Thought you were the protagonist, but you're just a minion of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner

"My head feels chilly!" Everyone drank the potion, and at that moment, they all felt a cool sensation in their heads.

Zhang Li saw that everyone had finished their drinks and that no student had hidden their potion, so she collected the empty bottles from their hands.

These things had to be recycled. After ensuring the number of bottles was correct, the teachers led everyone toward the entrance of the Dungeon.

The group arrived before the gate of the Dimensional Rift, and under the guidance of the teachers, they began to step inside.

Li Yu walked at the very front; his team was the first to enter. As he passed through the Dimensional Rift, Li Yu felt as if he were pushing through some kind of massive bubble.

There was a slight resistance, but not much. What greeted his eyes was a dim cavern—this was the entrance to the Dungeon. Upon entering, the first things everyone smelled were soil and a sense of decay.

The other students followed one after another. Seeing the situation inside, they stopped in their tracks; without a map, they truly had no idea which way to go.

"Um, did the teachers forget to tell us how long we're supposed to stay inside?" Just then, a student suddenly asked this question.

That was true; the teachers hadn't told anyone how long they were supposed to stay. Had they forgotten? Or was there some other reason?

"How long you stay isn't for us to decide, but for you. You can treat this as an exam." At that moment, Shizuka Hiratsuka walked in.

Hearing the students' questions, she provided an answer: "How long you stay isn't up to the teachers—it's up to you!"

Hearing this, everyone looked over. Shizuka Hiratsuka continued, "What if some students can't hold on? What good would a set time limit do then?"

What if someone had an accident that very day? Wouldn't their assessment be over? That was why there was no time limit this time.

"That makes perfect sense. Let's get moving!" Li Yu didn't overthink it and was the first to step forward, with Kato Megumi and the others following closely behind.

Seeing this, the other students began to move as well. It was an assessment without a time limit, but no one wanted to be the first to be eliminated, so everyone just did their best in the upcoming adventure.

The environment inside the cavern was actually quite eerie. A student skilled in geography said with a puzzled expression, "Where is the air coming from?"

It was truly bizarre; upon entering the cave, he could actually feel a light breeze, which was proof that air was circulating. Logically speaking, this made no scientific sense.

"Who cares where it's coming from? Pick up the pace. We're in a Dimensional Rift, why are you worrying about that?" A student standing next to him rolled his eyes in annoyance.

Was this really the time to research where the air was coming from? For heaven's sake, stop it; there was no time for such research.

No one had a map, and since there was only one path for now, everyone had no choice but to move forward together for a while.

After walking for a few minutes, several branching paths finally appeared before them. Li Yu, who was walking in front, stopped and said, "Let's split up here. Everyone can explore on their own."

Li Yu stopped and looked back at the students. They were stunned to hear him say this, but Li Yu continued, "We don't have any maps, and this is only the first floor. So, let's split up, memorize the routes, and return to this spot once we reach the end."

Li Yu knew nothing about the situation on this first floor either, but that didn't stop them from exploring, which was why he made the suggestion.

"No problem, we're with you!" Li Yu was the strongest, and everyone had tacitly accepted him as their leader; listening to Li Yu was the right move.

Following that person's lead, the others nodded one after another, willing to follow Li Yu's arrangements. Splitting up to explore the first floor and piece together a map was the only logical path.

"According to what the teachers said, the first few floors are beginner zones. If we encounter monsters, everyone's strength should be enough to handle them easily. However, I still want to give everyone a reminder." Looking at the group of students, Li Yu thought for a moment and decided to offer a warning.

The group didn't speak, instead looking at Li Yu, waiting for him to continue.

"This Dungeon is a newly appeared Dimensional Rift, and many things about it are unknown. They say it generates monsters, but where do these monsters come from? We don't know, but they can't just appear out of thin air."

"According to my guess, the Dungeon's monsters might pop out directly from the walls or the ground. They won't give you any warning, so I hope you all stay alert."

"Don't be careless while exploring. Even if you encounter a monster and kill it, don't let your guard down. Don't think you're the protagonist who can pull off a counter-kill."

"In the face of danger, you might think you're the protagonist, but you could just as easily be fodder for a Ten Thousand Soul Banner. Don't end up getting dragged out by the teachers before you've even delved deep into the Dungeon; that would be truly embarrassing." Li Yu said a lot in one breath, and the students listened intently.

They might disregard a teacher's lecture, but when a peer—especially one stronger than them—speaks, they have no choice but to listen.

Furthermore, everything Li Yu said made perfect sense. They didn't see any issues with it; Li Yu was only doing this for their own good. What bad intentions could he have?

They truly took his words to heart. Some who had been leaning against the cave walls quietly moved away, casting vigilant glances at their surroundings.

They were terrified that a monster might suddenly pop out from somewhere and attack them; everything Li Yu mentioned was a real possibility.

"Let's start splitting up now. I'm going this way. Anyone want to come with me?" After Li Yu finished his warnings, everyone began to act. Soon, someone took the lead to head down one of the paths.

As his voice faded, several students familiar with him followed with their own teams. In the end, only three teams remained to follow Li Yu.

Leading these people, Li Yu walked toward the path no one else had chosen. Not long after separating from the others, the first group encountered monsters.

They discovered that what Li Yu said had become reality; monsters really did emerge from the walls. Although they were only weak Goblins, it made everyone's vigilance skyrocket.

Li Yu's side also began to encounter monsters. The moment he sensed movement, he acted immediately, blasting a spell directly at the wall.

One-shotting them as they poked their heads out—or even if they didn't. A single spell instantly killed the three Goblins that were just about to emerge. They then slowly dissipated on the spot, just like in a game. This scene left everyone stunned.