Conquering The Novel

The first match of the tournament was about to commence, and each academy was determined to send in their strongest team to explore the virtual dungeon and claim the crystal at the end.

It was a chance to show their dominance from the very first match and set the tone for the rest of the competition.

Leading the team from Soreh Academy was Ares, accompanied by Claude, Diana, Eric, and Livia - all of whom were first-year students.

It was an unexpected lineup, as inexperienced students were rarely chosen for such events, let alone make up the entire team.

Erina, who was hesitant about the decision, voiced her concerns to Ares when they were left alone in the meeting room.

"Are you sure about this, Ares? We could add some more experienced students from the second or third year."

Although she knew that they were strong students, she was aware of the challenges that they would face due to their lack of experience.

Ares turned to Erina, sensing her hesitation. "I understand your concerns, Erina, but trust me, our team is more than capable of handling this. By showcasing our superior capabilities at the onset, we can set the tone for the entire tournament."

Erina nodded, reassured by Ares' confidence. "I trust your discernment," she said, a small smile appearing on her face.

"I appreciate your trust," Ares responded with a smile before exiting the room.

His teammates, who were participating, eagerly awaited his arrival outside. "Are you all prepared?" inquired Ares, to which they all replied in unison with a nod.

...

As they entered the virtual reality room, they were met with students from other academies. Most of the students were from the second or third year, with only a few first-year students from each academy.

"So, Hercules isn't participating in this match, huh?" Ares muttered as he surveyed the students gathered in the room. He noticed the twins, Eva and Ava from Cherry Blossom Academy, taking part in the first match as well. They gave him a skeptical look, likely still wondering how he knew about their unique duet technique. Ares just grinned in response.

"Is everyone ready for the first match?" a cheerful white-haired woman asked with a smile as she entered the room.

But no one replied to her. The anxiety of competing against the best students from other academies had already taken hold of them.

"I see. You're all nervous about your first match, huh? It's understandable," she said, nodding repeatedly.

"Are you students worried about the issue of eight teams and only four crystals to be claimed?" She asked, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

"Can't you just steal it from the other teams? Why not just hunt the teams instead of the monsters? If there are no teams, all the crystals will be yours," She said with a devious sparkle in her gaze, stretching her arms out wide with a sly grin.

"...."

'...She is not right in the head.' the competitors thought inwardly, unsure of what to make of her suggestion.

The woman shifted gears, her eyes glinting mischievously as she revealed an unexpected twist to the tournament rules.

"Ah, but there's something they didn't tell you in the instructions," she said, drawing their attention back to her. "Yes, it's true that only the first four teams to claim a crystal and exit the dungeon will earn points for it. But what they didn't mention is that eventually, all teams will cross paths and be forced to fight both monsters and each other for the crystals.

It's a battle royale, so to speak, and the only way to win is to not only claim the crystal, but also keep it safe from your rivals as you make your escape through the ONE AND ONLY exit."

!?

The shock on the students' faces was palpable, and their hearts raced at the thought of the chaos that was sure to ensue. With multiple paths to choose from, they hoped there would be enough exits for everyone.

The woman's smile only widened in response, clearly enjoying the chaos she had stirred up with her revelation.

She then clasped her hands and let out a small sigh, her eyes scanning the group before her. "Now, it's time for you to enter the VR rooms designated to your academy," she announced.

With a press of a button on a remote she was holding, eight doors sprang open, each one marked with the name of a different academy. The students hesitated for a moment, casting wary glances at their opponents before them.

As they made their way toward their assigned rooms, the woman's voice rang out once more. "Remember, your mana and strength levels will be automatically adjusted equally to match the dungeon's difficulty. And after you teleport, you'll have the option to select a single weapon to aid you in your quest."

The students nodded, trying to steady their nerves as they stepped inside their respective virtual rooms, knowing that the dungeon would be treacherous and filled with danger.

***

Ares and his team stepped into their designated pod, the door sliding shut behind them. They quickly strapped on their VR gear, adjusting it until it fits comfortably.

