The scorching summer sun beat down, and the cicadas' buzzing was like a constant war drum. The heat seemed to intensify the energy in the air, as if something big was on the horizon. On this blazing afternoon, Lucas was fully immersed in his virtual world, completely focused, blocking out everything around him.
His fingers flew across his phone screen, guiding his character through the Rift. The growls of virtual monsters filled the background, but for Lucas, it was all routine.
Then, "Ding!"
A clear notification sound broke his concentration.
"You've slain the Rift Wraith. Skill book dropped."
Lucas's heart skipped a beat as he saw the message flash across his screen.
New Passive Skill Unlocked: Mana Surge (Increases mana regeneration and reduces spell costs)
His eyes lit up, and he almost jumped out of his seat in excitement. He couldn't believe it—only level 12, and he'd already unlocked such a powerful skill!
"A rare passive skill that boosts all my spells without taking up a skill slot? Jackpot!" Lucas grinned from ear to ear, feeling like he'd just hit the lottery. He quickly switched to his character stats, eager to check out the changes.
Player: Lucas
Class: Unassigned
Passive: Mana Surge
Skills: Fire Blast, Frost Shield, Wind Dash
Staring at the new addition, Lucas nodded in satisfaction. A passive skill that boosted his magic was practically a golden ticket to becoming an OP mage. Best of all, it didn't take up a slot in his skill bar—perfectly tailored for him.
"Looks like I'm definitely on the path to becoming a full-blown mage," Lucas muttered with a smug smile. But that smile quickly faded.
"Then again… becoming a mage isn't exactly cheap," he frowned. He knew all too well that magic classes required a ton of gear and mana items, and as a broke student, Lucas didn't have the funds to support that lifestyle.
"Oh well, I'll figure it out later. First, I've got to level up and get that class change!" Lucas brushed off the worry for now. He was just three levels away from hitting the requirement for a class change, but he still hadn't decided what direction he wanted to go.
Stretching his arms, Lucas glanced at the calendar on his desk.
"Wait, today's the Summer Dungeon Hunt," he realized suddenly.
As a soon-to-be senior, most of his academic pressure was off, leaving him free to focus on dungeon challenges. But over the past few days, Lucas had been so absorbed in leveling up that he had almost forgotten about the Hunt.
In a hurry, he splashed some water on his face and rushed out the door, skipping lunch entirely.
When Lucas finally arrived at school, Emily, Jack, and Jeff were already waiting at the entrance. They looked anxious, clearly waiting for someone important.
"Where have you been?" Jack asked, annoyed as soon as he saw Lucas.
"Uh, sorry, got a little caught up in my game," Lucas scratched his head sheepishly, though it was clear he wasn't all that sorry.
"Playing games? The dungeon hunt isn't as important as your game?" Emily sighed, shaking her head in disbelief.
"I don't get you, man. You used to be one of the top students, and now…" Jack started to say, but Emily cut him off with a wave of her hand, not wanting to get into it.
"Lucas, you once mentioned you had the power to hurt me. I'm curious about how strong you really are now. Care for a quick spar before the dungeon?" Jeff suddenly suggested, clearly eager.
Jeff hadn't let go of Lucas's earlier comment about being able to hurt him. As the team's fighter, he wasn't about to let anyone underestimate him.
Lucas rubbed his nose awkwardly. "A spar? Right now? Shouldn't we save our energy for the dungeon? I mean, what if you get hurt?"
Jeff snorted. "Hurt? Don't make me laugh." He reached into his bag and pulled out a long rectangular box, smirking.
"Know what this is?" Jeff teased, clearly proud of himself.
Lucas squinted at the box, a guess forming in his mind. Suddenly, Jeff made a sweeping motion, and the box transformed into a sleek white armor that wrapped around his body in seconds, making him look like a warrior ready for battle.
"Starter combat armor!" Lucas's eyes widened in surprise. As a seasoned gamer, he knew the value of that gear. It wasn't just expensive, it significantly boosted defense and survival—definitely something for the wealthy.
"Yep, with this armor, there's no way you're hurting me. Come on, let's spar," Jeff said confidently, his voice dripping with pride.
Lucas hesitated, then shook his head with a smile. "You're that confident, huh? I'd hate to accidentally knock you down."
Jeff's face darkened a little. "I think you're just scared of losing. Don't worry, with this armor, you won't even scratch me."
Lucas chuckled to himself. Sure, Jeff's armor was strong, but Lucas had some tricks up his sleeve. His new passive skill—Mana Surge—gave him a lot more power than before. Plus, with Wind Dash and Fire Blast, he had more than enough tools to hold his own.
But Lucas didn't feel like taking Jeff up on his challenge. With the dungeon hunt about to start, he didn't want to waste energy on a meaningless spar.
"Let's save it for after the dungeon. No point in tiring ourselves out now," Lucas said, waving off Jeff's challenge.
The team continued their preparations for the dungeon hunt. Jeff used his family's money to upgrade their equipment, while Jack brought in several sets of beginner armor, which boosted the whole team's defense. Although the armor was pricey, it would greatly improve their chances of survival in the dungeon. They also discussed how to obtain rare skill books inside the dungeon, which would be key to leveling up.
But Lucas wasn't too invested in the preparations. He remained focused on his game, grinding through the virtual world and improving his skills. In his mind, with just one more powerful skill, he could solo the dungeon without even needing the team.
"They can prep all they want, but at the end of the day, it's all about skill," Lucas muttered, swiping his phone as he fought another Rift Wraith in his game. For him, the real challenge was figuring out how to use his gaming skills to dominate the real-world dungeon.
As the day of the Summer Dungeon Hunt drew closer, Jeff and Jack were busy perfecting their gear and armor, while Emily strategized. Lucas, on the other hand, remained focused on his virtual world, barely paying attention to the team meetings. Whenever strategy was discussed, he would just nod along, uninterested.
With the dungeon hunt looming, Lucas's focus remained on mastering his skills in the game. He believed that his unique ability to extract skills from the virtual world would give him the edge he needed to dominate the hunt, no matter what the dungeon threw at him.
The hunt was coming.