Chapter: 325
As Visi watched Lucy conquer the dungeon, she understood why Adri said that dungeon was easy and why she described Lucy as kind.
Following Lucy’s trail, countless things that were previously unseen became incredibly clear.
– “Right? I’m right, aren’t I?”
Adri chirped next to Visi, seemingly pleased that Lucy proved her point.
Normally, Visi would have told her to tone it down, but this time she let Adri be.
If I were in a situation where someone was just flailing around without getting the answer, I’d feel frustrated too.
Haa…
Why didn’t I notice that?
It was right in front of me, yet I couldn’t see it.
I screamed ‘I knew that!’ when I looked at the exam answers! Visi let out a dejected expression while watching Lucy effortlessly smash the dungeon boss and stand in front of the final door.
There were many others in the exam hall feeling the same way Visi did.
Arthur Soladin, the original conqueror of the dungeon, was biting his thumbnail, lamenting his own stupidity.
The Kurten Prince party, who were leading the third-year students but failed to get past the final boss, were painfully realizing their shortcomings once again.
The man who had raised questions about Lucy Allen was now red-faced for a different reason, realizing his own foolishness.
Moreover, most of those who had tried their best to conquer the dungeon were now silent, recognizing the parts they had overlooked.
At that moment, when Lucy vividly demonstrated how to conquer the dungeon, the exam hall became so quiet that even a small breath sounded loud.
Then it happened.
As Lucy Allen, taking a breath after defeating the boss, moved her feet.
Most of the students thought she would come out of the dungeon and would surely insult them.
“Now you’re going to understand your own sloppiness, right?” Looking down on everyone in the exam hall with her somewhat petite stature for her age.
However, Lucy did not step outside the dungeon.
Instead, she placed her hand on the crystal ball and returned to the original starting point.
The initial corridor.
Not the place that had shocked those watching the video, but the place that was blocked by walls, just like when they first entered the dungeon.
“…Lady Allen? What on earth are you…”
Dungeon Studies Professor Jessel revealed his astonishment at Lucy’s return to the starting point.
This was not part of the plan.
The conversation between Lucy and Jessel was solely intended to show how to properly conquer the dungeon.
Never had there been any mention of doing anything beyond that.
Lady. What are you suddenly intending to do? What on earth?
‘Self-proclaimed professor clown. You outside, right?’
As Jessel blinked, trying to guess Lucy’s intent, Lucy on the screen, unlike when she was demonstrating how to conquer the dungeon, spoke in a voice infused with determination.
“From the moment I move my feet, start timing. Even a fool can manage that, right? Right?”
Timing?
No way.
The moment Jessel heard that, what came to his mind was the horrible scene of the Academy’s second-semester dungeon that was completely destroyed by Lucy Allen.
A dungeon he expected would take at least a month or two to conquer was shattered by Lucy in just one day.
The one who designed that dungeon, Jessel, had to run around proving that Lucy Allen was abnormal and that there was nothing wrong with the dungeon.
Lady Allen. Are you planning to not only destroy another dungeon but also to collapse the castle you’ve built yourself?
If it’s going to collapse anyway, are you planning to make it a grand finale?
“Professor, what should we do?”
Just as Jessel’s lips began to curl upward, recovering from his astonishment, one of the teaching assistants, startled by the unexpected situation, spoke up to him.
“What do you mean? We need to keep playing the video.”
“…Uh. Is that okay?”
“Yeah. Are you low on magic power? If so, I’ll help.”
“No, it’s fine. The strategy outlined by Lady Allen is finishing up faster than we expected, so I have excess magic power left over.”
“Hmm. I guess that does make sense.”
Although they knew all the dungeon’s gimmicks, they thought it’d take at least two hours, but the lady finished her demonstration in just one hour.
Considering that they had plenty of time and magic stones prepared, they still had about two hours to spare.
“Well then, I’ll go back now.”
“Alright. Thanks for your hard work.”
…Wait a minute.
Just a moment.
Lady Allen successfully conquered the dungeon in an hour while teaching the students.
So if she wholeheartedly attempted to conquer the dungeon, what would happen?
Jessel recalled the various extraordinary conducts Lucy had displayed when she conquered the Academy dungeon, turning his face pale, but by then it was already too late.
Lucy was already on the move.
Despite being a first-year student, Lucy, whose physical strength was at the level of a knight, charged forward with all her might, revealing the end of the corridor in an instant.
For an average person, this would be the time to hesitate in fear of bumping into the wall.
But Lucy wasn’t like that.
Even as she faced the wall, instead of slowing down, she accelerated, snatching a note from the cradle and leaping into the void.
With the speed she gained while racing through the corridor, Lucy stomped the wall and shot out like a cannonball fired from a magic circle.
Students in the dungeon exam hall, including Professor Jessel, couldn’t grasp Lucy’s intentions.
Everyone watching the video questioned her movements, but those doubts were soon resolved.
The bullet that was Lucy, launched into the void, successfully struck the weakness of the knight guarding the last chamber of the first room.
“Kah-ha-ha! Excellent! You are!”
Landing gracefully on the floor, Lucy headed for the second room before the knight could finish speaking.
A dark cave where nothing could be seen ahead.
A place set up with various devices to instill fear in conquerors.
Lucy stood in the middle, raising her mace without a moment’s hesitation, and swung it towards the void.
