The workers and young shamans were sternly ordered to stay well away from the dungeon.
With that warning given, Marco and Cinderela followed the trail of cracked earth as it disappeared into the depths of the Mystic Forest.
An uneasy silence settled over the training grounds.
No one dared approach the towering structure.
The young shamans instinctively kept their distance — Some drifted toward the well, whispering among themselves, while others sat on wooden stools near the building, unable to move their eyes away from the red glowing entrance.
The workers remained on high alert, patrolling the area and making sure no one wandered anywhere near the dungeon.
"How on earth did a dungeon appear here?" Brad asked, staring at the dungeon from a safe distance.
Zushio let out a sigh. "Seriously... it’s like the heavens don’t want us to train in peace."
"Pff... What’s that got to do with the heavens?" Molex scoffed. "Besides, we’re lucky the dungeon didn’t emerge beneath the building. Otherwise, we’d have nowhere to sleep."
Daniel kept his ears open as his eyes remained fixed on the dungeon.
From the corner of his vision, he caught a male worker sprinting toward the main gate, a sealed letter clutched tightly in his hand.
At the same time, the guards stationed at the gate hurried into the training grounds after hearing the rumbling.
Their eyes widened and their mouths fell open at the sight before them — the uprooted mystic trees, the shattered earth, and the structure that now stood where the training grounds once lay.
...
*Nom-Nom-Nom*
"Daniel, can you pass me the bowl?" Tridon asked, extending his hand across the table.
Daniel gave a small nod and slid the bowl over with a neutral expression, his mouth half full of flatbread and chickpea curry.
Just then, Marco stepped into the dining hall.
The room gradually fell silent as everyone turned their attention toward him.
"Master, what happened?" Brad asked, his hand hovering midway to his mouth, a piece of flatbread pinched between his fingers.
Marco simply shook his head and forced a faint smile, pretending everything was under control, even though the situation was far more serious than he let on.
"Nothing, Brad. It’s just that training will be suspended until they get rid of the dungeon," Marco replied in a calm tone.
"They? Who are they, Master?" Daniel asked with a curious expression.
"You’ll find out soon enough," Marco replied before walking over to the serving table. Then he picked up a wooden plate lined with a banana leaf and began serving himself some food.
...
By early afternoon, the sun hung high overhead.
Even though Marco had ordered the young shamans not to train, they moved the training equipment to one corner of the grounds, where there was just enough open space for ten people to practice.
Just then, the sound of hooves echoed from the entrance.
*Clip-clop Clip-clop*
A pair of white horses pulled several wagons through the gates, each bearing a deep-purple banner with the head of a black eagle at its center.
The banners swayed in the afternoon wind as the wagons approached.
At a glance, anyone could tell they were from the Royal Academy.
The young shamans turned their attention toward the gate and made their way over.
One after another, figures stepped down from the wagons. Even from a distance, an overwhelming aura radiated from them — powerful enough for anyone to feel.
Marco was already there, greeting them with firm handshakes, while Daniel and his comrades followed close behind.
"Woah..." Daniel murmured under his breath as he looked them over.
"Status," he whispered under his breath.
——————
Name: Alucard Equardo
Age: 32
HP: 21,900/21,900
Mana: 39,001/40,000
Description: A renowned member of Baracks Guild, famed for leading his team through countless raid dungeons. His mastery over the Lightning Element has earned him recognition throughout the kingdom.
——————
"Students, meet Alucard Equardo," Marco said, extending his right hand toward the man. "He’s one of the Royal Academy’s finest warriors."
At the mention of the word warrior, the young shamans’ eyes widened.
None of them had ever seen one in person before.
"A real warrior?!" Bernard asked, unable to hide his excitement.
Marco answered with a small nod.
Alucard raised a hand and greeted them with a friendly smile. "Hello, young Lightnings," he said.
Standing behind Alucard were five others like him — two women and three men.
Each wore a different-colored tunic — red, blue, green, white, and purple — reinforced with leather bracers and shoulder guards, giving them a seasoned, battle-hardened appearance.
Daniel shifted his gaze to the woman in the red tunic.
"Status," he whispered under his breath.
——————
Name: Jacqueline Starn
Age: 33
HP: 19,000/19,000
Mana: 42,800/45,000
Description: A member of Necro Guild, renowned for her mastery of the Fire Element. Despite being unable to learn the Second Form of Fire, she awakened a unique form of the element.
——————
’These people aren’t ordinary,’ Daniel thought. ’They’re on a completely different level.’
The young shamans watched in silence as the six warriors spread out and surrounded the dungeon.
One of the women, dressed in a green tunic, stepped forward.
Holding a crystal orb in her right hand, she pressed her left palm against the dungeon’s stone wall before slowly raising the orb above her head.
The orb began to glow with a brilliant green light.
The six warriors exchanged brief glances before giving one another small nods.
"Master, what’s that?" Bernard asked, his eyes fixed on the glowing orb with undisguised curiosity.
"That orb measures the dungeon’s difficulty," Marco explained, his gaze still on the glowing sphere."Green means it’s considered low difficulty for them."
Bernard’s eyes widened, and his mouth slowly fell into an ’O’ of astonishment.
Without wasting another moment, the six warriors returned to the wagons and began gearing up.
One donned a full suit of steel armor before strapping a shield to one arm and gripping a heavy mace in the other.
Another slung a massive greatsword over his shoulder, clad in a steel breastplate reinforced with leather leggings.
One drew a pair of twin daggers, while another carried a long staff crowned with a glowing green crystal.
Within seconds, they stood fully equipped, ready to conquer the dungeon.
’They look so cool...’ Daniel thought, admiring their imposing armor and weapons.
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