Chapter 56: Chapter 56
The passage sloped downward into darkness, the faint glow from the bioluminescent moss barely enough to see by. William's eyes adjusted slowly as they descended, the air getting cooler and heavier with each step.
"Watch your footing," Astrid called from the front. "The ground gets slippery once we reach the first chamber."
The passage opened up after a few minutes of careful walking, revealing a large cavern that had to be at least fifty feet across. The ceiling stretched high above them, covered in glowing moss that cast everything in a faint greenish light. Thick vines hung down from above, swaying slightly despite there being no wind.
"This is the first floor entry chamber," Astrid explained, her voice echoing slightly. "It's pretty safe usually, but stay alert anyway."
William looked around the space, taking in the strange plant life growing from every surface. Flowers the size of his head bloomed along the walls, their petals an unnatural shade of purple. Their roots twisted across the ground in patterns that looked almost deliberate.
"It's actually kind of beautiful," Elena said quietly, staring up at the glowing ceiling.
"Beautiful and deadly," Marcus corrected. "Those vines? Some of them are Vine Crawlers. They'll grab you if you get too close."
As if to prove his point, one of the hanging vines suddenly whipped toward Marcus. He sidestepped casually and his sword flashed, severing the vine before it could retract. The cut end writhed on the ground for a moment before going still.
"See? Deadly."
"How do you tell which vines are beasts and which are just plants?" William asked.
"You don't, really," Astrid said cheerfully. "That's part of the fun. Just assume everything might try to kill you and you'll be fine."
"That's reassuring," William muttered.
They moved deeper into the chamber, weapons ready and eyes scanning for threats. The ground was indeed slippery, covered in some kind of moisture that made every step require careful placement.
"So Kai," Liam said while navigating around a particularly thick cluster of roots. "Are you strong?"
The question came out casual but Liam's expression immediately shifted like he realized how that might sound.
"Oh, I didn't mean it in an offending manner," Liam said quickly, waving his hands. "I just meant—you know, for dungeon combat and—"
"Yes, I am," Kai interrupted calmly. "It's no problem, I understand what you meant."
William's head whipped around to stare at his roommate. "You're strong?"
He had lived with Kai for months now. The guy spent all his time reading, barely attended classes, and had the general energy of someone who couldn't be bothered to care about anything. Strong was not a word William would have used to describe him.
"Actually, I'm not that strong," Kai corrected himself in a matter-of-fact tone. "But I am incredibly smart."
Everyone stopped walking and turned to look at him.
William stared. Astrid blinked. Even Elena looked surprised by that level of shamelessness.
"Did you just—" Marcus started.
"The confidence," Astrid said, sounding impressed and amused at the same time.
William rubbed his forehead. "Then why did you say yes when Liam asked if you were strong?"
"My parents told me to always say yes when people ask that question," Kai said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
There was a moment of stunned silence.
"Your parents," William repeated slowly. "Told you to lie about being strong."
"It's not lying if I believe it," Kai replied.
"That's absolutely lying!"
"Is it though?"
Astrid burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the chamber. "Oh my god, I like him. William, your roommate is hilarious."
"He's something," William muttered.
A rustling sound from above cut off any further conversation. Everyone's attention snapped upward where several vines were moving with clear purpose, descending toward the group with surprising speed.
"Vine Crawlers incoming!" Astrid called out.
The group spread out instinctively, weapons raised. Three vines shot toward different targets—one at Liam, one at Marcus, and one directly at Kai.
Liam's sword flashed and severed his vine cleanly. Marcus dodged and countered in one smooth motion. But Kai didn't draw his sword at all. He sidestepped the attacking vine, grabbed it with his bare hand mid-strike, and yanked hard.
The vine tore free from the ceiling with a wet ripping sound. Kai swung it like a whip and used it to entangle another vine that was going for Elena, then released both and stepped back as they writhed on the ground.
"Okay," Marcus said, staring. "That was actually impressive."
"Thank you," Kai said calmly, still not drawing his sword.
More vines descended, at least a dozen this time. The group engaged properly now, the casual atmosphere shifting into focused combat. William drew his sword and channeled fire essence into the blade, the flames providing extra light in the dim chamber.
His first strike burned through a vine that got too close, the plant beast recoiling from the heat. Another vine came from his left and William pivoted, his enhanced blade cutting through it easily.
Beside him, Liam was fighting with his usual efficient precision, each movement he made was processed and effective. Astrid fought with surprising aggression, with her strikes powerful and direct. Elena used wind techniques to keep vines at distance while supporting the others with well-timed attacks.
But William found his attention drawn to Kai despite trying to focus on his own fight. His roommate was moving through the combat zone without his sword drawn, using only his hands and what looked like basic martial techniques. He redirected attacking vines rather than cutting them, used their momentum against them, and generally fought with a level of skill that didn't match his usual apathetic demeanor at all.
A particularly large vine wrapped around Kai's arm. Instead of panicking or cutting it, Kai used the grip as leverage and pulled himself toward the ceiling, then kicked off a wall and used the motion to tear the vine free. He landed smoothly and immediately moved to intercept a vine going for William's blind spot.
"Behind you," Kai said casually while redirecting the attack.
"Thanks," William said, then added, "Why aren't you using your sword?"
"I don't need it for these," Kai replied.
The vine assault continued for another few minutes before finally dying down. The group had eliminated or driven off all the active Vine Crawlers in the immediate area, leaving severed plant matter scattered across the chamber floor.
"Everyone okay?" Liam called out, checking on the group.
Murmurs of confirmation came from everyone. No one had taken any serious hits, just minor scratches and the general exertion from sustained combat.
"Not bad for a warm-up," Astrid said, wiping plant sap off her sword. "Though I have questions."
She pointed at Kai. "You. Why didn't you use your sword? Are you some kind of martial artist or something?"
"Something like that," Kai said vaguely.
"He's hiding his power level," Marcus joked. "Classic mysterious character behavior."
"I'm not hiding anything," Kai protested mildly. "I just don't need a sword for basic threats."
"Those weren't basic threats," Elena pointed out quietly. "Those were actual dungeon beasts."
"Relatively basic then."
William shook his head. Living with Kai for months and apparently knowing nothing about his actual combat abilities was both annoying and impressive in equal measure.
They continued through the chamber and into a connecting passage that led deeper into the first floor. The environment shifted gradually—less open space, more narrow corridors with roots breaking through the walls and ceiling.
"So William," Astrid said while they walked. "You're on the Inter-Academy team, right? That's pretty amazing for a first-year."
"It's been... educational," William said.
"That's one way to put it," Liam added. "Instructor Reylan is brutal with the training schedule."
