Chapter 2

    Field Test part II

    Part 3

    After walking into the forest for a while, Alan felt some movement and signaled everyone to stop and prepare.

    "Something's ahead... Zal... send a scout in there."

    "No need for that. Watch this... Monster Detect!"

    Zal cast a detection spell called 'Monster Detect,' which allowed the caster to see the positions of nearby monsters as if it was a radar. The detection radius depended on the caster's magical power and level. For Zal, it could scan about thirty meters ahead, which was more than sufficient.

    "Hmm... Looks like there are about five round creatures behind that bush over there. Hey, Lofen, see that bush? Go for it."

    "Okay, here goes."

    "Wait... you guys!"

    Before Alan could stop them, a huge fireball launched from the tip of Lofen’s staff and struck the bush, causing a violent explosion. Four ball-shaped monsters burst from the flames and smoke, heading straight for the kids. Having seen the creatures' forms clearly, Zal muttered,

    "Critters, huh?"

    Critters were small monsters resembling fluffy balls with sharp claws and feet, big round eyes that seemed cute until they opened their mouths to reveal layers of razor-sharp teeth akin to those of a shark, sending shivers down anyone's spine.

    Two critters charged at Alan, the nearest, while the other two split off to flank Zal and Lofen in the back row.

    "Damn... you made them scatter before we could group them... Intimidate!"

    Alan used a warrior-specific skill called 'Intimidate' to draw the monsters' attention. At this moment, its range was only about five meters, so it only attracted the monsters close to him.

    Although using skills or magic did not require shouting out loud to activate, communicating with team members was crucial, especially for young adventurers who could not coordinate solely based on experience. Thus, vocalizing skill names occasionally helped ensure the team members were aware of what skills was being used so, they could adjust their tactics accordingly.

    Talis, who stood in the second row, fired the divine spell 'Holy Light' to intercept one of the Critters that was trying to flank to the rear. She merely wanted to slow it down, but since the Critters were already weakened by the explosion, the one she hit was instantly killed. Seeing this, she used 'Taunt' on another Critter to divert its attention towards her, and it worked—none of the Critters were heading towards Lofen and Zal anymore.

    Since the group of Critters was already fairly injured from Lofen’s earlier attack, they were easily dealt with. A few swipes of the sword and the three Critters were finished off. Once they confirmed that the Critters were dead, Alan turned towards Zal and Lofen, visibly annoyed.

    "You guys... How many times have I told you not to attack before the tank engages? Otherwise, they scatter and attack others, causing danger!"

    "Sorry... I thought if Lofen struck first, we could easily take them out in one go. I didn’t expect it wouldn’t kill them..."

    "That’s because I was holding back to avoid starting a forest fire. If I'd gone all out, they'd be dust by now, but no promises about the forest."

    "That's not the point here!"

    Alan continued to lecture them until Talis intervened to calm things down. Eventually, both admitted their mistake and promised not to act recklessly again, which seemed to calm Alan down. However, he reiterated once more,

    "Listen, Critters aren’t that dangerous. They are just fast, and since they were injured, they were much slower, so we managed easily. But if we encounter a large, healthy group, say six or seven of them, injuries are almost guaranteed."

    "What if~ we encounter about ten?"

    Lofen jokingly probed Alan, causing his irritation to flare up again, though he responded without much anger,

    "If we face ten at once, then we're really in for it."

    "Then, we're really in for it now,"

    as Lofen finished his remark, Alan sharply turned to look behind. Along the tree line, a group of more than ten Critters stood in a staggered formation, their glowing eyes fixed on the group of kids.

    "This is crazy... Why...?"

    "Hey Zal, you initially said there were only five Critters, right? Guess one must not have died and went to call for backup."

    "Oh, so you didn’t kill any with your shots? You’re shooting too softly. Maybe you should consider a different profession, like farming or fish farming—anything that doesn’t involve killing."

    "I told you, I was holding back."

    "Can you guys stop joking around for once~~~"

    Talis, more worried than the rest, shouted to put an end to the back and forth banter. Meanwhile, Alan remained silent and coldly assessed the situation surrounding them.

    "How many are there?"

    "I can count... 13 of them, as far as I can see,"

    Zal said, using 'Monster Detect' again to confirm the exact number for Alan.

    "Do you have a minion that can 'Taunt'?"

