Chapter 116: 116 Fifth Floor.

“Incoming from the right”. Kurobe’s loud voice echoed within the spacious place.

Jin shifted his attention to the right. He tapped the mana in the air and raised a hand to conjure a spell.

“Whirlwind”.

A magic circle appeared on his extended hand, glowing. The wind around the approaching monster shifted. It swirled and created a towering pillar that swallowed its body whole.

*rawf!

Four creatures with dog-like faces engaged head-on with the vanguard team, which consists of Kaede, Kurobe, Paul, and Sam.

Jin picked the group from among many students in the first year.

Kaede’s brows twitched, and her sharp purple eyes shone in the dark as she effortlessly dodged the kobold attack, slipping past its flank and drawing her katana in one fluid motion.

A silver steel gleamed viciously as it decapitated the kobold’s head, blasting it into a black smoke that dispersed by the breeze.

Kurobe caught the kobold club, pulling the monster closer as he thrust a fist forward and flattened its elongated mouth, followed by unnerving cracks reverberating across the rocky field.

The monster’s body poofed into black smoke, leaving only a small grey mana stone.

Jin shifted his attention toward the other two from the Omega-Class. Paul retracted his spear behind him before thrusting it ahead, piercing through the kobold’s chest.

Paul looked to his side at the approaching kobold, but he was faster, leaping behind Sam, who held a towering shield that covered his body.

“Halt!”. Sam’s voice was low and decisive. His towering shield faintly glowed red.

The kobold stiffened, its body still with widened eyes. A foul smell of droll, crumpled Paul’s expression from the kobold’s open mouth as it fell to the ground.

A second passed, and the kobold’s body started to convulse wildly, its eyes bulged in furious glare.

“Paul”.

Paul ran toward the goblin, as Sam instructed. With a clean thrust, his spear put a hole in the monster’s head.

“Good job, guys”. Jin said, approaching from behind with parted lips.

He looked at Sam, who exhaled while wiping the sweat on his forehead. Since the first floor, Sam had stood at the forefront as a tough fortress, carrying the whole team.

Despite having a short constitution. His bravery was ahead of that of other students.

“Jin”. Kaede’s flat tone pulled Jin’s attention toward her.

The cat-girl approached the group while carrying the grey mana stone in her fingers. Kurobe followed behind her with a wide grin.

“Jin, we caught a big haul”. The cat boy patted the pocket in his pants, gesturing to the spoil of mana stone the group had collected since entering the dungeon.

Jin killed more than twenty kobolds with his wind magic. He became a mage who stood in the rear and let the others play in the vanguard.

He did not want to play safe, but he wanted to give them a chance to have their first kill and to experience exploring a dungeon.

However, to his surprise, both cat twins had experience diving into the dungeons in their homelands.

The other two, Paul and Sam, who came from the West, dreamed of becoming adventurers when they grew up. So, they were thankful for the chance.

“How about it? Care to continue?”. Jin swept his gaze around the group.

Without hesitation, they nodded with fire still burning in their eyes.

“Alright, return to your position”.

Jin issued his command, and the others moved briskly, creating a formation. Kaede, who had a superior sense, and Sam, who had tough defense, filled the two in front.

Kurobe and Paul were in the middle, ready to help the vanguard or to protect the rear as all-arounders.

Last was Jin in the back as a support, utilizing his control over mana in the atmosphere.

He didn’t even use his tracking spell in this exploration and let the other do the hard job.

While walking behind, his thoughts wandered to the possibilities of Kaede and Kurobe. Their strength was enough to put them within the Alpha Class.

Unlike the twin in his class, Jin preferred these two to stay and became candidates to be trained by him, like Silvia.

However, an unknown force of power repelled them to the Beta Class, even though Kaede and Kurobe were present in the entrance exam and showed their capabilities well enough.

’Something must be happening behind the scenes’. Jin’s brows knitted as he stared at the two cat-tails that swayed back and forth, enjoying their walk. ’Let’s ask Dannan later’.

