Dungeon [1]

A few days had passed since the incident with the senior, and life at Elysium had resumed its normal course. The rumors and speculation had died down, giving way to the usual excitement of classes and training.

Aiden and his friends were gathered in the library, immersed in their homework, when Kai burst in, a big smile on his face.

"Guys, guess what I discovered!" he exclaimed, drawing disapproving looks from the other students.

Ethan looked up from his book, intrigued.

"What, you finally found the meaning of life?"

Kai stuck his tongue out at him before leaning in, lowering his voice.

"Better than that. I found a book that talked about a hidden dungeon under the school. A place filled with powerful monsters and treasures!"

Mina frowned, skeptical.

"A dungeon? Under the school? Are you sure you weren't dreaming?"

But Aiden felt his heart race. A chance to become stronger, to acquire new powers... It was exactly what he needed.

"It's worth checking out, right?" he said, trying to contain the fever that threatened to show in his voice. "Just imagine what we could find down there... Enough to boost our abilities like never before!"

Ethan nodded, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"I'm in. It'll be one hell of a training session, at least. And a little adventure never hurt anyone!" he added, a glint of excitement in his eyes.

Mina sighed, seeming to weigh the pros and cons. Her cautious and thoughtful nature was visibly clashing with the temptation of adventure and challenge. After a few moments of hesitation, she finally relented, throwing her hands up in surrender.

"Okay, I'm in. But on the condition that we do this right, with method and caution. No taking unnecessary risks."

Kai practically bounced in place, delighted.

"Great! Let's meet tonight, after curfew. I heard the entrance is hidden behind the founder's statue in the main hall."

The rest of the day passed in a blur, classes and training sessions going by without Aiden being able to fully concentrate, his mind constantly drawn to the prospect of the coming adventure. However, he tried to maintain an impassive facade, not wanting to draw attention to their secret project.

That evening, they snuck out of their rooms, meeting in front of the imposing statue. After a few minutes of feverish searching, a muffled cry of victory reached them. Mina, sharp-eyed, had spotted a suspicious irregularity in the base, which turned out to be a cleverly concealed button. The mechanism was not so well hidden after all, as long as one knew where to look. 

Taking a deep breath, as if to summon courage, Mina pressed the button. Immediately, with a muffled creak, a section of the base swiveled, revealing a narrow staircase descending into darkness.

"Creepy..." Mina whispered as they entered the narrow staircase that descended underground.

They emerged into a vast circular room, illuminated by magical torches. Ancient frescoes adorned the walls, depicting scenes of combat and magic. And in the center, on a stone pedestal, sat a crystal pulsing with a bluish light.

"What the heck is that thing?" Ethan asked, approaching cautiously.

Suddenly, a disembodied voice rang out, seeming to emanate from the crystal itself.

"Welcome, young adventurers, to the Dungeon of Elysium. Here, you can test your strength and magic, face formidable creatures, and reap rewards commensurate with the risks taken. But beware: each level is more difficult than the last, and death is a constant threat."

Aiden felt a shiver of excitement run down his spine. This was exactly what he was looking for. A challenge to match him, a chance to push his limits.

"What do we have to do?" he asked the voice.

"Place your hand on the crystal and choose the difficulty level. But choose wisely: once inside, you can no longer turn back."

Aiden exchanged a look with his friends. He could read in their eyes the same determination, mixed with apprehension.

"Shall we go?" he said simply.

They nodded, sealing their pact. Together, they placed their hands on the crystal, choosing the first level.

Immediately, a blinding light enveloped them, and they felt themselves being sucked in, as if caught in a vortex of pure energy.

When the light faded, they found themselves in a rough stone corridor, illuminated by luminescent mushrooms. The air was heavy, thick with the smell of moisture and danger.

"Well then... Here we go," Ethan breathed, both excited and slightly cautious for once.

Aiden nodded, all his senses on alert. Somewhere, in the depths of this dungeon, lay the key to his future power. And he was ready to do anything to seize it.

At that moment, a notification appeared before his eyes, from the system:

"You have entered an E-rank dungeon. It is a weak dungeon, but it matches your level. Complete the dungeon to receive an additional level."

Seeing this notification, Aiden was both happy to be able to gain a level so easily, but he was slightly irritated that the system was implying he was weak.

"You'll see, I'll become so strong that you'll have no choice but to respect me," he thought, even though he doubted the system would really care what he thought.

Anyway, now it was time to move forward in this dungeon and see what they would find.

Quite quickly, the group startled, hearing a deep, muffled noise echoing through the tunnel.