As soon as they stepped onto the first floor of the dungeon, Selene's sharp voice rang out. "Weapons out. Everyone, now."
Her tone left no room for argument, even though it might have seemed like overkill to some. Every student present was a proven talent, each one of them strong enough to reach at least the tenth floor on their own, but dungeon rules were unforgiving, accidents like monsters escaping from the lower floors were not uncommon, and caution was a habit drilled into them from day one.
Elion calmly reached behind his back and drew a simple sword from its sheath. It was a common-grade weapon, with a flat edge, a thin but long blade, and no decorations to speak of.
The moment it appeared, a few snickers rose from William's group several meters away, accompanied by looks of open disdain. To them, a weapon like that was something only desperate or incompetent fighters would use.
