[Location: Academy Administration Building - Instructor Viper's Office]
[Time: 02:00 PM]
The Dungeon Survival Lesson ended with a landslide victory for Class F.
Ryan turned in 55 Goblin Ears (5 he looted, 50 he 'confiscated' from Class A).
He won the B-Rank Skill Book.
But he didn't get to celebrate.
As soon as they exited the cave, Instructor Viper grabbed Ryan by the collar of his hoodie.
"You," she hissed, her red eyes narrowing. "My office. Now."
She dragged him away, leaving Grog and the rest of the students whispering.
"Is he in trouble?"
"He cheated! Of course, he's in trouble!"
"RIP Ryan. Viper eats students for lunch."
Inside the Office.
The office was dark, lit only by red candles. The walls were decorated with weapons—whips, daggers, and monster skulls.
Viper sat on her leather chair, crossing her long legs. She threw Ryan's file on the desk.
"Explain," Viper said coldly. "How does a 'Trash Recruit' with zero mana tame a Hobgoblin Warlord?"
Ryan stood casually, checking his nails.
"I have a way with animals. I used to work at a petting zoo."
CRACK!
Viper's whip lashed out faster than sound. It struck the desk, inches from Ryan's hand, cutting a deep groove into the mahogany wood.
"Don't lie to me, kid," Viper stood up, her aura flaring. It was a suffocating, purple poison aura. "I saw the shadow behind you. I saw the fear in that Warlord's eyes. You aren't a Tamer. You are a Necromancer."
Ryan froze.
Necromancy wasn't illegal, but it was considered a "Dark Art". Practitioners were watched closely by the Government.
[System Warning: Enemy Detected.]
[Target: Instructor Viper (Rank A Hunter).]
[Class: Assassin / Poison Master.]
[Danger Level: High.]
Ryan dropped the act. His expression turned cold.
"If I am?" Ryan asked, his hand drifting towards his Soul Shatterer gun. "Are you going to report me to the Director?"
Viper stared at him. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Then... she smiled.
It wasn't a nice smile. It was a predator's smile.
"Report you?" Viper laughed softly. "Kid, if I reported every student who used forbidden magic, this Academy would be empty."
She walked around the desk and leaned close to Ryan. She smelled of exotic poison and expensive perfume.
"I don't care about rules, Ryan. I care about results. And you... you got results. You humiliated those arrogant nobles in Class A. I liked that."
Ryan relaxed slightly. "So... no detention?"
"Better," Viper grinned. "I have a job for you."
She pulled out a map from her drawer and slammed it on the table.
It was a map of the Academy Underground.
"The Academy has a black market," Viper whispered. "Run by the Student Council. They sell illegal artifacts, drugs, and... sometimes, captured monsters."
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"And they stole something from me," Viper's eyes flashed with anger. "A Dragon Egg. My family heirloom. They are planning to auction it off tomorrow night."
"I can't enter the market. The Student Council President watches me like a hawk. But you..." Viper pointed a sharp nail at Ryan's chest. "You are 'Class F Trash'. Nobody watches the trash."
[System Mission Triggered: The Teacher's Request.]
[Objective: Infiltrate the Underground Black Market and steal the Dragon Egg.]
[Reward: Viper's Favor + 5,000 Fear Points.]
[Failure Penalty: Viper kills you.]
Ryan looked at the mission.
Stealing from the Student Council? Infiltrating a Black Market? Stealing a DRAGON EGG?
It sounded dangerous.
It sounded insane.
"I'm in," Ryan grinned greedily. "But I want 50% of the loot I find in the market."
Viper chuckled. "Greedy little monster. Fine. Just get me the egg."
She tossed him a black metal card.
[Item: Black Market Pass (VIP)]
"The auction starts at midnight. Wear a mask. And Ryan?"
Viper's voice dropped to a whisper.
"If you get caught... I never met you."
Ryan caught the card. "Don't worry, Teach. I'm a ghost."
[Time: 11:30 PM]
[Location: Secret Entrance - Behind the Cafeteria Freezer]
Ryan stood in front of a hidden elevator disguised as a meat locker.
