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[D-Rank Monster Wave in Progress]
―Ghoul Kill: +25 Mana Points (x2)
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The ghoul, its entire body black, burned to ashes.
Already, about 50 ghouls had turned to ash and disappeared.
It had been two hours since Davian destroyed the dungeon core and began enduring the monster wave.
Samantha's arrows occasionally struck monsters, but Davian dealt with most of them.
The room where the dungeon core had been was now a space surrounded by endless darkness, with all the walls and ceiling gone.
Various types of monsters, surging from all directions, became corpses and ashes, forming a large hill.
And Davian stood at the top of the monster corpse hill.
Davian, covered in various monster blood—green, purple, black.
From the monsters' point of view, he must have looked like a demon from hell.
'Is this the end?'
With the last 50 or so ghouls gone, no more monsters appeared.
Ding.
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[D-Rank Monster Wave Ended]
―Accumulated Reward: 18,920 Mana Points (x2)
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The monster wave was longer than expected. Naturally, the reward was equally great.
'Point Breakdown.'
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[Mana Points: 47,840]
―Magical Power: 318,086
―Inner Power: 18,042
―Outer Power: 6,550
=====
Through this dungeon exploration, he gained a whopping 47,840 mana points.
More than all the mana points he had earned in all four previous lives before entering the dungeon.
Nubes and Samantha, who had been crouching a short distance away, approached.
"Davian. Is it over now? It's quiet," Nubes asked.
"Yeah. I think it's over. Good work."
"Whew."
Samantha, letting out a big sigh of relief, suddenly looked around.
"What good work did we do? Anyway, Davian... you're really amazing. How did you deal with all these monsters alone...?"
Just then.
Swoosh.
A few cool breezes came from somewhere.
The first natural wind he had felt in three days.
The endless darkness that surrounded them receded, and warm sunlight began to flood in.
Surprised, Samantha pointed somewhere with her finger.
"Wh-what? I can see trees far away! And behind them... are those mountains? Trees and mountains have appeared in the dungeon!"
"Soon you'll be able to see the trees closer, too. As the dungeon disappears, the place where we are is merging back with the human realm."
"Huh? We don't have to go to the exit, and this place will just become a forest?"
"Yeah. Because the dungeon is completely destroyed."
As Davian said, the surroundings gradually began to transform into a forest.
The location had changed a lot, but it was the same forest they had come to in order to enter the dungeon.
"It's all over. Let's go back."
Davian took out a scroll and beckoned Nubes and Samantha closer.
Just as the three friends were about to tear the scroll.
"Guys!"
A familiar voice was heard from afar.
Nubes looked around, wondering.
"Isn't that Professor Stella's voice?"
"I think so."
Professor Stella emerged from between the trees.
"Are you all alright?"
"Ah, yes. Professor."
Samantha clasped her hands together and looked at Professor Stella with a moved expression.
"Did you come all the way here because you were worried about us?"
"I'm not the only one who came."
"Huh?"
This time, the Head of the Department of Magic, Shirims, appeared from the trees where Professor Stella had emerged.
The Head of the Department of Magic went straight to Davian.
"Davian, did you destroy the dungeon core?"
"Yes, Head of the Department."
"What was the reason?"
There were several reasons.
First, of course, was to acquire mana points.
Destroying the dungeon core and enduring the monster wave was one of the fastest ways to gather a large amount of mana points.
Second, he now had the skills to do so.
Even in his previous life, his third life, he hadn't dared to destroy even an E-rank dungeon core when he was an underclassman, let alone a D-rank one.
Third, this dungeon had given Davian his first death.
Now, he finally felt like he had gotten some satisfying revenge.
While he was lost in thought, Professor Shirims spoke again.
"You were well aware of the dungeon core amplification."
"Pardon?"
"You knew that the monsters would spill out of the dungeon due to the dungeon core amplification, didn't you?"
"Yes, I knew."
"You also knew that there was a village nearby?"
He had learned that from Nubes inside the dungeon.
But anyway, he knew it.
"Yes."
"Indeed... you risked your life to destroy the dungeon to protect the villagers?"
Not at all.
'But, well...'
It seemed more plausible than blurting out the incomprehensible reason that he had done it to collect mana points.
"Yes. If the dungeon core amplification occurred, this area would be filled with E-rank dungeon monsters unless the dungeon was destroyed. Then the nearby village would be devastated."
Professor Shirims stared intently into Davian's eyes for a long time.
"...How commendable. Davian Naone. You possess not only skill but also the qualities of a hero."
A hero?
Davian thought that Professor Shirims was seriously mistaken about something.
But since it had come to this.
"As a member of Elton Academy, who will bear the future of Arkancia, I simply did what was right."
He had blurted out the answer according to the flow of the conversation, but no sooner had he finished speaking than Davian's mind was filled with regret.
Davian unconsciously frowned.
'Damn it. Corny. How could I say something like that?'
But there was no helping it.
He couldn't explain to people who didn't even know what mana points were that he had done it to collect mana points.
However, the reactions of the other people listening to Davian's words were different.
