25
“Hey, cop an eyeful of that!”
Milo ignored the comment which came somewhere from his left as he entered the Dungeon Hall.
It wasn’t much of a hall. More a wide open room with a large archway at the end. Inside the arch, a glowing curtain of blue light rippled like fluid. Like the other students, he would soon walk through that curtain and find himself in a new world.
The idea was thrilling.
But the reality was terrifying.
In order to return, he would need to complete the requirements of the world to unlock a gate which would bring him home. If he couldn’t, he would remain in that world until he did or until he died.
There was no way to know which.
Now and then, a student might return who had been in one of the spawned worlds for months. Years sometimes. There were even rumours of a few returning after decades.
The longer they stayed, the crazier they became. Returning with gibbering tales of harrowing horrors that could only be explained by their broken minds.
Because even if half of what they spoke of was true, then the mages were playing with powers they clearly didn’t understand.
Milo stared at the archway and shuddered. He personally believed it was a bit of box A, and a bit of box B.
Beside him, Tania flounced nonchalantly, ignoring everyone else in the room.
She was dressed in the same student robes as everyone else. But she’d cut hers short. Short enough that when she bent over, he saw flashes of her white panties.
He knew this was deliberate, because she always grinned at him when she caught him looking.
Not that he was looking on purpose.
It was just that the sudden flash of white caught his attention.
It wasn’t his fault.
And his attempts to get her to wear a proper robe went unheard.
His argument that people would notice she was different was countered by her argument that humans aren’t much different to dwarves and would be too focused on her legs to care what they were made out of.
And, judging by the looks on most of the faces around him, he grudgingly admitted she might be right.
“Is that Milo?”
“What’s he doing here?”
“And with her?”
Waves of disbelief radiated towards him, making his cheeks flush. He wasn’t used to this sort of attention. Even when he was being bullied, most people just pretended it wasn’t happening. That they couldn’t see him.
But now they were staring openly.
Tania aimed herself at the archway and put a hand on her hip. “So, that’s the dungeon-maker is it?” She let out a snort. “It don’t look like much.”
“It’s dwarven,” Milo said.
“I can see that. My peepers work just fine, you know.”
“They should,” he muttered softly. “I upgraded them yesterday.”
She giggled and hooked her arm through his. “And don’t think this gal ain’t grateful.”
“You can’t be serious,” Fergus gurgled out from behind them.
Milo glanced back. He’d been hoping to avoid Fergus.
Instead he saw the other young man was with his permanent goon, Jin Stimpleton. Stimpleton was strapped with armor and carrying a heavy warhammer in one hand and a shield in the other.
Master Finklestern, who lectured on tanking techniques, would no doubt be very impressed, Milo thought.
“Jin, are you seeing this?”
Jin’s eyes lifted up Tania’s legs as he nodded slowly. “I’m seeing it alright,” he said. “Ain’t sure I’m believing it, though.”
“I’m Fergus,” Fergus said, thrusting out a hand to her.
“Fergus Paddstone. This is my tank, Jin Stimpleton. He’s the toughest tank in the whole Academy.
And I’m rated six. I have to say, if you’re teaming up with the normie here, you’re gonna get wasted in there.
Why don’t you team with us instead? We can look after you. ”
“Huh?” Tania furrowed her brow at him. “You’re a six?”
Fergus puffed out his chest. “That’s right.”
“Well, I don’t think that’s good enough for me to switch teams,” she said. “Come back and try again when you get a little bigger.”
“What are you talking about?” He pulled his hand back and stared at her like she was stupid. “I said I’m a six.”
“Well, I’m a nine,” she said casually, making Milo groan.
He’d told her to set herself as a five.
Clearly she hadn’t listened.
Fergus’ eyes boggled. “You’re a what?”
“So, you can see you ain’t impressing me at all, tiny.” Tania puckered her lips and blew him a kiss. “Now, scram. You’re leeching all the fun outta my day.”
“Alright alright!” a heavy voice called from the front of the room, cutting off anything else Fergus might say. “Can I have your attention, please? Silence. I said SILENCE!”
It was like a wave nullified even the sound of breathing as Headmaster Kendrickburn shouted from a raised platform beside the archway.
The sound was more impressive given he was such a small man.
