The moment classes ended, Rin and Taro found themselves swept into the current of students pouring toward the academy cafeteria.
It was massive—easily the size of a football field—and packed wall-to-wall with bodies. Elves, dwarves, beastkin, and humans all crowded shoulder to shoulder at rows of steel tables, their voices overlapping in a sea of chatter. The scent of a hundred different cuisines hung thick in the air.
Taro scanned the room. "Looks like every damn student in the school had the same idea."
Rin nodded. "We're gonna have to fight for a seat at this rate."
Then, amid the crowd, they spotted someone sitting alone at a corner table.
Jin Ferrin.
Taro gave Rin a nudge. "Come on. He's in our class, right? Might as well try."
They weaved their way through the throng. Jin noticed them as they approached, his eyes narrowing but his expression unreadable.
"Do you need something?" he asked flatly.
Taro lifted a hand. "Relax. Just thought we'd sit. Not like there's any space left."
Jin gestured toward the empty seats without a word. "Fine. Just don't talk."
Taro leaned in toward Rin. "Well, he's friendly."
Rin shrugged. "We'll survive."
They sat, but before long, the real shock came—at the food counter.
Rows of enchanted trays hovered midair, each displaying meals from across the continents: lava-broiled basilisk skewers, chilled kelp stew, thunderflame curry. But the prices beside them…
Taro gawked. "Two hundred bronze coins for plain rice?"
Rin stared at the numbers. "That's more than what the old man charged for full meals back in Matoka."
They both turned on their heels.
Five minutes later, they sat together under a tree outside the cafeteria, steam rising from their instant ramen cups.
"You really are a damn genius for packing these," Taro said between slurps.
Rin smirked. "Didn't trust academy food after they made us sign a waiver."
Their laughter drifted into the afternoon sun.
---
The next morning, Kobe strolled into class, hands behind his head like he'd just rolled out of bed.
"Yo! Hope you're all alive and kicking. Today we're talking groups and dungeons, so perk up those ears."
The class quieted.
"First things first—group of three. You pick who you want. I don't care if it's your best friend or your worst enemy, but you better submit the names by the end of the week."
Taro nudged Rin. "Still no clue who to ask."
"Yeah," Rin replied. "We'll figure it out."
Kobe clapped once. "Now. Dungeons. Scary caves full of stuff trying to eat you. Usually packed with monsters. Some have bosses. Some have traps. Some are so quiet they'll make you wish something would show up."
He started sketching on the board—poorly drawn cave entrances and horned stick figures.
"Monsters in dungeons can use magic just like us. Some even talk. And if you're lucky—or unlucky—there's a chance of running into something called a double dungeon. That's basically two layers. If you go in, expect a boss battle. A real one. Like, 'I hope you said goodbye to your loved ones' kind of real."
The room shifted. No one said a word.
"But hey, rewards are worth it. Monsters drop items, chests pop open with shiny things, all that jazz. Higher the dungeon rank, better the loot."
He paused, scanning the room. "Questions?"
Kaela raised her hand.
"Yes, Ice Princess?"
Her tone was quiet but firm. "What about demons?"
Kobe leaned back, gaze sharpening. "Ah… demons."
The levity dropped.
"They're not like monsters. They don't just attack for territory or instinct. They hate us. They look like us too, which makes them dangerous. Only way to tell? Horns. Big ones mean bad news."
Silence stretched across the classroom.
"Humans, elves, and dwarves have been at war with demons longer than any of you have been alive," Kobe continued. "We'll go deeper into that later. For now—don't assume a pretty face can't rip your throat out."
He turned back to the board. "Oh—before I forget. Dungeon ranks go like this: F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, and SSS. The further you go, the closer you are to either greatness or a very quick death. That's it. Class dismissed."
Chairs scraped back as students gathered their things, the tension still clinging to their movements.
Rin glanced over at Kaela as she exited. Her usual cool demeanor hadn't cracked, but something about her question lingered.
Taro stood beside him, thoughtful. "Demons, huh?"
Rin murmured, "Yeah. Guess reality's starting to kick in."