While Yang Yu effortlessly one-shot the BOSS, Jiang Shuyue's battle on the other side of the Dungeon had reached its most intense stage.
"Ice Cone!"
Jiang Shuyue shouted softly and swung her staff. Three crystalline ice cones materialized out of thin air and whistled toward a Goblin Warrior not far away.
Puff! Puff! Puff!
-75! -68! -76!
The Goblin Warrior let out a miserable cry. Its Health Bar was emptied, and it fell unwillingly to the ground.
"Phew..."
Jiang Shuyue took a light breath, a fine layer of sweat beading on her fair forehead.
As expected of an A-Rank Frost Mage, her damage was truly high.
Combined with the attribute bonuses from her full set of Fine-level equipment, she could practically bulldoze her way through the Novice Dungeon.
But the fight had not been easy for her.
In pursuit of speed, she had barely rested at all, chugging mana potions as though they were water.
Many times, to save time on maneuvering, she had even taken attacks from minor monsters head-on, relying on her equipment's defense to endure them.
Though this was highly efficient, it took an enormous toll on her mental focus and stamina.
"Almost there. The BOSS is just ahead."
Jiang Shuyue checked the time. More than twenty minutes had already passed.
This was already extremely fast.
She knew that Third High School's previous solo-clear record was thirty-five minutes, set by an upperclassman with an S-rank Profession.
This time, she would definitely improve that record by a huge margin!
At the thought of the approving look in her father's eyes when he saw the new record, Jiang Shuyue felt herself fill with motivation.
Soon, she cleared out the minor monsters along the way and arrived before the Goblin Chief's cave.
Without the slightest hesitation, she pushed the door open and entered.
"Roar!"
The Goblin Chief's roar rang out.
Jiang Shuyue's expression turned grave. She immediately widened the distance and began chanting a spell.
"Ice Arrow!"
Arrows carrying bone-deep frost shot toward the BOSS, bursting into clouds of icy mist across its body.
-88!
-92!
-85! (Slowed!)
The advantages of an A-Rank Class were displayed to the fullest in a BOSS battle.
Not only did her skills deal high damage, they also came with all kinds of crowd-control effects.
The Goblin Chief's movement speed was greatly reduced. It clumsily swung its Spiked Club, yet could not even touch the hem of Jiang Shuyue's clothes.
A classic Mage kiting tactic.
But the Goblin Chief had a thick Health Bar, while Jiang Shuyue's mana was draining rapidly.
"This is too slow!"
Jiang Shuyue gritted her teeth and decided to take a risk.
She stopped kiting and instead moved closer to the BOSS, beginning to chant a more powerful spell.
"Blizzard!"
This was an area-of-effect damage-over-time skill that a Frost Mage could learn at Level 1. Its damage was extremely high, but it required continuous casting and had a limited range.
Dark clouds gathered above the Goblin Chief's head, and a blizzard mixed with ice crystals poured down.
-150!
-155!
-148!
A string of dense damage numbers rose from above the BOSS's head, and its Health Bar began to plummet.
"Roar!"
The Goblin Chief was truly enraged. Ignoring the Blizzard's damage, it charged at Jiang Shuyue through the slowing effect and unleashed Destructive Smash!
Blood-red energy gathered around the Spiked Club.
Jiang Shuyue's pupils contracted.
She knew how dangerous that skill was, but she could not interrupt her casting, or all her previous effort would be wasted!
I'm going for it!
Just as the Spiked Club was about to come crashing down, Jiang Shuyue finally completed the final chant for "Blizzard."
Boom!
The Spiked Club smashed heavily into her body.
A defensive item on her body instantly shattered, sending her flying backward.
She scrambled up from the ground.
Her heart still pounded with lingering fear!
That was close!
She had almost been one-shot!
Though Jiang Shuyue was still shaken, she had no time to dwell on it and continued channeling Blizzard.
After enduring the full damage of Blizzard, the Goblin Chief's Health Bar was nearly empty as well. It howled miserably, and its massive body crashed to the ground.
[Defeated Goblin Chief, EXP +1500]
"Success!"
Jiang Shuyue let out a long breath, collapsed onto the ground, and panted heavily.
Though the process had been somewhat embarrassing, she had cleared it in the end.
She checked the time. Twenty-nine minutes.
She had broken the record!
And she had cut a full six minutes off the original record!
A victorious smile appeared on Jiang Shuyue's face.
She could not wait to tell her father the good news.
She straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, forced herself to stand, picked up the items dropped by the BOSS, and chose to leave the Dungeon.
With a flash of light, she returned outside Third High School's grand auditorium.
She would let everyone see the strength of an A-Rank genius!
Yang Yu appeared outside the Dungeon's glowing gate.
The noisy atmosphere around him instantly fell still.
Everyone's gazes snapped toward him.
"Huh? Yang Yu came out?"
"So fast? He's been in there for less than twenty minutes, right?"
"He definitely couldn't beat it and quit early. That's fine too—better than losing his life."
"I knew it. How could a D-Rank Warrior possibly clear it alone?"
The students' murmurs were neither too quiet nor too loud, just enough for Yang Yu to hear.
His best friend Zhang Wei was the first to rush over, his face full of concern.
"Bro Yu, are you okay? Did you run into a monster you couldn't beat? You did the right thing by coming out. Safety comes first!"
The Homeroom Teacher also hurried over, wearing an expression that said, "Just as expected."
He said earnestly, "Yang Yu, it's good that you came out. Don't get stuck in your own head."
"One failure is nothing. What matters is knowing yourself."
"Listen to your teacher. In your situation, being a lone wolf is far too dangerous."
"The Dungeons in the wilderness aren't like the school's Novice Dungeon, where you can quit whenever you want. Out there, if you can't win, it's a dead end. There won't even be anyone to collect your body!"
The more the teacher spoke, the more convinced he became that his guess was right.
Yang Yu had definitely suffered a blow and wanted to prove himself, only to hit a wall in the Dungeon and slink back out in defeat.
He had to talk the boy through this properly, or he might easily head down an Evil Path.
"Besides, it's not just Dungeons that are dangerous in the wilderness. Those monsters vary greatly in level, and danger can come from anywhere."
"Not to mention this small city of ours. There are several groups outside the city that specialize in occupying Dungeon entrances and bullying lone wolves like you who have no backing."
"Without your own team or someone to rely on, you can't get anywhere alone!"
The teacher felt that his words still lacked enough weight. He even began considering whether he should call Yang Yu's older sister.
He could have her talk to him, persuade him to accept his ordinariness, and steadily find a team to get by with. That was still better than going out to die.
Listening to the "concern" from his teacher and classmates, Yang Yu did not know whether to laugh or cry.
He knew they meant well, but wasn't their imagination a little too wild?
Who said I quit?
He had just been about to explain, but after thinking it over, he swallowed the words.
What was there to explain?
Tell them he had cleared it? Would they believe him?
Tell them he had cleared it in just over ten minutes? They would probably think he had gone crazy.
Forget it. Facts spoke louder than words.
So he merely shook his head and declined the teacher's offer to introduce him to a team.
"Teacher, thank you for your kindness, but I have my own plans."
Seeing Yang Yu's stubborn refusal to listen, both the teacher and Zhang Wei felt awkward and frustrated.
Why was this kid so stubborn?
Just as the atmosphere reached a deadlock, the Dungeon's glowing gate lit up once more.
Jiang Shuyue emerged from it, looking slightly disheveled but far more proud.
"Look! Jiang Shuyue came out too!"
"Wow! The school beauty cleared it! She looks incredible!"
Before you continue