An emergency broke out in the control room that was monitoring the artificial dungeon.
“Are you kidding me? What time is it now?”
“15 hours and 47 minutes since the test began!”
“A dungeon cleared in just 16 hours? Seriously?”
“Hurry, inform the professors!”
Alfren scrambled to his feet and headed for the professors’ lounge.
Normally, even if a dungeon clearing was underway, there would have been no need to wake a professor but this time was different.
“Professor!”
“Hmm. Alfren. What’s the matter?”
Benjamin who was once a knight commander was already awake from the urgent sound of Alfren’s footsteps and asked in a calm voice.
“A student has cleared the dungeon in 15 hours and 47 minutes.”
“15 hours and 47 minutes, you say?”
Up until this point, Benjamin’s expression had been steady, but now there was surprise written all over his face.
“That’s a record time.”
He then got up and dressed himself.
“Alfren, what was the shortest clear time in the history of the Command Department tests?”
“It was 26 hours and 21 minutes.”
“That’s almost 10 hours less.”
Of course, the dungeons varied with each test, including different types and monsters, but typically a dungeon could take from a couple of days up to a week.
Just 16 hours?
Benjamin had experienced and heard of numerous dungeons.
Though the speed of clearing a dungeon could vary greatly depending on the abilities of those who enter, even Benjamin doubted he could finish it in the same conditions as Shane.
“Did you bring the record?”
“Yes, yes. Here it is.”
The initial events when Shane first entered the dungeon were listed in detail.
This was the fruit of Alfren’s laborious efforts to meticulously document every action Shane took.
“So you’re saying he dug traps in a tunnel full of traps to deal with the Curse Goblin?”
“Yes… that’s right.”
The three golems Shane had brought with him.
Each of the golems Shane selected was among the more costly ones available.
The first was an assassin who moved stealthily in the darkness; another was a mage skilled in earth magic; and the last one was an elite warrior wielding a huge greatsword.
The assassin and the elite greatsword warrior each required 150 points, while the mage took up 200 points.
And so, while others took 10 to 20 golems with them, Shane had only brought three and kept 500 points in reserve.
Seeing this, other students mocked him for thinking that bringing expensive golems alone would clear the dungeon, but in reality, it was all part of a planned strategy.
Using the earth mage and the assassin, Shane cleverly modified the traps set by the Curse Goblins to turn the tables and trap the goblins themselves.
As a result, while one Curse Goblin was thinking it was safe as usual fell into a trap and died instantly, Shane managed to seriously wound another and lure more into other traps.
“His tactical ability is unbelievably high.”
Benjamin couldn’t close his mouth at Shane’s precise actions.
Was this really something a novice entering the dungeon for the first time could think of?
Rather than simply killing enemies, he first looked for utility.
Cruelty might be a vicious taste but Shane’s actions were of calculated brutality.
“That tunnel fills with poison four times a day at regular intervals. He even calculated that timing exactly.”
“Yes, and surprisingly…”
“Right. He even cleverly inserted the anesthetic commonly used by goblins into the dispersal device.”
As a result, when the poison burst from the device, the anesthetic also filled the cave.
While this was happening, Shane soaked a cloth in the antidote of the anesthetic that was used on the goblins’ and wore it like a mask as he roamed the dungeon.
“But Professor Benjamin, is that alright?”
Benjamin chuckled in response.
The assistant was referring to the glowing moss covering Shane and all his golems.
“He may have created it himself, but it wasn’t used in combat. The lad didn’t lay a finger on the goblins, as per the rules.”
As the anesthetic spread, Shane didn’t just stand there waiting.
Even though he had poured the anesthetic into the dispersal device, Curse Goblins have some natural resistance to anesthetics in their bodies.
Their bodies would stiffen for a while but the effect wouldn’t last long.
At this point, Shane quickened his pace.
He moved around with glowing moss on his body even though the poison had not yet fully cleared from the air.
To others, this seemed almost like a gamble.
