Chapter 39
The Dungeon Raid Tournament was divided into three stages.
Stage 1: Dungeon Exploration. Discover the dungeon hidden somewhere within the artificial environment and defeat the beasts that stand in the way.
Stage 2: Dungeon Raid. Clear the traps, gimmicks, and beasts inside the dungeon.
Stage 3: Dungeon Boss Subjugation. Almost every dungeon contains a Dungeon Boss— a beast with a core. The raid ends by defeating the boss and separating it from its core.
Van’s faction didn’t need to bother with exploration—Van already had the entire map memorized. All that remained was clearing out the monsters along the way.
The beasts inhabiting the artificial environment were low-level ones that students could handle, but their sheer numbers made them dangerous.
But they didn’t even need to exert themselves. Not a single beast could withstand even one strike from Resta.
Those with enough intelligence didn’t even think of attacking under the overwhelming pressure he exuded, while those that lost their reason were split in half by his spear.
Thanks to him, Van’s faction could simply run straight ahead.
While cutting down another beast, Resta chuckled in amazement.
“Oh? Feels like we’re getting close to the real dungeon. How’d you manage that?”
“I have my methods.”
“Don’t tell me you snuck a look at a map?”
At that, Reyna flared up.
“Our Van may be the Empire’s number one delinquent who does whatever he wants, but!”
“Reyna…”
“Wait, be quiet! I’m explaining here!”
Van couldn’t tell whether she was defending him or just teasing him, but Reyna pressed on without caring.
“He’s still upright and diligent!”
Resta split apart an approaching beast, then looked at Van with a grin.
“Sounds like she trusts you more than I thought.”
“That’s about right.”
Looking back, both Reyna and Ridipin had always trusted him, no matter what he did, and followed his lead. They overlooked things that could have easily raised suspicion. Van realized again just how high his affinity with them had grown.
After some time running, Resta glanced behind them and said,
“We’ve got pursuers. Probably kids from one of the three major factions.”
They were faster than Van had expected.
Back when he’d rejected all offers from the three factions, there were always those who chased him down, more intent on interfering with him than clearing dungeons.
That time he’d had to fight monsters and saboteurs at once, which was tough. But now, Van had a cheat code running beside him.
“We won’t engage—just run straight. With you here, there’s no point in them trying to stop us.”
“Don’t rely too much. I can’t block people like Beryl or Anis. If they really go all out, a few will slip through.”
If Resta unleashed his full strength, no one could break through unless a dragon or demon showed up. But he had neither his personal weapon nor any intention of going all out.
Van hadn’t asked him to—just to hold the line.
“I expected that. We’ll handle the rest ourselves. Just don’t slack off and get eliminated.”
“Fair enough.”
At last, after continuous running, they found the dungeon entrance cleverly hidden halfway up the mountains.
But their pursuers caught up, spotting the dungeon as well.
One of the second-years shouted:
“It’s the dungeon! Quick, block them!”
“Yes, sir!”
With a sharp yell, they sped up.
Van gave them a sidelong glance and turned to Resta.
“We’re going in. The rest is up to you.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep it interesting—maybe send a few friends your way.”
“You’re not saying you’ll deliberately let them through, are you?”
“Who knows~.”
It didn’t sound reliable, but Resta always kept his word. Trusting that, Van led his party into the dungeon.
Now alone, Resta faced about thirty students.
They had numbers on their side, but none dared make the first move.
The second-years, who had already witnessed Resta’s strength, held back, and seeing them hesitate, the first-years—who only knew him by reputation—stayed put as well.
Resta asked lazily,
“Anyone here got a sacred artifact? Hands up.”
Silence.
“Okay, then. Anyone able to cast 6th-circle magic?”
Silence again.
“Nothing? Surely someone can at least use aura?”
At last, Tyran Drake stepped forward.
“I can use aura.”
Resta smirked.
“You? Doesn’t look like you even have aura armor.”
“I have… my reasons.”
Resta folded his arms around his spear, thinking, then sighed deeply and drove it into the ground.
“Didn’t think the vanguard was such a sorry lot. Not even a decent warm-up.”
Enraged, Tyran clashed his gauntlets together, aura flaring. Blue light wrapped his fists as he raised them in a boxing stance.
“This won’t end as just a warm-up…!”
Resta’s lips curled up.
“Oh? Guess you weren’t bluffing. But if you’re really stuck in the vanguard, just how weak are you?”
“For the record, I chose to stand in the vanguard.”
“Losers always say it was on purpose.”
Resta’s taunting hit home, and Tyran’s patience instantly snapped.
“Then see for yourself if I’m a loser!”
Boom!
Tyran shot forward like a cannonball, fists raised. Resta mirrored his boxing stance, casually countering with the same motion.
Clash!
Unlike Tyran, Resta’s aura didn’t even leak out, yet he wasn’t pushed back in the slightest.
“Not just some trash, huh…”
But just as he was about to fling Tyran away, Resta felt something strange from him. His face hardened, and suddenly his killing intent burst forth. Black aura seeped out, choking the air around them.
Even Tyran, whose fist was locked with his, almost suffocated—until Resta eased up and asked:
“First-year?”
“Yes.”
“Name?”
“Tyran Drake.”
“Drake, huh… Then your faction’s Beryl’s.”
“Correct.”
