"That's one hell of a class." Philip muttered, walking out of the classroom, rubbing his neck. The tension of the last hour was finally leaving his muscles, replaced by a dull ache from craning toward the screen for so long.
"I can't even feel my hands. It's stuck from writing!" Ken added, flexing his cramped fingers. He looked down at his hand as if it were a foreign object; the sheer volume of information Hayatobi had dumped on them was enough to fill a library.
Grace stared at the two guys ahead of her and smiled softly. Despite the overwhelming pressure of their new reality, their complaints felt grounding, a reminder that they were still just students.
"Where are you going, Grace? Will you be taking a quest?" Janet asked, walking beside her, her eyes bright with a mixture of excitement.
"Yeah, we are free for the whole day, we can take missions from the Academy hall, we can also earn points." Nina added, catching up with the two, her notebook clutched to her chest like a shield. She was already flipping through pages in her mind, planning their next move.
Grace thought for a moment, weighing their current capabilities against the warnings they had just heard. She looked at the two girls: "Do you think we are strong enough to take on C-rank missions?"
"Well, with our performance in the competition. I think we can do it." Nina said, her voice carrying a fragile confidence.
"Do what?" Ken asked, turning around to his three teammates, catching the tail end of the strategy session.
Philip also stopped walking, staring at them in confusion, while the other students simply walked past them, a river of chatter and moving bodies.
"We want to take some quests to earn more points and monster cards... We will need them to get stronger." Janet explained, staring at the two boys, expecting them to jump at the chance for action.
"Not a bad idea, we will need the boost. Besides, I am tired sitting all day." Philip said, a smile spreading across his face. The prospect of physical combat was far more appealing than note-taking.
"I heard from a student that this school has a dungeon hall, it has a lot of gates which takes students into dungeons to complete quests, and we can also gain monster cards from it." Nina stated, her research proving useful. She moved her gaze on the four:
"What about we enter these gates and complete quests? There are also difficulties." She added.
"I like that. These gates are in the school, so they won't be any dangers in the dungeons. We can handle this--"
"--You five don't even know what you're saying."
A cold, sharp voice cut off Philip, causing the five to turn around. They found themselves staring at Precious, who stood with folded arms, a slight frown marring her features. Her posture was rigid, radiating an aura of superiority that made the air around her feel colder.
"What do you mean by that?" Philip asked with a frown, his defensive instincts kicking in.
"Look here... Each of the dungeons in the academy isn't a child play, if you die in those dungeons, you'll die for real. So pick the lowest difficulty, your team... Well, too weak." She said bluntly, her eyes scanning them with critical appraisal.
She didn't wait for a retort. She simply walked past them, her team following behind like a well-drilled unit.
"Thank you for the information." Grace said with a small, genuine smile, bowing her head slightly.
Hearing her words, Precious stopped on track. She looked at Grace over her shoulder, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. She hadn't expected gratitude for an insult. She nodded once, acknowledging the courtesy, and continued walking with her team.
"She was so mean!" Ken muttered, staring at Precious with a deep frown.
"Forget it." Janet waved her hand dismissively at him.
"So what are we going to do now?" Nina asked, staring at the four, the warning hanging heavy in the air.
"That won't stop us!" Philip flashed a smile, shaking off the negativity. He walked towards the north side of the academy, his stride purposeful.
"Come on!! I know the right way!!"
The four looked at one another, shrugging off their hesitation, and quickly followed behind him.
"Umm, who knows where Mirabella is heading?" Ken asked, glancing back as he followed Philip.
"I have no idea. She and Hitachi followed Lord Hayatobi... Maybe they have something important to take care of." Grace answered, sensing that their classmates were walking a path far different from their own.
__
While the group were heading towards the Dungeon Hall, Mirabella, Hitachi, and Hayatobi were deep within the center building of the academy, one of the most restricted places in the whole school. The air here was different—still, pressurized, and ancient.
Mirabella moved her gaze around as she and Hitachi followed Hayatobi. They were in a long hallway, the stone walls absorbing the sound of their movement. They were heading to a location foreign to them both.
Hayatobi was silent, leading the way. Only the sound of their breathing and footsteps could be heard, echoing rhythmically against the floor. The playful instructor from the classroom was gone, replaced by a high-ranking official on a serious mission.
After taking many turns, navigating a labyrinth of security, the group of three finally stopped in front of a massive golden door. An intricate black dragon was engraved on it, its eyes seeming to watch them.
"Come it."
Hayatobi placed his palm on the dragon. The door vibrated for some seconds, recognizing his energy signature, and moved to the side with a heavy grinding sound.
It revealed a huge hall, as big as a basketball court.
Mirabella moved her gaze on the candles lining the walls, their flames flickering without wind, then up at the glass ceiling that revealed the sky above. She slowly nodded her head, taking it in, before fixing her gaze on the wall at the other end.
There, she saw golden balls of light hovering midair, pulsing with a gentle, rhythmic warmth.
'What are those?' She thought in confusion. Her brow furrowed slightly. Even in her previous life, she hasn't seen such things. This was new lore, something hidden even from the players.
"This is the resurrection room." Hayatobi said, his voice reverent.
He moved his gaze to another door on the far side of the hall. From it, the other two elders walked inside. But they were not alone. Following them was a middle-aged man with flowing white hair that seemed to defy gravity, and a young man, looking in his late twenties, who carried a similar air of nobility.
Mirabella and Hitachi were surprised. The aura radiating from the two men was unmistakable. These were not just administrators; they were the apex of the realm. The Emperor and Prince of the Dragon Empire!
"Ok you two, I don't need to introduce these two people." Hayatobi said, staring at them, watching for their reactions.
Hitachi was already a citizen of the Dragon Empire, so there was no way he won't know the King. And even though Mirabella was from Earth, Hayatobi knew she knows the Imperial family; her expression proved it. Her eyes showed recognition, though she masked her awe quickly.
"Won't you show your respect?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Greetings your majesty."
The two greeted in unison, giving a small, perfectly executed bow. Their voices were steady, betraying no nervousness.
Elder Gaga, standing off to the side, watched them closely.
'Gosh, these two are almost the same, both indifferent to everything,' Gaga thought, staring at the two students with a small frown. In the presence of the Emperor, most would be shaking, but these two stood like statues, their composure almost unnerving.