"I've heard stories about him," Marcus said. "Supposedly he once made a student fight continuously for six hours straight just to prove a point about stamina management."
"That sounds excessive," Elena said.
"That sounds exactly like something Reylan would do," Liam corrected.
They reached a fork in the passage—two tunnels branching off in different directions. Astrid consulted her map.
"Left goes to a larger chamber with more plant beasts. Right leads to a resource node area where we can gather essence materials. Which way do we want to go?"
"Resources first?" William suggested. "We should get the useful stuff before we get too tired from fighting."
"Smart thinking," Astrid agreed. "Right path it is."
They took the right tunnel and emerged into a smaller chamber filled with strange crystalline flowers growing from the walls. The flowers pulsed with faint light, clearly saturated with essence.
"Essence Bloom Flowers," Astrid explained. "Their petals can be harvested and used for cultivation aid or sold for decent money. Take what you can carry but be gentle—they're fragile."
The group spread out and began carefully harvesting petals, storing them in cloth pouches designed for essence materials. William worked alongside Elena, who seemed to have some experience with this kind of gathering.
"You've done dungeon runs before?" William asked while carefully plucking a petal.
"A few times," Elena said quietly. "My family is merchant class, so we do a lot of resource gathering for business purposes. Dungeons are dangerous but profitable if you know what you're doing."
"Makes sense."
They worked in silence for a moment before Elena spoke again. "Can I ask you something? What's it like training with people like Seraphina Ashenheart? She seems... intense."
William thought about how to answer that without getting into complicated details about recent events. "She's very focused. And yes, intense is accurate. But she's also a good training partner if you can keep up."
"I couldn't keep up," Elena said with a slight smile. "I would probably pass out after ten minutes."
"You might surprise yourself."
They finished gathering materials and regrouped in the center of the chamber. Everyone had managed to collect a decent amount of petals, enough that the trip would be profitable even if they didn't find anything else.
"Next chamber?" Liam asked.
"Next chamber," Astrid confirmed. "This one should have some Thorn Sprouts. Basically mobile bushes with sharp thorns that try to impale you. Not too dangerous if you watch your spacing."
They moved through another connecting passage and entered a larger chamber filled with vegetation. Sure enough, small bush-like creatures dotted the area, their surfaces covered in wicked-looking thorns.
One of them noticed the group and immediately rolled toward them with surprising speed.
"Spread out!" Astrid called.
William jumped left as the Thorn Sprout rolled past where he'd been standing. His sword came down and struck the creature, fire essence burning through its plant matter easily. It screeched—an unsettling sound from something that shouldn't have a voice—and retreated.
The chamber erupted into combat as more Thorn Sprouts activated and attacked. They were fast and their thorns could pierce leather armor easily, but fire was extremely effective against them.
William burned through three of them in quick succession, the heat from his blade making the plant beasts recoil before he could even strike them properly. Beside him, Liam was handling his own opponents with methodical efficiency.
Kai, still not using his sword, somehow managed to redirect a rolling Thorn Sprout into another one, causing them to tangle together. He then kicked the tangled mass toward Marcus, who finished them both with one strike.
"Nice teamwork," Marcus said.
"Thanks."
The fight concluded quickly, the Thorn Sprouts not being particularly durable once the group figured out their patterns. Everyone caught their breath while Astrid checked her map again.
"We're making good time," she said. "There's one more major chamber on the first floor, then the passage down to the second floor. Want to clear it or call it here?"
"Let's clear it," Liam said. "We're still fresh."
The group agreed and moved toward the final first-floor chamber. The passage leading to it was longer than the previous ones, sloping slightly downward and lined with strange fungi that glowed in alternating colors.
"Don't touch those," Astrid warned. "They release spores if disturbed. Not deadly but they'll make you sneeze for hours."
They gave the fungi wide berth and emerged into the largest chamber they'd seen yet. The ceiling stretched up high enough that the bioluminescent moss barely illuminated it, creating a sense of vast open space. And standing in the center of the chamber, surrounded by smaller plant beasts, was something significantly bigger.
"Is that a Thorn Brute?" Marcus asked, his voice carrying concern.
"Yeah," Astrid said. "They're the mini-boss of the first floor. Tougher than the regular enemies but nothing we can't handle if we work together."
The Thorn Brute was massive—easily eight feet tall and shaped vaguely like a humanoid made entirely of twisted vines and thorns. Its arms ended in club-like masses of hardened plant matter, and its entire body radiated essence strong enough that William could feel it from across the chamber.
"Any strategy?" William asked.
"Don't get hit by those arms, they hit hard," Astrid said. "Focus on mobility and ranged attacks if you have them. Liam, you and I will maintain close combat pressure. William, your fire should be really effective—use it liberally. Marcus, Elena, support and handle the smaller beasts. Kai, you do... whatever it is you do."
"Understood," everyone confirmed.
The Thorn Brute noticed them and let out a deep rumbling sound that shook the chamber. Then it charged.
"Here we go!" Astrid yelled, and ran to meet it.
The battle began in earnest, the group working together to bring down the first floor's guardian. William channeled fire essence and prepared to support Liam and Astrid's assault while keeping the smaller beasts off their backs.
This was what dungeon diving was supposed to be like.
Dangerous, profitable, and surprisingly fun.
----
Well in order to make this mass release more easier for you guys, I've changed the quota. (ONLY FOR THIS WEEK)
Any random three gifts and 120+ Ps = Mass release.
Of course the higher the gift the more the Chapters!
Chapter 57: Chapter 57
The Thorn Brute's charge shook the ground as it barreled toward them with surprising speed for something so massive. Astrid met it head-on with her sword already enhanced as she blocked one of its club-like arms. The impact sent her sliding back several feet, her boots leaving trails in the dirt.
"It's strong!" she called out, recovering her stance.
Liam circled right while William went left, both trying to flank the creature while it was focused on Astrid. The smaller plant beasts scattered around the chamber stirred to life, responding to their guardian's aggression.
"On the adds!" Marcus yelled, engaging three Thorn Sprouts that rolled toward Elena.
William kept his attention split between the Brute and his surroundings. A Vine Crawler dropped from above and he severed it without breaking stride, his blade cutting through plant matter like it wasn't even there.
Liam struck at the Brute's left side, his sword biting into the twisted vine mass that made up its leg. The creature roared and swung its arm in a wide arc that forced both Liam and Astrid to retreat.
"William, hit it with fire!" Liam shouted.
William channeled more essence into his blade and launched a wave of flames toward the Brute. The fire washed over its body and the creature recoiled, the plant matter smoking where the heat had touched it. It wasn't major damage but the Brute clearly didn't like it.
