Meanwhile Inside the female dormitory—
Vayne stood by the door, fully dressed, her movements calm and unhurried as always. She reached for the handle, ready to leave and meet her team.
Her hand stopped mid-air.
Something felt… wrong.
A faint distortion rippled through the space behind her. Silent. Subtle. But unmistakable.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Then—
The air split open.
A dark portal tore itself into existence, warping the space around it as if reality itself was being peeled back. No sound. No warning. Just presence.
From within—
A figure stepped out.
Graceful.
Unhurried.
Long black hair cascaded down her back, each strand falling perfectly in place. Her onyx eyes were sharp—cold enough to freeze the air itself.
The moment she fully emerged, the room changed.
Heavier.
Colder.
"Alyssa.."
Vayne spoke her name without turning, but her gaze had already hardened.
Alyssa took a few steps forward, her heels making soft contact with the floor, yet each step carried an unnatural weight.
"Nephius."
Her voice was calm. Flat. But it pressed against the room like an unseen force.
"I've finally found you."
Her eyes moved briefly around the room, then returned to Vayne.
"I had a feeling you would be here."
A faint irritation crossed her expression.
"That barrier around the academy…"
"…was troublesome."
"but luckily Aurelia seemed to have taken it down"
Vayne turned now, slowly facing her. Her expression remained unchanged, but the air around her felt sharper.
Alyssa's gaze locked onto hers.
"The boss gave an order."
A brief pause.
"To bring you back."
Her tone didn't change.
"And Jester."
Silence lingered for a moment before she continued.
"You've both ignored it."
Her eyes narrowed just slightly.
"That is no longer acceptable."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop further.
"The boss won't tolerate it any longer."
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then—
Vayne spoke.
Calm. Unshaken.
"…And if I refuse?"
Alyssa didn't hesitate.
Her answer came instantly.
"Then I drag you back."
No anger.
No threat.
Just certainty.
The kind that didn't need to be proven.
Outside, the academy remained peaceful. Students moved about, unaware of what stood just behind those walls.
Inside that room—
Two beings who could level cities stood face to face.
And the silence between them—
Was far more dangerous than any battle.
Nephius didn't move for a moment.
Her gaze remained fixed on the space where Alyssa had stood.
Then—
"…Fine."
Her voice was calm.
Controlled.
"But give me some time."
"I need to make a call."
Alyssa watched her for a second, as if weighing her words.
Then she gave a small nod.
"Don't take too long."
The portal behind her opened once more, dark and unstable. Without another word, she stepped through.
And vanished.
The room returned to normal.
Silent.
But the tension lingered.
Vayne exhaled softly.
A faint irritation crossing her expression for the first time.
"Tch…"
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.
Dialed a number.
It connected almost instantly.
"Yes."
Her voice returned to that same cold calm.
"It's me."
A brief pause.
"I need you to arrange something."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Make an excuse. Have me removed from the dungeon trial tomorrow."
Silence on the other end.
Then—
A respectful voice responded.
"I understand, Lady Nephius."
"We'll have the Desmund clan send a formal notice to the academy immediately."
A pause.
"It will be handled."
"…Good."
She ended the call without another word.
The phone lowered slowly in her hand.
A quiet breath escaped her.
"…Tch."
For a brief moment—
Her usual composure cracked.
Just slightly.
Then—
It was gone.
Her expression returned to normal.
Calm.
Unreadable.
But her eyes—
Held something deeper.
Something… conflicted.
"…One month."
She muttered softly.
As if reminding herself.
And then—
She turned toward the door once more.
But this time—
Her steps felt… heavier.
___
The scene shifted—
To the day before the dungeon trial.
Inside the academy laboratory.
Rows of VR pods lined the room.
Each one glowing faintly.
Humming with controlled mana.
Students would soon place their lives—simulated or not—inside these machines.
Professors moved around, making final adjustments.
Checking systems.
Running diagnostics.
Ensuring everything was… perfect.
Professor Nox Valen stood near the center, arms crossed.
His sharp gaze scanned the room.
"Dyrus."
His voice cut through the quiet.
"I hope you've made the final checks."
A pause.
"There should be no mistakes during this trial."
Dyrus didn't even look up from the console.
"Tch."
"Obviously."
"I rechecked everything."
His fingers moved across the panel.
Fast.
Confident.
"Nothing can go wrong."
Nox stared at him for a second longer.
Then sighed.
"…Good."
Without another word—
He turned.
And left the room.
The door slid shut.
A soft click echoed.
Silence followed.
Dyrus continued working.
Unbothered.
Above him—
Inside the ventilation shaft—
Something moved.
A small, centipede-like creature.
Its body thin.
Segmented.
Almost mechanical—
Yet… not.
Its surface shimmered faintly.
As if phasing in and out of reality.
It crawled forward.
Slow.
Silent.
Watching.
Below—
Dyrus yawned slightly.
"Man… this is boring."
The creature stopped.
Right above him.
Its body twitched.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
It slipped through the vent.
No sound.
No warning.
Dyrus didn't notice.
Not until—
Something brushed against his neck.
"…Huh?"
His hand moved instinctively.
Touching it.
Nothing.
He frowned.
"…Weird."
Then—
A sharp pain.
"—?!"
His body froze.
Eyes widening.
For a split second—
He saw something.
Not with his eyes—
But inside his mind.
Darkness.
Whispers.
Something… laughing.
"W-what the—"
The pain vanished.
Just as quickly as it came.
Dyrus stood there.
Breathing slightly heavier.
"…Tch."
He rubbed his neck.
"Probably just fatigue…"
But—
Behind his eyes—
Something shifted.
Subtle.
Unnoticeable.
Wrong.
And on the console in front of him—
A single line flickered.
[System Override… Initiated]
Then—
It disappeared.
As if nothing had happened.