Afterwards, Deser and Pram head out to retrieve the sword. Deser is amazed—everything is exactly as he remembers. They arrive at a shady alleyway that leads to the pawn shop and cautiously step inside. A big sign at the front proudly declares “No Refunds. Ever.” Deser can’t help but wonder how these guys could be so obsessed with money.
Pram mutters that he never wants to hold the sword again, but Deser calmly asks him to give it one more chance.
Inside, they’re greeted by a steroid-fueled giant standing guard. (Seriously, this place looks more like a villain hideout than a pawn shop.) Deser approaches the shop owner, Wuuk Ken, explaining that they’re here to buy back the rapier Pram sold.
Wuuk Ken smugly points to the no refunds sign, but Deser shoots back that’s exactly why he said “buy,” not “refund.” (Our boy’s patience deserves an award.) The man insists the sword is worthless, but admits he suspected something strange since it was so light.
That’s when Wuuk Ken surprises Pram, saying he thinks it might actually be a Koven—an item nobles give to loved ones, often disguised like jewelry or a box. Deser, being Deser, already figured that out. He recalls seeing something similar when that earring-wearing creep Dante gave Romantica a “gift.”
Wuuk Ken declares the price: 40 silver. Pram explodes—he had sold it for just 3 silver the day before! On top of that, Wuuk Ken didn’t even tell him it was a Koven. The shopkeeper shrugs, saying Pram only asked him to appraise it as a sword. As a sword, it was worth 3 silver. As a Koven? 40. Business is business.
Pram fumes, but Deser calmly pays the 40 silver. (He’s not thrilled, but he knows it’s worth it.) Wuuk Ken mutters that maybe he should’ve charged more, but Deser warns him that’s as high as he’ll go.
Wuuk Ken then scoffs, saying just looking at it won’t do any good—no amateur could ever open it. This fool clearly doesn’t realize he’s talking to the main character. Deser uses his unique magic to read the hidden writing on the weapon and urges Pram to take it.
Following Deser’s instructions, Pram presses a small groove on the hilt, slides the blade out—and suddenly another blade hidden inside is revealed. Everyone is stunned. This blade is unlike iron or silver, shining with an otherworldly glow.
Deser explains it’s forged from Banum—a metal harder than steel and lighter than a feather. Weapons like this exist only among the highest nobility. Now more certain than ever, Deser knows this is the very weapon Pram wielded in the future.
As they prepare to leave, the giant behemoth steps in their way. Deser, ever polite, simply asks the muscle mountain to move aside.
The giant mountain of muscles blocks their way, but Wuuk Ken smirks and says he’ll only let them leave if they hand over the sword. Deser reminds him they had a business agreement, but Wuuk Ken, being a top-tier scummy shop owner, claims that since the sword is made of Banum, the deal’s off.
Deser calls him out on his hypocrisy, which only makes the giant step forward threateningly. Deser calmly refuses, dodging the musclehead’s attack with ease. Wuuk Ken yells at the brute to “finish them already!” but everyone’s surprised when Pram steps up.
Pram actually hates fighting, but seeing someone about to harm Deser pushes him over the edge. Deser teases him, reminding him he swore he’d never touch the sword again. But he’s just messing with him and encourages Pram to show what he’s capable of. Deser knows this sword perfectly matches Pram’s style, but he’s still concerned — the giant’s attacks could be fatal if they land, and Pram is inexperienced.
Then it happens — Pram begins to glow, determination blazing in his eyes. Even the brute seems excited to see this. He lunges, but Pram instantly counters and dodges. His speed is unreal, almost too fast to see. He lands several hits, though they’re shallow cuts, and Deser realizes Pram’s still learning how to gauge his strikes with the rapier.
The giant starts adapting to Pram’s speed, and if the fight drags on, Pram will be in trouble. He goes for the brute’s vitals, but the giant predicts it easily. Things start to look grim until Deser yells at him to “believe in your father!”
That’s when Pram notices the writing on the sword and feels inspired. He doesn’t know how Deser could have known all this, but it doesn’t matter—he’s determined to win for Deser, who believed in him. Pram charges in again, but Deser shouts in alarm as the giant sees the attack coming.
Pram proves everyone wrong, slicing straight through the behemoth’s weapon and knocking him out cold. He credits the sword—and by extension, his father—for being the reason he’s still alive.
They get ready to leave, but Wuuk Ken sneers, saying the door can only be opened by the unconscious guard. He demands they leave the sword, but his jaw drops as Pram simply slices his way out instead. (Problem solved.)
On the way home, they stop for food. Pram thanks Deser for everything he’s done. Deser just shrugs, saying it’s natural to help a friend in trouble. But Pram suddenly breaks down, and our silly protagonist wonders if he accidentally bought the wrong kind of food. (Spoiler: he didn’t.)