"Keep the pressure on!" Astrid moved back in, striking at the same leg Liam had hit.
The fight settled into a rhythm. Astrid and Liam maintained close combat, forcing the Brute to focus on them while William provided fire support from medium range. Marcus and Elena handled the smaller beasts that kept spawning from the edges of the chamber, preventing the group from being overwhelmed.
And Kai was somehow everywhere at once.
William watched his roommate move through the chaos with an almost casual efficiency. A Thorn Sprout rolled toward Elena's blind spot and Kai intercepted it with a kick that sent it flying into a wall. A Vine Crawler descended toward Marcus and Kai grabbed it mid-air, used it to clothesline another vine, then tossed both away.
He still hadn't drawn his sword.
"Is he showing off or is he always like this?" Astrid asked while dodging a Brute attack.
"I have no idea anymore," William admitted.
The Brute swung both arms down in a massive overhead strike that would have crushed Astrid if she hadn't rolled aside at the last second. The impact cracked the ground and sent debris flying. Liam took advantage of the opening and drove his sword deep into the creature's exposed back.
The Brute howled and spun, trying to dislodge Liam, but he had already pulled his blade free and retreated. Dark sap oozed from the wound, the equivalent of blood for plant-based beasts.
"It's weakening!" Liam called out. "Keep going!"
William intensified his fire attacks, sending concentrated bursts of flame that scorched the Brute's body and created smoking patches across its form. The creature was clearly struggling now, its movements becoming slower and less coordinated.
Astrid and Liam pressed their advantage with a coordinated assault. Astrid went low, her blade cutting deep into the damaged leg, while Liam struck high, targeting the creature's torso. The Brute tried to defend but it was fighting two skilled opponents simultaneously while taking fire damage.
"One more push!" Astrid yelled.
William gathered his essence and created the largest fire burst he could manage without completely draining himself. The flames engulfed the Brute's upper body and it staggered backward, its movements jerky and uncoordinated.
Liam saw the opening and took it. His sword came down in a powerful overhead strike that split the Brute's torso nearly in half. The creature let out one final rumbling sound and then collapsed, its body breaking apart into chunks of dead plant matter.
The smaller beasts in the chamber immediately went dormant, their connection to the guardian severed. The chamber fell silent except for everyone's heavy breathing.
"Everyone good?" Liam asked, checking the group.
"Fine," Astrid said, wiping sweat from her forehead. "That went better than expected."
"Speak for yourself," Marcus said, examining a tear in his sleeve where a thorn had caught him. "I got stabbed like five times."
"Only five? I got at least seven," Elena said quietly, showing several small puncture wounds on her arms.
"I didn't get hit at all," Kai mentioned casually.
Everyone turned to stare at him.
"Of course you didn't," William muttered.
Astrid walked over to the Brute's remains and started examining them. "The core should be here somewhere... ah, found it."
She pulled out a fist-sized crystalline sphere that pulsed with green light. "This is a Thorn Brute essence core. These sell for decent money or can be used in cultivation. Since we all contributed, we should split the profit."
"That works for me," Liam agreed.
They spent a few minutes catching their breath and treating minor injuries. Elena had brought medical supplies and set about cleaning everyone's cuts and applying basic healing salve. Even Kai accepted treatment despite claiming he hadn't been hit—apparently a Thorn Sprout had managed to nick his leg at some point without him noticing.
"So," Marcus said while Elena bandaged his arm. "That was the first floor. How are we feeling about the second floor?"
"Tired," William admitted. His essence reserves were still decent but not full, and the sustained combat had worn on his stamina.
"Same," Liam said. "We should probably rest before going deeper."
"There's a safe room between the first and second floors," Astrid explained. "It's a chamber the dungeon doesn't spawn beasts in. The academy policy is to use it for breaks during extended runs."
"That sounds perfect," Elena said.
They gathered their things and the essence materials they'd collected, then headed toward the passage Astrid indicated would lead to the safe room. The tunnel sloped downward more steeply than the previous ones, the temperature dropping noticeably as they descended.
After about ten minutes of careful walking, the passage opened into a chamber that felt immediately different from the others. The air was clearer, less heavy with essence. Simple stone benches lined the walls and there was even a small spring of clean water in one corner.
"Welcome to the safe room," Astrid said, dropping her pack with obvious relief. "We can rest here as long as we need."
Everyone found spots to sit and started unpacking food and water. William settled onto one of the benches and took a long drink from his flask, feeling the exhaustion from the first floor settling into his muscles.
"Not bad for a first dungeon run," Liam said, sitting next to him. "How are you holding up?"
"Alright. Tired but not dead." William pulled out some dried meat from his pack and started eating. "This is definitely different from academy training."
"Way different," Liam agreed. "The unpredictability makes it harder to prepare for. You can't train for having a Vine Crawler drop on your head from the ceiling."
"You kind of can," Kai said from across the room. He was examining one of the Essence Bloom petals they'd collected earlier. "You just need better spatial awareness."
"Not everyone has your mysterious protagonist powers," Astrid said with a grin. She'd stretched out on one of the benches like it was the most comfortable thing in the world. "Some of us are just normal talented people."
"I'm not a protagonist," Kai said.
"That's exactly what a protagonist would say," Marcus pointed out.
"I'm really not."
"The denial just makes it more suspicious."
William watched them banter back and forth and felt a strange sense of contentment. This was nice. Just a group of students exploring a dungeon together, fighting monsters, collecting loot, and joking around. No curse complications, no romantic tension, no academy politics.
Just normal adventuring.
"So what's the second floor like?" Elena asked Astrid. "You said you've done it before."
"More of the same but harder," Astrid said. "The beasts are tougher, there are more environmental hazards, and the chambers are more complex. There's poison spores in some areas that we'll need to be careful about."
"Poison spores?" Marcus sounded concerned.
"Nothing deadly if we're careful. Just avoid breathing them in too much and we'll be fine. I have some antidote pills if anyone does get affected." Astrid patted her pack. "Came prepared."
"What about the boss?" Liam asked. "Is there another mini-boss like the Thorn Brute?"
"Yeah, but it's stronger. A Poison Bloom Guardian. Think of it like a massive flower with tentacles that spray poison and can regenerate damage if you don't kill it fast enough."
"That sounds terrible," William said.
"It is terrible," Astrid confirmed cheerfully. "But also profitable. The Poison Bloom core is worth twice what a Thorn Brute core sells for."
They rested for about thirty minutes, eating and recovering their essence reserves. William could feel his pathways slowly refilling with ambient essence from the environment, though it was slower than active cultivation would have been.