Even smaller than Tania, he wore thick-rimmed glasses and had a bushy black mustache drooping over his lips. In one hand he held a thick black staff with a large silver head shaped like a dragon. Inside the dragon’s mouth was a Machine Core. It glowed with warm red light.
Tania squinted at the staff.
She didn’t like seeing cores used like that.
“Thank you,” Kendrickburn said in a soft voice which carried heavily through the hall.
“Now, I’m sure you all know why you’re here.
The completion of this dungeon makes up a significant portion of your final mark and is integral to your moving on to second term.
I hope you all have your strategies ready. ”
A few bubbled murmurs made him nod.
“Excellent,” he continued. “I also note that a few brave souls have elected to go alone this year. That’s very bold of you.
I will personally return your remains to your families if there are any.
For the rest of you, this is a Duo Event, remember.
So, only teams of two are allowed within the dungeon.
These are things you should know, but there’s always a few dopes who didn’t pay attention or think they’re special. ”
More bubbled murmurs made the Headmaster smile.
“Now,” he said with a wave towards Mistress Vizzingbelle. “The names of your registered Team Captain will be called one at a time. Please make your way to the front when you are called and step through the Curtain. Don’t dilly dally. It will only slow things down for everybody.”
He took a deep breath.
Swept his twinkling gaze over everyone.
“Some of you will die today. But those who survive will carry the Academy and magecraft into the future. Do us proud, my little initiates. We are watching!”
And with that, he stepped back and waddled off the platform.
“Carry on, Mistress Vizzingbelle,” he called cheerfully.
The tall woman cleared her throat. “Cerena Fenwington.”
Cerena and Belt gave a startled shake at their names being called first. Then they scuttled quickly through the crowd to the front.
Belt was dressed up similarly to Jin.
In fact, looking around there were a lot of Tanks, Milo thought.
Maybe he should build a tanky golem for the next dungeon, which was supposed to be a trio mission. The 61-F model whose plans he’d originally pulled out looked like it was fairly tanky.
“Kally Kritchton.”
As names were called, Milo began to feel nervous. His mouth was dry and his belly trembled. What if something went wrong? Dungeons were supposed to test the skills of mages, but Tania was no mage.
Neither was he.
Everything he’d read about the dungeon suggested golems could complete it. But what if he was wrong?
What if it really did require magic?
The two of them could be stranded there forever.
Unable to return.
“Fergus Paddstone.”
“Well, looks like that’s the last I’ll ever see of you, normie,” he sneered as he stepped past Milo. “Shame about your friend. But she’s clearly got more than a few bottles missing if she’s willing to team with you, eh?”
Jin elbowed him as he lumbered past.
The impact pushed Milo off balance, and Tania snapped an arm out to catch him.
Her face watched the pair coldly as they headed towards the dungeon.
“One day, I’m gonna wallop those two so bad,” she muttered.
“Forget about it,” Milo said. “They’re just immature.”
“That ain’t no excuse for being mooks,” Tania pouted.
“Milo Mooney.”
Milo gulped as Mistress Vizzingbelle called his name.
Even she sounded surprised as she called it.
He shouldered his sniper rifle and led the way, Tania skipping along behind him. As they reached the Arch, the Survival Teacher raised a brow in query. Softly, she asked; “Are you sure about this, Milo?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“Miss Tazzlefoot?” Mistress Vizzingbelle frowned at her. “I haven’t seen you in my classes.”
“Thanks! I’m really sneaky.”
“Then I’ll keep an eye out for you in future. Are you sure you want to go in? Together?”
Tania nodded. “Affirmative!”
“Then you can go in.”
Milo took a step towards the dungeon, but Tania snatched his arm. “So, what’s the record?” Tania asked the mistress.
“Record?” Mistress Vizzingbelle looked confused.
“Yeah. You know. What’s the fastest this old thing has been run?”
Mistress Vizzingbelle looked concerned. “The normal time is a few hours, Miss Tazzlefoot. But you should not make the mistake of treating it like a game.”
“Yeah yeah.” Tania waved her hand and pushed Milo ahead. “Don’t get all excited. But hold your hat, lady, because you’re about to see what a couple of aces can do!”
Milo took a deep breath as the buzzing curtain crackled in front of his nose.
Then he stepped through.