    "Better than that, I have one that could use 'Intimidate.' And if the problem is their speed, I have a way to handle it."

    "Let’s see it then,"

    With full confidence, Alan let Zal initiate the attack this time.

    "Come forth, Tartarus!"

    At Zal's summoning, a large grey wolf emerged from the magic circle at the tip of his hand and immediately charged towards the group of Critters. Some of the Critters responded by leaping towards Tartarus from all directions.

    "Now! Piercing Howl!"

    At the command, Tartarus used the skill 'Piercing Howl,' a nerve-affecting howl that caused nearby enemies to panic. Their muscles tensed up, significantly reducing their speed by nearly half.

    With Tartarus' positioning, nearly all the Critters were immediately slowed, but they still attempted to charge at their prey. Alan followed closely.

    Once in range, he channeled his strength into his sword and slammed it into the ground. This was the 'Ground Slam,' a warrior's class attack move that used forceful impact on the ground to create a wide-range shockwave. Not only did it deal damage, but it also knocked down all the targets in the area, including six Critters that were trying to surround Tartarus. They were thrown off balance and tumbled to the ground.

    The remaining Critters split into two groups. One group of four started to leap towards the left, while the other group of three ran to the right. Zal then turned towards the group of four and began to summon his second minion.

    "Come forth, Cerberus!"

    Another grey wolf leapt out from a magic circle at Zal's command. It charged rapidly at the group of Critters and used 'Intimidate' to draw their attention instantly before sprinting off towards the Critters on the right.

    "This time, make sure they're dead."

    "Okay~"

    Lofen fired a fireball at the group of Critters chasing after Cerberus. Under normal circumstances, Cerberus might be caught in the blast, but because the Critters were still slowed, they lagged behind enough for Cerberus to escape to safety.

    The explosion resounded, instantly scorching the four Critters. This occurred just as the effect of Tartarus' howl wore off, returning the remaining Critters to their normal speed.

    On the right side, Talis tried to use 'Holy Light' to hold back the Critters, but even after hitting them with one or two shots each, they did not slow down much. The single-target damage of 'Holy Light' was relatively low, and once the slowing effect wore off, the Critters sped up, evading her shots.

    They attempted to run wide around Talis, so she managed to pull one back with 'Taunt,' but the other two continued straight for Zal and Lofen. However, the wide arc they had ran gave Zal enough time to prepare.

    "It's your turn now, Erebus!"

    The third wolf burst out from his summoning circle. As soon as it appeared, it used the skill 'Feral,' which enhanced its own movement and attack speed. Erebus thus managed to reach and kill a Critter on the front instantly.

    Another Critter, startled by the scene, tried to flee but could not outpace Erebus, who was enhanced with speed, making it the second victim. Meanwhile, Cerberus reached Talis just in time to help deal with the remaining Critter.

    Once the threat to the rear was eliminated, everyone focused on the front line, where Alan and Tartarus were engaging with only four Critters left. When Talis, Cerberus, and Erebus joined to reinforce, they quickly dealt with all the Critters.

    The entire fight ended in less than two minutes, with all of Zal's wolves intact and no team members injured.

    "Your minions are quite impressive, managing three skills each, huh?"

    Alan commented while using a spell to clean the blood from his sword and clothes before sheathing it.

    "Not really, I just equip each with one skill since having more would cost more mana. So I keep it to one each and coordinate accordingly."

    "Amazing~ really! It's like having three more people, just as Zal said summoners are skilled."

    "Haha, just for now, though..."

    Both Alan and Talis praised Zal's use of his minions, which performed better than expected, but this was only because they were still young adventurers.

    As they advanced in levels, teammates like Alan or Talis would have more effective skills such as a warrior's 'Intimidate,' which could draw the attention of monsters with an additional ten meters, or Talis Holy Light,' which could dazzle and stall a group of enemies. Lofen would also have more powerful and accurate attacks.

    At that point, auxiliary support from the minions would become unnecessary, leading to a decline in popularity for the summoner class at higher levels.

    The youngsters took a brief rest to gather their strength before continuing their journey. They cleared the area in a clockwise direction according to Alan's plan, encountering and easily defeating three or four small groups of Critters. Eventually, they reached the center of the area, but the map still showed yellow, making Alan suspicious.

    "That's odd, we've cleared the area, haven't we? Did any escape or something?"

    "I'll adjust the wolves' skills to 'Monster Detect' and send them to look around. There might be a straggler hiding somewhere."

    "Wait, everyone, look over there!"

    Talis pointed to a large tree hollow formed by several intertwined trees, where a distorted air vortex resembling a dimensional portal appeared, causing Alan to grow even more perplexed.

    "A dungeon, really? I thought this test was just supposed to be a simple area clearance."

    "Maybe the instruction to clear the area includes any dungeons within it as well?"

    Lofen suggested, but Alan was still skeptical.

    "Even so, I've never heard of including dungeon clearing in a test for young adventurers..."

    While they were discussing, Zal sent all three wolves, now equipped with 'Monster Detect,' to scout the area, including previously cleared sections, but they found no remaining monsters. This led them to conclude that they must also clear the dungeon.

    "It's not even noon yet; let's finish this so we can have a relaxed lunch,"

    said Lofen, stepping into the dungeon portal and vanishing.

    "Hey, wait! Darn it!"

    Alan, unable to stop him in time, followed irritably, with Zal and Talis quickly tagging along.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Part 4

    Inside the dungeon was a natural tunnel woven from tree trunks.

    The walls were lush with moss clinging to the surface, and the tree-lined path was narrow, but the overlapping thin branches above allowed sunlight to filter down. This natural maze looked more beautiful than menacing.

    The first thing Alan did upon entering was to hit Lofen on the head with the hilt of his sword, causing him to cry out in pain.

    "Rushing in before the tank, are you trying to get killed!? What if there were monsters right at the entrance!"

    Lofen apologized with his usual facial expression, leaving Alan torn between anger and forgiveness. Eventually, Alan calmed down and refocused on exploring the dungeon.

    "Looking at the conditions, this seems to be a dimensional dungeon that hasn't been here long, probably due to a magical stone in this area. If we can remove that stone, the dungeon will shut down, then we'll probably complete the mission."

    Dungeons in this world were mainly of two types. The first type was natural dungeons such as caves or abandoned structures that became dungeons because monsters inhabited them. The other type was dimensional dungeons, which were formed by dimensional distortions and expansions.

    Both types of dungeons usually had a magical stone at their core. Natural magical stones, formed by the condensation and crystallization of natural magical energy, would emit magical particles that attract monsters, turning the area into a dungeon. In some cases, this could cause a dimensional twist, creating a dimensional area or dungeon. These dungeons were not located in actual places but were dimensional areas connected to the outside world only by portals.

    If the magical stone, which was the core of the dungeon, was removed, a natural dungeon would revert to a normal area, while a dimensional dungeon would shut down, automatically ejecting everyone inside to the entrance. Most adventurers preferred dimensional dungeons because they did not have to waste time trekking back out, and the magical stones that cause dimensional dungeons were usually larger or of higher quality than ordinary magical stones.

    The kids cautiously explored the dungeon. Although it was not very large, they had walked all over and still found neither the magical stone nor any monsters.

    "It's really strange. Not a single monster."

    "Maybe this is the scenario the professor intended. To test combat skills outside and inside, to test the ability to seek the dungeon's core. Including clearing monsters in the dungeon might be too harsh,"

    Lofen reasoned, which sounded plausible. However, Alan still felt it odd. Nonetheless, completing the mission was the priority.

    "Since it's just an empty dungeon, let's split up and search for the core."

    Once assured there was no danger inside, Alan instructed everyone to spread out for a quicker search. They all began another thorough search of the environment.

    Zal reached a small room and noticed a tiny glowing rune in a wood crevice. He approached to take a closer look and reached out to touch it.

    "This is…"

    The moment he touched the rune, Zal was transported to another room.

    It was a relatively spacious room with a pool of water in the center. Branches intertwined over the pool, creating a sort of platform in the middle where a small red magical stone was set on top. Sunlight beamed directly down from the ceiling as if the spot was designed to display this particular magical stone.

    There lay the dungeon's core.

    "Here it is!"

    Zal was delighted and hurried towards the dungeon's core. However, Zal had to paused before he could reach it, the room's atmosphere changed abruptly.

    Suddenly, an icy fog filled the room, and even the light, once shone through ceiling, was obscured by dark clouds, turning the previously bright and warm room into a dim and eerie chamber.

    "...Finally... we meet..."

    A chilling, slow voice echoed from behind, startling Zal, causing him to jump with goosebumps. As he turned towards the sound's source, he saw a shadowy figure within the thick fog.

    As the figure stepped through the fog, Zal could finally see him clearly.

    The being resembled a sorcerer, draped in a dark green cloak covering from head to toe. Beneath the cloak was darkness so dense that the wearer's face was invisible, yet two green lights appeared where the eyes should be.

    "...I have come... to claim you..."

    As the figure drew closer, the faint light from the ceiling began to reveal its face, but instead of a human face, there appeared a white skull with two green flames flickering in its dark eye sockets, staring intently at the young boy in front.

    "A reaper!? Wait... am I dead!?"

    Zal, panicked and confused, was unable to react properly. In such a situation, anyone would think they were encountering a reaper.

    "...Hmm? ...You seem to be mistaken... There are no reapers in this world…”

    “You came to take my soul, didn't you!?"

    "...I said I’m here to claim you... not your soul…”

    The more they talked, the more confused Zal became, but once he regained some composure, the figure in the cloak began to introduce himself.

    "...My name is Sandro... Sandro Elrath... I'm an acquaintance of your father.”

    “My father… really?”

    "...Yes... I'll explain the details later... but you need to leave this place now... I'll take you away…”

    "Why should I go with someone I don't know! And you're a skull, that's extremely suspicious! This is beyond following a stranger! You're not even human!"

    "...Hmm... maybe I rushed it a bit... How to say... that school... it's not what you think it is…”

    "You’re not making any sense! Stay back! Or else!"

    Zal drew his sword, preparing to defend himself. Although his hands were trembling, his eyes clearly showed his resolve not to follow this stranger easily.

    "...Hmm... This is complicated... I really didn't want to do this…”

    With those words, Zal decided to act first. He summoned all three of his wolves and ordered them to attack the figure immediately.

    Despite the mysterious person’s unmoving manner, two magic circles quickly appeared on the ground, and two warriors in black armor emerged from them. They dealt with Tartarus and Cerberus by dissolving them with a single strike.

    Erebus, boosted by its speed enhancement skill, tried to reach Sandro, but before it could, Sandro flicked his skeletal finger against Erebus' nose with precise timing, causing it to dissipate.

    Knowing he was not a match for the person in front of him, Zal Ignored the outcome of the battle. He used the distraction of his wolves to rush towards the dungeon's core.

    Reaching it, he struck the branches holding the magical stone with all his might and grabbed the stone, causing the dungeon to tremble—a sign that the dimensional space was about to close.

    "...Oh…”

    The mysterious figure expressed surprise at Zal's unexpected actions, but there was also a hint of satisfaction in his voice.

    In an instant, the dungeon closed, returning everything within the dimensional space to emptiness.

    When Zal opened his eyes, he found himself outside the dungeon entrance.

    "Oh, Zal, did you find it? That’s great; we couldn’t find it no matter how hard we looked.”

    Lofen's voice greeted him from behind. When Zal turned around, he saw that everyone had been teleported out of the dungeon safely.

    He quickly scanned the surroundings, thinking the mysterious figure might have been expelled from the dungeon as well, but saw no sign of him. Still, he felt uneasy.

    "The map has turned green now; we must have completed the mission. Let's head back to the carriage.”

    "Ah... Um…"

    Alan checked the map and saw that the mission map had turned green, so he suggested everyone head back.

    The children made their way out of the forest to the carriage, and was greeted by the friendly and smiling coachman.

    Since it was not yet noon, everyone decided to return to the academy for lunch. They reasoned that eating before the ride might make Alan vomit during the carriage ride.

    Upon returning to the academy, the children reported the outcome of the mission to Professor Garris. This confirmed that everyone had passed the field test and were officially young adventurers. Later this week, they would choose the classes they wanted to pursue.

    Zal did not share the events that transpired in the dungeon with anyone, especially since the mysterious figure had mentioned his father.

    The figure seemed to be a practitioner of dark arts or perhaps even a demon, and might actually had known his father, or simply claimed to. But either way, it did not bode well.

    Deep down, Zal still refused to believe that his father truly was a traitor.

    The sudden claim by someone from the dark side that they knew his father only served to reinforce the accusations that his father had conspired with demons and betrayed.

    This left Zal uncertain about whether to tell Professor Garris about what he had encountered.

    He pondered this dilemma almost all night but could not come to a decision. Ultimately, he left it as a matter for the future.