Kai had produced a book from somewhere and was reading it casually like he wasn't sitting in the middle of a dangerous dungeon. William didn't even know where he'd been keeping it—his pack wasn't large enough to hold a book that size comfortably.
"Where did you get that?" William asked, pointing at the book.
"I always carry a book," Kai said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Why?"
"In case I get bored."
"We're in a dungeon. How could you possibly get bored?"
"I manage."
William gave up trying to understand his roommate's logic and went back to resting. Eventually, Astrid stood and stretched, signaling it was time to move on.
"Everyone ready for the second floor?" she asked.
The group gathered their things and prepared to continue deeper. William checked his sword and made sure his essence was flowing properly. His reserves were back to about seventy percent, which should be enough for the next section if they were careful.
"Stay close once we enter the second floor," Astrid warned while leading them toward the exit passage. "The visibility is worse and the beasts are better at ambush tactics. Don't wander off alone."
They left the safe room and descended further into the dungeon. The passage grew narrower and the bioluminescent moss dimmed until they could barely see a few feet ahead. The air became thick and humid, carrying a sweet cloying smell that made William's nose wrinkle.
"That's the poison spores," Astrid said quietly. "Try not to breathe too deeply. Short, shallow breaths through your nose."
The passage finally opened into the second floor's first chamber and William immediately understood why Astrid had emphasized caution. The space was filled with a light mist that obscured vision beyond twenty feet. Strange plants covered every surface, many of them pulsing with sickly colors that suggested poison or disease.
And in the mist, things were moving.
"Everyone take positions," Liam said quietly. "William, be ready with fire. Kai, Marcus, watch the flanks. Elena, Astrid, center formation."
They moved cautiously into the chamber, weapons ready and senses alert. The mist swirled around them, creating shapes that might have been threats or might have been nothing.
Something lunged from the mist toward Marcus. He blocked it reflexively and William caught a glimpse of what looked like a snake made of vines before it retreated back into the obscuring fog.
"Poison Vipers," Astrid identified. "They're fast and venomous. Don't let them bite you."
More movement in the mist, coming from multiple directions now. The second floor had begun its welcome, and it was considerably less friendly than the first floor had been.
"Here they come!" Liam called out.
The chamber erupted into combat as Poison Vipers emerged from the mist in coordinated attacks. William's fire cut through them effectively but the low visibility made it hard to see threats before they were right on top of him.
This was going to be a long second floor.
But at least it was keeping things interesting.
William tightened his grip on his sword and focused on the fight ahead, trusting his teammates to watch his back as they pushed deeper into the Verdant Hollow's more dangerous regions.
Chapter 58: Chapter 58
The Poison Vipers kept emerging from the mist, their vine-like bodies moving with unsettling fluidity. William's sword flashed as he cut down another one that got too close. The fire essence on the blade cauterized the wound, preventing it from regenerating.
"There are too many!" Elena called out from somewhere in the fog. Her voice sounded farther away than it should have been.
"Stay together!" Liam shouted back. "Don't let the mist separate us!"
Easier said than done. The fog seemed to have a mind of its own, thickening between group members and creating pockets of isolation. William could barely see Marcus fighting a few feet to his left, and everyone else had become vague shapes in the murk.
A Viper struck at his leg and William jumped back, his counter slash missing as the creature retreated into the mist. These things were smart, they were using the environment to their advantage and only attacking when they had clear openings.
"I'm getting real tired of not being able to see," Astrid's voice came from somewhere behind William. "Anyone got a solution?"
"Fire might work," William suggested. "Heat could disperse the mist."
"Try it!"
William channeled essence into a wide burst of flames that spread outward from his position. The heat didn't eliminate the fog entirely but it thinned it enough that visibility improved dramatically. He could see the rest of the group now, all engaged with their own Viper problems.
"Keep doing that!" Marcus yelled while dispatching two Vipers that had been circling him. "It's helping!"
William maintained a steady output of fire essence, creating a dome of heat around their position that kept the mist at bay. It was draining his reserves faster than he'd like but the improved visibility made combat significantly easier.
Kai had finally drawn his sword—apparently Poison Vipers were dangerous enough to warrant actual weapon use. He moved through the thinned mist with deadly precision, his blade catching three Vipers in quick succession. The movements looked practiced, refined in a way that suggested way more training than they thought Kai had done.
"You're really trying to keep the mysterious act going, aren't you?" Astrid said, noticing the same thing William had.
"I'm just doing my job," Kai replied while his sword flicked out and severed another Viper.
"Your job is being suspiciously competent?"
"Apparently."
The Viper assault finally died down after what felt like hours but was probably only ten minutes. The group regrouped in the center of the chamber, all breathing hard and checking for bites.
"Did anyone get hit?" Liam asked.
"I think one got my ankle," Marcus said, pulling up his pant leg to reveal two small puncture marks. "Doesn't hurt yet though."
"That's the poison numbing the area," Astrid said, digging through her pack. "Here, take this before it spreads."
She handed Marcus a small pill that he swallowed immediately. His face twisted.
"That tastes horrible."
"Antidotes usually do." Astrid checked the rest of the group. "Anyone else?"
No one else had been bitten, which was lucky considering how many Vipers there had been. William let his fire enhancement fade, conserving what remained of his essence reserves.
"How much further to the next chamber?" Elena asked, wringing sweat from her hair.
Astrid consulted her map. "Not far. There should be another resource node area through that passage." She pointed at an opening in the far wall. "Then one more combat chamber before we reach the Poison Bloom Guardian."
They moved toward the passage, leaving the mist-filled chamber behind. The next area was blessedly clear of fog, though the plants here looked even more dangerous than before. Flowers with teeth lined the walls, snapping at anything that got close. Fungi the size of a human torso pulsed with sickly yellow light.
"Don't touch anything that glows," Astrid warned. "Actually, don't touch anything, period , unless I tell you it's safe."
The resource node chamber was smaller than the one on the first floor but packed with valuable materials. Crystalline mushrooms grew in clusters from the ceiling, their surfaces shimmering with concentrated essence. Strange fruits hung from vine-like growths, each one radiating enough power that William could feel it from several feet away.
"Those are Essence Fruits," Astrid explained, carefully harvesting one. "Super rare and extremely valuable. One of these can boost cultivation speed for a week."
"How many can we take?" Liam asked, already moving toward another cluster.
"As many as we can carry without damaging them. They're fragile so be gentle."
The group spread out and began carefully gathering the fruits and mushrooms. William worked alongside Kai, both of them handling the materials with exaggerated care after Astrid's warnings about fragility.