“The glowing moss has roots that connect to each other underground. People mistakenly think that the moss that absorbs the poison must have strong vitality but that’s not the case.”
“Yes. Even slight damage to the roots can kill all the connected moss. They’re connected by a delicate magical power, so it would have been a disaster for anyone not sensitive to magic or unfamiliar with the proper techniques.”
“Exactly. He knew that and still chose to wear the moss on his body.”
“So the reason he was staring at the ground for hours at the beginning….”
“Yes, he was verifying the magical patterns connecting the strands of the glowing moss.”
“I only found out today that such a thing was even possible.”
“It’s something someone might have thought of, but whether they would act on it depends on their own judgment. He was confident he could do it and he simply made it happen.”
Benjamin who had been the commander of one of the Imperial knights had seen many talents and the incredible feats they accomplished so this did not surprise him much.
“There are all sorts of talents in the world.”
And this way, Shane easily dealt with the goblins who were hardly able to move because of the anesthetic he had created himself and moved forward.
Upon confirming that Shane was about to confront the shaman goblin at the end, Benjamin went outside to prepare to meet Shane.
“That was impressive. To think you’d clear the dungeon in less than a day.”
“Thank you.”
Shane accepted Benjamin’s praise without much change in expression.
“Do you know? The fastest record for a speedrun was 26 hours.”
“Seems like I’ve cut it down by 10 hours.”
“You’ve also made a groundbreaking discovery in how to clear the Curse Goblin dungeon.”
“Is that so?”
“Do you know who set that record of 26 hours?”
Shane was not one to remember such details and shook his head.
But he had a rough idea of who it might have been.
“It seems there’s still a lack of information in this area. It’s embarrassing to say but it was me.”
“I thought as much.”
“Not surprised?”
“I’m well aware of Professor Benjamin’s reputation. Your keen insight and ability to effectively command and defeat enemies. Aren’t you famous not only in the Empire but also in the Coalition?”
Benjamin smiled bitterly at this and subtly changed the subject.
“But I have a question. Did you anticipate that final battle when you brought along the elite greatsword warrior?”
Shane nodded his head at Benjamin’s question.
The final battle.
When Shane reached the end of the dungeon, what he encountered was a goblin shaman almost fully recovered from the paralyzing effects.
However, the other Curse Goblins by the shaman’s side were still not fully awake, making it not too difficult to subdue him.
What was important here was the result of “suppression”.
Shane did not kill the Curse Goblin shaman right away.
Instead, he closed his eyes for a moment and focused on the flow of magical power.
Observing his surroundings, Shane then ordered the elite greatsword warrior to break down one of the walls.
After a while, dust rose up and purple magic stones floated in the air beyond the collapsed wall.
A different kind of stone than other magic stones which were usually blue in color.
“I’ve only read about them in books, but they were quite well implemented.”
It was a stone known as a precious source of magical power for monsters.
When consumed by a monster, it offered them a way to evolve into a higher species.
Shane had forcibly placed the stone into the mouth of the Goblin Shaman and watched the outcome.
Not long after, changes began to manifest in the body of the Goblin Shaman and when it transformed into a higher entity known as a Mass Hobgoblin Shaman,
Shane had the elite greatsword warrior decapitate it before the creature could even open its eyes.
Normally, where the body of a Mass Hobgoblin Shaman would have remained, a single golden coin was left instead.
“What is this?”
As he pulled out the coin he had picked up and asked, Benjamin laughed and said,
“It’s a ticket.”
“A ticket?”
“Have you ever heard about the artifacts stored within the academy?”
“I’ve heard rumors of such things.”
However, that was only known as far as rumors went.
Shane also did not know much about it beyond the rumors.
“Think of it as a ticket that grants you entry to the ‘treasure room’.”
“……”
“And in there, you have the right to choose one item you desire. Of course, there is a cost involved.”
“A cost?”
“If you continue to excel and graduate from the academy with honors, you might have to give a lecture at the academy someday.”
