“It’s good that you’re alright,” Carlos Bartel began, “Everyone, remain vigilant. Our earlier success was due to my guards taking the brunt of the attack up front. If we get too close to the Cave Bats, it’s still perilous.”
“…”
Hearing Carlos’s words, the students couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt; their pride had indeed gotten the better of them.
Yet, Carlos’s account wasn’t entirely accurate.
Had Howard not been so precise in picking off the approaching Cave Bats, Carlos’s guards alone would have struggled to safeguard so many.
Unfortunately, the cavern’s dimness concealed much.
No one witnessed the damage dealt by Howard.
Even Abby, who stayed close to him, remained oblivious to his exceptional skills.
It couldn’t be helped; the skills Howard deployed this time were foundational and hardly eye-catching.
Howard was quite content with this arrangement, slaying monsters and chatting with Abby while allowing Carlos’s guards to clear the path.
After all, the majority of the Cave Bats met their end by his hand, and the bulk of the rewards were now his.
Whether others recognized his prowess mattered little.
With Yunus’s mishap serving as a cautionary tale, the students were hesitant to venture too close, opting to provide supplementary firepower from behind.
As a result, the Cave Bats, rendered powerless, met their tragic end at the hands of both Howard and the guards of the Bartel family.
With no looming threat and an inability to approach the front, the idle students began to converse as they cast their skills.
“I’ve heard that both Adia’s Holy Abyss Academy and Hogman Academy are prestigious and have ties to the alliance headquarters. Do you think we stand a chance of getting in?”
“Don’t get your hopes up. I’ve heard that the Holy Abyss Academy’s minimum entry requirement is an A-level talent. Only those with A-level and S-level awakened talents are their target.”
“They also accept B-level awakened, but only if their talents are unique.”
“My God, such high standards? By the looks of it, within our academy, aside from Abby, Carlos, and Evelyn, it seems no one else qualifies.”
“Actually, we shouldn’t just set our sights on Adia City. I heard that Foghide is also coming our way to recruit students.”
“Foghide is quite a distance from us. Why would they come here?”
“What else could be the reason? Naturally, it’s for Abby!”
In the midst of the discussion, Carlos Bartel interjected, “My father mentioned that in the entire Jano Province, only Abby has awakened an S-level talent. Therefore, all five major cities within the province will send representatives here.”
After a pause, Carlos Bartel turned to Abby, inquiring, “Abby, which academy are you considering?”
“Me?”
Abby tilted her head and smiled at Howard, saying, “Whichever academy is willing to accept Howard, that’s where I’ll go.”
“…”
As her words resonated, Carlos Bartel and the rest of the students fell silent, their hearts a mix of jealousy and frustration.
Howard, touched by her words, responded, “Abby, you don’t need to do that. A good academy will significantly influence your future. Even if no academy accepts me, I’ll still accompany you to whichever city your chosen academy is in.”
Human emotions have always been mutual.
Abby was so kind to Howard; naturally, he felt compelled to reciprocate.
“Uh…”
Abby stuck out her tongue playfully and refrained from continuing.
The other students, trying to move past their evident envy, seamlessly shifted the topic.
Only the guards remained, continuing their battle with the Cave Bats.
Suddenly, a shrill scream pierced the air, drawing the attention of Howard and the others.
From a distance, a new swarm of bats approached, noticeably different from the previous ones.
Their skin was entirely crimson, their wings slightly larger, and their mouths eerily formed.
Their teeth, arranged in a circular fashion, looked incredibly sharp.
Without hesitation, Howard accessed their attributes. .
[Broad-Mouthed Bloodthirsty Bat]
[Level: 18]
[Rank: Silver]
[Description: A bloodthirsty bat with a broad mouth. Its teeth are extremely sharp; a bite from it almost certainly means death.]
[HP: 5100]
[Attack Power: 330-510]
[Defense: 260]
[Skills: Bloodlust, Thirst for Blood]
Compared to the previous Cave Bats, its attributes have improved significantly, but it’s still not overly powerful.
This is a common monster found within dungeons.
The guards barely batted an eyelid, using their usual tactics to attack the Broad-Mouthed Bloodthirsty Bats.
After all, they had leveled up to LV30 and were equipped with Silver equipment.
Handling low-level monsters was a breeze for them, albeit a tad slower.
With Howard’s supplemental attacks, the bats couldn’t breach their defenses and only managed to scare the students.
