Morning arrived with a chill that soaked straight through the academy uniforms. Silverbrook's courtyard was filled with nervous students, some shaking from cold, others shaking from the reality of what awaited them.
Dungeon Day.
Every team gathered near the wagon line prepared to transport them to Mosswood Cavern—the academy's designated beginner dungeon. The instructors moved through the courtyard with stern expressions, checking gear, verifying team rosters, and muttering instructions most students barely heard through their nerves.
Leon arrived with steady steps, Damian dragging behind him like a ghost sentenced to execution.
"I can't breathe," Damian whispered, clutching his chest. "This is it. This is the day. The day monsters feast on my bones."
"You're not going," Leon reminded him.
"I KNOW, THAT'S WHY I'M DYING!"
Leon ignored his theatrics and headed toward Team 7.
Selwyn Ridge was already there, checking the tension on her bowstring. Her movements were precise and practiced—she looked more prepared than most new awakeners.
Kain Alder slapped his chest proudly. "Leon! Are you ready? Today's the day we crush Moss Creepers!"
Ruth Vail stood with her hands clasped, eyes darting around nervously. "Um… we won't… be crushing many, right? We're just doing a reconnaissance run…"
"Crushing is a mentality," Kain replied.
Lara Thorne smiled gently at Leon. "Good morning. I have extra antidote vials. Just in case."
Leon nodded. "Useful."
Selwyn glanced at him once. "You slept enough?"
"Yes."
"Good. You'll need clear focus inside a dungeon. Even beginner ones can be unpredictable."
Leon said nothing. But he agreed.
The dungeon would be predictable for most.
Not for him.
Instructor Hale approached their team, expression neutral but eyes sharp. He handed them a scroll stamped with the academy seal.
"This contains your mission. Only the first layer is allowed. Do not attempt to go deeper."
Kain saluted with all the seriousness he could muster. "Yes, instructor!"
Hale turned to Leon last. "Remember… even with your talent, you're still Level 1. Don't push recklessly."
Leon nodded.
Damian popped up behind Hale's shoulder. "Don't worry, instructor! If anything tries to kill him, I'll—"
"You're not going," Hale deadpanned.
Damian deflated like a punctured balloon.
Soon after, teams boarded the wagons. The horses snorted, hooves tapping the cobblestone as instructors gave final reminders. The wooden wheels creaked as the wagons rolled out of the academy gates.
The forest outside Silverbrook was alive with birds, insects, and the rustling of leaves, but the deeper they went, the quieter it became. The air thickened with mana—the natural atmosphere of a dungeon's territory.
When the wagons finally stopped, an eerie silence settled over everyone.
Mosswood Cavern stood before them.
A jagged mouth carved into the earth, lined with thick moss and glowing blue fungus. Faint green mist drifted out, carrying the sharp scent of moisture and magic.
Selwyn exhaled. "This is… bigger than I expected."
Kain grinned. "Looks like a perfect place to show off."
Lara clutched her staff. "Remember… I'm still learning. I can't heal major injuries yet."
Leon stepped forward.
The dungeon pulsed.
A faint vibration rolled through the ground—subtle, but Leon felt the resonance. The dungeon recognized mana signatures, reacting to every awakener that approached. It was an entity, in its own way.
Instructor Hale walked beside them, though he would not enter.
"Listen closely," he said. "Once you step inside, the dungeon seals behind you. You will not exit until you reach the first checkpoint. The monsters are weak but persistent. Stay together. Leon, stay aware. The team will look to you more than you think."
Leon nodded once.
Damian shouted from behind the barrier, "LEON! DON'T DIE! I didn't get to repay you for borrowing my lunch money!"
Leon didn't respond.
Team 7 stepped toward the cavern entrance.
The air thickened around them.
Selwyn raised her bow. "Formation."
Kain moved to the front. "Frontline."
Ruth took the side flank, her beast bracelet glowing softly with mana.
Lara stayed in the middle. "Ready."
Selwyn glanced at Leon. "You take the back. You're the only one who can handle ranged and melee support."
Leon drew his wooden training daggers. "Understood."
Together, they entered.
The moment their feet touched the cavern floor, a rush of cold swept through them. The walls glowed faintly with luminescent moss, casting eerie green shadows. Water dripped from stalactites. The air tasted stale.
But it wasn't empty.
Leon sensed movement immediately.
The faint rustling of vines.
A quiet, wet slithering.
A shifting presence in the dark.
Moss Creepers.
Green, plantlike monsters about the size of large dogs, half-vine and half-slime. Weak individually, dangerous in groups.
Selwyn whispered, "Enemy, right path."
Kain snorted. "Finally."
Three Moss Creepers emerged from the shadows, eyes glowing faintly.
The first lunged at Kain.
He slammed his wooden shield forward, startling the monster back, then crushed its head with brute force. The creature dissolved into green mist, releasing faint motes of mana—dungeon essence.
Ruth summoned a tiny forest fox spirit, which dashed forward and distracted the second creeper.
Selwyn's arrow flew accurately and pierced it through the core.
Lara held her staff and channeled light. "Minor Blessing!"
A soft glow enveloped Kain's arms, increasing his strength.
Leon stepped forward as the third creeper charged at him.
He didn't dodge dramatically.
He simply shifted his stance.
The creeper's movement faltered—just slightly—as Luck nudged the timing. Leon's daggers moved cleanly, cutting through the soft vine at its neck. The monster dissolved.
Selwyn looked over her shoulder. "Good reaction."
Lara smiled. "Fast!"
Kain shouted, "Let me fight more!"
Ruth sighed. "Please… don't get poisoned."
Leon wiped the blade on his sleeve, though nothing remained.
The team moved deeper.
As they progressed, Leon noticed something subtle—enemy patterns aligning favorably. Creepers showed themselves earlier than usual, giving Kain clear lines of attack. Falling rocks missed the team by inches. Slippery moss patches never aligned with anyone's foot steps.
It wasn't skill.
It wasn't luck in the normal sense.
His talent quietly tuned the environment.
Not to make things easy—
but to keep them steady.
They reached the first checkpoint—an ancient rune-embedded stone glowing faintly with dungeon light.
Selwyn sighed in relief. "That's it… first layer cleared."
Kain cheered, flexing his arms. "I could take five more layers!"
"You absolutely cannot," Lara muttered.
Ruth looked pale. "I feel faint…"
Leon touched the checkpoint stone.
It pulsed warmly.
His Luck talent shimmered subtly, acknowledging the progress.
The team had passed their first dungeon test.
And the academy would not ignore it.