Pram explains through tears that he’s crying because before all this, he’d been completely lost and hopeless.
Now things are finally better for Pram, and he even has someone who considers him a friend. He’s truly happy and thanks both his parents as he resolves to follow the words his father left behind. The sword bears the engraving: “So my fledgling won’t lose his way.”
Back at the school, Romantica continues her intense training and shows incredible mastery over her spell control. She can now stop the ball perfectly at the center of the circle. Overjoyed, she tries the challenge Desir originally gave her, and to her delight, she lands every single wind projectile directly at the target’s center.
Later, she waits to meet Dante, but overhears people discriminating against her for being in the Beta class. When she finally meets him, she eagerly devours a meal while Dante anxiously awaits her decision about joining his party. Before she can answer, he arrogantly assumes she has already accepted and prepares to introduce her to the members of Blue Moon.
To his utter shock, Romantica returns the gift he gave her. He’s so stunned that his tiny brain can’t even process it. She tells him it’s not only because she doesn’t want to be with him, but also because she’s already joined a party in the Beta class. Dante, in complete denial, laughs it off as a joke—but Romantica makes it very clear she’s serious.
She explains that while she didn’t like her party at first, that changed completely. The leader is training her and pushing her to improve her skills. She reminds him of how he once called commoners “trash.” Instead of apologizing, Dante doubles down on his statement. That’s when Romantica reveals she herself used to be a commoner, nearly giving him a stroke.
He once again thinks she must be joking, but Romantica tells him she’s dead serious—and that it doesn’t matter now, because she finally has people who see her for who she is, not what she was. Dante finally realizes the truth and snaps, declaring that if he had known she was a commoner, he never would have invited her in the first place.
As their conversation ends, Romantica has one final statement: her party is aiming to rise to the Alpha Class. That means they’re now enemies. Dante is furious, vowing to crush every one of them. Romantica simply warns him not to underestimate them and leaves.
His rage boils over. A flashback reveals why he despises commoners so much—years ago, a mob of them stormed his home, destroying everything and demanding the execution of his father. The memory fuels his hatred. In a frenzy, he clenches his fist until he bleeds, vowing to annihilate every last filthy commoner.
Sometime later, Desir’s team enters the ranking tournament, starting with the qualifying rounds.
Romantica dominates her match, wiping the floor with a group of five opponents using her powerful wind magic. Their victory boosts the team’s position on the leaderboard. Pram follows up by taking down another squad, pushing them even higher. Finally, it’s Desir’s turn to show his skill—he doesn’t even move an inch while effortlessly blocking every incoming attack. With Romantica and Pram finishing off the last enemies, the team climbs into the Top 30, officially advancing to the real competition.
Bridget is proud of their progress but also concerned. Being in the spotlight now means they’ve painted a giant target on their backs.
Elsewhere, the instructor overseeing Blue Moon is absolutely livid when he reads an article praising Desir’s Beta-class team. The article highlights how this unprecedented squad has broken into the Top 30 and speculates they could become the first-ever Beta team promoted to Alpha Class. Enraged, the instructor refuses to let “trash” students taint the pride of Alpha.
He calls the Blue Moon members together and makes his orders chillingly clear: during the final round, they must use any means necessary to eliminate Desir’s team. They cannot, under any circumstances, allow them to rise.
He singles out Aess, the leader of the first Blue Moon group, reminding her she has already fought Desir. Aess calmly assures him she’s confident she can defeat him this time. After all, she’s never forgotten the humiliation of suffering her first defeat at his hands. She vows to erase that stain on her record by crushing him completely.
Later, Dante and Peral approach Aess. At first, she assumes they’re questioning her leadership, but instead, they voice their own grudges: Peral demands the right to take down Pram, while Dante insists on personally dealing with Romantica. Though she argues teamwork gives them a higher chance of winning, Aess understands their hatred and reluctantly agrees. Still, she makes one condition crystal clear—Desir is off-limits. She alone will defeat him.
Meanwhile, Desir observes how much Romantica and Pram have improved, wondering if they’re ready for the next stage. His teammates eagerly anticipate more training for the final round—but Desir surprises them. Instead of battle drills, he announces a special regimen.
He leads them into the vast academy library, where he presents them with stacks of books.
Romantica is stunned when Deser announces that their “special regimen” is actually studying history. She’s promptly reminded to stay quiet—distractions won’t help. Deser explains that the final round of the ranking tournament will take place in a Shadow World created by the academy, where historical incidents are recreated. To succeed, they must prevent these events from occurring. Knowing the history will help them, though they won’t know which incidents will appear.
