Battleground (1)

"Look, you guys are great," Issac said, a hint of resignation in his voice. "And I genuinely look forward to teaming up with you all once we're beyond these university walls. But here, within the grounds of Regalia University, we have the perfect opportunity to push our limits and face formidable challenges. Taking calculated risks and venturing into the dungeon alone is my way of exploring the depths of my potential. And, honestly, I'm pretty sure it's going to be a walk in the park for me if I join hands with you guys. "

Enrique jokingly replied, "I can't tell if that's a compliment or an insult". He instantly received a friendly punch from Beaver on his shoulder, eliciting a groan from him.

"This is what you want, huh.." Maria's expression turned serious as she addressed Isaac. He nodded firmly, reaffirming his decision. Maria then turned to Edgar, patting him on the shoulder, and said, "Let's go, Edgar. We need to form a team."

"Hey, wait!" Beaver and Enrique, now standing alone, hurriedly approached Maria and Edgar. "What about us? We're still teaming up, right?"

Issac let out another sigh, his gaze fixed on the daunting dungeon before him. He clenched his fists tightly.

"Issac Volante," Professor Mosely called out loudly, causing a momentary hush to fall over the gathered hunters. With a deep breath, Issac walked purposefully towards the dungeon entrance. Confusion and curiosity danced across the faces of his peers, wondering why he chose to venture into the dungeon alone instead of with his party members.

Professor Mosely approached Issac. "You're absolutely sure about this?" he inquired, searching for any sign of hesitation. But Issac's resolve was evident as he nodded firmly, a faint smile gracing his lips. "I am."

Acknowledging Issac's determination, Professor Mosely raised his hand and pointed towards the dungeon's gaping maw. With a resolute tone, he declared, "Entering B-rank dungeon... Issac Volante, solo."

Gasps and whispers swept through the crowd of students, spreading like wildfire. Wide-eyed and astonished, everyone exchanged glances and murmured among themselves.

"No way! Did he just say solo?"

"He's crazy! Why would he attempt a solo run on his first B-rank dungeon?"

"Isn't that way too risky?"

Ignoring the whispers of his classmates, Issac strode purposefully towards the cave entrance. His determination was palpable, drowning out the surrounding noise.

"Do you think he'll be able to do it?"

"I don't know. On one hand, he is Issac. But on the other hand, this is his first B-rank dungeon."

"He's got some serious guts to take on a B-rank dungeon alone."

As he reached the threshold of the cave, Issac stretched his hand forward, and a brilliant purple glow of light enveloped him. In an instant, he vanished from sight.

WHAM!

"Woah!" Issac felt an unseen force propelling him forward, and he quickly used his feet to brake, coming to a halt. As he looked around, he realized he had been teleported into the dungeon.

Before him lay an underground cave, shrouded in darkness. Without hesitation, Issac retrieved his smart glasses and put them on, instantly illuminating his surroundings in an artificial glow.

"Luckily, no monsters at the entrance," Issac murmured, taking a deep breath to steady himself. He activated his smartwatch, and a small holographic map of the dungeon materialized in the air before him.

"The whole dungeon is about 800 meters long," Issac whispered to himself, a faint sense of relief washing over him. Compared to the dungeons he had faced before, including the C and D ranked ones, this B-ranked dungeon seemed relatively short. "Its manageable length might be why they deemed it suitable for university training," he speculated.

Issac pressed forward with a determined expression. As he advanced a few meters, he detected faint sounds emanating from a distance. He squinted his eyes, immediately halting in his tracks.

Raising his hand, Issac clicked a button on his smartwatch. In response, a small grappling hook shot up into the air, piercing the ceiling of the underground cave securely.

WHOOSH!

In an instant, the grappling hook launched Issac upwards, propelling him towards the ceiling. Reacting quickly, he twisted his body mid-air, skillfully landing upside down with the soles of his shoes meeting the cave's ceiling, dispersing the force of the collision.

THWACK!

As his feet touched the ceiling, small spike-like objects extended from underneath his shoes, firmly anchoring him to the surface. Confident in his foothold, Issac began walking slowly along the ceiling. Approaching a corner, he heard a series of ominous growls and rustling noises emanating from the other side, prompting him to exercise even greater caution.

GRRRAAAR! GRRR!

From around the corner emerged a group of four goblin-like creatures, each nearly the size of an average adult man. Their bodies bore a peculiar light blue hue, and their long arms grazed the ground as they moved with the agility of gorillas.

