Chapter 60: Back out of the tower

Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Back out of the tower

After packing up their camp and ensuring no trace was left behind, Squad 07 stepped into the gaping mouth of the calcified lava tube, descending straight into the 40°C Middle Ring.

The air inside the tunnels was thick, heavy, and choked with rising heatwaves. Red magma veins pulsed along the dark stone walls like glowing arteries. However, thanks to Barney’s newly forged heat-insulation gear and Seraphina’s cooling elixirs, the squad pushed forward without losing a step.

Suddenly, the cavern walls shuddered.

[MONSTER ENCOUNTER: MAGMA BORING WORMS]

Level: 7 (x4)

Attributes: Burrowing / Fire Element

Four colossal, armor-plated worms burst from the basalt walls, their circular maws lined with rows of spinning obsidian teeth that dripped with molten saliva.

"Ambush from the walls! Standard defensive wall!" Caelen called out, unsheathing the Edge of the First Warden.

Squad 07 moved as a single unit. Barney locked his Aegis of the Sunken Bastion down, absorbing the initial impact of two charging worms while Mirei loosed a hail of wind-infused arrows straight down the throat of a third. Seraphina shattered an icy frost potion across their flanks, flash-cooling their fiery hide.

Rowan stepped into the center, swinging the Hoe of the World-Tiller in a wide, fluid motion.

[Skill Activated: Earthbreaker Plough - Celestial Furrow]

The volcanic floor buckled upward, trapping the burrowing worms in dense, crushing furrows. Driven by Rowan’s Prime Human strength, a follow-up strike of pure golden earth mana shattered the lead worm’s head, allowing Caelen and Mirei to swiftly clean up the rest.

Within minutes, the four Lava Worms collapsed into dark ash, leaving the tunnel silent once more.

As Barney stepped forward to inspect the loot, he noticed something unusual lying among the remains—several smooth, glowing clusters of crystalline ore that shimmered with an extraordinarily dense mana signature.

"Wait a second..." Barney knelt down, picking up a chunk of refined metallic crystal with his smithing tongs. His eyes widened. "This isn’t standard raw drop... this is Refined Volcanic Mithril and High-Purity Fire-Core Ore!"

Seraphina crouched beside him, scanning the rocks with an alchemist’s eye. "Look at the composition. These worms burrow through the deepest strata of the volcano, consuming raw mineral veins and lava rock. Their internal digestive furnace burns away all the slag and impurities..."

"...and they poop out 100% purified, blacksmithing-ready metals," Barney finished, a mix of pure awe and slight disgust on his face.

He held up a fist-sized ingot of purified ore that would normally require hours of smelting in a high-tier blast furnace. "Normally, raw ore takes days to refine, but this digestive process turned it into Grade-C crafting material! The slag is completely gone!"

Rowan chuckled, adjusting his Enchanted Straw Hat. "A bit unconventional, but nature has its own smelting process. Collect all of it, Barney—looks like your forge is getting an upgrade for the Inner Ring."

Barney didn’t hesitate for a second, eagerly gathering every single piece of purified mineral into his spatial storage bag. "Disgusting origin or not, this stuff is a blacksmith’s dream!"

***

As Barney finished stashing the last cluster of purified Volcanic Mithril, a quiet rustle echoed from the dark archway behind them.

Inspector 07 stepped out of the shadows, her leather cloak catching the faint orange glow of the magma veins. She pulled out a glowing, hourglass-shaped rune stone that was flickering with a sharp, rhythmic ping.

"That’s time, Squad 07," she announced, her voice calm and authoritative. "Your week-long Academy Field Mission has officially come to an end."

Barney paused, holding a chunk of fire-core ore halfway to his bag. "Wait, already? But we just got into the Middle Ring! The Inner Ring and the Floor 3 Boss are right ahead!"