Deser casually tells them he just picked some incidents at random—but, in reality, being from the future, he already knows exactly what the Shadow World will present.
During their studies, Romantica teases Pram for admiring Deser so much, drawing the teacher’s sharp attention. Deser, smiling like a fierce dictator, demands they get back to work—his authoritarian tone leaving no room for joking.
Moments later, the team is shocked when Aess approaches. The tension is palpable until Romantica breaks the silence, asking her what she wants. Aess notes that it’s been two months since their last fight, and Deser compliments her for joining Blue Moon. He thinks she deserves a spot in the strongest party—but Aess questions whether it truly is the strongest without Tesser.
Aess formally declares war against Deser. He takes the news in stride, noting that it’s typical of someone who respects her rival enough to show courtesy. She underestimated him before but vows to defeat him with everything she has this time.
Deser beams—his goal was to ignite her fighting spirit, and it’s clearly worked. His mission has always been to make his friends stronger so they can change the future—and now he looks forward to fighting alongside a powered-up Aess.
The day of the ranking tournament finally arrives. Multiple portals have been set up at the center of the stadium, reporters swarm instructors, and townspeople pack the stands. The noise is deafening; the event is a major spectacle.
Deser’s friends notice that he’s wearing his tie properly today. Deser explains that normally he doesn’t—he just finds it uncomfortable—but Romantica had assumed it was so he could show off his chest. The group jokes around, keeping the mood light. Deser is happy to see that no one seems nervous—they’re ready for what’s coming.
All teams head to Center Stage, and the large crowd erupts in cheers. One spectator doubts Deser looks intimidating despite all the hype, while a blue-haired girl tells him to focus. A long-haired jerk reminds everyone that a guy like Deser isn’t worth worrying about. Meanwhile, a voice announces that the final round will begin shortly, explaining that to clear the Shadow World, teams must successfully navigate the recreated historical incidents.
The final round of the ranking tournament begins. A voice explains that participants must solve a specific incident in the Shadow World. They can use any methods to succeed, but fatal damage results in immediate disqualification. Everyone sizes each other up, throwing dirty looks across the battlefield. Contributing more to clearing the Shadow World earns more points, and the top nine players will receive the coveted title of single rankers.
Deser and his team start at the very bottom of the rankings. He calmly explains that to become single rankers, they either need to clear the Shadow World themselves or defeat every other participant.
The gates open, and the crowd erupts. The portals glow ominously, and the teams enter one by one. Deser’s team is last. He reassures his friends, telling them not to worry—they can do anything if they set their minds to it.
Once inside, they are randomly separated. A voice informs Deser that everyone’s location has been assigned. Determined, he decides his first objective is to find his teammates.
Suddenly, an ice bolt strikes him. A blue-haired girl from earlier is amazed by her luck in finding him first. Deser, on the other hand, is stunned by how famous he has become. She wastes no time attacking, but Deser effortlessly melts her ice attack with fire.
Things escalate when she demonstrates that she can use two spells at once, casting Aqua Wave while maintaining a defensive spell. Deser reacts with another fire attack, causing steam to fill the area, and notices her clever tactic: she places the defensive spell in front of the offensive one to freeze it in place. He commends her ingenuity, noting that such tactics are expected from an Alpha class mage.
She isn’t finished. Using wind magic, she violently throws all the shards of ice from her previous attacks, explaining with pride that her magic is something a commoner like Deser could never hope to wield. She sneers, asking if he has any last words before tearing him apart.
Deser, completely unfazed, admires her confidence. Then he deliberately gets under her skin, pointing out that she should be aiming for his vitals, and notes that her control over her spells is lacking. Furious, she yells at him to shut his mouth—but Deser knows he has already gotten into her head.
Finally, Deser stops teasing. With a simple snap of his fingers, he obliterates her entire attack, leaving her shocked and realizing that she is dealing with someone far beyond her expectations.
She has no clue how Deser managed it, but it slowly dawns on her—he’s using inverse spells. With that realization, she understands that Deser now has full control of the fight. Calmly, he begins teaching her a harsh lesson.
“You should never underestimate your opponent,” he says. “And you must always think about your next step. Those are the basics of war. Watch closely and engrain it in your mind.”
Deser finishes collecting all the shards of her spells, consolidating them into a massive crystal, and sends it hurtling straight back at her. The girl, clearly overconfident, scoffs, “There’s no way a commoner’s magic could beat me.” She assumes she can easily stop his attack with her shield.
But Deser is done teaching—he shatters the giant crystal, bypassing her defense entirely, and defeats her effortlessly. An announcement of her defeat echoes through the arena. Deser calmly points out, almost casually, “And that… is just one of many to come.”
