''Damn, I took too much damage...''


    Tristan inwardlymented as he assessed the severity of the injury to his right shoulder. The realization hit him hard, and he knew he had to act swiftly to prevent furtherplications.


    Drawing upon his divine power, Tristan cast several healing spells simultaneously. The wounds began to close, but to his dismay, the pain lingered, refusing to subside.


    His brows furrowed in difort as he nced at his right arm, the convulsing flesh causing a wave of nausea. It pulsed like a heartbeat, a grotesque rhythm that seemed on the brink of explosion.


    Tristan''s hands turned an unsettling shade of purple, and the odor emanating from the affected area resembled that of rotting flesh in the process of melting away.


    Breathing heavily, Tristan wasted no time. With a determined focus, he invoked purification magic. A golden light enveloped his right arm, simultaneously detoxifying the venom and easing the burden on his body.


    He also employed healing spells to regenerate the deformed arm, the magic working tirelessly to repair the damage inflicted.


    Desperation crept in as Tristan reached for his backpack. Fumbling for high-grade potions, he chugged them down, their effects quickly coursing through his system.


    The healing elixirs provided a momentary reprieve, yet the inexplicable thirst that apanied the pain and nausea persisted.


    Sitting behind arge boulder, Tristan surveyed the aftermath of the fierce battle, his eyes fixed on the massive magic stone at the center of the spiky yet sandyndscape. The remnants of the encounter with the colossal snake lingered in the air, and he couldn''t help but reflect on the challenges he faced.


    ''Maybe Alex would''ve fared better when fighting that thing''


    Tristan thought, his gaze shifting towards therge magic stone that had dropped when he defeated the formidable boss.


    He pondered the choices he had made during the intense confrontation, wondering if a different approach could have yielded a more favorable oue.


    Throughout the fight, Tristan had stubbornly relied on his shing techniques, repeatedly attempting to cut through the seemingly impervious scales of the gigantic snake.


    It wasn''t untilter that he realized the ineffectiveness of his attacks against the formidable foe. The realization struck him that his best form of offense had proven useless.


    He mentally chided himself for not discerning the creature''s immunity to his shes sooner.


    The urgency to devise an alternative n of attack only became apparent when the snake sank its enormous fangs into his right shoulder.


    Tristan grunted as the piercing fangs sought to drag him deep underground, threatening to end the battle in favor of the formidable serpent.


    In a crucial moment, Tristan clung to his sword with unyielding determination.


    Channeling a beam of aura into the snake''s mouth, he targeted a vulnerable point, piercing through the creature''s defenses and reaching its brain.


    The intense struggle between man and serpent reached its climax as Tristan''s maneuver proved to be the turning point.


    Despite the immense pain coursing through his body, Tristan''s resilience and quick thinking had prevailed.


    But…


    ''It doesn''t feel like I''ve won''


    This marked the first time Tristan truly grasped the significance of luck in battle.


    His unwavering belief in his gifted strength had often propelled him forward, but the encounter with the gigantic snake proved to be a humbling experience.


    The unexpected turn of events had reminded him that luck yed a pivotal role in the vtilendscape of battle.


    Had the colossal serpent not made the critical error of biting into Tristan''s right shoulder, where he seized the opportunity to pierce inside, the oue might have been drastically different.


    The realization settled in, and Tristan couldn''t help but acknowledge the fortuitous twist that had saved his life.


    ''I wonder how the others are doing?''


    Tristan pondered, the receding pain allowing his thoughts to wander. His concern for the well-being of hisrades lingered, and he hoped that their encounters within the dungeon were less perilous than his own.


    ncing at his right arm, still slightly damaged but visually healing itself, Tristan couldn''t help but appreciate the efficacy of Adrian''s potions.


    The magical elixirs had worked wonders, and he couldn''t shake the thought that he should have requested more before venturing into the depths of the dungeon.


    Currently situated on the north side of the fifth floor, Tristan reflected on his overconfidence.


    The rtive safety of this floor had led him to underestimate the potential threats it held.


    The encounter with the unexpected boss had served as a stark reminder that arrogance could be one''s downfall in the unpredictable realms of the magical dungeon.


    With a renewed sense of caution, Tristan rose to his feet. Approaching the gigantic magic stone left behind by the defeated boss, he faced the practical challenge of transporting it.


    Lacking the means to carry such a massive object, he wrapped his left hand with aura and methodically crushed the stone into smaller, more manageable pieces.


    Though the value of the magic stone might diminish, the significancey in the sessful defeat of the boss.


    "...Tristan?"


    Surprised by the sluggish voice, Tristan immediately turned around. There stood a girl, Be Raiseinler, yawning as she held arge pillow behind her.


    Behind her floated a carriage, or rather, a cart-like wagon filled to the brim with an abundance of magic stones.


    The stones were covered by bags, but the glistening shine within pierced through some of the holes, creating the illusion that she was carrying small stars behind her.


    "Be Raiseinler…," Tristan muttered, his eyes assessing her. Despite his weariness and injury, he couldn''t help but feel a bit wary.


    However, Be didn''t exude any dangerous aura, making it more likely that her appearance was coincidental.


    "Did – you…"


    yawn…!


