“I think we’ve outdone ourselves this time,” one of the Professors of the Dark Arts smiled as she looked at the eight remaining people inside the dungeon. “If all goes according to the plan. No one will be able to clear this year’s Initiation Ceremony.”
“We can never be too sure,” a professor wearing glasses said as he looked at the projection of the 5 Pillars and three other people that remained inside the dungeon. “I’m sure that they have all realized by now that the more they’ve used Magic, the more zombies would gather in their direction.” 𝑂𝗏𝔩xt.𝚌𝗈𝓶
“Indeed,” another professor commented. “But, I’m leaning more on the fact that they no longer have much mana remaining. Looks like even the one child prodigy who will be coming to our Manor later will not be able to survive. Such a shame.”
The Professors of Schwartz Manor gazed at the handsome blonde-haired boy with amused expressions.
Currently, Langston was surrounded by five zombies, and was panting for breath. Even so, his eyes burned with determination as he unleashed a dark fireball at the nearest zombie that approached him.
The zombie was immediately annihilated, but the four other monsters lunged at him, leaving him no chance to break free from their grasp.
A moment later, one of the zombies bit on the blonde-boy’s neck, making him scream in pain. His screams echoed within the dungeon, making the surviving students hear his voice.
However, just like those who had been eliminated by the zombies, his screams didn’t last long and stopped completely.
Ethan, Chloe, and Alice, who heard Langston’s dying scream, paused for a bit before continuing their journey.
There were two ways to survive the Dungeon.
One was to find the exit, and the other was to survive for two hours.
After two hours, those who didn’t manage to find the exit would be expelled from the Dungeon, signaling its end. These survivors wouldn’t receive any rewards because they didn’t manage to complete the task assigned to them.
“Looks like another one bit the dust,” the Professor with glasses smiled as another projection died, leaving only 4 projections. “I’m surprised Mr. Dud has been able to survive this long.”
“Well… someone lent him a pitchfork.”
Everyone looked at the beautiful professor who lent Ethan the Moulding Ball that he was now currently using as a weapon.
The beautiful professor chuckled as she covered her lips.
“Guys, I know I’m beautiful, but even I will get embarrassed if all of you look at me like that,” the beautiful Professor said, making her colleagues shake their heads helplessly.
It was not only the Professors of Schwartz Manor, who were paying close attention to the last remaining survivors.
The students who had retired into their own Manors were also watching the projections, and even making bets on who would manage to reach the exit before the deadline.
For some reason, all of them voted for the beautiful girl with long pink hair, Nicole, who would be joining Eques Manor this year.
The wand in the girl’s hand had turned into a rapier, and she easily dealt with the zombies attacking her with powerful decapitating strikes that cleanly severed their heads off of their bodies.
Actually, the main reason why the people in Schwartz Manor created this kind of test for the First Years was to teach them the lesson that they shouldn’t rely on magic for everything.
They wanted the new students to realize that there might come a time when they would be forced to face situations that couldn’t be resolved by magic.
Truth be told, the Dark Arts Professors had already expected that students of the Eques Manor would shine in the test they had prepared.
In their eyes, only the Magic Knights, who both excelled in Magic and Martial Arts would be able to pass their test.
However, there was one more person that they didn’t add to the equation and that was none other than the blue-haired boy, who was also calmly dealing with the zombies that obstructed their path in the Dungeon.
Fifteen minutes later, only two projections remained.
One was the projection that showed Ethan, Chloe, and Alice to everyone.
The other one was the projection showing the Pillar of the First Years of the Eques Manor, Nicole.
“Heh… looks like things are now going to get interesting,” Professor Njal, who belonged to the Jaeger Manor, commented with a smile. “To think that all of them would reach the Gate at the same time.”
Just like the Professor said, Ethan, Chloe, Alice, and Nicole, arrived at a big Bronze Gate at the same time.
“I didn’t know that there will be others who will reach this place,” Nicole said as he eyed the handsome blue-haired boy with a weird expression on her face. “Where did you get the pitchfork?”
“It’s a long story,” Ethan replied. “Um, is this the exit of this Dungeon?”
Nicole nodded at first, but shook her head after a few seconds.
“This is indeed the exit of the Dungeon, but that’s only half right,” Nicole explained. “Have you ever been to Dungeons before?”
“Never.”
“Is that so? How about the two ladies beside you?”
Chloe also shook her head, while Alice kept her silence. Their reply made Nicole smile before shifting her gaze back to the blue-haired boy that hadn’t lowered his guard around her, which she found to her liking.
“As someone who has been in a Dungeon before, allow me to enlighten all of you about what this door represents,” Nicole stated. “This is what you call the Boss Room. inside this, we will be facing the leader of the zombies.
“He will be a lot stronger than the zombies that we have fought before. So, I have a proposal. Why don’t we all team up to beat it?”
Chloe, who heard Nicole’s offer, was about to agree to her proposal. However, before she could even voice out her acceptance, Ethan cut her off, and answered Nicole before Chloe did.
“We thank you for your offer, but we’ll have to pass,” Ethan replied. “If you wish to challenge this Dungeon Boss, feel free to go ahead. We will just stay here.”
“Oh my. Are you perhaps scared of the Dungeon Boss?” Nicole asked. “Don’t worry. I’ve fought a few Boss Monsters before. With my help, all three of you will be able to exit this Dungeon in no time at all.”
“I’m not afraid of the Boss Monster,” Ethan answered. “What I am more afraid of is you.”
Chloe was about to try to convince Ethan to reconsider, but Alice, who had been leaning on her body, covered her lips to prevent her from saying anything.
Naturally, Chloe looked at the silver-haired beauty in confusion, but the latter only shook her head.
“You’re more afraid of me?” Nicole looked at Ethan with amusement. “How can a man like you be afraid of a frail girl like me?”
“A frail girl can’t possibly have this kind of bloodlust,” Ethan stated. “I can see in your eyes, and body language that you are just barely holding yourself back from attacking us.”
Ethan had once helped his grandma fend off a pack of wolves that attacked their sheep during the night.
He had been very scared back then, and although it didn’t show on his face, he was feeling that same fear as he faced off with the beautiful lady in front of him.
In Ethan’s eyes, Nicole was like an Alpha Wolf who had found a herd of sheep that she couldn’t wait to gobble up.
Alice had also raised her guard upon meeting Nicole, and had been holding her wand firmly, ready to strike at any time.
Truth be told, Nicole wasn’t really afraid of Ethan.
She was afraid of Alice.
Although the silver-haired beauty’s face was as pale as snow, the pink-haired girl could feel that Alice might be able to land a spell on her, if she worked together with the blue-haired boy who was armed with a pitchfork.
“Interesting,” Nicole said as she pressed her hand on the Gate and pushed it open. “I guess I’ll see the three of you on the other side.”
She gave Ethan a side-long glance before going inside the Boss room to challenge it alone.
Only when the door had firmly closed did Ethan pat his chest and breathed a sigh of relief.
“That is one crazy girl,” Ethan muttered. “She’s crazier than Chloe when she’s angry.”
“Oi, did you forget that I’m standing next to you?” Chloe lightly punched Ethan’s shoulder, making the latter chuckle.
They were not aware that the crazy girl that had entered the Boss Room on her own, killed the Boss Monster in just ten seconds, making her the first one to clear the Initiation Ceremony which had eliminated 99% of the First Years of Brynhildr Academy.