Outside the dungeon,

Zane stood outside with the other instructors, the light chatter around him fading into background noise. His gaze wasn't truly here—it was locked onto the invisible stream of data flickering before his eyes.

Through the feed of his surveillance bee-bots, the fight between Ron and Arin replayed in perfect clarity. Sparks, flames, and screams of power—all captured and projected directly into his lenses.

When Ron's final strike landed, Zane's lips curved slightly.

"He did good," he murmured. "Used my technique efficiently..."

He paused, eyes narrowing faintly, the corner of his mouth lifting in a knowing smirk.

"But…"

The faint hum of his lenses brightened.

"Here it comes."

---

Meanwhile—

Deep within the dungeon, Class Caelis moved cautiously through dim corridors. After a brief rest and a meal salvaged from the goblin village, they pressed onward, their lanterns flickering against stone walls that seemed to pulse faintly with green light.

"Hey, Selene," Lia called, glancing at the girl walking beside her. "Did you find out what that crystal in the goblin staff was?"

Selene was still studying the faintly glowing shard in her hands. Strange runic sigils shimmered around it as she tested different identification spells, her brows knitting tighter with every pulse.

"I… don't understand," she muttered.

Lia tilted her head. "You didn't find out?"

Selene shook her head slowly. "No, I did. That's the problem—it doesn't make sense."

Maera, who had been leading the group, slowed down and turned toward her. "What do you mean by that?"

Jax leaned closer, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.

Selene exhaled and held up the crystal. "This… is a dungeon core."

Maera froze mid-step. "What—? That's impossible!"

Lia's eyes widened. "Wait, isn't removing or damaging a dungeon core supposed to destroy the entire dungeon?"

Selene nodded gravely. "Exactly. But this one… it's different. It feels incomplete. Like it's only a fragment of a dungeon core."

Maera frowned thoughtfully. "That makes sense… That's why that puny old goblin was able to revive those goblins . It was using this fragment's power."

Jax frowned. "So you're saying this piece came from another dungeon? Or…" He looked around, unease creeping into his voice. "…it belongs to the one we're standing in?"

He looked around, unease creeping into his voice. "…And isn't that a little too concerning?"

The faint pulse from the green shard quickened, echoing through the air like a heartbeat—steady, alive, and watching.

Suddenly, a voice rang out, cutting through the quiet of the dungeon corridor:

"Lia!!!"

Class Caelis turned sharply. In front of them stood Class Lunaris, similar uniforms to their own but with a moon badge instead of their star badge,their presence commanding and tense. Leading them was Aurelian Valmont, his blonde hair catching the pale blue glow of a crystal, and his cerulean eyes sharp and unwavering. The air around him seemed to carry the weight of authority.

Walking beside him was Torren Durnan, a dwarf with chestnut-brown hair, his expression stoic, and Lirael Elenros, the silver-blond-haired princess of Sylwenora Kingdom, her jade-green eyes calm yet piercing, scanning the group with quiet intensity.The one who called out Lia.

Lirael's voice rang out, calm but warm. "Lia… long time no see. I couldn't meet you when we were out."

Lia's lips curved into a genuine smile, the tension easing slightly. "How are you, Lirael?"

She turned to Aurelian, her expression friendly yet respectful. "Aurelian, you too… how are you?"

Maera stepped forward, radiating authority and confidence. "Hello, Class Lunaris. I am Maera Stormheart. I am leading alongside Lia."

The expressions of Aurelian and Lirael hardened instantly, their seriousness growing.

Aurelian's voice carried weight and urgency. "We need to tell you… this dungeon isn't normal."

The gravity of his words was not lost on Lia and Maera, their expressions immediately mirroring his seriousness.

"When we entered the dungeon," Aurelian continued, "our group found an open chamber with wild boars. But these weren't ordinary boars—they were enraged, unnaturally aggressive, attacking us relentlessly. We fought, barely keeping control…"

His eyes narrowed, voice dropping slightly. "…And we discovered the cause. A crystal."

Lirael then stepped forward and carefully took out a red crystal, holding it so that the pale dungeon light glimmered off its facets.

Lia, Selene, and the others' eyes widened in shock. The crystal's shape and structure were exactly the same as the green crystal they had encountered—only this one glowed red.

Aurelian's gaze was grave. "It seems… someone did this deliberately."

A murmur of unease ran through Class Caelis.

Lirael's voice dropped to a whisper, serious and tense. "And that's not even the strangest part. Because this crystal… I believe it is—"

Her words hung in the air, heavy. "…Part of a dungeon core."

