Three days after the duel, a summon rang across the Crown Class dorms.
> "By order of the Royal Star Academy Council, all ranked Crown List members are to report to the Hall of Commissions. A mandatory mission has been assigned."
Lucas stood before the council chamber, lined with floating crystal glyphs and silver statues of past academy heroes. Alongside him were Elayne Campbell, Kael Valen, Seren Julius, Thorne Lamberg — and Elira, standing at the edge like a shadow that had always been there.
Dean Harrow, a nine-star cultivator with white-gold robes and burning phoenix eyes, addressed them.
"You are the top of the Golden Generation," he said. "It is time you face the world beyond these safe walls."
He waved his hand. A floating projection shimmered to life.
A deep forest ravine, shrouded in mist and voidlight.
> Dungeon Designation: Hollow Vale
Location: Border of the Demon Fringe
Type: Instability-class Rift Dungeon
Core Status: Unknown
Previous Clearance Teams: Failed or Missing
Kael narrowed his eyes. "You're sending us into a cursed zone."
Dean Harrow nodded. "You will not be alone. A cadre of elite graduates will oversee the boundary. But the core breach — only the Crown Class may enter."
Elira spoke for the first time. "Why us?"
"Because this rift is mutating. It's producing soul beasts infused with hybrid elemental signatures. We suspect it's reacting to the emergence of divine-ranked students — you."
Lucas exhaled. "It's resonating with us."
The dean nodded. "Exactly. If we don't understand the changes in dungeon evolution, we risk another Soulfall."
---
Understanding Dungeons:
> Dungeons are naturally occurring spirit rifts — tears in the fabric of the world where spirit force from other planes seeps through.
Some are stable, forming ecosystems and yielding spirit plants or beasts.
Others are instability-class, warping over time. These can collapse into Soul Craters, zones where the laws of reality bend and consume all life.
Dungeon cores must be found and sealed or absorbed to stabilize the rift.
---
That evening, Lucas sharpened his frost gauntlets alone.
Elira entered without knocking.
"This is more than just a test," she said.
"I know."
"They want to see how we fight together. And if one of us doesn't come back..."
Lucas stood. "Then they'll decide who the real pillars are."
---
At dawn, the Crown Class departed from the northern gate, flying on spirit vessels shaped like silver hawks.
As Hollow Vale came into view, a cold wind swept across them.
Below, the land was torn and corrupted. Trees twisted into unnatural shapes. Spirit beasts with crystalline skin crawled through mist-choked valleys.
From the distance, the dungeon pulsed — a black fissure in the air itself, like a wound that refused to close.
Kael cracked his knuckles. "Looks like fun."
Elayne checked her blades. "Let's not die."
Lucas stepped forward, frost and flame already pulsing.
"Let's show them what the Golden Generation really means."