The next morning, the ten summoned individuals were gathered around a massive carved wooden table. The breakfast was abundant, but the atmosphere was charged with a mix of excitement and nervousness.
Kael, seated beside Dante, leaned in cautiously. His expression was a mix of mockery and technical fascination. He whispered while subtly pointing toward the royal guards standing watch at the dining hall's arches.
"Dante, I just noticed something fascinating," Kael said in a low voice. "We're not speaking the same language."
Dante raised an eyebrow. He had been too busy analyzing emergency exits and the guards' pressure points to notice such a detail. He set down his fork and crossed his arms, waiting for an explanation.
"While the King was giving his speech yesterday, my universal translator was running at 100%," Kael continued, excited. "The sounds coming out of their mouths are guttural frequencies with no linguistic root in our database. It's amorphous noise."
Dante processed the information, scanning the other "heroes" with his gaze.
So the summoning circle didn't just transport us—it also installed some kind of cognitive patch to let us communicate. A massive automatic translation spell, Dante thought. Although the concept was advanced for a medieval world, for him it was a minor function compared to interdimensional travel.
"Look at the others, Dante," Kael added with a cynical smile. "Arturo and the rest haven't even noticed. They assume the multiverse magically speaks their native language. They're so immersed in their fantasy that they ignore the most obvious anomaly."
Dante nodded slightly. Aside from the natives who possessed the capability to abduct beings from other universes and the two soldiers (Maximus and Viktor) who maintained a professional demeanor, he didn't take anyone else at that table seriously.
Suddenly, a rhythmic knock echoed at the door.
"Heroes, the High Priest awaits you in the central courtyard," announced a herald. "It is time to test your affinity with the Elements and awaken your Mana Cores."
Dante glanced at the briefcase where the creature's eggs pulsed softly, reacting to the ambient vibration.
"Store the inhibitor, Kael," Dante ordered as he finished his plate and stood up. "Let's see what surprises this world has."
If this place can grant me more power, I'll take it gladly, Dante reflected as he walked toward the exit.
The Testing Courtyard
The High Priest received them with a deep bow at the center of a stone amphitheater.
"Welcome, heroes. I sincerely thank you for accepting to help us in these troubled times," said the old man, earning the sympathy of most. Dante and Kael kept neutral expressions, though internally they mocked the obvious attempt at emotional manipulation.
"As beings from other worlds, your bodies have been slightly modified by the ritual in order to channel Mana. You will possess reserves that surpass any mage or warrior born here," the priest explained.
Dante and Kael exchanged wary glances. The idea that their Federation-enhanced physiology had been altered by "magic" did not sit well with them.
"Spells and combat abilities are divided into six ranks: F, D, C, B, A, and S," the old man continued. "The Kingdom will place all of our technical arsenal and weapon masters at your disposal. There are no restrictions: you may learn whatever your talent allows."
The priest produced a translucent crystal sphere and asked each of them to step forward. The results appeared one by one:
Arturo: Light (A blinding glow that made the King smile).
Bruno: Earth.
Maximus: Fire.
Viktor: Metal.
Ren: Ice.
Sora: Shadow.
Natt: Water.
Marco: Gravity.
Finally, it was the Federation soldiers' turn. When Kael touched the sphere, a vortex of air spiraled around the crystal: Wind.
Then Dante extended his hand. The moment his fingers brushed the surface, the crystal did not shine immediately. There was a tense silence, and suddenly, a spark of dark red—almost black—tore through the air with a sharp crack. The crystal vibrated violently before stabilizing.
"Lightning," the priest murmured, though he seemed unsettled by the unusual color of the energy.
Tactical Analysis
Back in their quarters, Dante dropped into a wooden chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"Hmm… it seems this world is more efficient than I thought," he murmured to Kael. "There are no absurd 'class' divisions. Everything is based on learning spells and skills. The only limits are talent and time."
Kael nodded while checking his gear. "Basically, we can be warriors and spellcasters at the same time if we're capable of mastering high ranks."
Dante smirked slightly, a rare expression for him. This world's system was perfect for someone who already possessed the Black Stage. He didn't need to be told what to become—he just needed to collect the most lethal abilities and combine them with his technology.
"This world is far more interesting than I expected," Dante whispered as he closed his eyes, feeling the ambient mana begin to merge with his electrical energy. "Let the collection begin."
This approach from Dante demonstrates why he is a survivor of the Federation: he does not get carried away by the "hero" ego, but instead applies military discipline. While Arturo and the others are probably celebrating their new powers, Dante is already analyzing the "raw material" of this universe.
Here is the continuation to close this part of the chapter:
Dante pulled out a small leather manual that had been given to him by the servants shortly before. It contained the basic instructions for meditation, the gathering of ambient mana, and most importantly, the formation of the Mana Core.
The priests had been emphatic: Do not attempt to form the core alone. A poor circulation of primary energy could tear a novice's magical channels apart or cause an internal explosion. Dante was no fool; he had no intention of risking a debilitating injury out of pure impatience. He decided to wait for professional instructors for that critical step, but that did not stop him from beginning to "feel" the environment.
Sitting in a lotus position on the cold stone floor, Dante closed his eyes.
The priest wasn't lying, he thought as he breathed rhythmically. My body feels… heavy, but not from exhaustion. It's as if every cell is saturated with an invisible static.
It was the massive reserve of mana that the summoning ritual had forced into his system. Following the manual's instructions, Dante began to draw mana from the air toward his skin. He wasn't doing it because he lacked energy, but out of a tactical necessity: adaptation.
For a Black Stage soldier, any unknown energy is a risk variable. He needed to familiarize himself with the viscosity of mana, its flow speed, and how it reacted upon coming into contact with his bio-electricity.
Beside him, Kael was doing the same, though in a more restless manner.
The air in the room began to subtly vibrate; small dark red sparks danced around Dante's fingers, while a light breeze swirled around Kael.
It's different from Federation energy, Dante reflected internally. Mana has a kind of… will. If I can master the gathering before training begins, I'll have an advantage over the others.
"Dante..." Kael whispered without opening his eyes. "I can feel the mana being drawn toward the briefcase. The package is absorbing ambient energy on its own."
Dante opened one eye and looked toward the corner where the equipment rested. The standard creature eggs were stable, but the other package— a special one, secured with military-grade measures— emitted a rhythmic pulse, almost imperceptible, yet constant.
It was a creature that was supposed to be extinct.
Dante knew that specimen was the true core of his mission. The original plan had never been simply to let the predators and the insects annihilate each other; its real objective was to bring that primordial being back to life and release it in a "safe place." That planet, Sigma-9, an insignificant location to the Federation, was meant to be the perfect testing ground: if the creature caused problems, the solution would be to erase the sector from the map.
But here, in this new universe filled with mana, the package had turned into a biological ticking time bomb.
Dante decided to ignore the signal for the moment. Not because it wasn't dangerous, but because in his current situation, he lacked the means to contain an accelerated hatching.
"Leave it," Dante replied in a monotone voice, closing his eye again. "If that thing hatches with mana in its blood, it will be far more lethal than High Command planned. Maybe it'll be useful to fight those 'demons'… anyway, ignore it for now. Keep meditating. The instructor will arrive soon."
A predator from forgotten eras mutated with mystical energy, Dante reflected internally as he felt the mana continuing to flow toward the briefcase.
Kael nodded, though cold sweat began to run down the back of his neck. Both of them sank back into meditation, letting the silence of the room be devoured by the metallic and organic pulse coming from the dark corner.