NOVEL NEXT Chapter 73
Chapter: 73
Arthur’s party was cruising through the dungeon like a hot knife through butter.
Not a single moment of hardship until they busted through to the 6th floor.
What kind of monsters would pop out?
What was the layout like?
What traps were set up?
They had it all figured out, and with a brilliant commander like Arthur leading the charge, they weren’t going to stumble around aimlessly.
On top of that, they were getting growth information as they tackled the dungeons.
Arthur’s strategy was becoming sharper, Jack was getting used to dealing with monsters, and Matthew’s divine magic was fitting perfectly into their plans!
Their growth was proven by the time it took them to progress through the dungeons.
Initially, they took 30 minutes to conquer a single floor, but now they were cutting it down to 20 minutes for the 6th floor.
Considering that the difficulty ramped up with each floor, their growth rate would be called nothing less than extraordinary!
Meanwhile, as Arthur’s party was sure of their victory in this bet, Luca’s communication crystal started glowing with light.
“Professor, what’s that?”
Arthur asked, puzzled, as Luca pulled out the crystal, grinning.
“This is a communication orb with the outside. I asked to be informed where Lady Allen has progressed in two hours.”
“Ooh.”
“Do we really need to confirm that? They’ll probably be stumbling around on like the 2nd or 3rd floor.”
Matthew was curious, and Jack threw in a joke, but Arthur’s expression was serious.
He thought it was too risky to relax until he had confirmed information.
After all, Lucy Allen had real talent.
‘Professor Luca.’
“Yes. I’m listening.”
‘Lucy Allen has currently conquered the 20th floor and is heading for the 21st.’
The lively atmosphere of Arthur’s party chilled to ice.
20th floor?
What kind of nonsense is that?
Arthur’s party, who had shown overwhelming prowess for first-year students, had only just reached the 6th floor, and now it’s 20th?
While everyone was silent, unable to comprehend, Jack forced a laugh and spoke up.
“You’re kidding, right? How can anyone surpass the 20th floor?”
‘I wish it were a joke.’
“Wait, you really mean they’ve conquered the 20th floor?”
‘They’re passing through each dungeon floor in a mere 5 to 6 minutes. It’s rewriting the history of the Academy Dungeon clear rates!’
“No way.”
Jack mumbled in shock at the definitive line from the crystal.
How is it even possible to clear a dungeon floor in 5 minutes?
It would take almost 3 minutes just to take down one monster inside the dungeon!
As the detailed explanation flowed from the crystal, the mood grew heavy, while Luca was trying hard not to burst out laughing.
Lucy Allen!
What on earth are you?!
Overwhelmingly acing the entrance exam!
Successfully saving all party members during Agra’s interference!
Winning against the next Sword Saint candidate, Frey Kent!
And now, planning to write history in the Academy’s dungeon?!
Indeed! Indeed!
The one with the prejudices was me.
I evaluated you based on my own limited common sense without considering how great your talent was.
How stupid of me!
Ahh. Lucy Allen, I thank you.
For enlightening a fool like me.
For cornering Arthur Soladin into submission.
Luca saw Arthur’s expression as he stared at the crystal quietly.
His tightly shut lips, trembling eyes, and quivering mouth.
On the outside, he pretended to be composed while internally breaking down with certainty of defeat.
It can’t be, Your Highness.
If you show your cracks, wouldn’t you want to fill them with black ink?
“Thank you. Please contact me again later.”
‘Yes. Take care, Professor Luca.’
After the communication from the crystal ended, Luca approached Arthur with a faux concerned expression.
“Your Highness.”
“Is that person trustworthy?”
“Yes. He’s one of the staff members responsible for dungeon monitoring. Not the type to joke around.”
Arthur’s face grew somber as he reconfirmed that it wasn’t a lie or a joke.
Is it possible to catch up to Lucy Allen at this rate?
No matter how hard he desperately flew, wouldn’t the distance only grow wider?
This is absurd. This can’t happen.
This battlefield was prepared for me to win!
It was a duel forced to humiliate you!
All the conditions were smiling down upon me, and you think you can overcome it all on your own talent?!
Don’t make me laugh.
It seems like this place is proving that you’re a genius.
The truth is, I, as a mere human, am like a little thing trying to overshadow the glorious sun that is Lucy Allen!
“If you keep going like this, you’ll lose.”
At Luca’s voice, Arthur looked up.
“That’s true.”
There was no way to beat Lucy Allen with any normal methods.
The overwhelming genius that is Lucy Allen would not permit that.
“What will you do?”
Arthur closed his mouth at the question.
There were methods available.
If I can’t win with normal means, can’t I take a different approach?
Arthur fiddled with the magical tool he had carefully tucked away.
Not long after deciding to face off against Lucy Allen, one of the Academy professors approached Arthur.
He was a new professor who had recently made a great achievement coming to the Academy.
He said he wanted to prove his loyalty, claiming he couldn’t bear to see someone with your talent face humiliation.
He forced a tool into Arthur’s hand for worse-case scenarios.
