HGA, First Year Physical Test.
"Alright silence!" shouted a middle-aged man who have a huge body build with a height of around 2 meters. His uniform could barely cover the thick muscle underneath and the buttons looked like they could fall off at any moment.
"Please stand in lines. 2 lines for each class. Queue up properly."
Three weeks after the museum incident, the midterm test for the first year had officially started.
Currently, the 300 first-year students were all queued up in front of the portal gates while a middle-aged man yelling in front of a stage. After three days period of break after the written tests, today is the physical test. There were 6 portal gates in front of us for each of the six classes of the first year.
The only requirement to pass the physical test was to survive until the end of the testing period. The students could also teleport back outside the dungeon if they found teleportation portals that were set at a few places inside the dungeons after they finished hunting.
Other than hunting monsters in the dungeon, there were also hidden tasks set up by the test administrators that would give extra points for the students.
"The dungeon that you will enter is low-level dungeons which contained low-level monsters like goblins, mutated rabbits and mutated plants. Do your best to survive and there will be surveillance drones all over the dungeons following you so the overseers can come to save your ass if needed. It doesn't matter how long you take to collect points as long as you survive for three hours, all of you will be automatically teleported after the period ended" he said in a loud voice.
"Now move!"
We then entered the portal gates according to classes where each class will go to different low-level dungeons. Class A had to enter a low-level dungeon with the highest difficulty where it also has low-level hell dogs in there.
"Is there a difference between each low-level dungeon?" Prince Theo asked me curiously while we walked around.
"This is just my guess but I think there's also a certain rank among the low-level dungeons, where our class might have entered the highest rank among the dungeons for the first year since all the top 50 rankers are in our class. It isn't possible that the dungeon we entered might actual level is at the level between Low and Novice level dungeon. There was a report in the past where dungeons could increase and decrease in their level," I explained clearly since dungeons are one of the thing I was curiouse after transmigrating.
Grand did allow me to enter a few dungeons under Zanuki management as one of my practices but I couldn't explore them much since those dungeons were relatively safe since the Zanuki would despatch a few people to clear the dungeons regularly to avoid dungeon break.
Dungeon break happened when the monsters inside became overflow, causing the dungeons restrictions on them to weaken and made them to be able to go out of the dungeons. A lot of dungeons located not far away from humans settlement thus if there was at least one dungeon break, not only a lot of casualties would happened, it could also trigger other dungeons to experience sudden dungeon break.
"That does sound logic"
"First, let me lead the way. After we finished and decided to go to the teleportation point, you will lead the way" I said calmly.
"Sure, since it makes no difference to me," he just agreed easily.
The dungeon looked like a huge cave with a lot of tunnels connecting to each other. Since they provided a map inside our smartwatch, we could make sure where we at but the map didn't tell the students what kind of monster was in each area. The students were required to remain survive for three hours.
Most of the students had already sprinted deeper into the cave-like dungeon leaving only a few behinds. Me and Prince Theo decided to take it slow and if we didn't manage to find the teleportation point, we would just have to wait until the three hours period ended.
-Khaula!-Khaula!-Khaula!
When we entered one of the tunnels inside the dungeon, suddenly like a tsunami, green liked creatures that have statures like human kids with long hooked noses, bat-like ears and twisted smiles appeared all over the tunnel.
"Arghhh run!"
"Sh-should we go somewhere else!?"
"Hiiik-"
There are at least hundreds of goblins in the tunnel based on the number of tiny red lights emanating from the deeper side of the tunnel. The group of students in front of us stopped and was shocked before realizing that we'd been surrounded. The girls in the group huddled together in the middle while the guys circled them.
"We're surrounded"
"Let's just smash through them and run away" suggested one of them.
They did exactly what their teammate suggested and recklessly went through the wave of goblins. Luckily they were not a bunch of weaklings since the goblins dispersed a bit and they managed to leave the tunnel.
"Oho this seems like a nice warm-up, isn't it?" Prince Theo said smiling mischievously.
"Should we clean them up?"
"My friend, why are you asking about something so obvious? All of these are our precious points. I bet each of us might get at least 400 points each for this"
Without waiting for my reply, he quickly sprinted towards the group of goblins with black mana emitting from his sword. Like a hurricane, he only needed one slice for each goblin to kill them and leave behind goblin corpses on his trail.