At that precise moment, Selene spoke, her tone calm but firm. "Part of a dungeon core."

Lirael's jade-green eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Selene. "How do you know that?"

Selene's midnight-blue hair swayed slightly as she lifted the green crystal in her hand, showing it to Lirael, Aurelian, and the others. "Because it's the same as ours."

The three of them stared at the two crystals—the same in form, different only in color. Shock and curiosity mingled in their eyes, as if a silent question hung in the air: who had placed these crystals here, and why?

The dungeon corridor seemed to grow heavier, the walls pressing closer, as the reality of the situation slowly settled over both classes. Something deliberate had been done… and the consequences could be far greater than they imagined.

Aurelian's expression was grave as he spoke. "You had a similar experience as us… We discovered the weirdness of this dungeon, which is why we were trying to find the other classes to warn them—your class and Ron's. But seeing the situation now… it's more serious than we expected."

Lirael's eyes scanned the group, her voice tense. "Speaking of which… where is R—"

Before she could finish, the red crystal in her hand began to tremble violently, just as the green crystal in Selene's hand shivered. Both crystals slipped through their grips simultaneously, hovering in the air.

Everyone watched, frozen, as the two crystals moved toward each other. It was as if an invisible force—magnetic, yet mystical—drew them together. Closer and closer they came, spinning slightly as if aware of each other's presence.

They came closer and closer until, perfectly aligned, they clicked together like puzzle pieces, red on one side, green on the other. Their distinct colors remained, each separate yet connected, with a small gap between them.

A radiant light briefly shone from the joined crystals, forcing everyone to blink and shield their eyes. As the glow faded, the puzzle-like crystals floated in the air for a moment before slowly settling onto the ground with a faint hum, still joined but clearly two separate halves forming a single structure.

Jax, still staring at the spectacle, muttered in disbelief, his voice filled with confusion and awe. "What the hell… just happened here…?"

Aurelian stepped forward, carefully picking up the joined crystals. He turned them over in his hands, his expression grave. "This isn't normal… They're joined like puzzle pieces, almost as if they were meant to be connected."

Lirael leaned closer, eyes narrowing as she studied the crystals. "Judging by the space between them… it looks like another crystal could fit here, complete the set."

Maera's voice trembled slightly. "And we don't even know what would happen if a third crystal joined these two…"

Selene's tone was sharp, a note of warning in her voice. "I don't think anything good would happen if that third crystal actually connected to them…"

Lia's gaze flicked up, her voice hesitant. "Wait… what were you saying before?"

Lirael's eyes met hers. "I was asking… where is Ron?"

Aurelian's jaw tightened. "I was about to ask the same thing…"

Lia opened her mouth, ready to explain the entire situation, but before she could speak—

"Hey, Lia… there's something in your utility bag—it's glowing." Selene's sharp observation cut through the tension.

Lia froze, her heart skipping a beat. She reached into her bag and pulled out a ring—a white band with intricate pink designs. Shock washed over her as her legs nearly gave way. Maera caught her just in time.

"What's happening, Lia?" Maera asked, concern etched across her face.

Tears welled in Lia's eyes as she held the ring up for Aurelian, Lirael, and Selene to see. The white crystal embedded in it glowed a deep red, faint cracks appearing along its surface.

Torren, who had been quietly observing until now, spoke, his voice calm but serious. "That ring… it's not normal. It has a Life Stone."

"A Life Stone?" Aurelian echoed, incredulous.

"Yes," Torren continued. "It's a stone that links to the lifeforce of whoever places their mana into it. Mostly used in our dwarf culture… traditionally, at the time of marriage, husband and wife exchange rings with Life Stones. The stones then connect to each other's lifeforce."

Lia's voice broke as she whispered through her tears. "It was given to both of us… by someone…"

Torren's eyes darkened as he finished the thought. "And the fact that it's glowing red and cracking… if it's connected to Ron, it means he's dying."

Lirael shook her head in disbelief. "That should be impossible… this is just an E-rank dungeon!"

Aurelian's expression hardened. "No. This is no mere E-rank dungeon."

Lia wiped her tears away, determination replacing fear. "We have to find Ron… and save him. Please… Ron, hold on until I get to you."

Jax, standing a little to the side, had been silently listening to everything. His eyes widened as the gravity of the situation sank in. He muttered under his breath, almost to himself, "Hold on, bro…"

His fists clenched tightly, a mix of fear and determination coursing through him. I can't… I can't let another friend die because of me… he thought, his resolve solidifying.

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