'My friend Davian is truly the future of Arkancia. My proud roommate!'
'Amazing. I've heard rumors, but to think there's a student like that among the freshmen.'
'Indeed. Davian will surely present a new path for mages and swordsmen in the future.'
'Goodness... This is no different from the reincarnation of Erium, the first king of Arkancia.'
The first midterm exams at Elton Academy were over.
The students, who had poured everything into it, could enjoy a relaxing weekend for the first time in a while.
On Saturday, after the midterm exams, Elton City was more bustling than ever.
The largest restaurant in Elton City, and Davian's favorite, Sea―Brea.
Inside the restaurant, which was so full there wasn't an empty seat.
Students wearing Elton Academy uniforms occupied most of the seats.
Davian's group was sitting at the largest round table in the center of the hall.
It was the same group that always ate together in the student cafeteria.
Luna, looking around, asked.
"Davian, I don't think there are any other freshmen in this restaurant except us."
"It's hard to get a table this weekend unless you make a reservation in advance. Especially at a fancy restaurant like this."
"Did you know this would happen and made a reservation? When did you make the reservation?"
"A month ago."
Weekends after exams are always a reservation war.
Most freshmen, unaware of this fact, end up going to smaller restaurants.
Moreover, as the years go by, underclassmen naturally avoid upperclassmen.
This is because duels with seniors often occur during the departmental schedule, just like when the freshmen had a sparring session with the juniors during the swordsmanship department's mid-term evaluation.
As a result, Sea―Brea, the largest and most famous restaurant in Elton City, was mainly occupied by upperclassmen.
The situation was such that not only the freshmen who knew nothing, but also the sophomores and juniors, did not visit this place because they were wary of the upperclassmen.
"I think the seniors keep looking at us."
"Don't worry about it. Let's just eat. Everyone worked hard during the midterm exams."
Davian, Latia, and Bonita calmly enjoyed their meal amidst the numerous gazes.
But Luna, Bellum, Nubes, and Lieber were not.
Inevitably, they couldn't help but be bothered by the seniors' constant glares.
And as always, the ominous feeling soon became reality.
"Hey, freshmen."
A student as big as Nubes approached Davian's group's table.
"You've got a good table right in the middle? You've taken up a big table that can seat 12 people. And there are only seven of you."
Davian raised his head and looked at the student who had spoken.
Seeing the 'Golden Lion' drawn inside the emblem embedded in his chest, he was a senior in his fourth year.
"What business do you have?"
"Oh, are you the leader of this group?"
"Not really. I made the restaurant reservation, though."
"That's good. Do you see those seniors sitting there cramped together? There's even a 6th year senior among them, so you'll have to give up your seats."
Looking where the short-haired fourth-year student pointed, they saw that upperclassmen were gathered at a small table.
Some seemed too busy talking among themselves, and some were looking at them with interested eyes.
"How about it, sounds good, right? You must feel self-conscious sitting at a large table in the middle as freshmen. I won't kick you out, so go eat quietly in the corner over there."
"I don't want to."
The expression on the face of the gray-haired student twisted at Davian's answer.
Blood vessels even bulged on his temples.
"What? You don't want to?"
"Yeah. Because I reserved this table."
Now he was speaking in informal language outright.
The gray-haired student strode around the table and approached right next to Davian.
"Hey, freshman. Do you want to die? You haven't run into any seniors inside the school, so it seems like you don't have any respect."
Davian turned his head and whispered in a voice that only the gray-haired student could hear.
"Get lost if you don't want to get rekt."
"What? You little punk!"
Thwack!
The gray-haired student slammed his fist on Davian's group's table. The marble table was instantly split into two pieces.
"You insolent little freshman. Come outside. A formal duel. A punk who spits out informal language to his seniors wouldn't refuse a formal duel because he's scared, would he?"
"Don't regret it. Gray Hair."
"Call me Senior Dylan Nedon. You insolent little freshman."
The gray-haired student who introduced himself as Dylan stood up straight and said loudly.
"I, Dylan Nedon, hereby apply for a formal duel according to Elton Academy's rules with this insolent freshman, Davian Naone. The opponent has also expressed his willingness to accept, so I ask for the attendance of the seniors and juniors here!"
A curious murmur was heard from here and there.
"Oh."
"A duel? But between a freshman and a fourth-year?"
"Did the freshman accept the formal duel? That's a fearless guy."
"Doesn't he know what a formal duel is?"
Bellum approached and grabbed Davian's arm.
"Hey, are you crazy? The opponent is a fourth-year senior. Apologize quickly, even now. A formal duel."
Luna also approached with a worried expression.
"That's right! Apologize to the senior quickly, Davian. Say something too, you guys. You have to stop Davian!"
Bonita, who met Luna's eyes, opened her mouth.
"That gray hair came and overturned our table first. If Davian hadn't accepted the duel, I would have."
Latia, who was patting off the sauce that had splattered on her clothes with a handkerchief as the table broke, said.
"It's true that Gray Hair started the fight."
Only the flustered Luna Pueri was pacing around anxiously.
"Bonita! Latia! You guys!"
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