"Academy rules are absolute," Inspector 07 replied, tapping her record stone to lock their current progress coordinates. "The seven-day trial window has closed. All telemetry and squad rankings are being finalized as we speak. You are ordered to fall back to the floor transit hub immediately."

A collective sigh ran through the squad. They had barely scratched the surface of Floor 3, but rules were rules. Begrudgingly, the five of them packed up their gear, turned away from the deep lava tubes, and followed Inspector 07 back up through the calcified tunnels toward the main Floor Transit Portal Zone—a specialized high-tier array that allowed teams to warp directly down to the Floor 1 staging base.

Floor 1 — Academy Staging Hall

The heavy iron doors of the central transit hall swung open, echoing across the vast, marble-columned arena of Floor 1.

Hundreds of first-year cadets were gathered in their respective squad formations, exhausted, battered, and covered in grime. Equipment was chipped, robes were singed, and murmurs of grueling battles against Floor 1 and Floor 2 beasts filled the humid air.

At the front of the hall, several senior instructors stood on a raised dais, reviewing the live leaderboard projections floating in mid-air.

ACADEMY FIELD MISSION: FINAL STANDINGS

Squad 01 — Floor 2 (Clear Rate: 42%)

Squad 04 — Floor 2 (Clear Rate: 38%)

Squad 02 — Floor 2 (Clear Rate: 31%)

...

Squad 07 — Floor 3 (Unmapped Zone Cleared / Middle Ring Reached)

As Squad 07 walked through the main doors, a sudden wave of silence washed over the assembly hall.

The surrounding cadets turned to stare, their eyes widening in shock as they looked up at the glowing leaderboard projection. The top-ranked teams—Squad 01 and Squad 04—had spent the entire week grinding relentlessly just to clear small sections of Floor 2.

Yet here was Squad 07, looking remarkably composed, wearing customized heat-insulated gear, and carrying the distinct, surging mana aura of Awakeners who had conquered an unmapped Hidden Zone and breached the scorched domain of Floor 3.

Rowan adjusted his Enchanted Straw Hat, resting the Hoe of the World-Tiller comfortably over his shoulder as Squad 07 marched up to the front line to submit their final mission report.

Professor Vane, standing at the head of the raised dais alongside the senior staff, caught Rowan’s eye as Squad 07 took their place at the front of the hall. A subtle, proud nod passed from the veteran instructor to his top student—a silent acknowledgment of the sheer growth, hidden zone conquest, and flawless execution Squad 07 had demonstrated throughout the week.

With the final standings officially logged into the Academy archives, Professor Vane stepped forward and addressed the hall.

"Cadets of the First Year," Professor Vane’s voice resonated across the vast chamber, amplified by wind mana. "The week-long trial is officially concluded. You have faced the pressure of the lower floors, adapted under fire, and proven your resolve. Clear the staging hall in an orderly fashion and fall back through the entry portal."

The tension in the hall broke into a rustle of heavy boots and weary chatter as the various squads began forming lines, filing toward the massive, swirling exit portal at the far end of the hall that connected the Tower’s interior back to the Academy grounds outside.

"Look at that nod," Barney whispered under his breath, leaning over to Rowan with a grin as they fell into line. "Professor Vane usually looks like he wants to hand out failing grades just for breathing wrong, but he looked like a proud dad just now."

"Don’t let him hear you say that, or our next evaluation will be twice as hard," Seraphina chimed in with a light laugh, adjusting her new reagent pouch.

Rowan smiled quietly, adjusting his Enchanted Straw Hat as they stepped up to the edge of the blue portal. Resting the Hoe of the World-Tiller over his shoulder, he glanced back one last time at the grand expanse of the Floor 1 staging base, feeling the dense power of his Prime Human bloodline humming steadily beneath his skin.

They had taken Floor 2, unlocked an unmapped Hidden Zone, and left their mark on the volcanic fields of Floor 3.

Together, Squad 07 stepped into the light of the exit portal, leaving the Tower behind to return to the Academy.