Then, an amazing thing happened. The moment Lucy’s mace came down, a wolf appeared and was immediately struck down by the mace.
“…Crazy.”
“What the hell is this?”
“What on earth is happening?”
As those in the exam hall began to emerge from their astonishment and voice their confusion, Lucy casually moved on to the third room, leaving the sprawled wolves behind.
What lay before her was the wilderness.
With golems shaped like demons lurking above.
There’s no way I can pass through here, just like before.
It’s designed to be impassable.
In shock, Jessel watching the video hoped the demons would fulfill their role, but unfortunately, Lucy exceeded his imagination.
‘What a pathetic demon♡ Are you too scared to even approach me?♡’
With a provocative tone, Lucy jumped straight into the middle of the pack of demons.
According to the original dungeon design, the marked demons were supposed to flee, while only the unmarked ones would rush in.
However, for some unknown reason, the demons charged at Lucy regardless of the marking, and as they surrounded her, Lucy brought her mace down.
The mace, gathering divinity from the moment she entered the room, unleashed its power and created a shockwave.
The weak demons, who shouldn’t have died, could only roll on the ground, unable to withstand the force of that shockwave.
In any case, they only needed to defeat the marked demons, and many watching the video mumbled their disbelief.
Yet, Ruvi Kurten nodded as though impressed.
“Indeed. If you can’t solve something with strength, then you just need to use greater strength.”
“…No, that doesn’t seem right.”
“How could you think of that after seeing this?”
“Think about it. If Lady Allen can do this, how could I, Ruvi Kurten, not be able to?”
It was true that Lucy Allen possessed exceptional physical abilities for her age, but the same could be said for Ruvi Kurten.
Blessed with divine protection over force and destruction, he had strength that would not fall behind anyone in his generation.
So he could easily replicate what Lucy was doing now.
“If I had confidence in the power I possessed, I too would have reached such conclusions. I’ve learned something new again.”
While his friends gaped at the idea of him gaining confidence by building more muscle, Lucy had already breached the fourth room and arrived at a ruined corridor.
Her movements through the corridor remained free of hesitation.
With the fierce determination to smash anything that stands in her way, Lucy reached the room where the Philanthropist awaited, who leisurely opened the door as he appeared.
‘Oh, such hasty guests…’
The Philanthropist had intended to greet her with exaggerated manners like he did to other students, but his greeting would not last.
Before he could finish, Lucy’s mace flew towards his head.
‘…What?! Do you not know basic manners?!’
‘Then take a shower♡ Being next to a smelly human taints my heart♡’
The Philanthropist tried to somehow invite Lucy to his battlefield, but Lucy ignored his words entirely and continued her assaults.
‘Ha! All right! If you wish to die so much, I’ll grant that!’
‘Puhah-hah♡ Look at how red your face is from getting mad at a girl♡’
‘…I’ll make you shut that mouth!’
Without the trigger for the gimmick leading to the 0th floor, the Philanthropist lost his patience and drew his sword, officially establishing the boss battle.
“…I didn’t think that was possible.”
Luca, who rushed to the exam hall upon hearing Lucy’s name, chuckled at the sight unfolding in the video.
The Philanthropist she was facing was not weakened by any gimmick.
Even Ruvi Kurten couldn’t find a way against this fool, yet she was not just fending against him; she was practically toying with the boss.
“Indeed, her true strength lies elsewhere.”
It is indeed a fact that Lucy possesses overwhelming abilities for her age.
With physical capacities that rival many seasoned knights, she could certainly become a kingdom’s hero after Benedict Allen.
But she was not that overwhelming yet.
She had just begun to sprout and hadn’t reached that pinnacle yet.
Among third-year students, there are several with powers comparable to or exceeding hers.
Still, Lucy toyed with an opponent none of those third-year students could defeat.
Some might see this as Lucy exploiting her advantage as the dungeon’s designer.
That argument is undoubtedly valid.
Because she is indeed the designer of the dungeon.
Being aware of the Philanthropist’s actions allows Lady Allen to smile even in overwhelming adversity.
However…
Simply knowing the Philanthropist’s actions is enough to achieve such extraordinary feats?
Could anyone move as though they foresee the future multiple steps ahead, rendering their opponents’ efforts useless?
Of course not!
That’s something only Lucy Allen can do!
Lucy Allen possesses the ability to read her opponent’s movements and induce their actions, making them dance in her hands!
Realizing the true brilliance of Lucy Allen, Luca’s eyes sparkled as he watched the scene in the corridor where red magic power radiated.
All right. This is the last challenge.
How will you leap over the tantrums of the boss you created yourself?
What measures will you take to break through the magic designed to kill intruders?
Luca, who anticipated a miracle from Lucy, watched in disappointment as she did none of what he envisioned.
She didn’t brace her shield with gritted teeth.
Nor did she make any moves to smash the boss before the magic activated.
Moreover, she didn’t even pull anything from her space pocket.
Instead, Lucy bypassed the Philanthropist and entered the wide-open door, closing it behind her.
“…What?”
As the gimmick was triggered, the floor collapsed, but Lucy Allen hung onto her mace, which was embedded in the wall, remaining inside the room.
“What a curious idea, but it’s meaningless. Even if you hide inside, you can’t escape the magic… Oh?”
Why isn’t the magic firing?
