Day by day, they kept fighting, pushing further and further. Accumulating experience and gaining strength with each level. Damian’s level barely increased, but he was okay with it.
Just studying the various creatures and their unique spells had given him plenty of insight for his efforts. Toph was always beside him, taking down all the monsters Damian let him face. His levels were shooting up quite nicely, and he was gaining valuable experience fighting different kinds of creatures.
Damian never let him out of his sight, though—after all, his life was connected to the little elephant. He had wrapped Toph in the most valuable armor he had ever made, enchanted with defensive spells. If Toph was ever in danger, Damian could activate them instantly. Toph himself could use them with his own mana, but he was still learning and wasn’t yet proficient. His mana pool was also limited.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t learned any new skills after his evolution, making him similar to humans and other species who couldn’t acquire new abilities after their first ascension. Still, he had plenty of room to grow. He hadn’t even learned the base attacks of his kind yet—like the laser attack that the emperor version of Toph could do. There was also a shield technique and other abilities Damian hoped he would unlock in time.
They fought through Level 12, then pushed through Level 13 and 14, where the heat intensified and the monsters became even tougher. Their progress slowed as battles grew more grueling, but here, they encountered their first unique monster.
It was a Pyre Djinn—wily fire elementals bound to the dungeon. Their physical attacks were useless against it. The creature spewed flames as if it had an endless supply stored within its ghostly body. Damian had to create a shield to protect everyone.
Lucian’s ice aura slashes worked, though, and she skillfully took down the King-ranked monster alone, earning a dungeon relic as a reward—a ring that let her turn her sword ghostly for a few seconds. Needless to say, it was an incredible find. Since she had fought and defeated the Djinn by herself, Damian gave her the ring without hesitation.
It was an enchanted item, meaning he couldn’t copy it. But rather than storing it in his inventory, it was better to reward the one who had put in the effort.
Lucian became an even greater threat with that ring. She could phase her sword through the toughest monster skeletons and materialize it inside their bodies, dealing unparalleled damage. However, the ability had a limit, preventing her from using it continuously.
As they advanced, Damian noticed more murals. The artwork was becoming more refined, and the structures were growing more impressive. They rested once again at Level 15, the cold same level again, before tackling Level 16.
It took them three full days to cross, with most monsters belonging to the King rank. Groups of two or three were manageable, but when an entire horde of red-skinned Ember Ogres—massive, flame-covered brutes wielding charred clubs—charged at them, Damian had to carefully strategize to ensure the students could take them down efficiently without suffering too many injuries.
Still, many did get burned or wounded. Damian healed what he could, but for those with more severe injuries, he advised returning to the academy.
Of course, many were unwilling to leave, and Damian didn’t force those who truly wished to stay. However, he implemented a rule: if a student couldn’t take care of themselves due to their injuries, they had to leave. Everyone accepted this condition.
Level 16 was the most difficult yet, and the boss waiting for them at the end was no easy opponent.
A giant minotaur with flaming eyes and massive, sharp horns stood in their path. In its hands was a huge, spiked kanabo. It looked like a more monstrous and terrifying version of the minotaur Sam and the others had faced in the SSS-ranking exams at the start of their academy journey.
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Mindseer even admitted that she had copied this creature’s build when she had conjured her illusion in the past.
In this battle, Damian once again incorporated all of his student companions, even having Mindseer use her illusions to distract the minotaur.
Apparently, her illusions weren’t as powerful as Damian had initially assumed. They were intangible and could only make physical contact with people if they were wearing the healthbands used in the survival exam. Since the minotaur had no such thing, her illusions could only serve as distractions.
But that alone was enough.
Damian, Lucian, Evrin, Sam, and Einar, supported by massive spells and his unlimited mana, were more than enough to take the monster down. It was never a true life-and-death situation for them, but many still suffered burns and injuries. None were permanently harmed, but they needed time to recover.
Damian sent the injured ones back to the academy.
The boss monster dropped a sword imbueded with a spell that granted its wielder immunity to at least advanced-rank fire spells. Damian, of course, copied the runic circle. The sword itself was won by one of the injured students, a member of a minor noble house. It was still a dungeon relic.
The large mana stone from the boss was also awarded through a dice roll, going to the student who rolled the highest number.
The next day, after sending the injured ones back, the remaining 43 of the initial 50 continued their journey.
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Level 17 brought a drastic change in scenery. The forested landscape had completely disappeared. Now, they stood in a towering mountainous region. But these weren’t ordinary mountains—rivers of lava flowed from them, and the path ahead was barely a kilometer wide, packed with magma golems.
The temperature had suddenly shot up to 45–47 degrees Celsius, and that was without even getting close to the lava rivers.
This level was clearly designed to challenge them, forcing them to traverse a narrow, monster-filled path. On both sides were sheer mountain walls and two rivers of molten rock—leaving them no choice but to push forward through the burning gauntlet.