The main hall was alive with the buzz of anxious students as they gathered for their practical assessment. The murmurs of anticipation filled the air, and Noah could feel the tension in the room as everyone awaited the announcement.
"Hey, what do you think we'll have to do?" one student whispered, his voice tinged with curiosity.
"Why are you asking me? Idiot," came the sharp retort.
"I wonder what they'll have us do..." another muttered, his eyes darting nervously around the room.
A sharp command for silence cut through the chatter, and all heads turned toward Miss Elsa as she stepped forward, her presence silencing the room in an instant. Her eyes swept across the students, a stern yet reassuring look on her face.
"Today, you will undertake your practical assessment, and it will be a 'Dungeon Exploration'," Miss Elsa announced, her voice firm and clear. "Rest assured, there will be seniors overseeing your progress, but remember—if they have to interfere, you will fail. Your task is simple: clear the dungeon. There are goblins, wolves, and a boss monster within, but your goal is to find and defeat the boss. You will gain points by killing monsters, but failure to defeat even one will result in failure. The dungeon is an E-rank artificial one, designed to test your abilities. Now, one by one, step into the portal."
Noah's pulse quickened. This was it. The challenge he'd been waiting for.
He stepped up, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. The portal loomed before him, shimmering with magic, and he took a deep breath. This would be the moment where his skills were tested—where he could prove that he was more than just a weak student with potential.
Without hesitation, Noah stepped through the portal.
The world around him shifted in a dizzying swirl of color and light, and for a moment, he felt weightless. When the sensation faded, he found himself standing in the middle of a shadowy forest. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, and the ground was covered with a carpet of fallen leaves. The trees around him were gnarled and twisted, their branches reaching like skeletal hands.
His senses sharpened, instinctively alert to his surroundings. The distant sound of rustling leaves reached his ears. Goblins. He could feel them in the air, their presence lingering like a dark cloud.
He tightened his grip on his sword and took a deep breath, feeling the familiar warmth of mana coursing through him. His muscles tensed, and he focused.
"Fire Blast!" he called out, his hand thrusting forward.
A brilliant orb of fire shot from his palm, racing through the air before slamming into a nearby tree. The impact ignited the wood in a flash of orange and red, and the crackling heat rushed over him, invigorating and empowering him.
From the shadows, two goblins emerged, their green skin glistening in the dim light. They brandished crude weapons, snarling as they rushed toward him. Their eyes gleamed with hunger.
Noah's instincts kicked in. He didn't hesitate.
"Flash Step!"
In a blur, he vanished from his spot, reappearing behind the nearest goblin. Without missing a beat, he swung his sword, the dark metal gleaming as it cut through the air. The goblin crumpled to the ground, lifeless before it even realized what had happened.
The second goblin froze, eyes wide with fear, but Noah was already moving.
"Fire Infusion: Mana Bullet!" he shouted, channeling his mana into a concentrated sphere of energy. He aimed carefully and released it. The bullet ignited as it flew through the air, striking the goblin square in the chest. The explosion sent the creature flying backward, its shrieks echoing through the trees.
Noah paused, taking a steadying breath as the adrenaline coursed through him. The dungeon pulsed with dark energy, its rhythms mirroring his own heartbeat. But there was no time to rest. More dangers awaited.
He pressed forward, his senses sharp. The deeper he ventured, the thicker the forest grew, and the more ominous the air became. The sounds of distant growls and snarls filled the air. Wolves. And they were closing in.
Suddenly, from the underbrush, a pack of wolves leaped at him, their eyes glowing with an unsettling hunger. Noah's heart pounded in his chest, but he stood his ground.
"Nature's Embrace!" he shouted, calling on the energy of the forest. Vines shot from the ground, winding around his body and healing the wounds from his previous battle. The warm embrace of nature revitalized him, restoring his strength.
The wolves snarled and struggled against the vines, but Noah was already moving, his body flowing with a speed and grace that felt almost unnatural.
"Eclipse Blade: First Form—Shadow Strike!" he declared.
The blade of his sword shimmered with dark energy as he lunged forward. The blade cleaved through the air, leaving a trail of shadows in its wake. The first wolf yelped in pain, but Noah didn't stop. His movements were fluid, each strike landing true. The shadows of the forest bent to his will, enhancing his speed and precision.
One by one, the wolves fell, their bodies collapsing to the ground with barely a sound as he cut through them with lethal efficiency.
When the last wolf fell, Noah paused, his breath heavy, but his resolve unshaken. He could feel the dungeon's pulse, and he knew the true challenge was still ahead.
He pressed on.
The trees opened into a vast clearing, revealing a massive stone altar overrun with vines and the remains of past adventurers. Atop the altar stood a hulking figure, a goblin chieftain, its green skin mottled with scars, and its red eyes gleaming with malice. The chieftain's massive club was etched with glowing runes, pulsing with dark energy.
Noah's heart raced, his focus narrowing. This was it—the final trial.
The chieftain let out a guttural roar, swinging its massive club in an arc that shook the ground beneath Noah's feet.
"Here we go," Noah muttered, tightening his grip on his sword. His blood hummed with excitement.