"What!?" they all shouted at the same time.

They couldn't believe what they'd just heard. The confident and prideful Grace Amberfrost was asking for help—and even apologizing.

"Did we hear that right?" Duke asked, blinking in disbelief.

"I think so," Selena replied.

"I don't particularly mind," Adam said, still puzzled, "but what brought that on?"

"Well, I realized I can only go so far on my own," Grace admitted. "And the duel we had during the entrance exam—it was the best I've ever had. I think if I spar with you, I can grow stronger."

Adam heard her out and couldn't help but agree. Even if you were strong, without someone to push you further, you could only go so far alone. Grace seemed to have realized the same thing—that's why she was asking him to be her sparring partner. It was a good idea for Adam too; this way, he could gauge how strong his classmates were becoming.

"Well, I don't mind. It doesn't hurt to have a sparring partner, after all," Adam said, extending his hand toward her. "Guess that makes us rivals, huh?"

Grace looked at his hand for a moment before taking it. They shook firmly.

"I guess so," she said with a small smile.

"Wow, look at the two of you having your own little moment," Duke teased, flashing a grin. "We might see a couple so—"

He didn't get to finish, as a sharp jab hit his side.

"Ow! What was that for!?" Duke yelped.

"Hmph. Stop wasting time and let's get to the next class already," Selena said with a pout, turning to leave.

"Hey, sis! Wait for me!" Duke called, running after her.

Adam and Grace were left alone for a moment, exchanging a brief glance before Adam decided to follow.

"Guess I'll see you in the next class," he said.

Grace nodded silently, watching him leave. After a moment, she looked down at her hand—the one Adam had shaken—and smiled faintly.

Before heading to their next class, the students were given a short one-hour break to do whatever they wanted.

Adam decided to excuse himself and told Duke and Selena that he'd be back soon—he just needed to fetch something from his room.

They both nodded and agreed to meet up at the same spot in an hour before heading to class.

Instead of going straight to his room, Adam decided to visit Professor Veyra to respond to her previous offer.

When he arrived at her office, he knocked lightly on the door.

Knock, knock.

"Come in," a soft voice called from inside.

Adam entered and saw Professor Veyra sitting behind her desk, legs crossed, focused on a sheet of paper.

She looked up when he walked in and blinked in mild surprise. "Ah, Adam—it's you. Come, sit," she said, gesturing toward the chair in front of her.

Adam nodded, walked over, and sat down.

"What can I do for you, Adam?" she asked.

"I'm here to give you my answer regarding your previous offer," he replied.

"Oh?" She tilted her head slightly, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "And what's your answer?"

"I accept," Adam said simply.

Veyra blinked, surprised, before breaking into a bright smile.

"Oh, that's wonderful! I honestly thought you'd refuse, saying you didn't want to be tied down," she said with a tone of excitement.

"Well, someone convinced me otherwise," he replied.

"Oh? Then I should thank that person," she said with a light chuckle. "In that case, welcome aboard. You're now an official member of Noctis Oath—and my personal disciple."

"I'll give you the full details about the guild after class. For now, go prepare—and make sure you give me a good performance today. It'll help determine your ranking within the guild."

Adam gave her a skeptical look, but simply nodded and left the office.

Veyra remained seated for a moment, staring at the door he had just exited through. Her expression softened, and a faint, sad smile formed on her lips.

"Maybe now," she murmured, "our problems will finally be solved."

Meanwhile, Adam walked down the hall and soon met up with Duke and Selena.

"Okay, guys," he said, "let's go."

The three of them walked down the halls toward their next combat class, where they'd be meeting Professor Veyra.

When they arrived, they found her standing at the center of the arena floor, waiting for them. Once all the students had gathered, she began.

"Okay, now that everyone's here, let's begin. Today's class will be a little different," Veyra said. "I've taught you how to fight other awakened, but it's not just people you'll face out in the world—monsters are just as dangerous."

She paused, then smiled slightly. "That's why today, you'll all be going dungeon diving."

Gasps rippled through the students. None of them expected they'd be tackling dungeons so soon.

"I can see you're surprised," Veyra continued, "but that's how it is. We need to prepare you for anything. You never know what might happen the next day."

She raised her hand, and a holographic display appeared. "You'll be split into groups of five. There'll be two teams. Each will enter a different D-ranked dungeon owned by the academy—used specifically for student training."

