The sun was still rising over the academy, but the southern cliffs were alive with mana—subtle, but pulsing.
Lucien stretched in front of the cave entrance, grinning widely.
"Today's adventure: E-Rank dungeon. Multiple floors, real monsters, actual danger. Finally, a proper challenge."
Kael's hand hovered over his blade.
"…You sound excited."
Lucien laughed.
"Of course! If F-Rank was a tutorial, this is hard mode. Team coordination, traps, and maybe even a treasure hiding somewhere."
Brom grinned, hefting his hammer.
"Let's crush something!"
Elarion adjusted his bow, sighing.
"Just… stay focused."
SYSTEM — DUNGEON RANK UPDATE
Dungeon Rank: E
Floors: 3 (each with increasing difficulty)
Monsters: Standard creatures, moderate threat
Boss: 1 floor boss detected (Floor 3)
EXP Reward: Moderate
Special Rule: Bond synergy essential for floor clearing
Lucien's eyes sparkled.
"Three floors and a boss? I love it. Let's go!"
FLOOR 1 — WARM-UP
The first floor had slimes, low-level insect monsters, and a few enchanted constructs.
Lucien clapped his hands.
"Alright team! Floor one—warm-up. Let's try a coordinated attack."
Lucien positioned himself centrally, analyzing monster positions.
Kael moved to flank enemies with fire bursts.
Brom slammed the ground to control mob movement.
Elarion covered long-range shots, aiming for weak spots.
Bond Activated: Lucien + Kael + Brom + Elarion
Temporary Multiplication: Talent ×1.15, Physique ×1.15, Affinity ×1.15, Bloodline ×1.15
The monsters fell quickly. Lucien grinned.
"See? Nothing too hard. But bonding is multiplying, that's the fun part."
FLOOR 2 — ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
The second floor was a twist: narrow tunnels, falling rocks, and weak mana currents that interfered with spells.
Lucien clapped his hands.
"Ohhh… clever! They actually try to punish you for being reckless."
Kael moved silently, cutting ropes to prevent rockfalls.
Brom smashed boulders that blocked their path.
Elarion's arrows struck weak points in magical barriers.
Lucien laughed.
"Perfect, perfect! This is exactly why teamwork is fun!"
Bond Growth: +5% for all participants
Temporary Stat Multiplier Increased: Talent ×1.2, Physique ×1.2, Affinity ×1.2, Bloodline ×1.2
They reached the floor exit, breathing slightly heavier but smiling. Lucien turned to them.
"Next floor is boss floor. Let's make it interesting."
FLOOR 3 — THE BOSS
The floor opened into a massive cavern.
At its center, a stone construct imbued with elemental mana roared. It wasn't alive like monsters—they were controlled by magic. Its body shimmered with runes, and its eyes glowed faintly blue.
SYSTEM NOTICE:
Floor Boss Detected: Elemental Stone Guardian
Difficulty: Moderate
EXP Reward: High
Bond Multiplication Bonus Active
Lucien's grin widened.
"Ah… I love puzzle bosses. You don't just hit them. You analyze, coordinate, and optimize."
Kael charged, flames illuminating the runes.
Brom created shockwaves to stagger the construct.
Elarion shot arrows to disrupt runes.
Lucien danced around, tapping weak points and coordinating their attacks.
Bond Activation: Floor Boss
Temporary Multiplication: Talent ×1.3, Physique ×1.3, Affinity ×1.3, Bloodline ×1.3
Coordinated Attack Bonus: +25% damage
After a series of coordinated maneuvers, the construct crumbled into rubble. Lucien clapped his hands.
"See? That's teamwork. And now… treasure time!"
TREASURE AND LOOT
From the shattered boss, a glowing chest appeared:
Minor Artifact: Ring of Mana Flow (boosts mana regeneration)
Bronze Scroll: Tactical Bonding Theory (perm. +1% bond efficiency)
Rare Crystal: Floor Boss Mana Core Fragment
EXP Awarded: 2,400 per participant
Bond Multiplication Bonus Applied
Lucien Level Progress: +2,700
Kael Level Progress: +2,400
Brom Level Progress: +2,400
Elarion Level Progress: +2,400
Lucien handed the scroll to Elarion.
"Knowledge is loot too. Don't waste it."
Kael muttered. "…He's unbearable."
Brom laughed.
"I love this human."
OBSERVATION — MINOR VILLAINS
Hidden in the shadows, two nobles from rival academies whispered.
"Flamereign's boy is with that human…?"
"They're bonding too fast. That's… alarming."
Lucien didn't see them. But the system did:
Hidden Threat Detected: Minor Villainous Interest