Unlike him, I walked calmly and only wield my sword on the goblin that attacked me since the goblins had already become irritated by the two previous attacks and seeing my nonchalant attitude infuriated them even more.
Like moths attracted to flame, the remaining goblins all attacked me at the same time and using my aura I managed to tie up to 10 of them and kill the rest.
I used the goblin caught in my metal chains as meat shields from the sneak attacks of the goblins hiding around the tunnel.
"Is it fun to sneak attack like that? Don't you see I have a few sturdy shields here?" I asked looking towards the area where arrows were shot from.
Since the sword arts that I learned are focused on speed rather than strength, I managed to kill dozens of goblins in a blink of an eye.
-Kacha!
-Boom!
An explosion sound could be heard across the tunnel. Debris and dust flew off everywhere and I could only see Prince Theo's silhouette using fire spells. Later, he switched back to using a sword to kill the goblins.
The goblins that were hiding decided to come out and avenge their comrades but to no avail since they made it easier for me and Prince Theo to kill all of them.
Moments later, the sea of goblins from before already turned into a blood-red sea of corpses with the most eye-catching one being a goblin mage who had two katanas stabbed into the left of his head and his heart. The previous group might have missed the goblin mage when they run away.
Lucky fellows.
They were lucky the goblin mage didn't decide to chase after them.
"Fuh that was a good harvest," Prince Theo said while wiping his sweat using the corner of his shirt.
The actual number of the goblins was not as much as we expected since the goblin mage used an illusion spell to make it look like there were more of them.
"Aren't you overdoing it?" I asked reminding him not to use magic too much. Its hard for me to find the correct direction around here if Prince Theo suddenly collapse due to exhaustion or overexertion here.
"Don't you see what this is?" He said while stepping into the pile of corpses before engulfing them with his mana. To be more precise, he was engulfing their energy. Later I realized there was a shield spell surrounding the tunnel area.
Waiting for him to finish his business, I went to the goblin mage and took his magic staff since this could be sold off if I couldn't exchange it for points.
As a dark mage, Prince Theo could turn resentment energy from corpses into mana so that was why he had to put on a shield to avoid the surveillance drones from noticing him using dark magic.
Dark mages don't have a bad reputation in Hargan Empire but since they used dead mana and resentments as the fuel of their power, people tend to be uncomfortable with them.
Prince Theo is a royal family member thus it is understandable why he didn't want people to know he's a dark mage right now when he's not that strong. Politic is a complicated thing and you might die if you're not careful.
"So how much are your points?" He asked me while we were moving forward.
"225"
"Ohh, I got 248. You need to work harder" he said grinning at me.
"You're the one going on a killing spree just now and I just left with the leftovers"
"Hey, you're the one killing the goblin mage" he retorted.
".....You have to give me extra points if I found a hidden task later"
"Sure, whatever item appeared is mine"
Hidden points were when students managed to find artifacts or defeated higher level monsters other than goblins, mutated rabbits and mutated plants. The instructors never reveal how many points were given for the hidden tasks but it might be based on what monsters you found.
Since timing was not a criteria in the test, it didn't matter how fast the students spend to kill the monsters as long as it was within the period. Thus we just walked around calmly like taking a stroll. Currently, only 30 minutes had passed.
Using my knowledge from the novel, we walked toward the two hidden tasks' destination while occasionally killing some mutated monsters that looked like huge mushrooms or mutated rabbits along the way.
Since I'm the one walking in front, this time I had to do the killing while Prince Theo just followed me leisurely and killed the leftovers.
*************************************
[POV: Cedric Hel]
"Hey, I thought some of the students attacked each other" Shino said calmly while looking at the sword and pool of blood on the ground.
"Is that human's blood?"
"Yup 100% human and no trace of monsters or mutated plant being here"
Currently, we were standing beside a river stream with a waterfall at the end of the river.
"So what do you want to do?"
"Just move forward. There's no rule saying the students can't attack each other. The students might want to steal this smartwatch and think that they can get that person's points and since none of the instructors said anything about this before, there's a possibility they will accept stolen points since it's useless if you have many points but too weak to protect yourself and got your points stolen"
"That does sound like what HGA will do when they value talent so much," I said in agreement since HGA was well-known as a place where only the cream of the crop managed to smoothly graduated.
That was why there are only 4 classes in the fourth year currently since more than 20% of the students were either dropout voluntarily or expelled before their final year.
"So do you want to take a look inside the waterfall cave?" Shino asked since we both aim to do at least one hidden task.
