The Lava Nest collapsed behind them with a low rumble as the exit light swallowed their figures. Outside, the afternoon air felt almost cool after the furnace heat inside.
Wei stretched dramatically. "I smell like barbecue."
Min glanced at him. "That's just you."
Kai ignored both of them and opened the dungeon reward interface.
Nothing flashy dropped from the sky. No legendary treasure chest burst open.
Just solid rewards.
Two Bronze-grade beast cores. One Silver-grade heat-resistant enhancement shard. Several Black Iron materials useful for crafting. A minor stamina recovery potion.
"Not bad," Wei said, inspecting the shard. "I was hoping for something shiny, but this works."
Min nodded. "Normal difficulty rarely drops spectacular items."
Kai checked his status.
Level 13.
He flexed his fingers slightly.
The growth felt steady. Not explosive, but real.
Wei laughed suddenly. "Level 13 already. We're flying."
Min checked her interface. "Same."
Kai tilted his head slightly. "Contribution difference."
Wei groaned. "Don't start."
Kai was Level 14.
Not by much.
But enough.
"Of course you got ahead," Wei muttered. "Gold suit, Silver dagger, Diamond ring—"
"Jealousy is unhealthy," Kai replied calmly.
Wei shoved him lightly.
They checked the dungeon time record.
Thirty-two minutes.
Min blinked. "That's fast."
Wei straightened proudly. "We crushed it."
Kai scrolled further.
Below Hard difficulty, no leaderboard. No time rankings. No public records.
Wei's face fell dramatically. "That's tragic. We would've been famous."
Min shook her head. "Hard and Nightmare only."
Wei's eyes lit up slowly.
Kai already knew what he was thinking.
"No," Min said immediately.
Wei grinned. "Why not? We cleared Normal in thirty-two minutes."
Kai glanced back at the dungeon gate.
"We try Hard tomorrow," he said calmly.
Wei froze.
Min raised an eyebrow.
"And Nightmare?" Wei asked carefully.
Kai's lips curved slightly. "If Hard feels easy."
Wei burst out laughing. "You're insane."
Min exhaled slowly. "I'm in."
Hard difficulty was no joke.
The wolves were faster.
The Lava Moles hit harder.
The Molten Stags came in pairs.
The Lava Giant gained an extra attack pattern.
They didn't clear it in thirty-two minutes.
It took forty-eight.
Wei nearly got flattened twice.
Min's shield cracked once and had to be repaired.
Kai's Gold suit took real damage.
But they cleared it.
And they didn't just survive.
They adapted.
By the third run, their movements flowed naturally.
Wei stopped overextending.
Min timed her blocks perfectly.
Kai's Black Ice grew sharper, more efficient, easier to compress thanks to the dragon ring's steady assistance.
Nightmare difficulty loomed like a challenge they couldn't ignore.
They stood before the gate on the fourth day.
Wei inhaled deeply. "If we die, I blame you."
"You always blame me," Kai replied.
Nightmare was different.
The dungeon felt alive.
Mobs spawned more frequently.
Elite variants appeared in groups.
The Lava Giant was no longer alone.
It came with two Molten Stags guarding its flanks.
They failed the first attempt.
Retreated barely in time.
Wei was silent for once.
Min looked serious.
Kai simply nodded.
"We adjust."
Second attempt.
Better.
Third.
Clear.
Fifty-nine minutes.
No record.
Not even close.
Wei checked the leaderboard.
Three years ago.
Lin Jun.
Nightmare clear: twenty-one minutes.
Wei stared at the number.
"…What kind of monster was your brother?"
Kai shrugged lightly. "Prepared."
Wei snorted. "Prepared? He had national support. Buff teams. Top-tier gear. SSS talent."
Min nodded. "It's a different league."
Kai didn't argue.
His brother had awakened SSS-tier Decay. The entire city had backed him. Resources, elite trainers, specialized equipment, props stacked with synergy.
Breaking that record wasn't realistic.
But competing wasn't impossible.
Over the next five days, they practically lived inside Lava Nest.
Morning sessions.
Afternoon sessions.
Recovery at night.
Hard and Nightmare only.
Their coordination sharpened rapidly.
Wei's wind control became precise instead of flashy.
Min's defense turned aggressive.
Kai learned exactly how far he could push Black Ice before stamina dipped too hard.
Levels climbed steadily.
By the fifth day, Wei and Min both hit Level 22.
Kai stood at Level 24.
"Contribution difference," he said calmly.
Wei rolled his eyes. "You're unbearable."
Min smiled faintly. "He did more damage."
Wei pointed dramatically. "Because he has the expensive toys!"
Kai flexed his left hand slightly.
The dragon ring pulsed faintly.
"Use what you have," he replied.
They exited Lava Nest one evening as the sky turned orange.
Kai's communicator buzzed.
He glanced at it.
Message from his father.
New dungeon spawned. Southern Beast Forest. Rookie classification. City reward attached.
His eyes sharpened slightly.
Wei leaned over his shoulder. "What?"
"New dungeon," Kai replied. "Southern Beast Forest."
Min's expression shifted immediately. "Public spawn?"
"Yes."
Wei grinned. "That means competition."
They didn't hesitate.
The Southern Beast Forest was already crowded when they arrived.
Temporary barriers surrounded a newly stabilized dungeon gate glowing faintly blue instead of orange. City guards maintained order while awakened students gathered in clusters.
Kai scanned the crowd.
Recognizable faces.
Top talents from Central Academy.
Elite students from North Ridge High.
Even a few independent awakeners known for solo clears.
Wei whistled softly. "This is stacked."
Min nodded. "Everyone wants first clear."
A city official stood atop a small platform, amplifying his voice.
"Attention! The Southern Beast Forest Dungeon has been classified as Tier 1 — Rookie Grade. First clear reward: One Starfire-tier prop enhancing comprehension. Additionally, Diamond-tier skill selection voucher for the leading contributor."
The crowd erupted.
Wei nearly choked. "Starfire-tier?"
Even Min looked genuinely shocked.
Starfire sat far above Gold in the tier ladder.
It was not something first-year students usually touched.
Kai remained calm outwardly, but his pulse quickened slightly.
A Starfire-tier comprehension prop meant accelerated understanding.
For someone with an unrecorded talent like Black Ice…
That was invaluable.
The official continued. "Top three contributors will receive city commendations. Performance will be recorded and may influence upcoming National Examination recommendations."
The murmurs grew louder.
Wei leaned in close. "If we get that, we're basically guaranteed city-first in prelims."
Min nodded slowly. "Military University. Wargod. Elemental."
The three pillars of top-tier higher education.
Competition for them was brutal.
And this dungeon was an opportunity.
Kai scanned the gate.
New dungeon meant unknown ecosystem.
Unknown patterns.
Unpredictable boss.
Which meant preparation mattered more than raw power.
Wei grinned. "You're thinking already."
"Yes."
Min folded her arms. "Plan?"
Kai looked at both of them.
"Scout first. Observe entry teams. Don't rush."
Wei blinked. "Since when do you not rush?"
"Since rewards got interesting."
Min smiled faintly. "I'm in."
Around them, students buzzed with excitement. Some boasted loudly about guaranteed first clears. Others quietly adjusted gear.
The air felt different.
Competitive.
Electric.
Wei cracked his knuckles. "This is way better than Lava Nest."
Kai looked toward the southern forest beyond the barriers.
Fourteen days still ticked quietly in the background of his mind.
But for now—
This was the next move.
"Let's see," he said calmly, "what this dungeon has to offer."