[14th Everdusk 2103], Verdant Hollow Dungeon, CGA Branch
âWell, these stats look good. Just need to hunt a few more of these monkeys, and Iâll be done here,â I muttered to myself, convinced that the first stage wouldnât pose much of a threatâit
was
meant for beginners, after all. Should be easy, right?
I began walking toward the next area, but thenâ
Pop!
Two of my summoned skeletons burst into a flurry of sparkles, their remains collapsing onto the forest floor like discarded props.
âOh... so you both have left me too, huh?â I said in an overly dramatic voice, pretending to wipe away nonexistent tears. âNo worries, Iâll continue this journey to the bitter end.â
Without looking back, I walked off with my last remaining skeleton, head held high.
A quick check of my mana told me I still had some juice left. Not great, but enough to squeeze out a few skills.
[43/160 MP]
I ventured deeper into the jungle, searching for the final pack of monkeys. My thoughts drifted as I walked.
How many students have already cleared the first stage? Lucas and Lyre⊠theyâve probably reached Stage 2 by nowâmaybe even Stage 3.
I quickened my pace.
Despair wonât get me anywhere.
Then I heard itâleaves rustling violently above me.
Looks like the hunt had resumed.
Meanwhile, in another dungeonâŠ
Lucas stood amidst a circle of snarling wolvesâbut this time, they didnât flee. At the center of the pack stood a larger wolf, calm and composed.
The
Mini-Boss.
Shit. <Dragon Fear>'s effect is halved because of that damn Alpha Wolf,
Lucas cursed inwardly. The boss was already
Level 10
, while he was still stuck at
Level 7
.
The Alpha didnât rush in. It was smartâwaiting for Lucas to exhaust himself.
But this was the life of the male lead. Obstacles didnât mean defeatâthey were just setups for comebacks.
As the battle dragged on, Lucas found himself cornered. But thenâ
[Your skills 'Fireball' and 'Arcane Strike' have leveled up!]
Power surged through him.
"Perfect timing," he smirked.
With renewed strength, he tore through the normal wolves one after another. When only the Alpha remained, the beast snarled, saliva dripping onto the soil.
"Pissed, huh? Donât worryâyouâll see your pack again soon."
With a shout, he launched himself forward.
The Alpha finally moved.
In a flash, the beast vanishedâthen reappeared right in front of him.
<Shadow Pounce>
âa spatial skill.
But Lucas was ready.
<Mana Shield>!
A translucent barrier appeared just in time. Seizing the opening, Lucas hurled a fireball straight into the wolfâs mouth. It didnât fall.
So he followed upâhis sword gleaming with arcane energy.
<Arcane Strike>!
The blade pierced deep into the wolfâs face.
The Alpha stumbled back, madly thrashing in agony, trying to pull the sword out. Blood gushed out like a broken faucet.
Moments later, it dropped dead.
Lucas stood over the corpse, panting. Then came the notification:
{You've defeated the Mini-Boss: Alpha Wolf and 8x Lv.6 Forest Wolves. You've gained 380 EXP.}
[540/400 EXP]
{You've leveled up: Lv.7 â Lv.8}
{You've gained 10 Unassigned Stat Points.}
{Stage 2 Complete. A Portal is Being Generated.}
Stones on the ground shifted and formed an oval frame. Two portals appeared: one to the next stage, and one to exit.
"Haaaah... almost died back there. That skillâ<Shadow Pounce>âwouldâve been
really
nice to steal." He chuckled bitterly, brushing off dust from his sleeves.
He looked at the two glowing gates.
"Exit? Hell no. Iâve got a title to win."
Without hesitation, he walked into the portal to the third stage.
But before he vanished, he muttered:
"Whereâs Lyre now? Still stuck at Stage 2... or maybe sheâs already in Stage 3. Her class
is
high. And Evan... probably still struggling in Stage 1."
He laughed lightly, never knowing how wrong he was.
Elsewhere...
Lyre stood before a dying inferno, its last flickers illuminating the jungle.
Behind her, a circle of blackened wolf corpses lay smoldering.
She looked... different.
Golden rune-like symbols glowed around her eyes, giving her an almost divine presence. Her mage robe was slashed but intact.
As the fire died out, the charred body of the Alpha Wolf was revealed, completely destroyed.
But Lyreâs gaze hadnât moved.
She didnât even blink.
Only when the notification appeared did the glowing runes fade, and clarity returned to her eyes.
"Huh...? What... happened to me?"
She glanced around, confused.
"I was fighting the Alpha... and then it used a skill. I remember the slashâbut after that⊠nothing."
She stared at the wolf's corpse, trying to piece things together.
Did I⊠lose control?
The notification still lingered in the corner of her eye:
{You've defeated the Mini-Boss: Alpha Wolf. Gained 330 EXP.}
{Lv.9 Reached.}
With a deep breath, she drank her potions, then stepped into the third stage portal.
Back outside, the leaderboard buzzed with life.
Two new names had just entered Stage 3.
Lyre?
No surprise.
Lucas?
Shock.
Whispers spread through the monitoring room like wildfire. How could someone with an E-rank class keep pace with Lyre?
Tess, watching the screen with pride, smiled to herself.
âIâll give him a surprise tonight. He earned it.â
But in all the commotion, no one noticed the smallest change at the bottom of the screen:
[Stage 1 â Stage 2: Evan Ravencall]
There was no need for commentary.
Everyone already knew who he was.
âTo be continued.