There might be a hidden task inside and there was no wrong to check what's inside.
"Sure"
We carefully entered under the waterfall and went behind it where there was a small cave. The entrance is just big enough for one person to enter at a time.
Looking around the cave, we saw sleeping serpents all over the cave floors and at the centre of them was a cylinder-like stone with a height of about a meter.
There was a white water jar above the stone and looking at it, this must be the artifact only found in dungeons. No matter how low the level of the dungeon was, it would always have artifacts either you could get from monster drops or found like this.
I use my system to check the description of the artifact while Shino silently observed the situation.
==================
[Holy Water Jar]
Grade: 1
Description: Can be used to make holy water just by filling it with regular water and letting it be for 24 hours before consuming it. The holy energy contained in the water is comparable to the holy water made by regular priests. Will help increase divine power inside the body by 10% upon consumption (not permanent). The increase might become permanent upon regular consumption.
Restriction: The holy water produced can't be used to heal people. The holy water will also only affect low-level demonic creatures but can't kill them.
Usage limit: None. Can be used many times until the jar break
=================
'No wonder it's in a low-level dungeon'
Even though it's not that great but seeing the possibility of increasing holy power permanently peak my interest.
"Hey Shino, I will use burn the serpents alive while moving towards the artifact while you support me. Is that ok?"
"Sure. You're the one who wanted to do the hidden task so you take the lead"
I quickly used my ability and my sword started to coat with bright orange flames. Running forward, I slashed and cut down the serpents on my path. Like a bolt of lightning, trails of flames burn the remaining serpents that chase me while the rest were killed by Shino using his spear.
While the debris and dust still lingered throughout the cave, I grabbed the jar, put it inside my spatial bag and we quickly exited the cave in case the cave suddenly collapsed.
"Hey Ceddie, want to look around some more?"
"Yeah sure. After two or three groups of monsters, we'll split up"
We continued walking around and later found a tombstone as big as a car guarded by two hell dogs. Looking at the tomb and the hell dogs, it was obvious that there might be something in there.
"Why do I feel like we're too lucky to find another hidden task? Are there that many hidden tasks all over this dungeon or the instructors purposely put it themselves" Shino said seemingly excited.
"Who knows. Want to try?"
"Of course. Since these are the hell dogs, we split up after we finished things here. I already want to rest"
Without responding to him, I quickly moved forward and attracted one of the hell dogs by cutting off one of its three tails. Enraged, the hell dog instinctively try to bulldoze me with the horn on its forehead.
Seeing me getting busy, Shino also started to attack the other hell dog. Although his attack only manages to give minor injuries and bruises all over its body, the hell dog still feels frustrated when all of its attacks failed to land on Shino since he agilely moves around.
Suddenly the hell dog release a fire breath from its mouth and almost caught me off guard. Fortunately, I managed to evade the upcoming fire. Shino also started to quicken his pace to deal with the hell dog faster after he was also attacked by the fire breath.
I tightened my hold on the sword and a brighter flame started enveloping it. Focusing all my strength, I leap up and swing the sword to decapitate the hell dog's head with one clean cut.
Not long after I'm finished, Shino also managed to kill the hell dog by stabbing it in the neck and abdomen. After resting on the floor for a while and drinking some water, we decided to search for the artifact around the tombstone.
"Hey there's nothing behind it or above it so is the hell dogs just guarded this tomb and nothing else?" Shino said confusedly while scratching his head.
"Why not we dig underneath it?" I suggested to him when I saw my system detected something underneath the ground.
"Ok let me dig but we will let it go if we find nothing this time." Shino's arm started to get slightly big and his black nails became long. This is one of the abilities among his clan.
Shino only have to dig not more than a few minutes before we found a spear lying underneath the ground and it seem the tomb was actually a weapon tomb.
"It's a spear so you take it," I said after reading its description.
=====================
[ Bathory Spear]
Grade: 2
Description: Can decrease opponents' vitality every time it inflicted injuries or scratches. Will double poison efficiency when coated with poison. The level can be increased by inscribing magic on it or remodelled by a talented blacksmith.
Restriction: None
Usage limit: None
=====================
"Haha, thanks so see you later. I'm going to search for the teleportation point now" he said before walking away and grabbing the spear.
"There's exactly 1 hour and 20 minutes left. So where should I go next?" I muttered while continue walking deeper inside the dungeon.