The fourth day of the Monster Sphere had dawned, but the skies above the Rainforest Biome remained shrouded in mist and anticipation.

A low, warbling cry echoed across the border between the Magma Biome and the lush, looming jungle ahead. A streak of flame blazed across the rocky ridges of the terrain.

Albedo was sitting atop Ember who was moving across the biomes like a meteor, his coat snapping in the wind while he looked around, his eyes analytical.

His current score hovered above 30,000 points. But his expression was focused, not triumphant. At this point, he wasn't actively looking for fights. He was looking for something else.

In the Novel, the method the Abyssal Worshippers had used to attack was never explained.

All that was said was they sealed off the Dimension, and the Professors needed a decent chunk of time to remove the seal and enter to protect the remaining students.

However, that didn't explain where they came from, or how all of this was planned without anyone knowing. Thus, Albedo was spending his time recently looking around for any signs of the Abyss.

If he found someone, he'd quickly defeat them and go back on his search. However, this hadn't been that efficient. He hadn't found any proof or evidence, all he had was his future knowledge of the plot to guide him.

"Let's keep searching before sundown," Albedo said, and Ember whinnied softly, her breath glowing with divine heat.

"I know, girl," Albedo whispered. "Something's about to go very, very wrong."

That was when he heard it. The sound of battle echoing throughout the environment. Ember turned her head on his own, already shifting their direction.

Ahead, beyond a narrow ridge marked by obsidian rocks and steaming geysers, Albedo saw it, flashes of light, magic, the hiss of steel, and a half-dozen figures circling a lone girl trying to hold them off.

The girl's black and emerald robe was tattered, her staff cracked at the edge. Albedo immediately recognized who she was.

Elara.

She was surrounded by six Noble students, Elite Class by their gear, however by how arrogant they acted, Albedo could've sworn they were in Myth-Class

All wearing sigils of minor noble houses, none as powerful as Frost or Starwind, but dangerous in a group nonetheless.

"Who do you think you are. This is why I hate being near commoners, give them some power and now they think they're better than us," One of them said.

Elara spat, blood running down her cheek, as she stared at them, raising a middle finger and speaking, "You losers can kiss my ass,"

"You..." A girl said angrily, "I'll make sure you scream in pain before I trigger your elimination. Boys, GET HER!"

As the students reading to attack Elara, Albedo's eyes narrowed and he didn't hesitate even for a second.

One moment, the lead Noble raised his hand to cast a spell. The next, that hand exploded into red mist.

"GAHHH!"

Albedo appeared between them, kneeling low, his Havoc still glowing with black smoke. His face was emotionless. Cold. A storm behind calm eyes.

"Six against one?" Albedo's voice was low, "You really thought that made you strong?"

"You, Albedo Neverwinter?!"

"Unlucky day for you," he said, spawning Ruin in his hands, turning it to Graviton mode.

The pistol shifted, humming with gravitational force. Albedo pulled the trigger once, and the ground beneath one of the Nobles imploded, drawing the student screaming into a hole of compressed gravity before the emergency teleport snatched him away.

Another charged with a warhammer crackling with lightning. Albedo stepped forward, sword dancing in a single twist.

The warhammer only hit is mirage, all the while Albedo had already appeared behind him, this time wielding Havoc which was in Infernal Mode, unleashing a shot.

~BANG~BOOM!~

The shot crashed into the Noble, and immediately exploded and engulfed him in flames, his armor sizzling as he was eliminated and teleported out.

[ +4,200 Points Earned ]

[ +3,700 Points Earned ]

[ +8,400 Points Earned ]

The others tried to flee, but Albedo was not having it, taking all of them down one after another.

"Run faster," Albedo whispered, continuing to unleash a barrage of Graviton and Infernal bullets that quickly eliminated all of the enemies, leaving only the hiss of steam and the environment warped by the graviton slugs.

With all that finished, he turned to Elara, who stood breathing heavily, clutching her staff like a lifeline.

"You alright?" he asked.

She nodded, slowly lowering her weapon, "I'm… okay. Thank you. You didn't have to help."

"Of course I did, I need to help my friends, besides those guys are douches," Albedo replied simply, his tone neutral.

A beat passed as Elara gathered her breath before talking, "I see you're #1, you've been seriously killing it."

Albedo nodded, looking at her watch and noticing she's surpassed 10,000 points herself, "You aren't doing bad youself, you've probably broken through the top 40, a crazy improvement,"

Albedo said, genuinely surprised. Elara hadn't existed in the Novel after all, yet someone with her improvement rate should've surely been noticed enough.

