The Luminaris Trials arena thrummed with tension, its rune-carved stands packed with spectators under a dawn sky streaked with crimson. Zane Aldric gripped his B-rank Ice Spear, the A-rank Shadow Cloak blending with the arena's shadows. Skoll, his level 9 Adolescent Fenrir, paced beside him, his *Frost Aura* chilling the sand, eyes locked on the rift that would spawn his solo dungeon. The trials were today—the city-wide qualifier for the College Entrance Examinations, where solo dungeons scaled from Newbie to Abyss, and Zane's goal was top scorer in the country. But the System's warning from last night—*[ANOMALY DETECTED: TRIAL DUNGEON COMPROMISED]*—gnawed at him. The serpent-shadow in the *Iron Fang* tavern, its crimson eyes mirroring the observer's rune, had marked him. The Forgotten Spire's fading trace and Lia's cryptic words—"The observer's watching you in the trials"—hinted at sabotage. The System's interface, visible only to Zane, was his edge in a world blind to its mechanics.
Mira and Toren stood in the stands, their level 9 gear gleaming. Mira's *Catalyst Surge* potions and Toren's *Iron Bastion* shield had carried them through the Spire, but today, Zane faced the dungeon alone. Rhea Solis, Dren Varkus, and Lia were among the competitors, their glares sharp. Zane's status panel flared, a secret HUD:
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**[Status Panel]**
**Zane Aldric**
- **Class**: Mythic Beast Tamer (SSS-rank)
- **Level**: 9
- **Skills**: Beast Command (+50% reaction speed), Tamer's Insight (+35% weakness detection), Wild Call (Beast attack speed +20%), Frost Lance (Range +22 meters, 8-second cooldown), Beast Sense (Detection range +30 meters, 30-second cooldown), Ice Barrage (3 spears, 12-meter spread, 12-second cooldown), Cryo Bind (Ice chains, 5-second duration, 15-second cooldown)
- **Talents**: Frostfang Pact (Ice damage +15%, cold resistance +15%), Wild Synergy (Beast ability potency +10% with allies)
- **Beast**: Skoll (Adolescent Fenrir, Level 9)
- **Abilities**: Ice Bite (Freeze chance +65%), Frost Aura (Enemy speed reduction +28%), Glacial Howl (Stuns 10-meter radius, 12.5-second duration, 10-second cooldown)
- **Evolution Progress**: 26/50 kills, 25/100 mana crystals
- **Equipment**: Ice Spear (B-rank, +20 attack, +10% ice damage), Amulet of the Wild (B-rank, +10% beast ability potency, +5% mana regeneration), Vine Cloak (C-rank, +10 agility, +5% nature resistance), Shadow Cloak (A-rank, +15 agility, +10% stealth), Frost Gauntlets (B-rank, +15 attack, +10% ice skill potency)
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Zane dismissed the panel, his gamer's mind racing. The trials' dungeons ranged from Newbie to Difficult, but the System's compromise meant unknown variables. Skoll's *Glacial Howl* could stun mobs, and *Tamer's Insight* would spot weaknesses, but the observer's interference could change the rules. The System's voice boomed: "*LUMINARIS TRIALS COMMENCE. SOLO DUNGEONS ASSIGNED. CLEAR TO QUALIFY FOR NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS. BEGIN!*"
A rift opened, its edges flickering with an unnatural crimson hue. The System flagged: *[SHADOWMARE RUINS: DIFFICULT TIER. ENEMIES: LEVEL 8–10. BOSS: LEVEL 11 VOID PHANTOM. WARNING: ANOMALY DETECTED. DUNGEON INTEGRITY COMPROMISED.]* Zane's pulse spiked. Difficult tier at level 9 was tough, and the anomaly meant traps or worse. He met Skoll's eyes. "Stay sharp, buddy." The Fenrir growled, ready. Zane stepped through.