"Higher Grimborgs!" Issac's eyes widened, and he couldn't help but whisper under his breath. These creatures were elevated versions of the low-level monsters known as Grimborgs, commonly found in lower-ranked dungeons. He had studied them extensively during his zoology class, but this was his first encounter with the formidable beings.

'The higher grimborgs possess distinctive physical features compared to their low-level counterparts,' Issac contemplated inwardly. Unlike the typical green-hued grimborgs, these elevated beings exhibited a striking light blue coloration, increased size, and remarkably greater physical strength.

'So, grimborgs mark the first wave,' Issac deduced. Within dungeons, there were typically three groups of monsters, officially termed "waves." The first wave comprised weaker or lower-ranked monsters and could be found closest to the entrance of the dungeon. As a hunter progressed further into the dungeon, they would encounter the second wave, which consisted of comparatively stronger monsters. Finally, the third wave, the most formidable among the three, awaited near the dungeon's exit, posing the greatest challenge to overcome.

As Issac observed the grimborgs through his smart glasses, he couldn't help but think, 'I guess this is also a chance to test out the new feature Mr. Ritchie gave me...' He tapped the side of his glasses, and in an instant, the levels of the individual grimborgs appeared before him.

"Remember, Mr. Volante," Issac vividly recalled the conversation he had with Mr. Ritchie when he explained the new smart glasses to him. "Just keep in mind that this software is still in its beta phase," Mr. Ritchie warned, emphasizing his concern. "It might have some moments of weakness. Do not rely on it too much, do you understand?"

"That's what he told me..." Issac murmured softly, his voice barely audible to anyone else. 'But this is still pretty awesome.'

The smart glasses not only displayed the creatures' levels, but they also provided detailed information about each creature, including its current health status. The four grimborgs directly below Issac were all at level 16, which would have been overwhelming for an ordinary hunter attempting a solo run. However, Issac was no ordinary hunter.

WHOOSH!

With a swift motion, Issac deactivated his shoes, gracefully descending right into the midst of the higher grimborgs. His sudden appearance startled the creatures, but he wasted no time in greeting them.

"Hello there!" Issac's hands ignited with flames as he rushed towards one of the higher grimborgs, his movements fluid and precise, ready to engage in combat.

"GRRRAAAR!" The grimborg bellowed in fury, swinging its massive arms at Issac with brute force. However, Issac was a step ahead, using his mastery over air manipulation to effortlessly evade the creature's attacks, surprising even himself with his agility.

'Is the grimborg slower than usual, or am I really that quick?' Issac pondered, but he had little time to dwell on the thought. In one fluid motion, he leaped into the air, twisting his body skillfully, and delivered a powerful flaming elbow strike to the grimborg's jaw. The impact sent the creature flying several meters back before it crashed to the ground with a resounding thud.

As Issac turned around, he found himself facing the remaining three grimborgs, two of which were attempting to flank him from the sides, while the third charged straight ahead. Not one to back down, Issac took a deep breath and dashed towards the grimborg that was rushing towards him head-on. At the last moment, he swiftly ducked down and slid on his knees, effortlessly gliding beneath the grimborg's legs. As he rose back up, his hands ignited with blazing flames, channeling his power to the fullest.

With a burst of fiery energy, Issac unleashed a roaring wave of fire towards the two approaching grimborgs.

Swoosh!

The intense flames engulfed the creatures, causing them to screech in agony as they were momentarily forced to retreat, their advance halted. Issac swiftly spun around to confront the higher grimborg he had slid beneath moments ago. With a thunderous roar, the creature charged at him, its anger palpable.

GRRRAAAR!

The grimborg swung its massive hands, aiming to strike Issac with tremendous force. Reacting swiftly, Issac tapped a button on his smartwatch, projecting a shimmering holographic shield above his head. The shield materialized just in time, blocking the grimborg's attack with a resounding impact.

BAM!

The dungeon walls trembled from the force of the collision, but Issac stood his ground, his holographic shield holding strong. The higher grimborg staggered back, momentarily disoriented by the failed strike.

WHAM!

In a display of his air manipulation skills, Issac propelled himself backward, closing the distance between him and the grimborg in an instant. With a powerful knee strike enhanced by red flames, he rammed into the creature's gut, sending it hurtling into the cave wall.

Issac wasted no time, summoning a swirling vortex of fire around the two incapacitated grimborgs. The intense heat enveloped the fallen creatures, eliciting anguished howls as they were consumed by the blazing whirlwind.

With a swift turn, Issac faced the remaining two higher grimborgs, undeterred by the flames, lunging forward once again. But Issac was prepared.

"Two down," he declared, a confident smile adorning his face. "Two to go."