The ugly desire to gain connections through bribery was glaringly apparent in this new professor.
Under usual circumstances, Arthur wouldn’t have accepted the item.
What could he possibly gain by entangling himself with a moron who explicitly displayed his desires?
However, Arthur accepted the professor’s bribe because of Joy’s words.
If Lucy Allen had reading outside of the standard talent…
If she held a brilliance that could completely overcome his disadvantages…
That anxiety emerged, making him believe he might just lose in this contest.
Now, that anxiety Arthur felt back then was manifesting as a reality.
If the functions the professor spoke of were contained in that magical tool, conceivably, he could seize the upper hand.
A win that could never be achieved through normal methods.
This was corruption.
Here they were, talking about playing fair, and yet he was the first one to break that!
But the word “upper hand” was so sweet like honey that it lingered in Arthur’s ears, refusing to leave.
“I have a plan.”
Arthur said with a hardened expression, catching Luca’s attention, who looked utterly clueless about what Arthur was talking about.
*
By the time they arrived at the staircase toward the 30th floor.
Nervous Visi finally couldn’t hold back his churning stomach and ended up throwing up.
Going beyond the 20th floor had made it pretty tough to keep moving.
If even a bit of timing went wrong, it could greatly delay their progress, so Visi couldn’t even get any consideration.
Hmmm. Since this is how it is, should we take a little break?
Initially, I was thinking of clearing the dungeon today, but with Visi’s state like this, it’s gonna be tough.
As they went higher, they’d have to pull more extraordinary conduct, but there’s no way Visi could handle that.
First, let’s just clear up to the middle today and come back later when I’ve raised Jack’s favorability and brought him along with Frey.
Jack may have been beat up due to average performance, but he’s still decent enough initially.
He might not keep up with Frey but should be able to match my speed somewhat.
While propped against the wall to recover stamina with the shield laid down, a light suddenly radiated from Karl’s arms.
‘Karl…’
“Sloppy. What’s that?”
“It’s a crystal orb used for emergency communications by the Academy. Something must have come up.”
Watching Karl walk off to make contact made the anxiety rise.
Luca. That crazy guy isn’t up to anything ridiculous, right?
With so many eyes focusing on what’s happening.
Especially, since it’s the heir of the Burrow Ducal Family and the Third Prince of Soladin!
Would he dare pull a crazy stunt to honor his beliefs?
Yeah. He probably would.
That idiot.
It’s not for nothing that he was called a stirrer among the Soul Academy users!
Karl returned after finishing the communication and wore a strange expression, unsure of what to say.
“Arthur’s group has gone missing in the dungeon. They haven’t left, so they must be inside the dungeon, but they’re nowhere to be found.”
‘Please explain in detail.’
“Sloppy. No need to hold back, just spit it out.”
As Arthur’s party was conquering the 6th floor of the Academy Dungeon, Arthur took out an item resembling a compass from his arms.
Then those who had been perfectly following the dungeon path started wandering off into some other area.
Then, as Arthur muttered something in a certain space, they vanished without a trace.
Wherever they looked around the dungeon, there were no signs of Arthur and his party.
After hearing all of Karl’s story, I finally realized what kind of situation this was.
Luca you crazy bastard.
No, that was the cause, but it was Arthur who set his scheme in motion.
That idiot.
Even if his mother’s passing caused him to forget the will, this is just ridiculous!
How could you commit corruption!
This is a quest that exists within Soul Academy.
The triggers must be an extraordinarily gifted student catching Luca’s attention and a mindset weak enough to be lured by temptation.
If both conditions are met, one of the Academy’s new professors will approach the player and present them with a magical tool resembling a compass.
The stories vary each time.
That if you follow where this compass points, you can receive a blessing.
That you can obtain a precious item.
That you can discover hidden paths to expedite dungeon clear.
Needless to say, they’re all nonsense.
The function of that compass is as follows.
It guides players to the areas least influenced by the various magics installed in the Academy Dungeon.
And the moment they arrive at that place, it deactivates the Academy’s magic and teleports the students to a different dungeon.
A dungeon that is always prepared to kill them, even in the confines of the Soul Academy.
Is it even possible for Arthur and his group to tackle that dungeon?
No. Of course, not.
No matter how much I think about it, their specs are lacking.
Those weaklings who can’t even take down one monster would how on earth could they conquer that place?
Ahh. Damn it. I feel like my mind is going berserk.
Let’s think this through.
Is it possible to save that idiot with the means I have in hand?
…It’s definitely possible.
I’m glad I prepared thoroughly for a speed run.
If I hadn’t, I’d be feeling a bit hopeless.
‘Karl…’
“Sloppy, did you get the coordinates for the dungeon where the Pitiful Prince went in?”
“Yes. I just received them during the call.”
Good. Then entering the dungeon that Arthur had gone into should be fine.
‘Let’s move. We need to save that idiot.’
“Let’s move. We’ll go save the Pitiful Prince who made a foolish mistake out of being scared of losing.”