The Runic Alchemist

The eighth level tested the students quite a bit, but they still managed to reach the keypoint by the time darkness fell. Damian illuminated the way as they all gathered and faced the last of the monsters clustered near the keypoint. They slaughtered them all and settled there.

For some reason—most likely due to the strange dungeon mechanics—the monsters were always densely packed near the keypoint, defending it with their lives. The boss monsters, even more so than the rest. They hadn't encountered a single boss monster yet, but one should be waiting on level ten. And it would likely be at least Emperor-level. Damian could now understand why students never got past level seventeen. The one on level fifteen should be even more powerful—if not in sheer strength, then in pure difficulty.

Everyone was irritated from the heat and exhausted, yet they still did their chores. Damian constructed another pool for them to rest in and reinforced their shelter.

Though everything seemed normal, something happened that night that made Damian raise an eyebrow.

One of the commoner beastmen boys following Kamisen and one of the noble students following Evrin exchanged heated words over cooking duties. At first, Damian assumed it was just the heat making them irritable, but then he remembered what Kamisen had mentioned before.

Was the underground beastmen revolution spreading across the four kingdoms the real reason behind this argument? He hadn't paid much attention to how the beastmen and nobles interacted at the academy. Maybe this kind of conflict was common there.

After the execution of Kazak—whom all beastmen called The Guardian Father—the people of Eldoris had become despised by beastmen across all kingdoms. While he was in Eldoris, Damian had even heard rumors that some beastmen groups in Ashenvale were gaining real support because of this movement. Some had even attacked Eldoris forces stationed in Ashenvale.

The beastmen population in Eldoris had dwindled significantly, leaving the kingdom with a severe labor shortage in the third-category jobs. Those few who remained were regarded with suspicion by the native population, seen as traitors or cowards after what their kin had done. The unrest was spreading. Wealthy travelers had been ambushed, people had gone missing, and some villages had been outright raided by groups that were not exactly bandits—but rather followers of the anti-Eldoris movement.

And it wasn't just beastmen. Many commoners from various kingdoms were beginning to sympathize with the cause, a growing threat that no ruler seemed to be paying attention to, too busy waging their own wars to notice the storm brewing beneath them.

Then again, it might have been nothing that serious. Still, Damian ordered Einar and Sam to keep an eye on those two groups, just in case.

That night, as if the unrest had infected the air itself, even some of the Sunkeeper section Highswords came dangerously close to their barrier. A short while later, other mana signatures appeared—supporters of the Worldscribe and Voidshaper factions. The groups lingered together for some time, most likely having a conversation, before retreating to their respective sections.

In the morning, they moved on to level nine of the dungeon. Along with the monsters from earlier floors, they now had to deal with Blazeborn Serpents—coiling flames that took the form of giant snakes, Ember Leeches—heat-draining parasites that latched onto their victims, Charcoaled Terrors—fire-drenched horrors lurking in the smoke, and Ash Golems—constructs of hardened soot.@@novelbin@@

The leeches weren't strong, but they were maddening. They clung to the skin, draining heat with a sting, making everyone's irritation spike. The temperature ranged from thirty-five to thirty-eight degrees, and for those who had spent months in the cold climate of Edgeheaven, the shift was unbearable.

Many could endure it, but the real problem was the relentless monster fights. With the exhaustion piling up, they had to adjust their schedule. By midday, they sought out shade and rested, only resuming battle when the heat was lower. Early mornings and late afternoons became the ideal hunting periods.

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Some, however, refused to follow the schedule. Kamisen's and Alex's groups were particularly stubborn, pushing forward when they should have rested, delaying everyone else. On the other hand, Sam and Lucian's group had the opposite issue, needing far too many breaks. Sam, Lucian, and Maelor worked hard to keep their team at a normal pace, spending more energy than necessary to compensate for the sluggishness of their companions.

Among the pugilist students—only five in total—two were in Damian's group, while the rest were with Kamisen and Karl. Their team was a mess, constantly bickering over positions and pacing. Damian had to intervene again and again, but it wasn't a problem that could be solved easily.

After much thought, he decided that once they reached level ten, he would lead all fifty of them personally. Splitting into small teams was becoming less effective as the difficulty increased.

It took them two days to clear level nine—twice the time they had needed for previous floors. The conflicts, the heat, and the sheer number of monsters all played a part in slowing them down.

Finally, they crossed into level ten. Damian immediately ordered everyone to stay together. He maintained their team formations but positioned them closer, adjusting their placements himself. Whenever someone protested, he shut them down with a simple choice: follow orders or leave.

Soon, as they faced the dungeon monsters of the tenth floor, the resistance faded. The students stopped arguing and moved like a well-oiled machine.

They made remarkable progress, clearing most of the level in a single day. By nightfall, they had crossed a third of the way through. They could have pushed further, but Damian called for a halt.

As he had suspected, the keypoint was guarded by an Emperor-ranked monster. His companions were far too exhausted to face it now.

Under the protection of his barriers, they rested—this time without any internal conflicts. The next morning, they woke refreshed, but Damian knew this would be their most dangerous fight yet. Facing such a massive, fire-breathing monster required more than brute force or he could lose a kid here. He needed a plan—one simple enough that all fifty of them could follow without hesitation.