"You're really good at fighting," William said quietly while placing a mushroom in his pouch. "Way better than even me"
"I train," Kai said simply.
"When? I've never seen you do anything except read."
"Early mornings. Late nights. Times you're not paying attention." Kai moved to another cluster. "I prefer not to make a show of it."
"That's the understatement of the century."
They continued harvesting until everyone's pouches were full. The haul from this node alone would probably pay for the entire dungeon trip and then some.
"The next chamber is the last one before the guardian," Astrid said once they'd finished. "It usually has Thorn Soldiers, which are just basically upgraded versions of the Thorn Sprouts but man-sized and carrying actual weapons made of hardened wood."
"Weapons?" Marcus looked skeptical. "Plant monsters with weapons?"
"Dungeons are weird," Astrid said with a shrug. "You get used to it."
They entered the next passage and emerged into a chamber that looked like a twisted parody of a training ground. Thorn Soldiers stood in formation across the space, each one holding crude but effective-looking swords and shields made from compressed plant matter.
"That's unsettling," Elena said.
"Very," Liam agreed. "How do we approach this?"
"Carefully," Astrid said. "They fight like actual soldiers, not just monsters. Expect teamwork and strategy."
The lead Thorn Soldier noticed their group and raised its sword in what was clearly a command gesture. The others formed up into defensive positions with shields raised and swords ready.
"They're organized," William observed. "That's new."
"The second floor is where dungeons start getting creative," Astrid said, drawing her sword. "Everyone ready?"
The group spread into their combat formation and advanced. The Thorn Soldiers held their position until the group got within range, then attacked as a unit with surprising coordination.
William found himself facing two Soldiers at once, their strikes coming in patterns that suggested actual training rather than instinct. He blocked the first attack and dodged the second, his fire-enhanced blade scoring a hit on the nearest Soldier's shield.
The plant matter smoked where his sword had touched it but the shield held. These things were tougher than the first floor enemies.
Liam was engaged with three Soldiers, his superior skill keeping them at bay but clearly struggling against their coordinated assault. Astrid fought with aggressive determination, breaking through one Soldier's guard and setting it aflame with her own essence techniques.
Kai moved through the battlefield like he was dancing, his sword finding gaps in the Soldiers' defenses that shouldn't have existed. Two Soldiers tried to pincer him and he somehow maneuvered them into striking each other instead.
"Stop showing off!" Marcus yelled while barely blocking a Soldier's overhead strike.
"I'm not showing off," Kai replied while disarming another Soldier with a precise wrist strike. "This is just proper combat."
"That's the same thing!"
The fight dragged on longer than the previous encounters. The Thorn Soldiers' shields and coordination made them difficult to eliminate quickly, and they adapted to the group's tactics as the battle progressed.
William switched strategies, using fire bursts to force Soldiers to lower their shields defensively, then striking while they were exposed. It worked on one but the others learned and started keeping their shields up even through the flames.
"We need to break their formation!" Liam called out. "Focus fire on one side!"
The group concentrated their attacks on the left flank of the Soldier formation. William, Astrid, and Liam all struck simultaneously, overwhelming three Soldiers before they could coordinate a defense. The formation broke and the remaining Soldiers lost their tactical advantage.
With their coordination disrupted, the Soldiers fell quickly. William's fire cut through two more, Kai dispatched another with clinical efficiency, and the last few were eliminated by the others.
The chamber fell silent except for heavy breathing.
"That was way harder than it needed to be," Marcus said, dropping onto the ground to rest.
"Welcome to the second-floor dungeons," Astrid said, though she looked pretty tired herself. "Everyone still good to continue?"
William checked his essence reserves. He was down to maybe forty percent, which wasn't great but manageable if the guardian fight didn't drag on too long.
"I'm good," he said.
The others confirmed they could continue, though everyone looked worn down from the sustained combat. They took a brief rest, treating injuries and recovering what essence they could.
"The guardian chamber is through that passage," Astrid said, pointing at a large opening in the far wall. "Once we go in, we're committed. The dungeon seals the entrance until the guardian is defeated or we retreat."
"Any special tactics we should know about?" Liam asked.
"The Poison Bloom Guardian has three attack patterns. Tentacle strikes that are fast and poisonous, spore clouds that fill the area with toxic gas, and a regeneration ability that heals it if we don't maintain pressure. We need to hit hard and fast, don't give it time to recover."
"And if someone gets poisoned?" Elena asked nervously.
"I have more antidote pills," Astrid said, patting her pack. "But try not to get hit in the first place."
They stood and prepared for the final fight on the second floor. William made sure his sword was ready and his essence was flowing properly. This was it—defeat the guardian and they would have completed two floors of a dungeon on their first run.
"Let's do this," Liam said, and led the group toward the guardian chamber.
The passage opened into the largest space they'd seen yet. The ceiling stretched up at least sixty feet, covered in glowing moss that cast everything in an eerie green light. And in the center of the chamber, rooted into the ground like a massive tree, was the Poison Bloom Guardian.
It looked like someone had combined a flower with an octopus and made it thirty feet tall. Enormous petals surrounded a central bulb that pulsed with sickly purple light. Dozens of thick tentacles writhed around its base, each one dripping with viscous poison.
As soon as the group entered the chamber, the entrance sealed behind them with a grinding sound of stone on stone.
The guardian's bulb opened, revealing something that might have been eyes or might have been glowing orbs. Either way, it had noticed them.
A deep rumbling sound filled the chamber and the tentacles began moving with purpose.
"Spread out!" Astrid yelled. "Don't let it catch multiple people with one attack!"
The battle began as the first tentacle lashed out toward the group. William rolled aside and came up running, already channeling fire into his blade. This was going to be intense.
---
Support
Chapter 59: Chapter 59
The tentacle that had lashed out smashed into the ground where William had been standing a second earlier, leaving a crater and splattering poison across the stone floor. The liquid hissed where it landed, eating into the rock like acid.
"Don't let that stuff touch you!" Astrid warned while dodging her own tentacle strike.
William circled right, trying to get an angle on the guardian's main body while avoiding the writhing mass of appendages. Fire enhancement coated his blade as he struck at the nearest tentacle, his sword biting deep into the plant flesh. The guardian shuddered and the wounded tentacle retreated, dark sap oozing from the cut.
But even as he watched, the wound began closing. The plant matter knitted itself back together in seconds, leaving barely a scar.
"It's healing!" William called out.
"Told you!" Astrid was already engaging the main body, her blade striking at the thick stem below the bulb. "We need sustained damage, not quick hits!"