Fortunately, most of the students permitted by Carlos to enter had awakened a B-level talent and quickly got their bearings.
“Aren’t the monsters within a dungeon supposed to be consistent?”
“I always thought one dungeon meant one type of monster.”
“How could that be? The monsters in a dungeon grow progressively more formidable.”
“Now I’m curious about what kind of monster might be this dungeon’s final guardian boss.”
The students, filled with anticipation, followed the guards as they delved deeper into the dungeon.
Before long, noises echoed from behind them.
Thankfully, they were prepared, and the rearguard promptly drew their weapons, effectively holding back the Broad-Mouthed Bloodthirsty Bats.
Progressing this way, in less than a quarter of an hour, golden glimmers flickered beneath the students’ feet as they leveled up one after another.
Previously, many hadn’t even reached LV10, and dungeon monsters provide richer experience than those in the wild.
It would’ve been odd if they hadn’t leveled up!
The rapid progression had the students exhilarated, eagerly quickening their pace, eager to slay even more monsters.
[Ding! Congratulations, awakened Howard, the team has successfully slain the Broad-Mouthed Bloodthirsty Bat, receiving a reward of 500 experience points!]
[Ding! Congratulations, awakened Howard, the team has successfully slain the Broad-Mouthed Bloodthirsty Bat, receiving a reward of 500 experience points!]
[…]
After an indeterminate amount of time, Howard and his party had decimated all the Broad-Mouthed Bloodthirsty Bats that crossed their path.
Even Howard had managed to level up.
As for the other students, some had astonishingly advanced by as many as three levels!
Of course, the higher one’s level, the more experience required to progress.
Though some students had leveled up more times than Howard, in terms of actual experience gained, they paled in comparison to him.
After all, Howard had vanquished the majority of the monsters, earning him heftier rewards.
Just as the students were gearing up, eager to engage more foes, a myriad of passageways came into view.
“Hmm?”
“There are seven pathways. How should we choose?”
“Oh my God, could these paths be dangerous?”
Students who had joined Abby’s elite team and experienced the perils of the Ruins immediately grew tense.
The expedition to the Ruins, fraught with dangers that even claimed the lives of three students, was not an adventure easily forgotten.
And soon, a palpable tension gripped these students as well.
“There’s no need for concern,” Carlos Bartel interjected with a reassuring wave, smiling, “There’s no danger in any of the seven pathways. However, we’ll need to split into seven groups since the map will change ahead. There’s only a single wooden bridge. If too many tread upon it, it won’t hold and will break.”
Pausing for a moment, Carlos Bartel continued, “We have a total of forty-two members, which allows us to form seven teams, six in each. But as we cross the wooden bridge, bats will try to hinder our progress. Each team must have a ranged class, either a magus or an archer.”
Hearing this, the students nodded in understanding.
Abby furrowed her brows, querying with a hint of uncertainty, “Do we really have to split up? I don’t want to be separated from Howard.”
Hearing this, Howard affectionately ruffled Abby’s hair and chuckled, “It’s just a brief separation. Once we cross the bridge, we’ll reunite.”
Carlos Bartel also chimed in with a smile, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure the guards protect Howard.”
“Well, alright.” Seeing Howard speak, Abby acquiesced.
The students quickly formed their groups, swiftly determining their team compositions based on their professions.
What puzzled Howard, however, was that he wasn’t grouped with the students.
Instead, he was paired with five guards!
Yet, as no one raised any qualms about the groupings, Howard refrained from further queries and, with the five guards, entered one of the pathways.
With torches illuminating the way, the pathway wasn’t too dark, allowing a clear view.
Before long, Howard and the guards arrived at a precipice.
On closer inspection, there was but a single wooden bridge, with no other route visible; below was an abyss of immeasurable depth.
Seeing this, Howard felt reassured that Carlos Bartel hadn’t been deceitful. However, an inexplicable foreboding tugged at his heart.
“Howard,” began one of the torch-bearing guards, his voice kind and face genial, “The young master instructed us to ensure your safety. You should walk in the middle.”
“Alright,” Howard responded without much thought.
He waited for the two guards to step onto the bridge before following suit, with the three remaining guards trailing behind him.
Though termed a ‘single wooden bridge,’ it was spacious enough for two or three individuals to walk side by side.
Howard, untroubled by heights, crossed with ease and comfort.
However, halfway through, the two guards in front of him halted in their tracks!
Updated from 𝘪.𝘤𝑜𝘮