NOVPUB'For now… I just need to pass the test,' Luka thought as he stepped into a massive, open room.
The sheer scale of the room was staggering.
The pristine white walls stretched high above, glowing faintly under the lights.
In the center stood multiple dungeon entrances, each lined up next to the other, leading into separate dungeons.
Holograms flickered to life all around, displaying various pieces of information—live footage from inside the dungeons, countdown timers, and, most prominently, a massive leaderboard towering above them all.
At the very top of the leaderboard, in bold golden letters, was the fastest clearing time ever recorded: 25 minutes and 10 seconds.
Luka whistled softly. 'That's it? I'll only need 10 minutes.'
Many men and women formed multiple long lines, each waiting for their turn to enter one of the dungeons.
Of course, these weren't naturally formed dungeons, but man-made constructs.
The staff stood beside each entrance, monitoring the process with practiced efficiency.
It was a never-ending cycle—men and women entered, brimming with pride and arrogance, only for some to emerge battered and exhausted, their faces marked by either relief or disappointment.
Those who successfully cleared the dungeon had their names flash green on the holographic displays, earning recognition.
However, those who failed… their names turned red, signaling the staff to send in retrieval squads.
When that happened, the entire process was halted momentarily to ensure their safety.
Luka sighed, shaking his head as he rested his hands on his waist.
'No way in hell am I waiting…'
His gaze swept over the long lines leading to the dungeon entrances. He had no patience to stand around and waste time.
With that in mind, he turned to Serene.
"Here, take Snow."
Luka gently lifted the small dragon off his shoulder and handed him over.
Serene accepted Snow with a soft smile, cradling him carefully.
"I'll take good care of him once again, Young Master!" she assured.
Snow, unfazed by the change, simply nestled against her and went back to sleep.
Luka smirked slightly, scratching his cheek. "Good. Ah, by the way… how much coin did my father allow me to spend?"
Serene tilted her head, thoughtful for a moment, before answering.
"I believe your allowance is… well, any amount you want it to be. The Lord wasn't too worried about you overspending."
'As expected of my old man…' Luka's smirk widened.
Serene continued, "Do you wish to purchase some items before entering? If so, I can head to the shop real quick—"
Putting up his finger, Luka shook his head. "Nope. But I do need a couple of gold coins. So go fetch those for me real quick, would you?"
Serene blinked. Then blinked again.
"A… a couple gold coins!?" Her voice nearly cracked, her eyes widening in disbelief. 𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑝𝘶𝘣.𝑐𝘰𝘮
Gold wasn't something one casually handed out—it was absurdly expensive, even for noble standards.
Still, she knew better than to argue.
Letting out a small sigh, Serene quickly bowed. "At once, Young Master. I'll be right back."
Without another word, she turned on her heel and hurried off, though her mind still reeled at the casual request.
'Just what does he need that much gold for?'
As Serene left the room…
Luka turned his attention to the live streams.
'Ouch… This is a pretty sad watch…'
One guy barely made it two steps inside before triggering a pressure plate—a volley of arrows rained down, forcing him to retreat in panic.
Another ran straight into a trapdoor, vanishing into the darkness below.
Some managed to push forward, only to be caught off guard by spiked walls closing in, explosive barrels bursting to life, or lurking monsters ambushing them from the shadows.
A select few reached the boss room, panting, battered, weapons shaking in their grip.
None of them made it out unscathed.
The boss tore through them effortlessly, their names on the leaderboard turning a harsh, mocking red as staff members rushed in to pull them out before any lasting damage was done.
The rare victors stumbled back outside, bloodied, bruised, and gasping for breath.
Some had to be carried away by medical staff, while others barely had the strength to raise their weapons in triumph.
But despite their miserable state, their names flickered green on the leaderboard, cementing their success.
Luka scoffed. 'Pathetic.' He had expected more out of those wanting to attend the Academy.
'Guess this makes it easier for me to stand out.'
Not long did Serene return, a small pouch clutched in her hands.
"I'm back, Young Master. Here you are," she said, offering it to him with a polite bow.
Luka took it, feeling the satisfying weight of gold coins inside.
He gave it a small toss before securing it at his belt.
"Thank you, Serene," he said, turning toward a dungeon entrance.
"Good luck, Young Master!" Serene cheered.
Luka chuckled. He rolled his shoulders, took a deep breath, and stepped forward.
'Time to set a new record.'
As Luka strolled toward the front of the nearest line, whispers and narrowed eyes followed in his wake.
Every step drew more attention—hostile, burning stares from the men and women he passed, and even the staff raised their brows in quiet confusion.
But Luka didn't care.
Rules were made for people who needed them.
He wasn't one of them.
He stopped next to the girl at the very front, the one moments away from entering the dungeon.
She was clutching her staff tightly, her fingers trembling, her lips silently mumbling what could only be a prayer.
"Excuse me, miss," Luka said smoothly, a calm smile curling on his lips.
She flinched slightly, startled out of her thoughts. "Y-yes?"
"I was wondering…" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, pretending to hesitate.
"How much would I need to pay you to take your spot in line?"
She blinked in surprise. "Pay me? For… my spot?"
Her eyes darted behind her, where the line stretched deep, dozens of men and women waiting their turn.
"Well… I—I don't know…" she stammered, twirling her staff nervously in her grip, clearly unsure if this was some kind of joke.
But Luka didn't wait for her to figure it out. He was already moving.
From the pouch at his side, he retrieved three gold coins—more than enough to buy a small estate.
Gently, he took her free hand, placed the coins in her palm, and softly closed her fingers around them.
Then Luka leaned in and whispered:
"Here. Three gold coins. Is that enough? Or would you like more?"
He stepped back and waited.
The girl stared at her closed hand, blinking as if trying to convince herself she wasn't hallucinating.
Then, slowly, she opened her palm—and her breath caught in her throat.
"…"
'Gold. Actual gold,' the girl thought.
She looked forward, her expression somewhere between disbelief and awe, then gave a flurry of quick nods.
Without a word, she spun and darted off, clutching the coins.
Luka watched her go, a small smirk tugging at his mouth.
Now at the front of the line, he faced the dungeon entrance, hands tucked into his pockets.
'Being rich solves everything!'