    "Defeat a boss?" Be asked, her voice trailing off into another yawn. Her tired demeanor and sleepy expression made it evident that she had just woken up, and her eyes struggled to focus on Tristan.


    "Yes" Tristan responded, feeling a bit peculiar conversing with Be in this state. This encounter marked one of their first interactions, as their paths had seldom crossed despite both being at the top of their respective environments.


    "I see… I don''t see the big guy besides you, are you alone?" asked Be, her eyes showing a hint of curiosity as she surveyed the surroundings.


    "Yes, I wanted to take the exam solo, and Alex went to a different party," Tristan replied, his gaze briefly turning to the magical stones scattered around them.


    "Oh yeah… The big guy was with us," Be recalled, a subtle smile ying on her lips as she remembered Alex''s presence in her party.


    Be scrutinized Tristan again, her sleepy demeanor taking on a hint of concern.


    "You''re injured?" she inquired; her surprise evident at the sight of Tristan looking quite beat up. Although she hadn''t witnessed the jointbat exams, Be was well aware of Tristan''s formidable strength under the right circumstances – even she couldn''t beat him.


    "Yeah, haha… I got careless, you see," Tristan admitted, a wry smile on his face as he acknowledged hispse in judgment.


    "I see…."


    "…..."


    The conversation seemed to taper off, leaving an awkward silence in its wake. Tristan felt a sense of difort as he nced at Be, who appeared as if she might doze off at any moment. The pause hung in the air, and Tristan couldn''t shake the feeling that Be was using the brief silence to buy some time for herself.


    "Why are you here, Be?" Tristan inquired, his curiosity piqued by her unexpected presence.


    "I sensed strong mana spikesing in this direction.... As it was annoying, I came here to get rid of the thing doing it, but it seems you already took care of it...." Be replied, her voice groggy as she rubbed her eyes.


    Tristan couldn''t help but wonder if his intense battle with the dungeon''s boss had roused her from sleep. As a mage on the verge of reaching the pinnacle, her magical sensitivity was likely finely tuned. The mana fluctuations from their fight might have felt like a jarring rm, disrupting her rest.


    "Sorry, it seems my fight with it woke you up," Tristan apologized, bowing his head slightly.


    "Okay..."


    "…..."


    Silence settled between them once again, the remnants of their individual battles lingering in the air. Tristan felt a hint of awkwardness as he considered Be''s unexpected interruption.


    Be twitched slightly, as she suddenly closed her eyes.


    Suddenly, Be turned away, her body enveloped in starlight mana. "Anyway.... Bye-bye," she said before disappearing, teleporting away.


    Tristan watched as she vanished, the lingering traces of starlight marking her departure.


    Tristan scratched his head, the awkwardness of the conversation lingering, but he felt a slight sense of relief that Be hadn''t shown up with any hostile intentions.


    Even in the pursuit of magic stones, where students were allowed to take them by any means necessary, including stealing from others, the unspoken truce seemed to hold at least for now.


    ''Master told me that she felt something ominous in the dungeon and that I should be careful but… should I check it out?'' Tristan pondered, his mind wrestling with the decision. The warning from his master echoed in his thoughts, urging caution in the face of potential danger.


    Assessing his body once again, Tristan realized he was still in the process of healing. He retreated to a quiet corner, sitting down after collecting the fragments of therge magic stone.


    ''I shouldn''t hurry'' he thought, contemting the wisdom of taking things slowly. The exam had a duration of two weeks at most, and Tristan recognized the importance of resting now to ensure he would be in peak condition when facing whatever challengesy ahead.


    As he settled into a moment of respite, Tristan couldn''t help but reflect on the nature of his master''s warnings. There had been only a handful of instances where his master deemed something as dangerous, and each time, the danger was explicitly meant for him.


    The thought crossed his mind that if his master sensed something ominous in the dungeon, it could spell peril not just for him but for the majority of students unaware of the lurking threat.


    ''If so… most of the students here would probably meet their end when they encounter whatever my master meant'' Tristan mused, acknowledging the severity of the situation.


    ...


    In a vast and open space, the ground quivered beneath the pulsating rhythm of a fleshy red cocoon. A dark red aura surrounded it, intensifying with each passing second. The anticipation in the air was palpable, building up to a climactic revtion.


    Finally, the moment arrived. Something sharp pierced through the cocoon, tearing it open from the inside.


    Sharp ws, wrapped in a reddish aura, emerged as arge, muscr, red creature stepped out.


    The creature''s massive form glistened with a slimy red substance, its four arms flexing as it surveyed its unfamiliar surroundings with a mix of confusion and curiosity.


    As the creature stood there, crackling footsteps echoed through the space. A swarm of insect-like beings,posed of bloody flesh, approached, each carrying four axes.


    The red creature, inexplicably drawn to the axes, felt a surge of excitement coursing through its veins.


    Without hesitation, it reached out, grabbing all four axes with a gleam in its red eyes, roaring in satisfaction at the newfound weapons.


    Meanwhile, a girl with shoulder-length blue hair, radiating a starlight-like dazzle, stood nearby.


    Her eyes widened as she witnessed the unfolding scene, a mixture of curiosity and fear in her gaze.