The atmosphere in the camp grew tense as everyone's eyes fell on the dark-gold gauntlet gleaming in Captain Li's hand. Its surface shimmered with a faint golden light that gave off an aura of power and danger.
Instructor Charles (formerly Zhou Zheng) couldn't help but show a look of envy. He only owned three pieces of dark-gold equipment himself, and to see a youth casually trade one was hard to believe.
According to what the boy had explained, Captain Li had merely given him a simple "City Return Scroll." In exchange, the boy had handed over this incredibly rare gauntlet.
What kind of deal was that? How could it be so one-sided?
And besides—how could someone so young possess such terrifying strength?
Who exactly was this boy?
Doubts in the Air
Captain Li's expression was one of disbelief. He had originally assumed Ethan was still trapped inside the dungeon, perhaps even dead. But here he was, perfectly fine, standing in clean clothes with not a single scratch on him.
How could someone who had supposedly spent half a month inside a dungeon look so neat and unscathed?
When Li compared him to the three students standing nearby—dirty, scratched, and exhausted—the difference was shocking.
Captain Li finally spoke. "I still remember when you first entered the dungeon. I asked if you recognized this young man." He pointed toward Ethan. "I assumed he was a student of your Ravenshade University, but you told me you had never seen him. It seems I was wrong.
"All this time, I thought something bad had already happened to him. Yet here he stands, safe and sound."
Instructor Charles looked just as stunned as Li. He racked his brain but recalled no such student at Ravenshade University.
If Ethan really had such ability, his name would be known across the entire school. It was impossible for him to remain unnoticed.
Charles could only sigh. "Perhaps he is from another university. Truly, he must be one of the real prodigies of this generation. If the three of you had even half his ability, I wouldn't need to worry so much."
Then he added, almost bitterly, "Sometimes the gap between people is simply too large to ignore."
Students' Jealousy
The three students standing nearby were clearly envious. Their eyes remained glued to the sparkling gauntlet. Compared to Ethan, their own efforts suddenly seemed meaningless.
But instead of admiration, dissatisfaction filled their hearts.
One of them muttered, "Who knows if he just hid inside for half a month?"
Another sneered, "Exactly. If he had been fighting wild monsters, how could his clothes be so clean?"
The third, a girl, frowned in suspicion. "That's right. We fought hundreds of monsters and only managed to get two pieces of gold-level equipment. How could he possibly come out with a dark-gold item?"
Their words quickly built momentum.
"We stayed in there for a week and never saw any other professionals. Where was he hiding?"
"He must have been scared and avoided the monsters altogether. Now he wants to show off in front of us by pretending he just came out."
Their mocking voices grew louder, and even Instructor Charles began to waver.
Yes… he had been to this dungeon countless times, and never once had he seen a dark-gold piece drop. And there had been no trace of Ethan fighting monsters—no blood, no corpses, no disturbed ground.
So how did Ethan obtain such a treasure? Was it possible that it was never earned in the dungeon at all, but brought in from outside just to show off?
Captain Li Speaks
Captain Li sneered at their pettiness. Was it really so difficult to admit when someone was stronger? But instead of rebuking them, he explained patiently.
"That gauntlet is real, and he didn't pick it up in some easy fight. Ethan entered the Nightmare-level dungeon. Inside, all the wild monsters are dark-gold rank."
The words exploded like thunder.
"Nightmare?!"
"That's impossible!"
"Captain Li, are you just covering for him because you owe him?"
"Even if there's a gap between us, it can't be that big! We three could barely handle a snake nest together. How could he enter Nightmare mode alone?"
"Even if he did, maybe he just hid for half a month and only came out now!"
Captain Li silently thanked himself for never claiming these arrogant students as his disciples. With their inability to accept reality, their futures would be limited.
One of Li's teammates finally stepped forward to defend Ethan. "You're accusing him without logic. Why would Captain Li lie to you? And even if Ethan wanted to hide, would he stay inside for half a month for no reason?
"With the City Return Scroll the captain gave him, he could have left immediately. Why would he deliberately stay inside just to play a trick on you?"
The argument left the students speechless. Yet the disbelief in their eyes remained.
Because they had felt the overwhelming strength of the monsters inside, they simply couldn't imagine a boy their age handling them alone.
Even Instructor Charles admitted to himself that he wouldn't dare challenge Nightmare mode, not with his current power. And yet Ethan supposedly survived there for two whole weeks? The gap was too vast, almost unnatural.
A Risky Suggestion
Finally, one of the girls suggested, "Teacher, why don't we go in and check for ourselves? This dungeon resets every month. If there are signs of monsters being killed, we'll know the truth immediately."
Her words made Charles hesitate. Part of him wanted to confirm the truth. But another part knew his own limits—he might not even be able to protect himself at that level.
A bitter smile crept onto his lips.
Still, Captain Li refused to let Ethan's name be tarnished. To discredit Ethan was to discredit his own judgment.
So he said firmly, "If you don't believe me, then I'll go with you, Instructor Charles. We'll check together. No one else has entered the Nightmare dungeon in months. If we find slain monsters inside, it can only be his work.
"And with the two of us combined, we may not kill much, but we should be able to protect ourselves."
Charles hesitated no longer. To refuse now would make him look cowardly. "Very well. Let's go."
The two men stepped into the dungeon side by side.
Inside the Nightmare Dungeon
From the moment they crossed the threshold, both men felt the suffocating pressure of the Nightmare level. The air was heavy, thick with the scent of blood and the oppressive aura of high-ranked beasts.
Normally, even Captain Li wouldn't dare to venture here. But after seeing Ethan's calm eyes earlier, he was convinced—the boy truly had such strength.
They didn't need to go far. Not long after entering, they reached an open clearing that bore clear signs of battle.
The ground was scarred and torn apart as though massive blades of wind had slashed across it. Chunks of turf had been ripped away. A few giant trees had been snapped and toppled, their trunks shattered as if struck by something enormous.
Everywhere, blackened stains of blood painted the soil and tree bark. The metallic smell lingered in the air.
Captain Li knelt, scooping up a handful of sand darkened with blood. He rubbed it between his fingers and nodded grimly.
"This is no illusion. This is monster blood. He really fought here."
Charles's eyes widened as he scanned the devastation. The sheer scale of destruction left no doubt. The battle had been massive—far beyond what ordinary adventurers could survive.
"Do you believe it now?" Captain Li asked quietly.
Charles remained silent for a long moment, then finally exhaled. He had to admit it. Ethan truly had stepped where even seasoned professionals feared to tread.
The boy had entered the Nightmare Class. And he had survived.
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