Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey
Chapter 285: Mid-Term Exam [3]

After making sure that every student had entered the portal, glancing towards the left, the professor gestured towards the staff member on his right to once again switch the dungeon grade.

Nodding his head, the staff member once again pulled the lever

-Vuuuuuuuuuuuam!

Soon after, the blue hue surrounding the portal intensified. The air around the portal further thickened, and solid threats of mana slowly sank their way into the portal. It was obvious that the portal difficulty increased.

Without glancing at the portal, the professor glanced towards his tablet and said

"F ranks, off you go…"

-Vuuum! -Vuuum! -Vuuum!

Right at his words student with <F> ranked began to enter the dungeon. It takes a maximum of four minutes before all of the students enter the dungeon.

After seeing that everyone had entered the dungeon, the professor nodded his head and said

"Good, now increase the dungeon level difficulty to <E> ranked."

-Vuuum! -Vuuum! -Vuuum!

The first student in line enters the dungeon with some hesitation, and just like that student begins to enter the dungeon.

Sometime later, the Main cast also started to enter the dungeon.

The first one was Emma, Aric, Isabella and so on.

A few seconds later it was Sunny time to enter the dungeon.

Standing in front of the dungeon portal, Sunny took a deep breath and turned his head in my direction.

"Good luck, Lucas bro. Let's give them our best performance." Sunny shouted at the top of his long.

I shook just my head at that, Well at least he is not as nervous as before.

That's good.

"Yeah, let's give them." I also shouted, Sunny smiled at that and jumped into the portal.

Just like that few more students enter the portal.

"Fuuuu…"

Glancing at the students who were entering the portal, taking a deep breath, and staring at the large portal before me, I too stepped into the portal.

-Vuuum!

'ah…let's get this over with'

Taking a step into the dungeon, I felt the world around me twist.

It first started with my eyesight…everything became black.

Then it was my hearing, and my sense of touch followed soon after…thereafter all my remaining senses disappeared.

I felt nothing.

It felt as if I was an insignificant speck of dust drifting in a lonely space.

I soon after lost my sense of time.

…What may have been seconds felt like an eternity.

-Vuuuuam!

"Fuuuuuu…"

Finally, after an unknown period, of hearing the faint sound of my breathing, I knew that my senses were returning.

As my senses gradually returned, I found myself standing in a dimly lit cavern, surrounded by towering rock formations that stretched high above me. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and moss, and the sound of dripping water echoed softly in the distance.

Looking around, I could see that the cavern was illuminated by clusters of glowing crystals embedded in the walls, casting an eerie blue light across the rocky terrain. Shadows danced and flickered in the dim light, creating an atmosphere of mystery and foreboding.

Ahead of me, a narrow passageway led deeper into the cavern, disappearing into the darkness beyond. The walls were slick with moisture, and the floor was uneven and treacherous, littered with jagged rocks and loose gravel.

I could sense the presence of something lurking in the shadows, something waiting and watching with bated breath. The air was heavy with tension, and I knew that danger lurked around every corner.

But I was not alone. Behind me, the other students were emerging from the portal, their faces etched with determination as they prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

With a deep breath, I steeled myself for the trials to come. The journey through the Cave of Doom would not be easy, but I was ready to face it head-on, armed with determination, courage, and the skills I had honed through years of training.

As I took my first tentative steps forward, I knew that the path ahead would be fraught with peril and uncertainty. But I was not afraid.

The journey ahead would test my strength, my resolve, and my will to succeed. But I was ready. Ready to face whatever challenges awaited me in the depths of the dungeon, and emerge victorious on the other side.

With that thought in mind, I set off into the darkness, my heart filled with determination and my mind focused on the task ahead. Whatever lay in store for me in the Cave of Doom, I was ready to face it head-on.

***

I was running in a straight direction for a few minutes, trying to replace any monsters but my luck was not that good.

For a few minutes, no monsters appear in front of me.

'Where the hell are monsters?'

-Kehuuuk! -Kehuuuk! -Kehuuuk!

…and right on cue. A few meters ahead of me, where most of the students were, yellow eyes appeared everywhere.

Stopping, and glancing towards the mass of eyes in the distance, I couldn't help but mutter

"The midterm exams have finally begun."

As the eerie yellow eyes glimmered in the darkness, a chill ran down my spine. The cavern seemed to come alive with a sense of foreboding as the creatures emerged from the shadows, their forms taking shape in the dim light.

The monsters were unlike anything I had ever seen before, their grotesque features twisted into menacing snarls as they advanced towards us. Sharp claws glinted in the faint light, and their eyes gleamed with a hunger that sent shivers down my spine.

With a quick glance around, I could see that the other students were already on high alert, their weapons drawn and their expressions grim. We were outnumbered, but we were not about to back down without a fight.

Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself and prepared to face the oncoming horde. The adrenaline surged through my veins, heightening my senses and sharpening my focus as I braced myself for battle.

With a roar, the monsters charged forward, their ranks moving in a relentless tide that threatened to overwhelm us.