of water, drained it, and selected his meal.
Seated alone at a vacant table, he ate in silence, attempting to focus on understanding the Vanishing Steps despite the distracting chatter.
"Hey, haven't seen you around before," a guy said, taking a seat with two others and a girl.
"Oh?" Dante casually replied and stood up. With hands in his pockets, he departed the cafeteria, relishing the scenic outdoor view as he strolled back to his room.
'New Era,' he murmured, observing a towering skyscraper at the city's center. Although not massive, City X was renowned in Asia and globally, largely due to its Titan training camps.
Suddenly, his pocket vibrated, and he retrieved a sleek, flat phone gifted by his coach.
"Hello Uncle," Dante answered, activating the holographic tablet feature.
"I've spoken to your mother and secured a free appointment with the doctor for tomorrow. I'll pick you up," Jason informed him.
"Alright," Dante replied, smiling gratefully, only to notice a woman with vibrant red hair standing behind Jason.
The sight reminded him of Autumn Leaf, whom he intended to research along with the other rising stars.
"Hi, I'm Cynthia, Jason's wife. Consider me your aunt," she greeted warmly, and Dante reciprocated with a polite smile.
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Cynthia," he responded, and she blinked in surprise.
"I told you the kid was a handful!" Jason chuckled, relishing his wife's stunned expression.
Although she exuded confidence, Dante didn't seem swayed by her charms.
"I'll call you back tomorrow, Uncle Jason," Dante said before ending the call. Ruffling his hair, he entered his room, removed his jacket, and flopped onto the bed.
'What am I going to do until 6 o'clock?' he grumbled internally, tossing and turning, only to check the time and realize barely five minutes had passed.
Groaning, Dante slung his jacket over his shoulder and headed towards the training section, even though it was already late. Outside, others chatted with partners or enjoyed the cool breeze on their faces.
Upon entering the gravity room, Dante slowed his pace, adjusting easily to the mild strain. His attention was drawn to a subtle sound, causing him to turn his head to the right where Autumn Leaf stood at the far end of the expansive room, sealed behind glass.
Despite the barrier, her presence captivated him, especially seeing her sweat-drenched figure, revealing a beauty that had previously eluded his notice.
Shrugging off the distraction, he walked to the opposite end and found himself enclosed by a transparent glass wall. Since the default gravity setting was at 2x Earth's gravity, Dante increased it to 3x.
During his push-ups, his muscles quivered, as if he were bearing a load beyond his capacity. His mind echoed the anthem of their family, emphasizing the formula for success: 90% hard work and 10% talent, a lesson instilled by his father.
Surprisingly, his body adapted quicker than anticipated, making the routine feel too easy. Suspending his body mid-air with his arms on the ground, he boldly declared, "4x!" But as the increased gravity took effect, he collapsed to the ground, groaning.
'My face!' he inwardly cried while struggling to rise, but his strength seemed depleted.
As the lights dimmed, a pleasant fragrance wafted in, and Autumn squatted before him. "4x, you're insane," she remarked.
"Clearly," Dante replied, sitting up. Autumn extended her hand, offering assistance. Surprised by her gesture, Dante thought, 'I expected her to be more distant,' Even with that thought, he accepted her help.
Upon getting up, he watched Autumn retrieve a lollipop, placed it in her mouth, and introduced herself. "I'm Anastasia Lockwood. Titan Name: Autumn Leaf."
Gazing into her composed eyes, Dante realized something profound in that moment.