Principal Aris's eyes flashed with excitement.
From his expression, Luister knew that this old guy wasn't holding anything back!
You old guy, you're so sly!!
[Absolute Overclocking] requires strong endurance to keep fighting!
And [Absolute Support], this super support chip, more than makes up for that!
The golden combination of [Absolute Overclocking] and [Absolute Support] is the most powerful weapon—whether on the battlefield or in dungeons!
But for Luister...
This is the biggest obstacle to breaking the limiter of his explosive armor!!
Sicilian is simply his natural nemesis!
The kind he needs to avoid!
If someone else had drawn [Absolute Support]… Luister wouldn't be so concerned. He could simply let the owner of a golden core chip keep their distance.
But the other person is Sicilian… his childhood friend…
Principal Aris, standing next to Sicilian, said, "Oh, our Star City No. 1 Academy is truly fortunate this year!"
"[Absolute Overclocking] and [Absolute Support] are a perfect match! Form a team, take care of each other, and support one another. It won't be easy to clear the Abyss dungeon otherwise..."
Though he couldn't directly order the eldest daughter of the Su family, he made his suggestion tactfully.
Sicilian's eyes brightened. She looked at Luister, her childhood friend from the orphanage, with excitement.
Luister pretended to look at the scenery.
It's over—completely over!
Not long after, two golden [Core Chip Modules] appeared, making the remaining students eager to try their luck. They thought withdrawing gold was just that simple.
But reality taught them that not everyone can be so lucky.
After over 400 students drew the [Core Chip Module], only two golds and eight purples emerged, leaving Principal Aris quite satisfied.
Although drawing cards based purely on luck won't affect the school's ranking, it doesn't stop him from bragging!
Achievements are promoted through self-marketing.
Why does my school have such success? Isn't it because of a great teaching environment, good school feng shui, or maybe even my skill in judging talent?
"Congratulations to all students on becoming pilots today!"
"The journey is still long. Please remember your mission to become excellent pilots!"
"Now, everyone has 30 minutes to familiarize themselves with their core modules. Afterward, the first Abyss dungeon will open!"
"Luister and Sicilian, come here."
Luister reluctantly stepped onto the platform, out of respect for the principal's guidance.
Aris said with a smile, "I don't have much to say. It's rare to see double gold, especially a [Core Chip Module] pairing that complements each other. I want you two to get to know each other."
"Of course, success in the dungeon requires teamwork, and compatibility is vital. But what matters most is your ability to cooperate! This is ultimately your choice."
Upon hearing this, Luister took a step to the left without a change in expression.
Sicilian's gaze shifted briefly, and she also took a step to the left.
Luister: …
Aris: …
It seems this young man is quite popular… no need for me to intervene!
Aris then turned to Luister and said, "Luister, although you've drawn the powerful [Absolute Overclocking], be cautious… it's very dangerous to go into the Abyss dungeon alone with limited combat endurance!"
"Remember, each pilot's first Abyss dungeon can only be entered alone. This is your greatest challenge!"
"I advise you to stay hidden as much as possible and focus on surviving the 24-hour dungeon time limit. High ratings aren't important."
Luister nodded, indicating he understood.
Just as Aris said, durability is a value that decreases not only when damaged but also with any movement, attack, or block. And [Absolute Overclocking] increases durability consumption by 1000%, making Luister's mecha lose durability ten times faster than others!
Once, a student with [Absolute Overclocking] got so excited he broke his armor in the first dungeon and got stuck.
"Okay, you two, familiarize yourselves with your chips. The Abyss dungeon will begin soon."
Aris waved them off, took a sip from his wolfberry thermos, and turned away.
An alarm sounded in Luister's mind. He turned to leave.
Behind him, Sicilian whispered, "Brother Luister..."
Luister fled: "There are too many people here... we'll talk later!"
All kidding aside, partnering with [Absolute Support] would indeed boost his abilities to epic levels!
He wouldn't need to worry about armor breaking if he didn't want to!
But with Sicilian's popularity, people would surely talk if they saw him team up with her… he'd be endlessly teased!
Nearby, Principal Aris choked on his nonexistent tea leaves...
It seems these two are destined to team up!
...
Thirty minutes flew by!
Luister glanced at the countdown on his spirit pattern and calmed himself.
"My [Absolute Overclocking] is strong, [The Last Ripple] is strong, and [Saitama Physique] is strong too!"
"With these, I must aim for a high score in the Abyss dungeon. If I'm lucky, I could even develop a good module chip, quickly improving my strength!"
"But I must be cautious. In the Abyss dungeon, death is final. I have only one life, so I can't afford carelessness!"
With the countdown ending, a dark wave approached.
Hundreds of students vanished from the square in an instant.
[Abyss Dungeon: Basic Trial (Corrupted Primitive Forest)]
[Dungeon level: Zero]
[Difficulty Rating: Hard]
[Main Mission: Destroy the Corrupted World Tree (no penalty for mission failure)]
[Time limit: 24 hours]
As his vision cleared, Luister found himself standing in a vast forest.**