At first, it was subtle.
Barely noticeable.
Zachary stopped mid-step.
"…You feel that?"
Cole didn't answer.
Because the shaking grew stronger.
And stronger.
The ground beneath them began to rumble violently, cracks forming as dust lifted into the air. Nearby people shouted in confusion, some stumbling as they tried to keep their balance.
Then—
WHOOOSH!
A powerful gust of wind burst outward, slamming into both of them.
Their clothes whipped violently as the air itself twisted unnaturally around a single point.
Right in front of them.
The ground split open.
Something began to rise.
Slowly.
Massively.
Stone… structure… darkness.
It forced its way up from beneath the earth like something that had always been there—
Zachary's eyes narrowed.
"…Another one…"
A dungeon.
The students felt the tremor beneath their feet and immediately assumed the worst.
"Earthquake!?" someone shouted.
Desks rattled, chairs scraped, and a wave of panic spread across the classroom. But as quickly as the fear rose—
It stopped.
Too suddenly.
Too cleanly.
One by one, students turned toward the windows.
And what they saw…
Wasn't an earthquake.
"…Look."
"It's Zachary…"
"And—who's that with him?"
Whispers filled the room as more students rushed toward the windows, some even running out into the hallways just to get a better view.
Right outside the academy—
A dungeon stood.
And in front of it…
Zachary and Cole.
Zachary didn't hesitate.
He walked forward.
Straight toward the entrance.
Cole followed closely behind, his eyes locked on Zachary's back. There was no fear in his expression—only focus.
Because someone like Zachary…
Showing no fear at all?
That wasn't normal.
That was either overwhelming confidence—
Or something far more mysterious.
The swirling blue frame of the dungeon reacted as they approached, its surface rippling like disturbed water. The moment they stepped in, the energy shifted, parting around their bodies as if allowing them through.
And then—
They disappeared.
The dungeon greeted them with silence.
Sharp, jagged rock-like spikes jutted out from the ground and walls, forming a natural labyrinth of danger.
The air felt heavier inside, the wind low and constant, humming softly in their ears.
Cole scanned the area cautiously.
"This place feels—"
Slash!
The sound cut through the air.
Cole flinched.
But Zachary had already moved.
A goblin lunged from the shadows, its crude blade slicing through where Zachary's head had been a moment ago.
Zachary leaned slightly to the side—
Dodging effortlessly.
His eyes locked onto it.
Then—
He struck.
A single punch.
Fast.
Too fast.
The impact wasn't just strong—it was overwhelming. The force of it tore straight through the goblin's body, a hole bursting open in its stomach as it was launched backward.
Blood sprayed into the air.
Warm.
Thick.
Some of it landed on Cole's cheek.
He froze.
"…What the hell…?"
Zachary shook his hand slightly, wiping off the blood with a calm expression.
Cole stepped closer, still trying to process what he just saw.
"I thought you were a mage!?" he said, disbelief clear in his voice.
Zachary glanced at him briefly.
"Help me with the goblins," he said simply. "Will you?"
Cole stared at him for a second longer.
Then—
He nodded.
"…Yeah."
The dungeon came alive.