Liam reached the guardian's base and began a relentless assault on the stem, his sword striking repeatedly in the same spot. Each hit carved deeper, preventing the regeneration from catching up. But three tentacles converged on his position, forcing him to break off and retreat.
"Someone needs to keep it from healing while others deal with the tentacles!" Liam yelled while dodging.
"I've got the tentacles!" Kai's voice came from somewhere in the chaos. His sword flashed and a tentacle fell to the ground, severed cleanly. It writhed for a moment before going still.
William focused on maintaining fire attacks against the main body, sending waves of heat that scorched the guardian's exterior and prevented regeneration in the burned areas. It wasn't dealing massive damage but it was keeping the thing from healing faster than they could hurt it.
A tentacle came at him from his blind spot. He sensed it more than saw it and threw himself forward in a roll, coming up and slashing backward in one motion. His blade caught the tentacle mid-strike and diverted it into another tentacle, tangling them together.
"Nice!" Marcus shouted from across the chamber. He was keeping two tentacles busy with wind-enhanced movements, darting in and out of range while Elena supported him with distance attacks.
The guardian's bulb pulsed and suddenly the entire chamber filled with a yellow-green cloud. The spores Astrid had warned about.
William held his breath immediately but some of the spores got in his nose anyway. His eyes started watering and his throat burned. Around him, the others were coughing and struggling.
"Antidotes!" Astrid choked out between coughs. "Everyone take one now!"
William fumbled in his pack for the pill Astrid had distributed earlier. He got it in his mouth and swallowed, the horrible taste somehow worse than the poison spores. But almost immediately his throat stopped burning and his vision cleared.
The spore cloud was still thick but at least it wasn't actively poisoning them anymore.
"Keep attacking!" Liam's silhouette was barely visible through the yellow mist. "Don't give it time to recover!"
William pushed forward through the cloud, using his fire to create small clear zones in the spores. The heat burned away the poisonous particles, creating bubbles of visibility. He reached the guardian's stem and struck hard, his blade biting deep into the plant matter.
The guardian thrashed and a tentacle caught him across the back, sending him flying. He hit the ground hard and rolled, pain shooting through his shoulders. The impact had been like getting hit with a tree trunk.
"William!" Elena's voice cut through the chaos.
"I'm fine!" William forced himself to his feet, ignoring the pain. His back would hurt later but right now he needed to keep fighting.
Kai appeared beside the guardian's stem, his sword moving in patterns too fast to follow clearly. He was targeting specific points on the stem with surgical precision, each strike creating deep cuts that the guardian couldn't regenerate fast enough to close.
"Aim where I'm cutting!" Kai called out. "The regeneration can't keep up if we all focus the same spot!"
Liam and Astrid converged on the area Kai had marked, their combined assault opening a massive wound in the guardian's stem. Dark sap poured out and the entire plant-creature shuddered violently.
William added his fire to the attack, flames pouring into the wound and cauterizing the interior. The guardian's movements became more frantic, tentacles lashing out wildly without coordination.
"It's weakening!" Astrid shouted. "One more push!"
The spore cloud was finally dispersing, letting William see the full battlefield again. Marcus and Elena had eliminated or disabled most of the tentacles, leaving the main body exposed. The guardian's bulb was dimming, its pulsing light growing irregular.
Liam climbed onto the guardian's stem using the tentacles as handholds. He reached the area just below the bulb and drove his sword in with both hands, putting his full weight behind the strike. The blade sank deep and Liam twisted it, tearing through vital plant matter.
The guardian let out a sound like wind through dead leaves and collapsed in on itself. The bulb fell from the stem and hit the ground with a wet thud. The remaining tentacles went limp, no longer moving with purpose.
Silence filled the chamber except for everyone gasping for air.
"Is it dead?" Marcus asked between breaths.
"Very dead," Astrid confirmed. She was sitting on the ground, covered in poison sap and looking exhausted but triumphant. "We did it."
William let himself drop to the ground, his back screaming in protest. The adrenaline was wearing off and every injury from the fight was making itself known. He was pretty sure he had bruised ribs, his back might be bleeding, and his arms felt like jelly from maintaining fire enhancement for so long.
But they'd won.
"Everyone alive?" Liam asked, climbing down from the guardian's corpse.
Murmurs of confirmation came from around the chamber. Everyone was injured to various degrees but nobody had taken anything life-threatening.
Elena started making rounds with medical supplies, cleaning wounds and applying salve. When she reached William she winced at the state of his back.
"That tentacle hit you hard," she said while carefully lifting his shirt to examine the injury. "You've got a nasty bruise forming and some cuts from where the thorns got you. Hold still."
The healing salve stung when she applied it but William gritted his teeth and stayed quiet. After a minute the pain dulled to a manageable ache.
"Thanks," he said.
"Thank me by not getting hit by any more giant tentacles," Elena replied.
Astrid had recovered enough to approach the guardian's fallen bulb. She pulled out a knife and carefully cut into it, extracting a core that was easily twice the size of the Thorn Brute's. The crystal pulsed with purple and green light, beautiful despite being poisonous.
"Poison Bloom core," she announced, holding it up. "This thing is worth at least two months of academy stipend. Combined with everything else we collected, this run has been extremely profitable."
"Assuming we make it back without dying," Marcus pointed out.
"Details."
They rested in the guardian chamber for a good thirty minutes, letting everyone recover from the intense fight. The dungeon's seal on the entrance had lifted once the guardian died, giving them a clear exit path.
"Should we push for the third floor?" Liam asked once everyone was patched up.
"Absolutely not," Astrid said immediately. "The third floor requires special permission and a faculty supervisor for good reason. The beasts down there are legitimately dangerous and we're all exhausted. We'd be asking to die."
"Fair point," Liam conceded. "Then we head back up?"
"Yeah. We can collect any materials we missed on the way out and be back at the academy by evening."
The group gathered their things and started the long trek back through the second floor. The return journey was easier without having to fight through everything—the defeated beasts didn't respawn that quickly, leaving most chambers clear.
They stopped at the safe room between floors and took another rest, eating the last of their food and recovering more essence. William felt his reserves slowly climbing back to reasonable levels, though he was still well below full capacity.
"So," Marcus said while munching on dried meat. "First dungeon run. What did everyone think?"
"Terrifying," Elena said quietly. "But also kind of amazing? I've never felt essence that concentrated before."
"The profit makes it worth it," Astrid said. "Dangerous work but the pay is incredible compared to normal academy jobs."
"I liked it," Kai said simply.
Everyone turned to look at him.
"Of course you did," William muttered. "You barely got hit the entire time."
"That's because I was paying attention."
"You were showing off."
"Those are different things."