“That…isn’t a problem.”
At first, Shane wasn’t even sure whether giving a lecture at the academy was worth it.
After all, everyone knew what it meant to give a guest lecture at an Academy of the Coalition.
But seeing it as an opportunity to elevate his own reputation, Shane thought he had nothing to lose. So he carefully tucked the golden coin into his pocket.
“What should I do now?”
“Nothing much. Rest in your assigned quarters. Of course, you’ll need to prepare for the written exam that’s happening in a week.”
Following this advice, Shane nodded slightly and moved on, while Benjamin watched him closely.
According to the magic professor, Shane had a knack for intellectual challenges so the written exam would likely not be difficult for him.
Suddenly, Benjamin recalled Shane’s bland and indifferent gaze.
It was a look that seemed disinterested in the affairs of the world.
Benjamin had seen those emotionless eyes before. They were eyes that belonged to someone who had survived the battlefield for a long time.
Even more, Shane’s eyes were so deep and unreadable that staring into them felt like it could erase one’s own emotions.
How did he end up with eyes like that when he was only that age?
“How unusual.”
Of course, this was merely a hunch.
Benjamin turned away to focus on the remainder of his tasks.
It was a lethargic afternoon.
Shane had not stepped outside his room while waiting for Klein’s exam to end. So he spent his time contemplating his inner self.
Ever since his body was repeatedly taken over by the power of corruption in his past life, he now always remained vigilant against the knot of emotion in his heart and the power of corruption.
Even though he felt no signs of corruption since his regression, he could not afford to let his guard down.
Perhaps it was a kind of trauma.
Whenever he had the time, he always found peace in examining his inner self to ensure there were no symptoms.
During one such self-reflection, Shane felt something. It was a dark mass within his mental world.
What is that…?
As he moved closer to identify this clump, the sound of someone knocking interrupted his concentration.
“Big brother, are you in there?”
“…Yes. Did you finish well?”
“Yes, I finished it safely.”
Klein had been quite skilled in command in his previous life.
So Shane didn’t say anything else.
Afterward, Shane accepted Klein’s brave (?) offer to have a meal together outside and they were walking down the corridor together.
“Excuse me, gentlemen.”
“……”
“Yes? Are you speaking to us?”
As they walked down the corridor, they stopped at the sound of a girl’s voice coming from the opposite direction.
“Yes, the two of you walking together resemble a scene from a famous painter’s canvas. I stopped you because there’s something I wanted to ask.”
A scene from a famous painter’s canvas?
Shane thought that those words would be more suitable for the girl standing in front of him than for them.
To meet here, of all places.
Her blonde hair cascading down to her waist shone even brighter than Klein’s. It reminded him of a barley field in the fall.
Her emerald-colored eyes which looked like a vibrant forest further accentuated the girl’s beauty.
Her delicate features were neatly arranged on her small face. She had an appearance so petite that it could instinctively evoke a protective instinct in anyone.
However, her voice carried an indiscernible authority.
To Shane who could see into the depths of a person’s soul, she appeared not as her delicate exterior suggested but as an impenetrable wall of steel.
“What can we help you with?”
“Actually, I’m trying to find the way to the practical exam hall for the command department. Could you tell me where it is?”
“It’s behind Building 2.”
“Oh, is that so? Thank you very much.”
After the girl had left, Shane couldn’t take his eyes off her until she had completely disappeared from view.
“Indeed… she was truly beautiful, wasn’t she?”
“Mhmm.”
Shane lightly agreed as it wasn’t an incorrect observation.
“……?”
Only then did Shane notice Klein’s expression and tilted his head in confusion.
Klein was smiling in a mischievously sly way for some reason.
He must be harboring some unnecessary misunderstanding.
Shane sighed lightly.
Did he even know?
That the woman who had just passed by was none other than First Princess Zephyr D. Arsha Olicia, the first of the two flowers of the empire.
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