"It's all thanks to the Common Glory club, I've gotten some training from its members to pair with the Circle of Renewal technique. I've never felt stronger," Elara said and that jogged Albedo's memory back to those students who also tried to invite him to the club.

He wondered how popular it was in the original timeline. None of the main characters had any reason to join, so it must've just not been written about.

They chatted for a while, enjoying the short moment of rest before Elara asked, "Are you heading to the Rainforest?"

"Yeah, what about you? All the strongest are gonna be there, are you sure you wanna go?" Albedo asked, turning back to Ember who was patiently waiting on a ledge.

"Sure, i gotta see the best to see the gap after all," Elara said without hesitation, stepping forward.

The two of them quickly rode together towards the jungle mist, quickly entering the Rainforest Biome which was unlike any of the others the two of them had experienced.

Lush, humming with energy, it radiated an ancient, almost primeval aura. Towering trees stretched endlessly upward, their thick trunks covered in glowing moss and vines that pulsed with ambient mana.

The air itself was humid, thick with spiritual pressure. Mana motes drifted like lazy fireflies, coalescing into shimmering streams that floated between the canopy branches like veins of light.

The two of them ran into a couple monsters on the way, but easily defeated them. With both of them improving in power since their last meeting, it was easy to take down monsters.

They moved through the forest, eventually arriving at a clearing.

It was massive, an open arena at the heart of the biome. Giant, gnarled roots wrapped around the outskirts like natural barriers, and a broken spire of crystalline stone jutted from the center, glowing faintly with a flickering blue light.

This was it. He knew it, the center of the Dimension, the point of convergence, they soon stood at the center and just waited, and soon, they felt them, the other students approaching.

First came the sound of earth cracking beneath iron-clad boots.

Lucian emerged from the northern path, shirt torn at the sleeve, blade slung over his shoulder, steam rising from his body as though his mana couldn't be completely contained.

His steps were steady, gaze sharp, and when he spotted Albedo and Elara, he gave a grin, "So I'm not the first. Figures."

Albedo gave a nod, expression unreadable, "Didn't take you for someone who liked being late."

"I don't. But I like showing up right when it counts."

Behind him, another pair of figures broke through the brush.

Veronica and Lira entered, with Lira having a Thunder Lion, her first contracted beast, following them. The Lion spotted Ember and roared, eager to engage in battle, and Ember roared back.

Dorian trailed behind them, spinning a gold coin between his fingers with a lazy grin on his face. "Now this feels like a party," he said, his green eyes flashing with mischief as he scanned the group, "Only thing missing is drinks."

"Shut it, idiot," Veronica muttered, but even she smiled faintly.

From the western edge of the jungle, a silvery wind parted the vines, and Miranda stepped through. Dressed in radiant silver battlewear, her chakrams were sheathed, but a quiet hum of distorted space and temporal bleed followed her like a cloak.

The ground beneath her steps shimmered slightly, time itself hesitating around her presence.

She gave Albedo a small nod, "So it begins."

A flock of birds flooded through the forest suddenly, and following them was Morgana, a throne of blood carrying her as her eyes were now pitch black orbs, her power radiating across the environment.

Moments later, the final ripple of mana pressure slammed into the area like a thunderclap.

William emerged from the southern edge, his coat a regal white trimmed with frost-blue edges, his hair immaculate despite the chaos of the Sphere.

Around him walked his retinue, four other nobles from high-tier houses, all of them armored, cloaked, and brimming with power.

At William's side was Kaden Nightstone. The others were all Myth-Class Elites, some of whom had been part of the slaughter squads moving together to farm points.

William didn't speak. He simply stepped forward and stopped across the clearing from Albedo. His icy gaze drifted across the others, his voice finally cutting through the tension like a blade.

"So," he said, voice calm and cold. "These are the so-called top students."

Veronica stepped forward, "Watch your tone, Frost. You're not the center of the world."

"No," William replied, meeting Albedo's gaze, "But I will be."

Elara tensed, but Albedo simply exhaled slowly, "Then let's see if your strength matches your arrogance."

The mana in the air began to pulse. Crackling and rampaging. Elara quickly escaped to the side, knowing this was way over her pay-grade.

All of them began releasing their Mana aura, and the environment immediately reacted, the trees vibrating at the sheer density of power between all the parties present.

Thunder rumbled despite the clear skies above. The vines shivered. The beasts hidden in the underbrush retreated further.

A countdown had begun.

The strongest students of Zephyr Academy stood in a ring, each one ready, waiting. Friends. Rivals. Enemies. All of them chosen by fate, now gathered for what would be remembered as the greatest battle in the Monster Sphere's history.

They didn't know it yet.

But the world was watching.

And in the shadows far beyond the Scape's boundary…

The Abyss was smiling.