"The third batch of people has entered the Val Dungeon."
Inside the lord's chamber of Sein Dungeon, Wade watched Gapar's party through a crystal ball.
Although Gapar's group was technically the third batch to enter, the first two batches had already died and been forced out. So at present, they were the only ones still active inside.
The earlier two groups were mostly familiar faces—with a few newcomers mixed in.
A notebook lay open across Wade's lap. It recorded the name of every adventurer; if he didn't know their name, he sketched a simple stick figure instead.
These people all had potential. Worth keeping an eye on.
At long last, Val was ready to step into the public eye. How gratifying. Truly gratifying.
After working day and night without rest, he had finally completed the Val Dungeon—though it was still only a half-finished product.
The reason it remained incomplete was that many of the "life-style dungeon" concepts only existed in rudimentary form and hadn't yet been fully developed.
And at present, there were only a handful of themed layers—still in the single digits.
To refine it properly, he would need to gather feedback from adventurers.
That was why he chose this moment to open it. His Mana was abundant, the protection period was still active, other dungeons couldn't interfere, and the nobles and outside forces were behaving—for now.
Everything was peaceful.
If not now, then when?
The dungeon's background story was set as an experimental creation by the mages of the Raya Lucaria Academy of Magic.
Mages from different worlds gathered here, freely unleashing their talents. Each layer possessed a completely distinct theme and aesthetic, with vast differences between them.
Between us—while the surface designs of each layer differed greatly, he had cleverly "reused assets" in many places.
It saved costs, yes. But more importantly, his brain was nearing overload. Reusing materials in harmless areas helped conserve brain cells.
In the foundational setting of the Val Dungeon, the entire structure could extend "infinitely" downward, divided into layered tiers.
Each major theme layer contained several subsidiary layers.
The outer region of a theme layer was an open map, containing a livable "Grand Safe Zone" and its own "ecosystem." Adventurers might encounter various Events there.
At the center stood the "Labyrinth." The labyrinth, together with the subsidiary layers beneath it, formed the core of that theme. It was the primary challenge area.
Theme layers and subsidiary layers were connected by teleportation.
Subsidiary layers also contained safe zones—but these required adventurers to unlock them through trials.
And in the future, they would face monster invasions.
Thus, these safe zones were positioned as "temporary resting points during adventure."
But if someone could permanently station themselves there and repel monster assaults… perhaps additional rewards might appear.
Once the entire labyrinth was conquered, adventurers could proceed to the next theme layer and begin a new adventure.
One important detail: once someone cleared a labyrinth and entered the next theme layer, a portal would appear in the Grand Safe Zone of the previous layer, linking the two themes.
That way, even those who couldn't beat the labyrinth could still delve deeper into the dungeon.
As for the price?
Once you went down, don't expect to come back up easily. Ascending required enduring certain… circumstances.
Unless you committed suicide. Dying to teleport back to the resurrection house was, technically, an option.
But would you really be willing to abandon the traces you left behind? The safe zones you opened might be claimed by others. The rare treasures you discovered might fall into someone else's hands. And what about your other attachments?
Death allowed you to bring back a small number of items.
But if you followed the dungeon's rules and climbed back up step by step, surviving while carrying all your possessions yielded far greater rewards.
Besides, leaving the Val Dungeon casually might cause you to miss certain things.
Those were the basic mechanics—for now.
Take Liurnia of the Lake as an example.
Its "Labyrinth" was the Raya Lucaria Academy itself.
Its "Grand Safe Zone" was the town before the academy gates.
As for a subsidiary layer's standard safe zone—take Village of the Albinaurics as an example. To unlock it, adventurers had to defeat the Omen Hunter gang. Afterward, it would face irregular invasions including—but not limited to—Omen Hunters, Perfumers, Revenants, and more.
"I wonder how far the Sword Saint and his group will make it. Hopefully they won't be like those unlucky first two batches—dying before even seeing a safe zone."
Wade yawned, forcing himself to stay awake as he watched Gapar's group.
He decided that after observing this batch, he'd go to sleep.
…Actually, maybe he'd have a drink first.
Though alcohol consumed by his external body had no effect on the dungeon body.
Once he started treating dungeon-building like work, he realized something—after intense labor, people really did need a drink to unwind.
No wonder adventurers loved taverns. Now he understood.
"Let's see… their current position… pretty close to the academy gate town."
The more safe zones adventurers had unlocked, the more choices they would have when teleporting into the Val Dungeon via the sealed magic classroom.
If they had never entered a safe zone, teleportation would be random—but they wouldn't end up stuck inside trees or anything ridiculous.
Likewise, even those who had unlocked many safe zones could still choose random teleportation for excitement.