They argued back and forth while the others laughed, the tension from the guardian fight finally fading into comfortable camaraderie. William found himself actually enjoying the banter, the sense of shared accomplishment making everyone more relaxed.
After another thirty minutes they resumed the climb back to the surface. The first floor was as empty as the second had been, the beasts they'd cleared still not respawned. They collected a few essence materials they'd missed on the initial pass and made good time toward the exit.
The cave entrance appeared ahead, natural light streaming in from outside. William had never been so happy to see sunlight.
They emerged from the dungeon into the forest clearing, the afternoon sun warm on their faces. The contrast between the cool damp interior and the bright exterior was jarring but welcome.
"We made it," Liam said, looking back at the cave entrance. "Two floors cleared on our first run. That's actually impressive."
"That's us being lucky we didn't die," Marcus corrected.
"That too."
They started the hike back toward the academy, everyone moving slower than the morning journey had been. The exhaustion was catching up and William's back was throbbing despite the healing salve.
"We should do this again sometime," Astrid suggested while navigating around a tree root. "Maybe in a few weeks once we've recovered and can actually move without everything hurting."
"I'm down," Liam agreed. "This was good combat experience. Way different from academy training."
"Different is one word for it," William said. "Terrifying is another."
"But you're glad you came, right?"
William thought about it. The danger, the profit, the teamwork, the sense of accomplishment from defeating the guardian. Despite the injuries and exhaustion, it had been genuinely satisfying.
"Yeah," he admitted. "I'm glad I came."
They continued the trek back to the academy, the conversation flowing easily between dungeon stories and plans for next time. The forest gradually transitioned from essence-saturated wilderness back to normal environment, the plants losing their unnatural vibrancy.
By the time they reached the academy gates, the sun was setting and painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Students were heading to dinner or evening activities, the campus alive with its usual energy.
"Same time next month?" Astrid suggested as they approached the main building.
"If I can move by then, sure," Marcus said.
They agreed to split the profits from their haul once they'd sold everything, then parted ways toward their respective dormitories. William and Kai walked together in comfortable silence.
"You're way better at fighting than you said" William said eventually.
"I know."
"That's it? Just 'I know'?"
"What else do you want me to say?" Kai looked genuinely confused. "You pointed out something true. I acknowledged it."
"Most people would offer some kind of explanation."
"I'm not most people."
William gave up trying to get more information and they continued to their room. When they arrived, both immediately collapsed onto their beds without even taking off their equipment.
"My everything hurts," William announced to the ceiling.
"That's normal after dungeon runs," Kai said from his own bed. "It'll hurt worse tomorrow."
"That's not encouraging."
"It's honest."
William closed his eyes and felt sleep pulling at him despite it being barely evening. The day had been long, exhausting, and surprisingly rewarding. His first dungeon run was complete and he'd survived to tell about it.
His back throbbed, his essence reserves were depleted, and he'd probably have nightmares about poison tentacles.
But they'd won. They'd cleared two floors, collected valuable materials, and worked as a team effectively.
That counted for something.
William drifted off to sleep with that thought, too tired to even change out of his dirt and sap-covered clothes.
Tomorrow he'd deal with the aftermath. Tonight, he just needed rest.
And maybe some more healing salve for his back.
Definitely more healing salve.
---
Support!
One more Chapter for completing the power stone release!
Check out my new novel!
The Strongest Professor Of The Weakest Academy
Chapter 60: Chapter 60
William groaned as he rolled over on the bed, his entire body protesting the movement.
'My body hurts like hell,' he thought while trying to convince himself to actually get up.
Every muscle screamed at him. His back felt like someone had used it as a punching bag, his shoulders were stiff, and his legs weren't cooperating at all. The dungeon run yesterday had seemed like a good idea at the time. Right now, it felt like the worst decision he'd ever made.
"You look terrible," Kai said from his desk.
William cracked one eye open. His roommate was already dressed and reading, looking completely normal. Like he hadn't spent yesterday fighting poison tentacles and plant monsters.
"How are you fine?" William asked, his voice coming out rough.
"I took care of myself last night. You passed out in your clothes still covered in dungeon sap."
That explained why William's shirt felt crusty and uncomfortable. He forced himself to sit up, ignoring his body's complaints, and looked down at the dried plant matter stuck to his sleeves.
"I need to wash this off."
"You think?" Kai didn't look up from his book.
William stumbled to the washing facilities and spent way too long under hot water, scrubbing away the evidence of yesterday's adventure. By the time he finished and got dressed in clean clothes, he felt slightly more human. His body still hurt but at least he didn't smell like dead plants anymore.
The dining hall was already busy when he arrived. Students filled the tables, conversations and laughter echoing off the walls. William grabbed food and found an empty spot near the windows where he could eat in peace.
He was halfway through his breakfast when someone sat down across from him without asking.
Victoria Ashford.
The same girl who'd approached him with that condescending invitation weeks ago. Her black hair was perfectly styled as always, her pale blue eyes watching him with that same unsettling intensity.
"William Cross," she said like she was greeting an old friend. "I heard you went on a dungeon run yesterday. How did it go?"
"It was fine," William said, not really wanting to have this conversation.
"Just fine? I heard you cleared two floors with your group. That's quite impressive for first-years." Her smile didn't reach her eyes. "Though I suppose having Liam Hemsworth along helps considerably."
'Why is she here again?' William thought while taking another bite of food.
"Did you need something?" he asked.
"I'm simply being friendly," Victoria said, her tone suggesting she was anything but. "We're both students at this academy. It's natural to check in on each other after dangerous activities."
"Right."
"You know, if you're interested in more advanced dungeon exploration, I could introduce you to some upperclassmen who run deeper floors regularly. They're always looking for promising talents to mentor."
There it was again. That subtle condescension wrapped in fake helpfulness. Like she was doing him a favor by acknowledging his existence.
"I'm good," William said flatly.
"Are you sure? The connections alone would be—"
"I'm sure."
Victoria's smile tightened slightly. "Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me."
She stood and left without another word, her departure as sudden as her arrival. William watched her go and felt genuinely confused about what that whole interaction was supposed to accomplish.
'What does she even want?' he wondered while finishing his breakfast.
He was clearing his tray when someone else approached. A girl he didn't recognize, with shoulder-length brown hair and bright green eyes. She looked nervous, fidgeting with the hem of her uniform.
"Um, excuse me?" she said quietly. "You're William Cross, right?"
"Yeah," William confirmed, already bracing himself for whatever this was going to be.
"I'm Maya Sinclair. Second-year from House Valoris." She was definitely nervous, her words coming out rushed. "I saw you at the training grounds a few weeks ago and I wanted to ask if maybe you'd be willing to spar sometime? For practice, I mean. Not anything weird. Just training."