The group proceeded without resistance, their footsteps echoing within the desolate space, a gentle reminder to keep their guard up.

His Jade eyes skill flared as he saw shadows that lurked in the corner dispersed away, revealing a hollowed wall.

As the group approached the passageway, Jin wrinkled his brows, smelling a crisp taste of something burnt.

Hot wind blew from within as it touched their nostrils, bringing a delicious aroma of mixed herbs and spices.

The group halted their steps and turned to Jin, his eyes narrowed in wonder.

His party exchanged dumb looks, and all the tension and the guard they put on dimmed.

“Jin, this was…”—Kaede’s low tone brought others’ attention to her.

“What is it, Kaede?”. Jin pressed. He noticed that Kaede’s nose had been twitching since earlier.

The cat girl kept maintaining silence while sniffing the smell that kept getting stronger.

“Meat!?”. Kaede’s tail sprang up, and her body dashed away, leaving her dumbfounded team.

“Kaede?”.

“Big sis”.

Jin and Kurobe’s voices overlapped with hardened expressions. His gaze shifted to his party member, who nodded in sync.

“Guys, keep your guard up! We will follow after Kaede”.

They moved under the same goal, to save the cat girl. Jin summoned his katana and ran to the front line, followed by others.

The three, who noticed that Jin had taken out his sword, gulped to moisten their parched throat.

A flash of memories resurfaced when the entrance exam event occurred. Jin dominated everything with his sword and magic. His figure reminded them of the Hero in ancient stories.

The group breached through the narrow path, descending the stairs that seemed stretched by their stressed thoughts of wanting to know the situation of the reckless cat girl.

A golden light bathed their figure; its warm embrace halted their thoughts momentarily.

The breeze exhaled a cool breath that soothed their ragged mind. A vast grassy plain stretched to the corner of the circular space.

He looked up and witnessed a glaring sun. A clear blue sky with no visible clouds, greeted him with a mocking laugh for being hot-tempered.

Jin flinched upon hearing a sizzling sound, and the flavour of spices tickled his nose. He turned to the source and found Kaede, surrounded by students, probably seniors.

“Welcome, to the safe floor where monster wouldn’t spawn here”. A handsome blond walked toward Jin, spreading his white grin. “We have been waiting for you, juniors”.

A hurried footsteps approached Jin’s side, coming from the cat-eared girl who carried a plate with plenty of meat.

“Jin, this is delicious. You should try it”.

Kaede’s eyes sparkled like a child who had bought a new toy. She used a fork to pierce the caramelized meat on the plate and bring it near his mouth.

The boy alternated his gaze before succumbing to the temptation. Jin opened his lips, then Kaede put the meat inside.

“How is it?”. Kaede’s ears twitched, waiting for his response.

“It’s good”.

Jin nodded, his lips loosened in a smile. The meat had crisp skin but tender inside, and the juice overflowed in his mouth each time he chewed it.

Kaede nodded and bolted away from the group, returning toward the steaming grill with a female senior who watched her with giggles.

Jin gulped the meat and glanced at the handsome senior. “What is this supposed to be?”.

The handsome senior looked at his comrade, who prepared everything.

“This was a planned surprise from Teacher Dannan”.

“I see”.

Jin exhaled as he saw that the other group beside him was attracted to the steaming grill.

“Don’t hesitate, let’s go over there”.

The handsome senior approached Jin’s party and guided them with a smile.

He stored the katana in his item box, planning to join the other. But his body refused to move.

It was subtle, but a touch of ominous presence breached his consciousness.

His battle-hardened instinct flared up, and he glared at the surrounding area, but he found nothing—only a vast plain with a calm atmosphere.

“Is it my imagination?”. Jin shook his head and turned toward the senior.

He was too preoccupied with his surroundings to realize that a miasma was huddled together on the ceiling, blocked by the sun’s glare.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep