The atmosphere in the principal's office was heavy, the tension almost thick enough to cut with a blade. All five instructors stood in a semi-circle before the principal's polished desk, their expressions ranging from curious to concerned.
Principal Vonn, a tall, broad-shouldered man with silver streaks in his neatly combed hair, folded his arms behind his back and scanned the room with sharp eyes.
"I've summoned you here today," he began, his voice calm yet firm, "to prepare for the students' first dungeon outing."
A beat of silence followed. Then—
"What?!" Instructor Cain, the mana instructor, took a step forward, his usually calm demeanor cracking. "Sir, with all due respect, the students aren't ready! Most of them can't even use mana yet—heck, some haven't even formed their mana cores!"
Principal Vonn remained unfazed. "Then it's your job to make sure they are."
Cain gritted his teeth but held his tongue.
Vonn turned his sharp gaze toward another instructor — a rugged man with a scar across his nose and arms crossed over his chest.
"Rago," the principal said, "how far along are the students in terms of weapons and hand-to-hand combat?"
Instructor Rago scratched the back of his head, his mind briefly drifting to the image of a student with unmatched sword technique during training.
"Some of them are good… almost like prodigies," he said. "There's talent there, raw but promising."
Vonn gave a nod. "And the nobles?"
Cain stepped in again, arms now folded. "Some of them have already formed their cores. Others are just forming theirs. But… a few are causing trouble."
The principal arched an eyebrow. "Trouble?"
Cain scoffed. "A second-year brat from the Halehart family—Drevon. He's been throwing his weight around like he owns the place."
Vonn's face darkened slightly. "Nobles… always complicating things."
He sighed and then clapped his hands softly, as if bringing the meeting to a new chapter.
"Now, back to why I called you here in the first place," he said. "I want to introduce someone."
The door behind him creaked open.
Soft footsteps echoed into the room as a woman stepped forward — tall, poised, with long raven-black hair cascading down her shoulders. Her most striking feature, however, were her eyes — a deep, glowing red, filled with mystery and sharp intellect.
She offered a slight bow, her voice soft but firm.
"My name is Velora," she said, a small smile curving her lips. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I'll be taking over as the instructor for Mana Augmentation and Conjunction."
The instructors exchanged glances — some surprised, others intrigued.
Velora's presence was graceful yet commanding. And behind those red eyes… ....
....
Zane stretched, casually slinging his bag over his shoulder as he walked with Alex and the rest of the gang. "Alright guys, we'll talk about our game plan later. Let's meet at the cafeteria after this class," he said, brushing back his white-blonde hair with a smirk. "For now, let's not be late."
They all nodded, breaking into light banter as they made their way to class.
Inside the classroom, a light buzz hung in the air as students settled in — some reviewing notes, others just talking. Then the door opened, and the room fell into a hush.
Instructor Cain stepped in, his expression unreadable.
"Settle down," he said, his voice calm but firm.
The students quickly quieted, turning their attention to the front.
Cain looked at them for a long moment before speaking again. "I have an announcement to make," he said. "In two weeks… you'll all be going on your first dungeon expedition."
Gasps. Murmurs. A few shocked expressions. The air practically vibrated with tension.
"What's a dungeon?" a student in the back whispered.
"Hmph. Commoners," a noble scoffed loud enough for others to hear, his voice dripping with arrogance.
Zane noticed the reaction and gave a side glance toward Alex and the Miranda. "Guys… chill. The teacher's about to explain."
Cain cleared his throat, drawing their attention back.
"A dungeon," he began, "is a pocket dimension — a spatial distortion born from concentrated mana. They are dangerous, unpredictable, and filled with beasts that defy normal logic. But they're also necessary for our growth. Resources, combat experience, mana crystal exposure… all of that can be found in dungeons."
He let the words sink in before continuing.
"That said, this isn't a field trip. If you're not prepared, you can die. I won't sugarcoat that. So from today onward, every one of you must focus."
He paused, scanning their faces.
A student at the back raised his hand, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "But sir," he began, "I thought you said beasts were just animals that mutated because of mana. So… how do dungeons exist then? Doesn't that mean there's something more going on?"
The room quieted, all eyes turning to the instructor. He paused, then gave a slight nod, impressed by the question.
"That's a very good observation," he said. "Yes, most of the beasts you encounter outside dungeons were once regular animals—wolves, lions, birds—that mutated after being exposed to mana over time. But dungeons… they're different."
He walked toward the center of the room, his tone deepening.
"Dungeons aren't natural. They're rifts—cracks in our reality—that connect to unknown dimensions filled with unstable and chaotic mana. Some theorize they're linked to the void spawn, or perhaps created by something far more ancient. Inside a dungeon, things don't work like they do here. Time flows oddly, space twists unnaturally, and the creatures inside… they aren't simply mutated. They're born from the dungeon itself but they still possess mana crystal"
He looked around the room, letting the weight of his words sink in.
"In short, yes—mutated animals become beasts here. But what lies within a dungeon doesn't follow our rules. They are not of this world."
"You have two weeks. Those of you who haven't formed your mana cores—start now. Those who have—refine them. You'll be learning fast, training harder, and pushing past limits. We have a lot to cover before going for the expenditures."
As Instructor Cain dismissed the class, the students began filing out, their conversations now filled with stress, excitement, and confusion over the coming dungeon expedition.
---
Drevon's Dorm – Halehart Estate Room
Unlike the standard dorms, Drevon's room was something else entirely. Lavish walls adorned with golden trim, glowing mana crystals embedded in the ceiling for lighting, a large desk filled with scrolls, and a private meditation chamber in the corner. The entire space screamed privilege.
Drevon stood at the center, his noble robes loose around his shoulders. Surrounding him were a handful of students — some clearly his lackeys, others just caught in his orbit.
Facing one of them — a bulky student with a stone-like texture to his arms — Drevon's eyes narrowed in rage.
"Did I instruct you to engage?" His voice was cold.
Reagan flinched. "N-No, sir…"
A faint green glow coated Drevon's clenched fist. Without warning, he slammed it into raegan's gut, sending him crashing against the bookshelf.
"You had one job. One. I told you to observe. Watch his movements — and the movement of that bitch who dared reject me."
The room fell silent except for the pained groan from the floor.
Then, another lackey stepped forward, voice nervous. "S-Sir… bad news."
Drevon raised an eyebrow. "Speak."
The guy hesitated before saying, "We may not be able to move against them. Zane Voltwell is with them."
Drevon blinked, and then his expression darkened.
"Zane Voltwell? That Voltwell? What the hell is he doing with them? I thought they were just commoners. Are they working for him?"
He began pacing, eyes locked on the floor, deep in thought.
"This complicates things… I didn't expect the a Voltwell brat to be involved." He paused, then smirked slightly. "But no matter…"
He turned toward the group, green mana flaring faintly again.
"i will deal with this myself"