'Why is everyone suddenly interested in training with me?' William thought.
"Uh, sure?" he said, because refusing seemed unnecessarily rude. "I'm usually at the grounds in the afternoons."
Maya's face lit up. "Really? That's great! I'll definitely come find you then. Thank you!"
She hurried off before William could say anything else, leaving him standing there wondering what had just happened.
Two random interactions in the span of ten minutes. That felt suspicious.
William headed to his first class of the day, trying to shake off the weird feeling from both encounters. Combat Training with Valdris was lighter than usual since it was the day after the weekend, giving students time to recover from whatever they'd done.
He went through the drills mechanically, his sore muscles protesting every movement. Sara noticed him wincing during a particular stretch and walked over.
"You look like you got hit by a cart," she observed.
"I went for a dungeon run yesterday," William explained. "Everything hurts."
"Oh yeah, I heard about that. You went with Liam, right?" Sara started helping him stretch properly. "How bad was it?"
"Two floors cleared,we fought a Poison Bloom Guardian, nearly got crushed by tentacles. Standard dungeon stuff apparently."
"That's not standard at all," Sara said, looking impressed. "Most first-years don't even attempt dungeons. You're either brave or stupid."
"Probably stupid."
They continued through the warm-up exercises while Sara peppered him with questions about the dungeon. William answered when he could, though honestly a lot of yesterday was a blur of combat and pain.
Class ended and William headed toward Magical Theory. He was walking through the main courtyard when another unfamiliar girl appeared in his path.
This one was tall with red hair pulled into twin braids. She had an energetic expression that reminded him a bit of Astrid.
"You're William Cross!" she announced like she'd just discovered something amazing.
"That's me," William said cautiously.
"I'm Iris Valen, third-year from House Luminara. I heard you're training with the Inter-Academy team and I wanted to ask about your cultivation methods because you've improved really fast and I'm trying to figure out how to break through my current plateau and—"
She was talking so fast William could barely keep up.
"Uh," he said intelligently.
"Sorry, I talk a lot when I'm excited," Iris said, not sounding sorry at all. "But seriously, how did you improve so quickly? What's your secret?"
'There's no secret,' William thought. 'I just train a lot and try not to die.'
"I just train consistently," he said out loud. "Nothing special."
"There has to be more to it than that," Iris insisted. "Come on, you can tell me. Is it a special technique? A unique cultivation method? Some kind of essence affinity trick?"
"It's really just training."
"But—"
"I'm going to be late for class," William interrupted, seeing an escape route. "Sorry, I have to go."
He left before Iris could protest, picking up his pace to put distance between them. What was going on today? Why were random girls he'd never met suddenly approaching him with questions and requests?
'This is weird,' he thought while climbing the stairs to the theory classroom.
Magical Theory passed without incident, though William caught two different girls staring at him from across the room. When he made eye contact they quickly looked away, but he definitely hadn't imagined it.
After class, he headed to the training grounds for Inter-Academy practice. Maybe Reylan's brutal training schedule would distract him from whatever weird energy was following him around today.
The eastern facility was already occupied when he arrived. Liam was there looking none the worse for yesterday's dungeon run, which was typical. Seraphina was going through warm-up forms, her movements as precise as always.
And Claire was there, looking at him with an expression he couldn't quite read.
"William," she said, walking over. "How are you feeling after yesterday?"
"Sore," William admitted. "Really sore."
"I heard you went dungeon diving with Liam. That's pretty impressive." Claire smiled slightly. "You're taking on more dangerous activities lately."
"It wasn't that dangerous," William said, downplaying it.
"You fought a Poison Bloom Guardian on your first dungeon run. That's definitely dangerous." Claire's dark eyes studied him. "You're getting stronger."
'Why does everyone keep saying that?' William wondered.
"Just trying to keep up with everyone else," he said.
"You're doing more than keeping up," Claire replied. "You're exceeding expectations. People are starting to notice."
Before William could respond to that, Instructor Reylan called everyone to attention. The training session began with coordination drills that made William's sore muscles scream, but he pushed through it.
The training session continued with paired combat exercises. William ended up sparring with Patricia, both of them going through combinations while Reylan observed and made corrections.
"Your footwork is sloppy," Reylan called out. "Cross, adjust your stance or she'll sweep you."
William adjusted and immediately Patricia tried exactly what Reylan had predicted. He managed to avoid it but barely.
They reset and went again. This time William focused more on positioning, using what Liam had taught him about maintaining balance while staying mobile. Patricia was good—better than William in pure technique—but he had more combat experience from all the random situations he'd ended up in.
His sword came in low and Patricia blocked it, her water-enhanced blade meeting his fire-enhanced one with a hiss of steam. She countered with a quick thrust that William deflected, then they separated and circled.
'She's really good,' William thought while watching her movements.
Patricia smirked like she knew exactly what he was thinking. William clicked his tongue. She was even smug about it.
They exchanged a few more strikes before Reylan called time and rotated partners. William found himself paired with Claire next, which made things immediately more complicated.
"Ready?" Claire asked, her sword already raised.
"As I'll ever be," William replied.
They began and William immediately noticed Claire was fighting differently than usual. More aggressive, taking risks she normally wouldn't take. She pressed him hard from the opening exchange, her strikes coming faster than he was prepared for.
He blocked and countered but she was already moving, her blade coming from a different angle. William had to give ground, his defense barely keeping up with her offense.
'When did she get this fast?' he wondered while deflecting another strike.
They fought for several minutes before Reylan called time. Claire lowered her sword and gave him a look he couldn't interpret.
"You're getting better," she said. "But so am I."
"Noticed that," William replied.
The training session finally ended and everyone dispersed, exhausted and sore. William headed back to his dormitory, his body complaining about the additional workout on top of yesterday's dungeon injuries.
He was walking through the courtyard when he spotted Victoria again, this time talking with two other girls near the fountain. All three looked up when he passed, their conversation stopping mid-sentence.
William kept walking, not making eye contact. Whatever that was about, he wanted no part of it.
'Today has been so weird,' he thought while climbing the stairs to his room.
Kai was already there when he arrived, organizing what looked like combat equipment again.
"You're going out?" William asked.
"Library," Kai said. "Midterms are next week."
"You're bringing your sword to the library?"
"Can't be too careful."
William didn't have the energy to question that logic. He collapsed onto his bed and stared at the ceiling.
He gazed at the ceilling for sometime before he closed his eyes and let exhaustion pull him under, hoping tomorrow would make more sense than today had.
It probably wouldn't.
But a guy could hope.