He was wearing his Shadow Cloak and a white mask he bought from the System shop (it looked like a crying clown).
"Grog, stay here and guard the exit," Ryan commanded.
"Yes, Boss," Grog saluted, holding a chicken leg.
Ryan stepped into the elevator.
The music played. Going down...
When the doors opened, Ryan wasn't in a school anymore.
He was in a bustling underground city.
Neon lights flickered everywhere. Hunters in cloaks traded monster parts. Shady merchants sold forbidden potions.
It looked like Cyberpunk met Harry Potter.
[Location: The Night Market]
Ryan walked through the crowd.
"Dragon ribs! Fresh Dragon ribs!"
"Succubus Potion! Guaranteed to work!"
"Cursed Swords! Buy one get one free!"
Ryan's True Sight scanned everything.
Most of it was junk. But some items were real treasures.
Suddenly, a commotion started near the central stage.
A spotlight turned on.
A young man in a white suit walked onto the stage. He radiated power and charisma.
The Auctioneer.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" the man shouted. "Welcome to the Monthly Auction! Tonight, we have a special item. Stolen from the dangerous lands of the East..."
Two guards wheeled out a cage.
Inside the cage was a massive, glowing red egg. It pulsed with heat.
The Dragon Egg.
"Bidding starts at 1 Million Credits!"
The crowd went wild.
"1.5 Million!"
"2 Million!"
Ryan stood in the back, checking his pockets.
He had 25,000 Credits.
He was broke.
"Okay," Ryan whispered to himself. "Plan A: Buy it. Failed."
"Plan B: Steal it."
He looked at the guards. Level 3 Hunters.
He looked at the Auctioneer. Level 4 Mage.
He looked at the ceiling. There was a ventilation shaft right above the cage.
"Bob," Ryan whispered to his shadow. "Are you afraid of heights?"
The Shadow Butcher rose silently from Ryan's shadow. He shook his headless body. No.
"Good," Ryan grinned. "Go up there. When I give the signal... create chaos."
Ryan pulled out his Desert Eagle (Soul Shatterer) and hid it under his cloak.
He stepped forward into the crowd.
"5 Million!" a fat merchant shouted.
"Sold!" the Auctioneer raised his hammer. "To the gentleman in the—"
"Wait!"
Ryan shouted, his voice amplified by the System.
The entire market turned to look at the masked figure in the back.
"Who is that?"
"Is that the Clown?"
Ryan walked forward confidently.
"5 Million?" Ryan scoffed. "That's pocket change."
He reached into his inventory and pulled out... the Hobgoblin Warlord's Club (which he looted earlier).
He threw the massive bone club onto the stage.
CRASH!
"I bid... THIS stick," Ryan declared.
The crowd went silent.
The Auctioneer looked at the dirty bone club. Then at Ryan.
"Sir... are you joking? Or do you want to die?"
"I'm not joking," Ryan said, his eyes glowing blue behind the mask. "That stick is cursed. Whoever touches it... gets diarrhea for 10 years."
User_Slayer69: "LMAO! He's trolling the Black Market!"
The Auctioneer's face turned red. "Guards! Kill this clown!"
"Now, Bob!" Ryan snapped his fingers.
CRASH!
The ventilation shaft above the stage exploded.
A massive, headless shadow monster dropped from the ceiling—right on top of the Auctioneer.
"ROAAAR!"
The market erupted into chaos.
"Monster!"
"Run!"
"Save the merchandise!"
In the confusion, Ryan activated [Agility: Max].
He blurred.
He sprinted onto the stage, slid past the guards, grabbed the heavy Dragon Egg, and tossed it into his System Inventory.
[Item Stored: Dragon Egg]
"Yoink!" Ryan laughed.
He jumped off the stage, disappearing into the panicked crowd.
"Thanks for the souvenir! And sorry about the stick!"
Alarms blared.
"LOCKDOWN! LOCKDOWN! CATCH THE CLOWN!"
Ryan ran towards the exit, dodging fireballs and arrows.
He had the egg. He had the chaos.
And he had just pissed off the entire Student Council.
Again.