"My head feels so cool!" Everyone downed their potions, immediately feeling a refreshing, minty coolness spread through their minds.
Seeing that everyone had finished and no one had tried to stash their potion away, Rina-sensei went around collecting the empty bottles.
These vials had to be recycled. Only after verifying the exact count did the teachers finally lead the group toward the Dungeon entrance.
The students gathered before the swirling gate of the Dimensional Rift. Under the teachers' guidance, they began to step through.
Ren took the lead, making his party the first to enter. As he passed through the Dimensional Rift, it felt as though he were pushing through a massive, gelatinous bubble.
There was a slight, momentary resistance, but it quickly gave way. His vision adjusted to reveal a dimly lit cavern—the entrance to the Dungeon. The first thing that hit everyone's senses was the heavy, damp scent of earth mixed with a faint whiff of decay.
The rest of the class filed in one after another. Taking in their surroundings, they all instinctively halted. Without a map, no one had the slightest clue which way to go.
"Um, did the teachers forget to tell us how long we're supposed to stay in here?" a student suddenly piped up.
It was true. The teachers hadn't mentioned a time limit at all. How long were they supposed to explore? Had the instructors simply forgotten, or was there a specific reason?
"How long you stay isn't up to us. It's up to you. You can treat this expedition as an exam." Right on cue, Shizuka Hiratsuka stepped through the portal.
Having overheard their murmurs, she clarified, "The duration of your stay isn't dictated by the teachers—it's entirely on your own shoulders!"
The students turned to look at her. Seeing their undivided attention, Hiratsuka continued, "What if some of you simply can't handle it and need to tap out? What good would a strict time limit do then?"
If someone were to suffer an accident on day one, their exam would be over immediately. Therefore, there was no time limit.
"Makes perfect sense. Let's move out, then!" Ren didn't waste any more time overthinking it. He confidently strode forward, with Megumi Kato and the rest of his party following closely behind.
Seeing this, the rest of the class sprang into action. It was an exam with no time limit, but no one wanted the humiliation of being the first to drop out. For the upcoming adventure, all they could do was push themselves to their absolute limits.
The interior of the cavern was undeniably eerie and oppressive. A student who excelled in geography looked around in utter bewilderment. "Where is the air coming from?"
It was completely bizarre. Deep inside this enclosed cave, he could actually feel a faint breeze brushing against his skin—clear proof of air circulation. Logically speaking, it defied all science.
"Who cares where it's coming from? Just keep moving. We're inside a magical Dimensional Rift, and you're worried about ventilation?" a classmate beside him retorted, rolling his eyes.
Who had the time to study subterranean airflow dynamics right now? Give me a break. This wasn't a field trip for scientific research.
Since no one possessed a map and there was only a single path forward, the entire class had no choice but to travel together for the time being.
After a few minutes of walking, the tunnel finally opened up into a crossroad with several branching paths. Ren, leading the vanguard, came to a halt. "Let's split up here. It's better if we explore independently from this point on."
He turned to face his classmates. Hearing his proposal, the group hesitated for a moment. Ren elaborated, "We don't have a map, and this is only the first floor. If we split up and memorize our respective routes, we can map out the area. Once you hit a dead end, just backtrack to this spot."
Ren was just as clueless about the first floor's layout as the rest of them, but that wouldn't stop them from exploring. Hence, his practical suggestion.
"No problem, we'll follow your lead!" Since Ren was undeniably the strongest among them, the class had tacitly accepted him as their unofficial leader. Trusting his judgment seemed like the safest bet.
Following that student's vocal agreement, the others nodded in succession, fully willing to comply with Ren's arrangement. Spreading out to map the first floor was the most logical course of action.
"According to the teachers, these upper floors are the beginner zones. With our current strength, we should be able to handle any monsters we encounter with ease. However, I still want to give you all a warning." Looking over his peers, Ren decided it was best to impart some crucial advice.
The crowd fell silent, all eyes fixed on Ren as they waited for him to continue.
"This Dungeon is a newly formed Dimensional Rift, meaning it's full of unknowns. We've been told it spawns monsters, but where exactly do they come from? We don't know, but they certainly don't just pop out of thin air."
"If I had to guess, the Dungeon's monsters might spawn directly from the walls or burst out from the ground. They won't give you any polite warnings before they strike, so I need everyone to stay on high alert."
"Do not let your guard down while exploring. Even after you've killed a monster, stay vigilant. Don't let it go to your head and start acting like you're some invincible anime protagonist who can pull off a miraculous counter-kill in a pinch."
"In the face of real danger, you might think you're the main character, but you're probably just mob fodder destined for the meat grinder. It would be incredibly embarrassing if you had to be rescued by the teachers before we even delve deep into the Dungeon." Ren delivered his speech in one breath, and his classmates absorbed every word with grave seriousness.
Students might easily tune out a teacher's nagging lecture, but when a peer—especially one vastly stronger than them—spoke with such authority, they couldn't help but listen.
Not to mention, Ren's logic was flawless. No one could find fault with his reasoning. He was simply looking out for their well-being; what ulterior motives could he possibly have?
His warning truly hit home. A few students who had been casually leaning against the cavern walls immediately stepped away, casting wary, suspicious glances at the surrounding rock faces.
They were terrified that a monster might suddenly burst out and ambush them. After all, everything Ren had described was entirely within the realm of possibility.
"Alright, let's split up. I'm taking this path—anyone want to join me?" With Ren's warnings fresh in their minds, the students began to organize. Soon enough, one student took the initiative to lead his party down one of the branching tunnels.
Following his lead, several other familiar groups picked their respective routes and ventured forth. In the end, only three parties remained behind to follow Ren's group.
With these remaining students in tow, Ren headed down the last unexplored passageway. Meanwhile, the groups that had just separated from them didn't have to wait long before encountering their first monsters.
They quickly discovered that Ren's prediction was spot on—monsters were literally spawning straight out of the walls. Even though they were just weak, low-level Goblins, the sheer shock of the ambush spiked everyone's vigilance to the absolute maximum.
Ren's group soon ran into their own batch of monsters. The very instant he sensed movement, he acted, ruthlessly blasting a spell directly into the cavern wall.
Insta-kill if they showed their heads; insta-kill even if they didn't. A single spell instantly obliterated three Goblins before they could even fully emerge from the rock. Their bodies then slowly dissolved into particles, just like mobs in a video game. The sheer efficiency of the slaughter left the students staring in stunned, wide-eyed awe.
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