"These are the things I'll be assessing," she continued. "First—how you handle yourselves in a dungeon. Second—how well you work as a team. And third—how you deal with unexpected situations."

"Now, here are the teams."

---

Team 1

Adam

Finn

Drake von Arkins

Duke von Celestine

Eve von Silverwing

Team 2

Grace Amberfrost

Selena von Celestine

Amy Wilson

Ivy

Brad Pitt

---

"These are the teams," Veyra said. "Team One will enter The Misty Echo dungeon, and Team Two will enter The Burned Veins dungeon. Both are D-ranked."

She gestured for them to follow. The students trailed behind her through the deeper halls of the academy until they reached a massive circular corridor lined with over twenty heavy doors.

The moment they stepped inside, everyone felt a chilling shiver run down their spines. A suffocating pressure filled the air—ancient and heavy—but it vanished as quickly as it came.

The students looked around in confusion.

"Don't worry," Veyra said, her tone calm though a flicker of unease flashed in her eyes. "It's normal. The pressure you felt comes from the number of dungeons sealed here."

Adam frowned. His instincts told him otherwise. That pressure wasn't from mere dungeons—it was alive.

System, he thought, what was that pressure just now?

[ That was the Abyssal Monarch Kraken's mana surging through. Whenever you're nearby, you'll feel like you're being "watched." ]

Adam froze. A monster? Here?

He knew the academy had secrets, but this was beyond anything he expected.

What's the Abyssal Monarch Kraken? he asked again.

[ An S+ ranked monster. One of its limbs is sealed within the academy. ]

An S+ ranked monster!? Adam thought, stunned. And that's just a limb… how powerful is the main body then!?

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. I need to get stronger. If that thing ever breaks free, we're doomed.

He didn't realize how close that fear would soon come to reality.

Veyra stopped at a large chamber. Two cave entrances yawned before them, each glowing faintly with mana.

"These are your assigned dungeons," she said. "Your task is simple—defeat the monsters that await at the end. Good luck."

"Looks like we're together, bro," Duke said, grinning as he clapped Adam on the shoulder.

"Yeah, looks that way," Adam replied.

A girl with snow-white hair approached—Eve von Silverwing. "My name's Eve," she said with a calm smile. "I look forward to working with both of you."

"Same here," Duke said cheerfully.

Adam nodded, noticing Finn and Drake approaching.

"Hey, Duke," Drake called, grinning. "Looks like we're teammates. Been a while!"

Drake and Duke were old friends—and rivals. Duke was a natural prodigy with raw instincts, while Drake was a thrill-seeker, a battle maniac who lived for the fight.

"Looking forward to working with you, Mr. Apex," Drake said to Adam, extending his hand.

"Same here," Adam replied, gripping it firmly.

Drake added a bit of strength to the handshake, but Adam met it evenly. Drake's grin widened. "Nice grip. This is gonna be fun."

Adam chuckled. "Let's do our best," he said, turning to Finn.

Finn, a lean boy with messy black hair and calm eyes, nodded. "Yeah. Let's."

On the other side, Selena's team was getting acquainted. Brad Pitt—broad-shouldered and confident—stretched his arms, while Ivy, a quiet and reserved girl, stood beside him.

Grace glanced toward Adam's team. "Let's see who clears their dungeon first," she called out.

Adam smirked. "What's the bet?"

"Loser buys lunch."

"Deal."

With that, both teams headed toward their respective dungeon entrances.

---

(TEAM 2 POV)

scorching hot. They stood beneath the Ashen Spine Mountains, surrounded by molten tunnels and rivers of lava that glowed with fiery veins of mana.

Lava Serpents slithered between cracks in the rock, Magma Fiends stirred beneath the molten pools, and Blazehounds prowled the ridges above.

Brad whistled. "Phew… this place is hot."

---

(TEAM 1 POV)

Mist curled around their feet as they stepped into a vast, fog-shrouded forest. Crystalline trees hummed faintly with mana, whispering in ancient tongues. The air shimmered with illusions meant to disorient intruders. Pale wisps floated aimlessly, while Wraith Stags and Mistbinders prowled in the silence.

"This place feels spooky," Duke muttered.

"Well," Drake said, cracking his knuckles, "let's get this started."

Adam stood at the front, his sword gleaming faintly as he drew it.

"Okay, team," he said, his voice steady. "Let's win this bet."

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