The atmosphere in the gymnasium was thick with tension. Bloodstains, shattered glass, and scorch marks decorated the walls like grim reminders of the chaos that had unfolded hours earlier. Now, students huddled in clusters across the room, their faces pale, their bodies still shaking from the goblin assault.
The World System's blue interface still hovered faintly in the air, illuminating frightened faces with its eerie glow.
> [Announcement: Wave 2 completed. Wave 3 begins in 20 hours.]
[Warning: Dungeon Gate Detected — Subjugation Required to Lift School Lockdown.]
The message alone was enough to throw everyone into a new wave of panic.
---
Meanwhile, Arin, Kael, and Liora leaned casually against the wall in the corner, away from the bustling students. Unlike the rest, their expressions weren't painted with fear, but calculation. They'd already experienced this timeline once. They knew exactly what was coming.
> "Look at them," Kael muttered with a grin. "They're forming parties like it's a high school group project. Half of them are gonna end up arguing over who's the 'leader' before the boss even eats them."
> "Technically, that's exactly what happened last time," Arin said dryly, crossing his arms.
Liora smirked, flicking her bangs aside. "Yeah. I still remember that one guy who tried to solo the dungeon boss with a baseball bat… may he rest in pieces."
The three chuckled lightly, the sound out of place amidst the grim mood of the others.
---
In the center of the gym, Elias, now Level 12, was standing with several other students, barking out orders as if he were born to lead. His confidence contrasted the visible anxiety around him.
> "We need proper teams of five!" Elias shouted. "If you don't have balanced skills, you'll just die down there!"
> "Easy for you to say!" another student snapped. "Not all of us awakened as early as you did!"
The arguments began to boil. Tanks, healers, DPS — everyone wanted to be something cool, and no one wanted to be the bait.
---
[Footsteps approached from the west corridor.]
A familiar pair emerged — Ayla and Rhett, covered in light blood splatter, weapons still faintly glowing with residual energy.
> "Took you long enough," Kael greeted with a lazy salute.
> "Sorry," Ayla sighed, brushing her hair back. "The basement was… interesting."
> Rhett's expression was unusually serious. "There's something down there. Big. And definitely not a regular zombie."
Arin's expression hardened. "The boss."
Ayla nodded. "Yeah. D-rank minimum. Strong aura. Probably the source of the dungeon gate. There's also a lot of low-level monsters swarming around it."
---
[System Scan — Ally Status]
Name: Ayla Frost
Level: 19
Rank: D
Power: Cryokinesis
Class: [None — Advancement Pending]
Strength: 34
Agility: 29
Endurance: 32
Vitality: 33
Abilities: [Frost Lance Lv.3], [Ice Spike Lv.2], [Frozen Mist Lv.1]
Note: Potential Class: Frost Warden
Name: Rhett Blaze
Level: 19
Rank: D
Power: Pyrokinesis
Class: [None — Advancement Pending]
Strength: 36
Agility: 27
Endurance: 31
Vitality: 35
Abilities: [Fireball Lv.3], [Burn Trail Lv.2], [Heat Pulse Lv.1]
Note: Potential Class: Blazing Vanguard
> "One more level," Liora whispered, glancing at the glowing blue panels. "Just one more and they'll advance."
> "Yeah," Arin said, eyes narrowing. "And that's exactly why we're not wasting them on the first boss rush."
---
Around the gym, the other students were getting louder. Makeshift parties were formed — poorly balanced, poorly armed, and emotionally unstable.
> "So what do we do?" Kael asked quietly.
> "What we always do," Arin replied, smirking. "Let them test the waters. We'll clean up after."
> "That's cold," Liora teased.
> "Efficient," Arin corrected. "We're not heroes yet."
They all shared a quiet laugh, a strange calm in the chaos.
---
Up front, Elias stood on a chair to get everyone's attention.
> "Everyone! We'll go down tomorrow morning. We can't sit here forever. We clear the basement, and we're free. Got it?"
Cheers and murmurs rose among the students. They were still clinging to the illusion that they could just leave if they worked together.
Meanwhile, the reincarnators knew better.
The dungeon boss wasn't going to be easy. The system locking them in wasn't just for fun — it was to filter the weak.
Tomorrow… would be the first true bloodbath.