The ruins materialized—a labyrinth of crumbling obsidian, air thick with shadow and a faint, sour tang of dark mana. *Beast Sense* pinged, detecting level 8 **Shadow Sprites**—flitting orbs with claws. *Tamer's Insight* marked their cores as weak points. Zane sent a *Beast Command*: *Skoll, Glacial Howl.* The Fenrir's howl stunned five sprites, their movements frozen. Zane's *Ice Barrage* shattered two cores, ice amplified by *Frostfang Pact* and Frost Gauntlets. Skoll's *Ice Bite* crushed another, his *Frost Aura* slowing the rest. The System logged: *[3 KILLS. SKOLL: 29/50 KILLS.]*
The ruins twisted, corridors shifting unnaturally. The System pinged: *[ANOMALY EFFECT: DUNGEON LAYOUT ALTERED.]* Zane cursed. The observer was rewriting the dungeon. *Beast Sense* caught a level 9 **Void Stalker*—a panther-like shade—ambushing from above. Zane's *Shadow Cloak* boosted his dodge, and *Cryo Bind* chained the stalker in ice. Skoll's *Ice Bite* froze its throat, and Zane's *Frost Lance* finished it, dropping a mana crystal: *[30/50 KILLS, 26/100 MANA CRYSTALS.]*
A level 10 **Shadow Golem* loomed, its fists crackling with dark energy. *Tamer's Insight* highlighted its joints. Zane used *Wild Call*, boosting Skoll's speed, and unleashed *Glacial Howl* to stun it. *Ice Barrage* cracked a joint, and Skoll's *Ice Bite* froze another. The golem's counterattack grazed Zane, but his *Vine Cloak* absorbed the hit. A final *Frost Lance* shattered it, yielding two crystals: *[32/50 KILLS, 28/100 MANA CRYSTALS.]*
The boss chamber was a void-lit arena, the *Void Phantom* a humanoid shade wielding a scythe, its crimson eyes mirroring the observer's rune. The System warned: *[LEVEL 11 VOID PHANTOM. IMMUNE: PHYSICAL. WEAKNESS: ICE, LIGHT. ANOMALY EFFECT: ENHANCED AGGRESSION.]* Zane's spear was useless, but his skills weren't. "Skoll, *Glacial Howl*!" The stun locked the phantom, and Zane's *Ice Barrage* slammed its chest, ice spreading. *Cryo Bind* chained its legs, and Skoll's *Ice Bite* froze its arm, the Amulet of the Wild amplifying the damage. The phantom broke free, its scythe slicing Zane's arm—pain seared, but non-lethal under trial rules. Zane dodged with *Shadow Cloak*, unleashing *Frost Lance* into its core. Skoll's final *Ice Bite* shattered it, the phantom dissolving into a crimson rune that pulsed once and vanished.
The System chimed: *[SHADOWMARE RUINS CLEARED: DIFFICULT TIER. LEVEL UP: ZANE, LEVEL 10. SKOLL, LEVEL 10. REWARDS: 4 MANA CRYSTALS, A-RANK ICE CROWN, 1,500 SYSTEM FAVOR. SKOLL: 33/50 KILLS, 32/100 MANA CRYSTALS.]*
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**[Status Panel]**
**Zane Aldric**
- **Class**: Mythic Beast Tamer (SSS-rank)
- **Level**: 10
- **Skills**: Beast Command (+55% reaction speed), Tamer's Insight (+40% weakness detection), Wild Call (Attack speed +22%), Frost Lance (Range +25 meters), Beast Sense (Detection range +35 meters), Ice Barrage (Spear spread +15 meters), Cryo Bind (Ice chains, 6-second duration), Frost Nova (New: AOE ice burst, 8-meter radius, slows enemies 30%, 20-second cooldown)
- **Talents**: Frostfang Pact, Wild Synergy
- **Beast**: Skoll (Adolescent Fenrir, Level 10)
- **Abilities**: Ice Bite (Freeze chance +70%), Frost Aura (Enemy speed reduction +30%), Glacial Howl (Stun duration +3 seconds)
- **Evolution Progress**: 33/50 kills, 32/100 mana crystals
- **Equipment**: Ice Spear, Amulet of the Wild, Vine Cloak, Shadow Cloak, Frost Gauntlets, Ice Crown (A-rank, +10% ice skill potency, +10 mana regeneration)
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Zane equipped the Ice Crown, its icy spikes syncing with Skoll's aura. His System Favor hit 4,000, its purpose still unclear but growing. The dungeon's crimson rune matched the observer's mark, but its disappearance left more questions. He exited the rift, the arena erupting in cheers. The System announced: *[ZANE ALDRIC: DIFFICULT TIER CLEARED. SCORE: 95/100. RANK: 1ST IN LUMINARIS.]* Rhea's Normal-tier score was 90, Dren's Difficult 92, Lia's Normal 89. Zane's lead was razor-thin but undeniable.
Rhea stormed off, her dragon Ember snarling. Dren's glare promised vengeance. Lia lingered, her *Phantom Step* fading her into shadow, her violet eyes unreadable. Mira and Toren rushed Zane, Mira grinning. "Top dog, wolf boy! Difficult tier at level 9? You're a freak."
Toren clapped his back. "Level 10's huge. National exams are next—Hell or Abyss for top scorer. You ready?"
Zane scratched Skoll's ears, the Fenrir's *Frost Aura* flaring. "Getting there. But the observer's messing with the trials. That dungeon wasn't normal."
That night, at Luminaris High, Zane studied the observer's mark under a rune-lamp. The System pinged: *[OBSERVER'S ORIGIN QUEST UPDATED: TRACE ANOMALY TO NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS.]* A new marker pointed to the exam site—a remote fortress in the Monster Dominion. But *Beast Sense* flared, detecting a presence outside. Zane opened the window, finding a crimson rune carved into the sill—a serpent's fang, dripping shadow. The System whispered: *[OBSERVER'S CHALLENGE ISSUED: SURVIVE THE EXAMS.]*
Zane gripped his spear, Skoll growling. The trials were done, but the real game was just beginning.