The days at the academy continued with magic and swordsmanship training classes, followed by theory lessons. All first-year students began to understand the foundational knowledge taught at the academy as months passed by. Valkenholth Academy never made its teachings easy for anyone.
The fourth month for the new students...
Four months had passed, and the new students had finally grasped the fundamentals of their training, both in the magic class and the swordsmanship class. This intense period helped shape the minds and determination of the first-year students. Their initial foundations had now reached the Novice level for the Magic class students and the Apprentice level for those in the Swordsmanship class—which meant they were now ready to undertake academy missions.
These missions were designed to give students real combat experience and to earn their right to explore the wider world. Then, when all the students had gathered in the academy's great hall, Instructor Zephyr arrived to deliver the announcement regarding the first mission for the first-year students.
"Good morning, first-year students!... First of all, congratulations to all of you for making it through these past four months, sharpening your fundamental skills through rigorous training. Starting today, you are now eligible to take on the missions listed on the academy's bulletin board. Therefore, today marks your very first mission. Its purpose is for you to gain real battle experience and also to prove the results of your hard work over the past four months of training."
The students were excited and eager to embark on their first mission, as this would be their first real combat experience. Here, they would be divided into several groups, with each group consisting of five people and one academy-appointed supervisor.
"Your first mission is to explore a dungeon. You will be divided into groups of five—a combination of students from both the magic and swordsmanship classes. The dungeon you will be entering is located in Ardentfall Forest, which has already been surveyed by the academy and is under the watch of the supervisory team. Therefore, the area is secured, but that doesn't mean there will be no danger. So, stay alert at all times."
"And starting today, you will also be referred to as adventurers—although you don't have an official license yet. This mission will determine whether you are worthy of taking the next step. One more thing... When you enter this dungeon, you'll witness ruins of grand structures, something you've never seen before. However, you'll likely encounter monsters there as well. So, search for treasures hidden within the dungeon and defeat the monsters you encounter."
All first-year students were given the mission to explore the dungeon and defeat the monsters within. Each monster contained a core, and that core would be the source of points for the academy students. One core was worth 100 points, and from that moment, they competed to defeat as many monsters as possible. However, since this was a team mission, each student was expected to share the loot fairly among their group members.
After the instructor finished his explanation, the students hurried to form their groups. Many of them hoped to team up with the talented noble students—Leonhardt, Gray, Daliana, Aurelia, and Seraphine. These were the most outstanding first-year students during the four months of foundational training. Meanwhile, Aria simply wished to become stronger without standing out too much, desiring a peaceful life while still being able to protect himself.
All students had found their groups, and Aria ended up with a team of ordinary students, as the noble students weren't particularly interested in teaming up with commoners. But for Aria, that wasn't a problem. In fact, it would be a chance to prove how strong he was—even without a team full of prodigies.
"Alright, students! We're heading out to Ardentfall Forest now. Prepare everything you'll need—from gear to weapons for self-defense. You'll be in the dungeon for ten days, so make sure to pack only what's necessary for surviving in the wild," Zephyr said firmly, making sure no one left anything important behind.
Aria looked around and was surprised. Most students were carrying way too much stuff, as if they were going on vacation.
"Whoa... isn't this supposed to be a survival mission? But… Everyone brought so much stuff, haha. Do they think we're going on a holiday or something?" Aria muttered softly, chuckling a little at the noble students' behavior.
After everything was ready, the students began their journey to the dungeon site. They traveled by horse-drawn carriages and were escorted by several academy instructors until they reached their destination. There, they were greeted by several individuals who would serve as supervisors for each group during the dungeon exploration.
The students quickly made their way into the dungeon, and upon entering, they were shocked to discover a grand structure within. Though the building appeared to be an ancient ruin, it was still incredibly beautiful. Intricate ornaments decorated the walls, making the entire structure look stunning.
But what surprised the students even more was the fact that inside the dungeon, it looked as if they were under a real sky—it felt like stepping into another world. This place was indeed an ancient ruin, yet in this world, it was simply called a "dungeon."
Aria was deeply astonished by what he saw. It felt as if he had discovered a whole new world, one filled with hidden treasures waiting to be uncovered. At that moment, Aria felt a surge of excitement and eagerness to explore the dungeon as soon as possible—even dreaming of obtaining his adventurer's license so he could explore dungeons across the world. Aria's curiosity grew even stronger when he seemed to hear a whisper calling out to him. However, no one else heard it—only Aria could hear the voice. Shortly after, the whisper disappeared, and Aria, seemingly unconcerned about what it was, remained captivated by the wonders within the dungeon.
"This is truly amazing… it's true what they say—never judge something by its appearance. What looks beautiful isn't always good, and what seems ordinary might actually be the best."
And so, the dungeon exploration began. All the groups dispersed—eager to search for hidden treasures within the dungeon during the ten days they were given.