A sense of excitement mixed with apprehension hung in the air as they prepared for the challenge ahead.

Diana spoke up, "Remember, we're a team, and we stick together. We'll have each other's backs and make it through this together."

"...Right," Eric said, nodding in agreement. "We need to stay focused and be aware of our surroundings. We can't let our guard down for a second."

The screen in front of them flickered to life, and they felt themselves being transported into the virtual world of the dungeon.

...

...

Beep!--

[Preparation Phase: 2 minutes]

The team materialized in the dungeon, and a timer for the preparation phase appeared on a floating screen in front of them.

And they were presented with a range of weapons to choose from, and without hesitation, Ares selected his trusted katana.

Similarly, Diana, Livia, Claude, and Eric selected their respective weapons. Once they had made their choices, the screen vanished.

They accessed another screen that displayed their HP and Mana, along with a voice chat option.

As Ares turned to face his teammates, he noticed their HP displayed above their heads. Each teammate could also see the HP of the others.

"Hello, hello, mic testing!" Diana's voice echoed in the voice chat.

"Shut up!" Livia said immediately after hearing Diana's voice that echoed in her ear.

"...."

"Considering our mana levels, I don't think we can afford to use our skills recklessly," Claude said.

The team nodded in agreement, unsure if their mana would regenerate or if they would have to complete the entire match with their current levels.

Ares, however, was not concerned, as he knew that all the other teams would be facing similar limitations.

Beep!--

[Preparation Phase Ended: Let The Dungeon Crawl Match Begin!]

Their thoughts were interrupted by the robotic voice as it announced the end of the Preparation Phase.

Ares wasted no time in taking charge. "Listen up," he said. "Time is against us. We need to stick together and conserve our mana. Let's move ahead without delay."

"Claude, scout ahead and report back. Diana, cover our flanks. Eric, take point. Livia, keep us protected with your ice spells," he ordered.

The team nodded in unison and began to advance, their footsteps echoing through the dark corridor.

Claude moved ahead silently, like a stealthy assassin, his keen senses on high alert. Suddenly, he signaled to the others to stop, a warning in his eyes.

"I can hear movement," he whispered.

Ares nodded in agreement. "Eric, take point. Diana, get ready to shoot. Claude, stay hidden. Livia, be prepared to shield us."

With their limited mana, Ares knew it would be foolish to recklessly engage with the enemies. Additionally, since they would be facing other teams at the end, he knew they had to conserve as much mana as possible.

Eric, a towering tank, advanced with his shield at the ready. Diana drew her bow, nocking an arrow in preparation for battle, while Livia conjured a shimmering ice barrier to protect them.

Suddenly, the team was ambushed from all directions by a pack of snarling werewolves. Ares reacted quickly, dashing forward and slashing through their thick hides with deadly precision. Meanwhile, Claude slipped into the shadows, his agile form darting in and out of the fray, dealing quick and fatal stabs with his twin daggers.

SWASH-- SWASH--

Diana stood back, unleashing a barrage of arrows that whizzed past Ares and Claude by a hair's breadth before finding their mark.

SWOOSH--SWOOSH--

Her arrows pierced through the werewolves' armor, exploiting their weak spots.

Eric, the team's shield-bearer, stood his ground with his shield raised high as the werewolves charged at him. He braced himself, slamming his shield into them with a resounding clang, knocking them off balance and allowing the rest of the team to strike with deadly precision.

CLANG--

Meanwhile, Livia channeled her icy magic, causing the ground to freeze beneath the Werewolves' feet, leaving them vulnerable to attacks from the rest of the team.

As the battle raged on, the team worked together flawlessly, covering each other's backs and taking down the monstrous beasts with relentless ferocity.

Finally, with a final roar, the last Werewolf fell, and the team breathed a collective sigh of relief. Ares nodded in approval, scanning the area for any further threats.

"Good job, everyone," he said, his voice low and steady. "But we can't afford to let our guard down. Let's move ahead, but remain vigilant."

To be continued...