The Drake family, masters of fist techniques, had close ties to the Lumen Order. Known as the “Iron Fist of God,” they supported the archbishop and even influenced his appointment. So it wasn’t hard to guess where he belonged.
“Interesting. I’ll play with you until Four-Eyes and Blondie get here.”
Resta kicked Tyran in the gut and rushed in, slamming his fist forward.
Tyran managed to block with his gauntlets, but the sheer impact left a fist-shaped dent in the side.
‘Crazy bastard!’
Still, Tyran quickly sidestepped and swung his fist into Resta’s flank.
[Dragon Fist Arts – Dragon Fang]
Aura shaped like a dragon’s maw burst from his strike, crashing into Resta. Though he blocked with his arm, the shock seeped through.
Yet Resta only laughed.
“So that’s what it feels like.”
Tyran hurriedly followed with more attacks, but Resta weaved effortlessly through them, closing in to land a rapid barrage.
It was perfectly controlled—just enough to nearly knock him unconscious. Tyran collapsed to his knees, pale, but silent.
Resta shook off his hands with a sneer.
“Not a loser, but barely above one.”
Enraged, Tyran roared and unleashed more Dragon Fist Arts techniques, but Resta dodged every one, planting another punch that sent him reeling.
His underlings finally rushed forward.
“Help him!”
“Charge!”
Resta grinned, still toying with Tyran while evading and countering the others. None of their attacks landed, and they were quickly eliminated, unable to withstand even his casual strikes.
Their bravery meant little to him, but fired up by their courage, more first-years charged.
Half went at Resta, the rest tried to push past him into the dungeon.
Unbothered, Resta flexed his hand.
“Was it like this?”
Blue aura lit his palm, forming a dragon’s head.
[Dragon Fist Arts – Dragon Fang]
Unlike Tyran’s, Resta’s version was overwhelming. Aura swept across the front lines, wiping out the charging students in an instant.
As others tried to slip past him, Resta yanked his spear free, twirled it lightly, and swung.
[Slash]
A simple strike. Yet black aura scattered from the blade, cutting down the rest of the students.
“Guess I can rest a bit now.”
Just as he was about to slack off, he noticed Tyran still standing, barely hanging on.
Resta smirked.
“How’re you still up?”
“Pure grit…!”
“Nonsense.”
Elimination was decided by the force of the blow. Holding on was impossible.
Yet Tyran, battered and staggering, proved otherwise, charging again like a mad dog.
“Hraaagh!”
Resta sighed, dodging his desperate swings, and prepared to finish him off—when suddenly golden light shimmered overhead.
[Fiat Lux]
A pillar of light descended. Resta leapt back just in time.
“So, Four-Eyes finally shows.”
“Four-Eyes? You make it sound like I chose to keep my eyes half-closed.”
Beryl, the owner of the holy spell, appeared with a smile. Resta groaned.
“Damn. Was hoping to rest before you guys came. You never leave me alone.”
“If it was such a hassle, you shouldn’t have joined in the first place.”
“Couldn’t be helped. I made a promise.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
Beryl raised his hand, his followers readying for battle. Resta lifted his eyepatch with a grin.
“Come on, then.”
“Brothers, go.”
Inside the dungeon, Van, Reyna, and Ridipin used their two weeks of training to clear gimmicks with ease.
The corridor where wrong steps triggered a rain of arrows? They passed it by simply following Van’s exact steps.
The maze patrolled by durable Living Armors? The three of them overlapped the patrol routes, forcing the armors to destroy each other.
In no time, they had cleared four rooms, rushing forward in high spirits.
Reyna, too excited, shouted:
“We’re totally setting a new record this time! This dungeon’s easy!”
Of course it was—she’d studied Van’s detailed lectures.
Only two rooms remained before the boss chamber.
“R-Reyna, be careful. You never know when an ambush might come.”
Reyna waved him off.
“Nah, impossible. No traps between rooms, and we’re the only ones inside right now.”
But just as she finished speaking, the space ahead warped. She stopped them immediately, sensing danger.
Mana surged, and figures emerged—very familiar ones.
“Ugh… never again…”
“It’s fine. Relax.”
“Good to see you, Van Astrea.”
Sonia, Ceres, and Drener.
Something that never once happened in the game. I stammered in disbelief.
“H-how did you…?”
Drener answered.
“We planned to chase you, but seeing Resta Lightjust blocking the entrance, we realized we’d never win normally. So, we chose to move abnormally—like you.”
Don’t copy that!
“Sonia pinpointed your location, and Ceres used spatial magic to bring us here. In a real dungeon, it wouldn’t have been possible, but in this artificial one, it worked.”
Damn it. Even I never pulled that trick in the game.
I shot Ceres a glare, but she only smirked, raising a peace sign at me.
That’s not impressive!
Drener drew the greatsword from his back and leveled it at us.
“With Resta blocking the entrance, victory comes down to you or us. Let’s settle it here.”
Of course.
With no way to avoid battle inside the dungeon, we readied our weapons.
But curiosity made me ask:
“Wait—you guys joined my sister’s faction, didn’t you? Aren’t you supposed to be with the second-years?”
Ceres answered instead.
“We got dumped. Thanks to Drener. Bad personality.”
“We weren’t dumped! We left them!” Drener shouted defensively.
Using Ceres to exploit the artificial dungeon’s quirks was a clever step forward, but clearly, Drener still had a lot to learn about social skills.
