The morning of the first official event dawned bright over Eldoria's colossal arena complex. Crystal spires reflected the rising sun, and the air hummed with mana from thousands of spectators and participants. Banners of the 48 competing dungeons fluttered in the breeze, each one more elaborate than the last.
Tobi Adeyemi stood with his team at the edge of the preparation zone, adjusting the glowing runes on his black cloak-hoodie hybrid. His eyes carried that familiar sharp, ambitious glint mixed with his signature mischievous humor.
"Alright, team," he said, clapping his hands. "Today na speed clear. We no dey come here to play. We go show these fancy Apostles how Naija hustle dey move."
Lila stood close on his right, bow slung over her shoulder, her brown hair tied back practically. She gave him a small, supportive smile, but her eyes flicked toward Mira and Elara with subtle wariness. "Just stay focused, Tobi. Don't get distracted copying every shiny skill you see."
Mira, on his left, twirled her staff playfully, red hair catching the light. "Oh, but copying is his best talent! Besides, I brought extra mana potions. We'll keep him topped up."
Elara leaned against a pillar a few steps away, arms crossed, her massive greatsword resting nearby. Her silver hair and golden eyes gave her an elegant, intimidating presence. "Speak for yourselves. I'm here to make sure this 'investment' doesn't embarrass me in front of the big guilds. Try not to trip over your own feet, Apostle."
Nyx's lavender orb floated discreetly inside Tobi's cloak, her sleepy voice echoing only in his mind. "Forty-eight dungeons. Many with years of experience. Don't die on the first day. I still need my naps."
Tobi chuckled. "Relax, madam Core. We go turn this tournament into our personal skill farm."
The rules for the Speed Clear Event were straightforward but brutal: Each participating dungeon sent a team of up to four to clear a standardized five-floor challenge tower provided by the organizers. The tower reset for every team, filled with escalating monsters, traps, and environmental hazards. Time started when the team entered and stopped when the final boss fell. Bonus points for creative solutions or minimal damage taken.
Rankings would determine seeding for later events.
Tobi's team was announced as one of the later slots — a deliberate placement that let them watch stronger teams first and gather intel.
They observed from the viewing platforms as the first few teams went.
The Golden Titan Fortress team bulldozed through in raw power, finishing in 28 minutes with brute force and heavy armor. The crowd cheered.
Silas Nightshade's Abyss Veil team moved like ghosts, shadows swallowing monsters whole. They cleared in an impressive 19 minutes.
Valeria's Eternal Frost Spire froze entire floors solid. Her time: 17 minutes flat.
Tobi whistled. "These people no dey play. But watch — we go surprise them."
When their turn came, the arena announcer's voice boomed:
"Next up: Nyx's Hustle Realm! The newcomer D-rank dungeon led by the Apostle known for his… unique style!"
Laughter rippled through the crowd at the mention of "unique." Tobi just grinned and waved like a celebrity.
The team stepped through the glowing portal into the challenge tower.
Floor 1: Forest Ambush
Dense trees and hidden wolf packs attacked from all sides. Tobi activated Naija Lightning Hustle immediately, blurring across the battlefield in crackling bursts of speed. He copied the wolves' pack coordination skill on the first strike and upgraded it into Hustler's Coordinated Assault — allowing his team to move with perfect sync as if they'd trained together for years.
Lila's arrows flew in upgraded Pepper Barrage patterns, disorienting groups. Mira wove supportive barriers and area buffs. Elara carved through clusters with sweeping greatsword strikes enhanced by Tobi's copied momentum skills.
They cleared Floor 1 in under four minutes.
Floor 2: Puzzle Labyrinth
Shifting walls and riddle traps. Tobi laughed when the first riddle appeared — it was similar to his own dungeon's humorous ones, but more serious.
Instead of solving conventionally, he used Naija Shadow Hustle to slip through gaps in the illusions, then upgraded a copied trap-disarming skill into something ridiculous that let the whole team phase through walls temporarily.
The crowd watching the projection feeds gasped at the creative shortcut.
Floor 3: Lava Gauntlet
Heat and flowing magma. Perfect for Tobi's growing lava-themed experience from his own Floor 4. He copied environmental resistance skills from the tower itself and upgraded them, sharing heat-nullifying buffs with the team via Hustler's Adaptive Shield.
Elara shone here, her raw power smashing through molten golems while Tobi provided mobility support.
Floor 4: Shadow Swarm
This is where things got intense. Swarms of shadow creatures that multiplied when hit incorrectly. Silas's style, clearly.
Tobi's eyes lit up. He copied the shadow multiplication mechanic mid-fight and immediately upgraded it into Naija Shadow Clone Hustle — creating temporary mana clones of himself and his teammates that distracted the swarm while the real team pushed forward.
The synergy was beautiful. Lila coordinated with clones for multi-angle arrow barrages. Mira amplified the clones with magic. Elara smashed the real threats.
Floor 5: Boss Chamber – Armored Titan Guardian
A massive construct with adaptive defenses.
The team fought in perfect harmony now. Tobi tanked with upgraded shields and lightning steps, copying the titan's armor reinforcement on the fly and turning it into Hustler's Overcharged Armor — making his team temporarily nearly invulnerable while boosting attack power.
In a dramatic finish, Tobi combined Naija War Cry with the titan's own hammer skill, shouting "This na my stage!" as he delivered a empowered strike that shattered the boss's core.
Clear Time: 14 minutes 37 seconds
The arena erupted in stunned applause and murmurs. A D-rank newcomer beating several established teams' times? Unheard of.
Back in the preparation area, Tobi's team was mobbed by curious onlookers. Lila stayed protectively close, Mira basked in the attention while healing minor scratches, and Elara tried (and failed) to look unimpressed.
Silas approached with a slow clap. "Creative. Very creative. You copy like a thief and improve like a madman. I look forward to facing you properly."
Valeria watched from afar, her cold gaze lingering on Tobi a moment longer than necessary.
That evening, at the tournament lodging, the group debriefed over Tobi's portable pepper soup setup (he had brought ingredients, of course).
Lila leaned against him. "You were amazing today. But… be careful. People are starting to see you as a threat."
Mira grinned. "Let them. We're just getting started!"
Elara added quietly, "Your ability is growing too fast. The System might notice… or others might try to sabotage you."
Nyx whispered: "She's right. But I have to admit — this is more exciting than sleeping for centuries."
Tobi smiled, looking at his three companions. The small harem dynamic was warming into something comfortable yet charged with tension and genuine care.
"Tomorrow na the creative trap event. We go show them proper Naija engineering."
The night ended with light banter, a stolen kiss from Lila when the others weren't looking, and playful teasing from Mira.
The tournament was heating up — and so was everything else.