Chapter 11: A Cliff-Like Gap!!

Chapter 11: Chapter 11: A Cliff-Like Gap!!

The crowd’s shock surged like waves in a tsunami, each one higher than the last.

As everyone stared at those three purple-gold letters, an indescribable sense of awe rose in their hearts. Some were even trembling from sheer excitement.

But what they didn’t know was that what they were seeing was merely the tip of the iceberg.

In that incredibly short period, Nathaniel hadn’t just crushed all fifteen ordinary waves. He had also slaughtered hundreds of Abyss Demon Wolves and reduced a Level 50 Hell Demon General with two million HP to dust.

If anyone learned the full truth, the gymnasium wouldn’t merely be shocked. Half the crowd might faint on the spot.

Nathaniel stood in the center of the venue, feeling the countless gazes fixed on him. Terror, awe, curiosity, and disbelief were all mixed together.

He barely reacted.

Slowly raising his head, he looked toward the enormous leaderboard suspended above the gymnasium.

At the very top, his name shone with golden light, standing above every other student.

The gap between him and the rest of the rankings was practically a chasm.

Nathaniel swept his gaze down the leaderboard and quickly found a familiar name.

Caleb Rowan.

At that moment, Caleb occupied second place.

[Second Place: Caleb Rowan]

[Current Progress: Wave 2]

Nathaniel looked at the pitifully low progress.

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

"Not bad."

He said it so quietly that nobody nearby heard him.

A few minutes later, the teleportation platform in the center of the gymnasium lit up again.

This time, the light was somewhat chaotic.

One after another, the first batch of eliminated students appeared.

Most had been defeated during the second or third wave. Their uniforms were disheveled, some had minor injuries, and their faces were filled with frustration and unwillingness.

"That was brutal! The wolves in the second wave were too fast. I couldn’t react at all!"

"I barely lasted a minute in the third wave. One of those things almost bit my leg off!"

They checked their settlement panels.

The results felt like buckets of cold water being poured over their heads.

[Clearance Rating: F]

[Clearance Reward: 50 Copper Coins]

One student held a bottle of murky red potion in his hand and forced out a bitter smile.

He had fought desperately, nearly gotten himself injured, and this was all he had received.

What a wonderful reward.

Just as the eliminated students stood around complaining, someone with sharp eyes noticed Nathaniel standing nearby.

"Wait. Isn’t that Nathaniel Beaumont?"

"He’s out too?"

Several students exchanged confused looks.

Logically speaking, Nathaniel had awakened an unusual Class. Considering the phenomenon during his awakening, surely he should have lasted longer than them?

Yet here he was, apparently having returned even earlier.

A boy curled his lips, and a strange sense of satisfaction welled up inside him.

"He probably failed in the first or second wave. Look at him. Not even a speck of dust on his clothes. Maybe he got knocked out by the first wild boar!"

The boy chuckled.

This was human nature.

When someone failed, seeing another person who seemed more impressive suffer the same fate could make the failure feel less painful.

Look at that. Even Nathaniel Beaumont, with his extraordinary awakening phenomenon, can’t handle a real dungeon.

Turns out we’re all in the same boat.

Thinking this, the boy adjusted his expression and walked toward Nathaniel with exaggerated concern.

He even prepared to pat Nathaniel on the shoulder.

"Young Master Beaumont, don’t take it too hard. It’s your first time entering a dungeon, after all. Everyone has to start somewhere..."

His hand hadn’t even reached Nathaniel’s shoulder when the homeroom teacher of another class finally lost his patience.

He looked at the boy as though he were watching someone walk straight into a wall with his eyes open.

Then he pointed toward the enormous leaderboard.

"Stop embarrassing yourself. Look up."

The boy froze.

"Look up? What am I supposed to look at?"

Still confused, he raised his head.

The students standing nearby followed his gaze.

Then every single one of them froze.

At the very top of the leaderboard, one name was magnified several times, shining with dazzling golden and purple light.

It hung above the rest of the rankings like a king looking down upon his subjects.

[First Place: Nathaniel Beaumont]

[Dungeon Progress: 15 Waves | Cleared]

[Final Rating: SSS]

"Holy... holy crap!"

The boy who had been about to pat Nathaniel’s shoulder felt his legs go weak.

For a moment, he genuinely thought he might collapse.

Those three letters, SSS, struck him harder than any monster could have.

Fifteen waves.

All cleared.

The highest possible rating.

A result that most people had never witnessed in person.

He looked down at the cheap red potion in his hand, then back at the achievement glowing on the screen.

The difference between them was suffocating.

Just a moment ago, he had considered himself and Nathaniel fellow failures.

Now he realized that he had been standing beside someone whose achievement was already beyond his imagination.

The eliminated students stood speechless.

Some had their mouths hanging open. Others stared at Nathaniel as if they were waiting for someone to announce that the leaderboard had made a mistake.

Nobody did.

The SSS rating remained where it was.

And Nathaniel continued sitting there as calmly as ever.

...

Time passed minute by minute.

An hour and a half later, the teleportation platform shone brightly again.

A disheveled figure appeared in the middle of the light.

It was Daniel Mercer.

His previously neat school uniform had several tears in it. His hair was a mess, and sweat and dust covered his face.

He looked as though he’d been dragged through a battlefield.

Yet there wasn’t the slightest trace of disappointment in his expression.

Instead, his eyes were bright with excitement.

"Hoo... hoo..."

Daniel bent forward, resting his hands on his knees as he caught his breath.

After a few moments, he straightened and checked his settlement panel.

[Dungeon Progress: 8 Waves]

[Clearance Rating: B]

[Clearance Rewards: Silver-Grade Windwalker Bracers, Skill Book: Rapid-Fire Arrows]

"Awesome!"

Daniel punched the air.

Reaching the eighth wave and earning a B rating was already an excellent result for a newly awakened student.

And he had obtained Silver-Grade equipment along with a skill book.

Those rewards alone made the exhausting battle worthwhile.

Daniel grinned as he examined the panel again.

Then a thought suddenly occurred to him.

"I wonder how Nathaniel is doing."

He wiped the sweat from his face and eagerly scanned the surrounding area, searching for his friend.

It didn’t take long.

He spotted Nathaniel sitting leisurely in the rest area, holding a bottle of mineral water.

Daniel immediately trotted over.

"Brother, you’re here! You’re way too fast!"

He dropped into the chair beside Nathaniel, still panting from exhaustion.

Nathaniel glanced at him, smiled, and handed him another bottle of water.

Daniel grabbed it and drank more than half in a few gulps.

"Ha! I’m alive again!"

He finally lowered the bottle and let out a satisfied breath.

Then he turned toward Nathaniel, his eyes shining with curiosity.

"So, how far did you get?"

Nathaniel looked at him.

"Not bad."

Daniel blinked.

"Not bad? What does that mean?"

Nathaniel took another sip of water.

"You’ll see."

Daniel stared at him suspiciously.

Something about that smile told him his friend was hiding something extraordinary.

He just didn’t know how extraordinary yet.