Random teleportation would be limited between the first layer and the deepest layer they had reached, though certain special areas were excluded.
Labyrinths were also excluded from random teleportation.
Wade yawned again and rubbed the corner of his eyes, continuing to watch the crystal ball.
Behind him, atop the altar, a letter silently materialized.
A letter of a color he had never seen before.
(***)
The lake was blue.
The clouds were white.
The crystals shimmered.
The distant horizon was wrapped in mist.
That was Gapar's first impression upon seeing Liurnia of the Lake. Forgive him—he couldn't think of more elegant adjectives.
After enduring a full minute of darkness, suddenly witnessing such a "shocking" sight left no room for refined vocabulary.
What does "a sudden clearing of vision" mean?
This is what it means.
Before him stretched an endless expanse of azure lake. Unlike ordinary lakes—either deep blue or murky green—the water here shimmered with a fluorescent glow like glintstone sorcery, as though glintstone itself had melted into liquid form.
It was afternoon; the sun still shone brightly. The lake reflected like a mirror. At night, when scattered points of fluorescent light awakened, this place would surely become dreamlike.
High mountains encircled the lake, mist curling through their peaks. In the distance, crystal pillars of varying heights rose from the water, glinting faintly through the haze.
Further beyond, broken structures flickered into view.
Suddenly, a horse-like creature darted through the mist. Gapar's keen vision caught more details—there seemed to be a figure slumped across its back.
A monster?
In any case, it didn't feel safe.
A lake like a dream.
Danger hidden beneath beauty.
Towering mountains along the horizon.
Gapar had traveled far in his life. He had seen the burial grounds of barbarian ancestors, the hidden forests and Moonwell of the elves, the legendary land said to entomb a hundred dragons.
All of them stirred the senses deeply.
And in his heart, Liurnia of the Lake was no less magnificent.
In the outside world, this would be a setting fit only for epic ballads.
The group's reactions varied—but all shared admiration for the scenery.
Anyone with eyes could tell—the night here would be even more beautiful than the day. They longed to stay until dusk.
Gapar looked ahead. Nothing but water and mist.
He turned around. The same view.
In every direction—vast lake.
The question was: where to go?
They discussed briefly and picked a direction at random.
In the lord's chamber, Wade covered his face.
"They went the wrong way. The academy gate town is in the opposite direction."
He made a few adjustments on the dungeon interface.
Suddenly, Gapar's group heard a dragon's roar.
They looked up.
A massive dragon swept overhead, flying in the opposite direction of their travel.
The group exchanged glances—and gave chase.
Not long after, they helplessly admitted they had lost it.
The dragon had appeared mysteriously—and vanished just as mysteriously. What was the point of its entrance?
In truth, Wade had merely temporarily deployed a glintstone dragon from another region.
"Plop. Plop."
Shoes stepped into shallow water, splashing droplets onto pant legs. Their footwear was soaked, making each step unpleasantly damp.
A mage could not tolerate such indignity.
Tursey immediately cast a water-repelling spell. As they walked, an invisible force pushed the water aside.
"Nothing but water," Roger muttered, kicking a small stone.
The pebble struck a raised rock and splashed into the lake.
"There's a building over there," Gapar pointed.
They moved toward a small pavilion in the mist.
Seconds after they left, the "rock" trembled.
A certain animal—once known as the "Wise Beast" in its battle against Leon—raised its head.
Then nudged its disguised companions awake.
"It's just a pavilion…" Tursey sighed in disappointment. After walking so long, they had only found stone benches for resting.
Still, after such a trek, rest wasn't unwelcome.
The professors took out stamina potions and gulped them down.
Roger finished his potion—his stamina restored—but his stomach still felt empty.
He glanced at Gapar. The Sword Saint was old-school—he believed in chewing food for energy.
Gapar, noticing Roger staring at his dried meat, handed him an almond-cabbage roasted whole pork sandwich.
It was cold—but in a dungeon, it was a feast.
"Ding-ling."
A hollow bell rang through the air.
The group instantly tensed.
The ringing drew closer.
A spectral steed burst through the mist, charging straight at them. The rider shook a bell, and black-and-gold offensive spell orbs materialized midair.
[Spectral Rider]
As the Spectral Rider appeared, ripples spread across the water near the pavilion. Smaller specters emerged one by one.
"So it was a trap," Gapar said.
He drew his sword and leapt at the rider.
"Whoosh—"
"Smack!"
"AH!"
Suddenly Roger screamed.
He had been headshot.
A water cannon—no one knew why it was even here—struck him square in the face, knocking him flat instantly.
Tursey snapped her gaze toward the source.
In the far distance, enormous alien-like creatures were approaching.
They looked like…Lobsters?