Real Dream: Infinity

The atmosphere in the barracks' dining hall carried a mix of tension, curiosity, and disbelief. Sophia, with her usual smirk that hovered between mischief and sarcasm, was the first to break the silence with a verbal jab.

"Well, Phoenix mentioned her. Apparently, they share the same master."

Catherine and Martin exchanged puzzled looks, their faces a blend of confusion and surprise.

"The same master? Master? What the hell are you talking about, Sophia?" Martin thought, but his thoughts soon found their voice. "You mean instructor."

Aiden shook his head, his expression solemn and distant.

"No, she means 'master.' Think about it. What do Phoenix and Xandra have in common?"

Martin rubbed his chin in thought, but it was Catherine who answered first, a glimmer of realization lighting up her eyes.

"They're both swordsmen."

"Exactly!" Sophia nodded energetically. "Judging by the skill of the students, their master must be nothing short of... a monster."

Martin frowned, skepticism clear on his face.

"A monster? The only people you call that are... wait, like who? Commander Cyclone?"

Aiden glanced up, his expression darkening.

"Worse."

The air around the table seemed to grow colder. Martin's disbelief turned to unease.

"Worse than Cyclone?" he thought, trying to keep his composure. Coming from Aiden, who held the commander in the highest regard, this was unsettling.

Catherine, lost in her own thoughts, tried to piece things together.

"Commander Cyclone? Are they both... Reapers?" she murmured to herself.

Sophia interrupted the train of thought with her signature ironic grin.

"Anyway, from what I've heard, Xandra and Phoenix have trained together since the beginning. In fact, Phoenix doesn't consider her inferior to him."

Martin shot a quick glance at Aiden, searching for confirmation, but Aiden's expression was unreadable. After a few moments of thought, Martin spoke cautiously.

"I saw the replay of the Dominion's finale. The way she eliminated Iron Will wasn't normal. That was definitely elemental manifestation."

Catherine nodded, her expression sharpening.

"Or maybe her weapon is special. I can't imagine a regular rapier imbued with Aura In piercing Iron Will like that. Plus, she broke Therion's sword directly." She chuckled, remembering with satisfaction how her own defeat was indirectly avenged.

Martin waved his hand dismissively.

"No, no, a special weapon isn't possible. You wouldn't know, but it's something you can only receive here, and she's not from Aetheris." Suddenly, a realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. "Her master is a monster worse than Cyclone." His expression hardened. "No, it can't be. Has someone else capable of that appeared?" He shook his head as if trying to erase the thought. "She definitely used an element, though I'm not sure which one."

Sophia interrupted with a playful tone.

"Catherine is right."

"And so are you," Aiden added enigmatically, looking at Martin with a serious gaze. "She's capable of controlling an element, though it seems she hasn't mastered Xeris yet. And that rapier..." He glanced toward where Xandra was sitting. "It gives me the same feeling as my gauntlets."

Martin's eyes widened, shock written all over his face.

"You must be joking. You said her master was terrifying, but to this extent? It's just like..."

Aiden cut him off, shaking his head firmly.

"I think he's at that level and can do certain things. But you know, no one is like that commander."

Martin nodded slowly, reluctantly agreeing.

"Well, yes, but it's still terrifying." Suddenly, his expression shifted to one of excitement. "If she's on the same level as Phoenix, she must be pretty strong, right? Why don't we test her?" He grinned confidently.

Sophia burst out laughing.

"Look at this scythe-wielding fool. He defeats Inferno Edge, and now it's gone to his head."

Martin turned away, slightly embarrassed.

"Well, you have to challenge strong opponents to keep improving."

Sophia smirked at him playfully.

"Oh, really? Want to spar with me for a bit?"

Martin pointed a wary finger at her, taking a small step back.

"No way! Knowing you, you'd attack me before the countdown even started—or worse, ambush me on the way there."

Sophia's lips curled into a mischievous smile.

"What kind of opinion do you have of me?"

Aiden cleared his throat, interrupting.

"And what about me, Martin? Want to train with me?"

Martin took another step back, his gaze darting between them in disbelief.

"Hey, hey! What's wrong with you two? I said I wanted to test Xandra's abilities, and now you're both lining up to crush me. You're always thinking about the same thing. Why don't you fight each other?"

Aiden and Sophia exchanged a glance before lowering their heads, looking a little sheepish.

"Well... we just got back from training," they mumbled almost in unison.

Catherine chuckled softly, covering her mouth with elegance.

Martin glanced skyward with resignation.

"After knocking each other out like that, you're back at it the next day. Yep, these two are perfectly matched." Then, turning back to them with determination, he added, "Well, let's see how good that swordswoman really is."

Aiden and Sophia exchanged a knowing look, already anticipating what was about to happen. Catherine, intrigued, followed them as they headed toward Xandra.

***

Meanwhile, Xandra sat in a secluded corner of the cafeteria. The soft light streaming through the windows reflected off her red hair, which fell in gentle waves, framing a face as stoic and sculpted as if carved from marble. Despite her serene demeanor, there was a tension in her posture that betrayed unease. Her prized rapier, Requiem of Blood, rested against the table, always within arm's reach. Even here, within the secure walls of the complex, Xandra never let her guard down.

She wore a fitted black leather suit and matching boots, as her usual armor was undergoing repairs following the damage it sustained in her last Dominion match. Although she would never admit it, the absence of her armor left her feeling vulnerable, a sentiment that only added to her cold, distant expression.

In one hand, she held a small fork, slowly picking at the remnants of a vegetable stew on her plate. Her other arm was crossed over her chest, as though shielding her personal space.

Suddenly, her gaze shifted to one side of the cafeteria. A young man with black hair and gray eyes was approaching with hesitant steps, a nervous smile on his face. Xandra's brow furrowed, and upon noticing the bandages beneath his clothing, a dark thought crossed her mind.

"It's that rat." The disdain in her mind was palpable as she pressed her lips into a thin line, her golden eyes following him intently.

The young man continued toward her cautiously, his trajectory unwavering. With a sharp movement, Xandra set her fork down on the plate and straightened in her chair, coiled like a spring ready to release.

When the man was close enough, he broke the silence.

"Hi, my name's Martin, I'm—"

"I have nothing to say to rats who attack from behind like you," Xandra interrupted, her voice cold and cutting, as sharp as the blade of her rapier.

Martin froze in place, his eyes instinctively dropping to the bandages peeking out from under his shirt. His thoughts clashed against one another: But you attacked me from behind, too… Yet, he didn't dare say it out loud.

Xandra stood abruptly, grasping her rapier with an almost theatrical grace. Her presence was imposing. However, before leaving, Xandra did something that seemed to crack her otherwise solemn demeanor. She picked up her plate, still containing a small amount of food, and began awkwardly scraping the leftovers into a small plastic container she carried with her, ensuring nothing went to waste.

Martin watched her, slack-jawed and speechless.

As Xandra began to walk away, something caught her attention from the corner of her eye. A young woman with dark brown hair, thick glasses, and a determined expression planted herself in front of her. With ceremonious seriousness, the woman pulled out a white handkerchief and tossed it to the floor.

"I, Sophia Lusoriel, challenge you to a duel."

Xandra turned sharply at Sophia's challenge, her cold and serious demeanor unwavering. Her red hair swayed with the motion, and her golden eyes glinted with an intensity that seemed to pierce straight through her challenger. Her posture tightened, like the string of a bow, ready to unleash its power.

Sophia stood firm, her handkerchief still fluttering slightly on the floor, determination etched into every line of her face.

A few steps away, Martin broke into a quiet murmur of disbelief.

"What the hell is this idiot doing"" he muttered through clenched teeth, watching the scene unfold with a mix of awe and resignation.

Finally, Xandra spoke, her voice as sharp as a blade.

"A duel?" she said, the word itself sounding like a challenge. She stepped closer to Sophia, her commanding presence making Martin instinctively step back. "What reason do you have to challenge me, Lusoriel?"

Sophia held her ground, raising her chin with pride.

"I don't need a reason, Xandra. This duel is my declaration. I want to face you, here and now."

A tense silence fell over the room. Xandra studied Sophia for a long moment before finally bending down to pick up the handkerchief with ritualistic precision. She held it up to eye level, examining it as if it were more than just a piece of cloth. Then, at last, she declared:

"I accept."

Sophia's smile widened, a spark of excitement lighting up her face as she clenched her fist in triumph. Xandra, meanwhile, let the handkerchief fall back to the ground—a clear signal that the duel was officially sealed.

Martin blinked several times, utterly dumbfounded by what he had just witnessed.

"What the hell?" he muttered, rubbing his forehead as he tried to process the scene.

Behind him, Aiden, ever the observer, crossed his arms and nodded with a faint smile.

"Yes, just as Phoenix said."

Catherine turned her head toward him, her pale blue eyes filled with curiosity.

"What do you mean?"

Aiden glanced at her with a knowing look.

"Let's just say Xandra is... a devotee of knightly ideals. You can see it in how she carries herself: the stoicism, the loyalty, the respect for formal challenges—it all fits."

Martin, still reeling, pointed a trembling finger at Sophia.

"But she's crazy! Xandra could crush her in seconds!"

Sophia, ignoring Martin's outburst entirely, turned on her heel and began striding purposefully toward the elevators.

"To the training field, Xandra. Let's demonstrate our skills as we should."

Xandra didn't respond verbally. She simply followed, her rigid silhouette resembling a living statue. Yet, despite her stern demeanor, she couldn't stop a faint, awkward smile from trying to form on her face.

Aiden, Catherine, and Martin exchanged glances before deciding to follow.

***

The group arrived at the top floor of Elysi Palace, a vast space straight out of a futuristic dream. The ceiling rose to dizzying heights, with Luxyn panels offering a panoramic view of the clouds and city below. The walls, coated in reinforced white Luxyn, absorbed and redistributed energy from impacts, making it the ideal environment for training Emergents.

The floor, crafted from Ferroin—a blend of In, steel, and advanced polymers—was capable of detecting and recording movements with millimeter precision. Around the edges of the room were control consoles and monitors displaying real-time data, such as In energy levels, movement speeds, and combatant vitals.

Martin let out a low whistle, impressed.

"This place never ceases to amaze me. You can literally change the environment in seconds."

Aiden nodded.

"Exactly. But for a duel like this, a neutral field is best. No traps, no advantages."

As they spoke, Sophia and Xandra emerged from the locker rooms, both clad in Helios Tech's standard training suits. The sleek black outfits, accented with red and blue depending on the wearer's rank, were flexible yet durable, designed to provide maximum comfort and protection without hindering movement.

Sophia, having left her glasses behind, held her dagger, Sleepy, with practiced confidence. Her dark brown hair was tied in a high ponytail, revealing determined features and eyes brimming with energy.

Xandra, on the other hand, wielded her rapier, Requiem of Blood, a masterpiece of weaponry. Its slender blade seemed to pulse faintly with a crimson aura, and her movements with it were seamless and deliberate, as if the weapon were an extension of her body.

The two combatants took their positions at the center of the field, their companions watching intently from the sidelines.

"I hope you're ready, Lusoriel," Xandra said coolly, twirling her rapier in an elegant motion.

Sophia grinned, her eyes alight with contained excitement.

"I'm always ready."

Martin watched nervously from the side, torn between anticipation and worry.

This is going to be interesting... if they don't end up tearing each other to pieces.

Aiden and Catherine remained silent, their gazes sharp as they analyzed every movement.

Finally, the arena's system projected a countdown into the air:

3... 2... 1... DUEL!