Endless Leveling Done Right!

Finally came the day everyone had been waiting for.

All the First Years, including the delegations from the Solara and Faelarun Academies, had gathered in the plaza.

Emotions were running high for everyone knew that the upcoming expedition wasn't anything ordinary.

It was a competition and a battle of pride and glory.

"Have the leaders done a headcount?" Professor Rowan asked.

"All the Solara students are here, Professor," Prince Garen replied.

"Everyone from Faelarun is accounted for," Prince Kaelen answered.

The Headmaster then glanced at the Student Council President, who gave a small nod.

"All First Years are present, Professor," Theo replied.

The Student Councillors had two roles. One, they would serve as bodyguards for the guests. Two, they would monitor their juniors.

In other words, they would also enter the dungeon as observers. They would not participate in the competition in any way, but they would keep an eye out for anything unusual.

A few Professors would also accompany them to ensure the safety of the students.

Professor Rowan subconsciously looked in Alex's direction.

As usual, a cute little bun was perched on top of his head, though this time, it was wearing dramatic sunglasses that made it look like a gangster.

The Dim Sum God was certainly hyped about this dungeon expedition.

"Very well. Let's all go." Professor Rowan then raised his staff high, activating the magical formation in the academy's plaza.

A second later, everyone shot towards the sky towards their destination, which was none other than Orion City.

In just a few seconds, everyone found themselves standing before the dungeon they had been wondering about for weeks.

"We're now in Orion City," Professor Rowan said. "And this, ladies and gentlemen, is the Orion Dungeon. We've booked the entire dungeon for today. All adventurers inside were asked to leave.

"So, if you meet anyone who isn't from the academy, do not approach them. We don't know their intentions, and they might be dangerous. The Professors and the Student Council will escort some of the teams, so if you encounter outsiders inside the dungeon, directly report it to them."

The students nodded in understanding. After the incident in the Mistral Weave Forest during the Battle Royale, they knew anything could happen inside the dungeon if they weren't careful.

It was an open secret that monsters weren't the ones responsible for several deaths inside the dungeon.

Ironically, the killers were very human. This was why the Headmaster had taken the precaution of getting the Adventurer Guild to clear out the dungeon for this expedition. No outsiders would be allowed in during the duration of the competition either.

"The necklaces you were given are teleportation crystals. If you find yourself in danger, activate your crystals to escape," Professor Rowan stated. "Your life is precious, so don't hesitate to use them.

"Last but not ‌least, the teleportation crystals have another special function. They allow us to see what's happening in the dungeon. Every monster you kill will gain you points. And the higher the rank, the more points you get.

"Killing a Rank 1 monster will give you one point. Rank 2, ten points. Rank 3, a hundred. And Rank 4, a thousand. Anything above that will give you ten thousand points.

"For Mini Boss Monsters, points gained from them will be multiplied by three, Boss Monsters by ten. Remember, the dungeon is a very dangerous place. Don't let your guard down, and don't bite off more than you can chew. Have I made myself clear?"

""Yes!""

Professor Rowan then gave Theo a look that indicated he was done with the briefing.

"All of you, please come back safely!" the Student Council President shouted. "Let the competition begin!"

As soon as the signal was given, the Faelarun students ran towards the entrance of the dungeon.

Lady Celestria glanced at Renard for a brief moment before following the students of Solara to rush inside as well.

All the First Years of Frieden Academy were hot on their heels, determined not to fall behind.

All the First Years, of course, except for the members of Endless Horizon.

Alex and his team deliberately stayed behind as part of their plan.

However, it seemed like not every member was on the same page

Renard slowly walked toward the dungeon entrance, drawing looks of confusion from the others.

Alex raised his hand to stop anyone from calling out to Mr. I-Have-Trust-Issues.

"Aren't you going to stop me?" Renard asked without turning around to look at his club members.

"Life is not a matter of chance but of choice," Alex answered. "We are not passengers of a ship that simply drifts with the current but captains steering toward a destiny of our own making.

"Just remember that I believe in you, Renard. You're bound to become someone very strong in the future. If there's any category I can be confident of completely triumphing over you… it's probably handsomeness."

As Alex's friends looked at him in exasperation and disbelief, Chuck quickly wrote down his words in a small notebook for future reference.

As someone who prided himself as the most handsome man in the academy, Chuck believed he would be able to use this quote as well in the future.

This time, Renard stopped and looked back at Alex, holding his gaze for nearly half a minute.

The two young men seemed to have come to some sort of understanding, and that was enough for both of them.

Without another word, Renard entered the dungeon, believing he needed to mold his destiny with his own hands.

Alex knew what Renard was really asking him was not whether he should explore the dungeon alone, but whether it was fine for him to accept Lady Celestria's invitation to transfer to Solara Academy.

This option was also present in the game as an important turning point in Renard's path.

Regardless of his choice, Alex believed that Renard would find the answers he was looking for.

Although it would be a shame if Renard left Frieden Academy, Alex was confident that the next time they met, Renard would be more powerful than ever before.

Suddenly, Alex heard a light cough behind him.

"Why are you still here?" asked Professor Arabella, who had been assigned to supervise Alex's team.

"Because now is not the time to show everyone how amazing we are, Professor," Alex answered as he summoned a table and a few chairs from his storage ring.

Under everyone's intense gaze, he casually laid the table before taking out a basket of sandwiches.

"What the…" Cassandra, the Secretary of the Student Council, had no idea what to make of Endless Horizon. She couldn't decide if they were too confident or too frightened!

All the other students had already gone into the dungeon, eager to score as many points as possible. Then there was Endless Horizon, about to start a picnic session right outside the dungeon!

Outwardly, Professor Rowan barely reacted, but the ridiculous scene left a bad feeling nagging at the back of his head.

Professor Arabella, meanwhile, pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed loud enough for everyone—especially a certain Club President—to hear.

They were not the only ones left dumbfounded. In truth, many of the Professors and students were paying attention to Endless Horizon.

Back at Frieden Academy, magical projections had been set up to broadcast the dungeon expedition as captured by the teleportation crystals hanging around each participant's neck.

'Just what is he up to this time?' Aeris frowned as she watched the young man eat sandwiches without a care in the world. 'Is this… is this his last meal?'

She wasn't the only one who thought Alex's end might be near.

'I hope you die inside the dungeon!' Eleanora thought hatefully as she looked at Chuck and Alex in the projection. 'I hope the monsters rip you all to shreds!'

The young lady placed her hand on her chest, right above her heart.

There, a symbol of a silver flame glowed faintly under her robe, proof of her contract with Chuck, who had forced her to submit to him.