Traveling through the game world, starting out as a third-rate villain

Buzz!

I walked in front of rows of portals, looking for the entrance to my dungeon.

'This is a bit like a black market dungeon,' I thought to myself.

Although the academy does not have as many portals as the black market, it is enough to test students.

Today is the day of the practical exam, and we will be sent into the dungeon alone to face the challenge on our own.

【B-3】

When I stood in front of the dungeon door, a professor in charge appeared. I didn't know him, but he might be a tutor for other classes. Considering that the college has more than 2,400 freshmen every year, the number of tutors is also quite large.

“Ahem.”

The professor cleared his throat, drawing our attention.

"Good morning, students. Today, you will take a practical test in this dungeon. The academy has carefully selected dungeons of varying difficulty to match your skills and rankings."

He pointed to the portals behind him, each of which presented a unique challenge. "Your task is simple. Make your way through the dungeon, overcome all obstacles, and retrieve your assigned treasure at the end. You will be evaluated on your problem-solving skills, adaptability, and ability to work independently."

'There is indeed such a request.'

Most of the time, when it comes to dungeons, the condition for clearing the level is usually to defeat the boss monster. However, in this exam, we will not have teamwork, and cooperating with others to defeat the boss monster is not our goal.

In this exam, the completion condition is to reach the end and retrieve the designated treasure. After completing this task, we have basically completed the main goal of the dungeon.

The professor's eyes swept across the crowd, his voice serious and firm. "Remember, the practical exam is not just about survival, it tests your ability to thrive in an unpredictable environment. You will face unknown creatures, traps, and puzzles. You may even meet your classmates. In this case, alliances are allowed, but competition is inevitable."

He paused, letting his words sink in. "Once you enter the portal, the timer will begin. You have four hours to complete the task and return, or you will automatically fail."

"If you encounter an emergency, you can ask the faculty for help, but please be aware that doing so will cause the exam to be interrupted and your exam will be cancelled. Therefore, I suggest you try to hold on as long as possible."

Thinking about the various situations that could arise in the dungeon, I understand why the professor said that. In most cases, there is a big difference between working in a team and acting independently, and the students will experience this firsthand.

The professor's expression was serious. "Remain vigilant, have faith in your abilities, and rely on the training you've received since entering the academy. You've honed your skills with sweat and blood, and now this exam is your chance to prove your worth."

As he said these words, he glanced around, seemingly assessing each student.

"I wish you good luck and may you return victoriously."

After he said this, he walked aside, leaving us in line, and went to inform other students.

"All those entering Dungeon B-3, prepare yourself," the faculty member in charge of Dungeon [B-3] announced, grabbing our attention.

Students quickly began preparing, making sure they had their gear, identification bracelets, and other exam essentials.

One by one, students stepped forward and presented their identification bracelets to faculty members for inspection.

"Alex Rodriguez, ranked 1800."

As each student steps forward, the faculty member reads their name and rank aloud to ensure every student can hear.

"Aisha Sullivan, ranked 1950."

It was actually a very brutal method. I could clearly see the students' eyes starting to lock onto the target as each name came up.

'Take their possessions.'

After all, most people are greedy creatures, and even those in the Hunter Academy who know the cruelty of dungeons will find such people.

"Tom Anderson, ranked 2100."

......

......

When the instructor finally called my name, I walked over.

"Give."

Taking my card, the instructor loudly announced my name and ranking.

"Morse Scott, ranked 2450."

When my name and rank were announced, I could feel all eyes turning to me.

At this moment, I knew I had become an easy target. My name was known through rumors, and my low ranking made me a "prey" in the eyes of others.

"Everyone has been identified. Get ready, you are about to enter."

As the others strategized in their heads, the faculty member motioned for us to follow, and everyone headed toward the entrance to the dungeon.

However, when I walked over, I felt something was wrong. There seemed to be something unusual in the eyes that were cast towards me.

Bang! Bang!

My heart beat violently a few times, and my instinct was warning me that something seemed to be about to happen.

'What's going on?'

From what I remember, nothing will happen during the midterm.

Looking back, my eyes met with countless pairs of eyes looking at me. There were at least ten pairs of eyes staring at me, but I didn't notice anything unusual.

'Am I overreacting?'

Finally, I didn't give up the exam. It was impossible to withdraw from the exam at this time. Doing so would mean being expelled from the school. I had no choice but to enter the dungeon.

Buzz!

When we reached the dungeon entrance, the sound of the portal reached our ears.

"You may enter."

With the confirmation of the faculty and staff, everyone entered the dungeon one by one.

Boom!

As I entered the dungeon and gained my footing, that familiar feeling of nausea immediately hit me.

By this time, though, I was used to the feeling. Countless explorations of black market dungeons have made this feeling familiar to me. I even felt like my body had adjusted to it and the feeling wore off quickly.

I looked around calmly without even blinking.

"vomit!"

However, some students still vomited as if it was their first time entering the dungeon. I guess other students don’t have as many practical sessions with dungeons, which happens a lot more than I initially thought.

But I shouldn't focus on these students.

call!

A cold breeze blew by, and the chilly air brushed against my skin.

Ahead was an open asphalt road, dotted with ruined buildings, their walls covered in moss and vines.

There was no sign of life, as if everything in this world had been destroyed. This oppressive feeling permeated the air, as if something terrible was lurking.

'Like the end of the world. '

This is a post-apocalyptic world, possibly a dungeon inspired by another destroyed world.

'The college really put a lot of thought into it. '

Each dungeon has its own unique difficulty, adjusted based on the average ranking of the students entering. Dungeons with a "B" in their names are for lower-ranked students.

'Ethan might be in [B-1]. 'I thought to myself.

Since Ethan's ranking was similar to mine, he should also be assigned to a B-level dungeon. I'm not sure which one it is, though, because a small butterfly effect could change the dungeon he's assigned to.

"Wow...how amazing!"

"yes."

I could hear some students exclaim with wide eyes, obviously they were surprised. Their attention is mostly focused on meaningless things.

'It's time to act. '

My watch showed the time remaining in the dungeon, and I needed to find a path to my goal. Although this dungeon may not be long, the eerie atmosphere kept me alert and eager to leave this place as soon as possible.

With this thought in mind, I prepared my weapon and headed deeper into the town.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

I could feel my boots on the thick asphalt. The town was dead silent, as if there was no sign of life.

I call it a "town" because most of the buildings have been destroyed, but there are still some signs that show that this was once a place full of shops and other facilities.

Suddenly, I felt someone approaching. Not just one person, but many students approaching at the same time.

whoosh!

"Get out of the way."

One of the students ran past me quickly, followed closely by another. They ran on the asphalt as if it were a race.

'What a pity.' 'I thought to myself.

After all, as long as there are dungeons, there are monsters.

“Gurgle…”

The monster that suddenly emerged from the building confirmed my guess...