Multiversal Ascension-Chapter 46:Dungeon Exploration With Amelia And Lyra (1)

After a short walk, Mikael spotted Amelia standing near ten blue-colored portals, which served as the dungeon entrances. They were in an open space designated as the class meeting point. The rest of the class was already there, but he ignored them, focusing solely on her. Her arms were crossed, and her foot tapped impatiently against the stone floor. She wore the classic white-and-gold Academy uniform, yet there was an undeniable elegance in the way she carried herself.

As he approached, he grinned, letting his footsteps echo just enough to catch her attention.

"You're early," he said, his voice light and teasing.

Amelia glanced at him, her expression neutral at first. "And you're late."

"Nah, I'm just on time," Mikael corrected, leaning casually against a nearby pillar. "Me taking my time gives you more time to appreciate the view."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "The view?"

He gestured dramatically as if presenting the dungeon itself. "The scenery, the ominous dungeon entrance... and, of course, me."

Amelia rolled her eyes, though he caught the faintest twitch of a smile at the corner of her lips. "You're insufferable, you know that?"

"And yet," Mikael said, stepping a bit closer, "you keep sparring with me and now joining me for dungeon exploration. Admit it, you'd miss my charm."

"Charm? Is that what you call it?" she quipped, tilting her head slightly.

Mikael placed a hand over his chest in mock offense. "Harsh words, Amelia. But I'll forgive you—this time."

She finally let a smile break through, shaking her head. "You're impossible."

"And you're stunning," he said smoothly, his voice softer now, the teasing edge replaced with sincerity. "Ready to show this dungeon what we're made of?"

Amelia leaned casually against a nearby wall, her gaze shifting between Mikael and the dungeon's looming entrance. "Just make sure you don't get too full of yourself once we're inside," she teased.

Mikael, standing a few steps ahead as if already ready to charge in, smirked and crossed his arms. "Me? Full of myself? I'll just be clearing the way while you stay back and admire my work."

She raised an eyebrow, her grin playful. "Admire? More like critique."

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Nearby, a few male students couldn't help but grit their teeth, envious of the playful banter between Mikael and Amelia. Inwardly, they wondered how Mikael had managed to get on such friendly terms with Amelia in such a short time.

Their exchange was cut short as Emily approached with a tablet in hand, her expression serious. Mikael's smirk softened into a focused look, though a glimmer of amusement lingered in his eyes. Amelia caught it and let out a quiet chuckle, shaking her head.

"Alright, class," Emily began. "Today is the day you'll finally conduct your dungeon exploration. Let's review the objectives one last time so no one forgets anything. You'll be divided into teams of two, as you've already decided. Teams 1 to 5 will clear an E rank dungeon, and Teams 6 to 10 will clear an E- rank dungeon."

She read through the team assignments:

"Team 1: Amelia Mounrsky and Mikael Angelini.

Team 2: Aria Cliffborne and Lucas Henker.

...

Team 10: Kenzo Brown and David Evermore."

"You should all know this already, but just in case, these are your teams," Emily continued. "For those who didn't bring a weapon, there are some steel weapons available on the rack over there." She pointed to a nearby weapon rack stocked with a variety of steel weapons.

"Another important thing: you need to bring your own food and water for the dungeon. If anyone forgot, you can take a short detour to grab some now." She paused, scanning the group. "No one? Good. Now, onto the dungeons themselves."

Emily gestured to the ten swirling blue portals behind her. "These portals were placed here by a space mage from the Academy. They've already been explored for any unexpected dangers and are confirmed to be normal dungeons. So, you don't need to worry about surprises on that front. The only catch is that you won't know the specific type of dungeon you'll be entering."

She paused to let her words sink in before continuing. "And finally, perhaps the most important point: during your dungeon exploration, you'll be accompanied by a third-year student." She motioned toward a group of older students seated on a nearby bench.

Mikael's gaze was drawn to the third-years. He hadn't noticed them earlier, as he'd been preoccupied with flirting with Amelia. His eyes scanned the group without much interest until they landed on a head of beautiful purple hair streaked with red.

Lyra, noticing his gaze, gave him a timid wave, which he returned. Mikael was surprised to see her; he'd only encountered her in the library, either reading or napping. He'd often taken the opportunity to chat—or flirt—with her when borrowing books to enhance his knowledge and battle skills.

Amelia, noticing Lyra's wave, suddenly felt a twinge of jealousy and stepped closer to Mikael. Over the past month, Mikael had become more attuned to such gestures and inwardly smiled, though he refrained from reacting.

In this world, Mikael hadn't explicitly mentioned to Amelia that he intended to build a harem, unlike when he had spoken to Kiara. It was more common for strong individuals to have harems here, so he didn't feel the need to clarify his intentions. Mikael had also learned from some research that bluntly declaring his plans could backfire. He considered himself fortunate that his relationship with Kiara hadn't ended disastrously, especially given her intense feelings for him.

Although the moment seemed drawn out, it lasted only a few seconds. Emily allowed the students to observe the third-years before continuing, "These ten third-year students have accepted a mission from the Mission Hall to act as your protectors during the dungeon exploration. Please note that their job isn't to help you clear the dungeon. They will only intervene if they determine you're in danger. Keep in mind that if they have to act, you will lose point for the evaluation."

As she finished speaking, she gestured to the third-years, who immediately approached their assigned teams.

Lyra walked toward Mikael and Amelia, who stood close to each other near the dungeon portals. "Good morning. I am Lyra Mystoria, and I will be your protector for this dungeon exploration!" Her words were formal and polite, but the sharp look she directed at Amelia told a different story.

Amelia, unfazed, met Lyra's intense gaze with one of her own, the tension between the two palpable.

Mikael, sensing the charged atmosphere and eager to break it, intervened. A playful grin spread across his face as he turned to Lyra. "Lyra, I didn't know you could leave the library. Honestly, with how often I've seen you there, I was starting to think you lived in it," he teased, his tone light and disarming.

At his words, Lyra's stern demeanor melted away, replaced by her usual shy, bookish personality. She blinked, her gaze darting nervously between Mikael and Amelia. "E-Uh... Yes... I do spend a lot of time there, but I don't live there. I just... spend most of my day reading," she stammered, her voice soft and hesitant.

Mikael chuckled, taking a step closer to her. "Really? Because if I didn't know better, I'd say you've got a secret room tucked away in the back. Maybe a little nest made of books?"

Lyra's face turned scarlet, her violet eyes widening in embarrassment. "N-No, of course not! That's ridiculous!"

"Ridiculous?" Mikael raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "You're telling me a dedicated bookworm like you hasn't claimed a corner of the library as her own personal kingdom? I'm disappointed, Lyra."

Amelia, watching the exchange, crossed her arms and smirked, though a flicker of irritation glinted in her eyes. "You're awfully chatty today, Mikael."

"Just being friendly," Mikael replied smoothly, shooting Amelia a quick grin before turning back to Lyra. "After all, Lyra's going to be protecting us in the dungeon. The least I can do is make her feel welcome."

Lyra glanced down, fiddling nervously with the hem of her sleeve, her blush deepening. "I... I'm just doing what the mission entail."

"Just doing the mission?" Mikael leaned in slightly, his voice soft and teasing. "I think you're underselling yourself. Having someone as brilliant as you watching our backs? I'd say we've hit the jackpot."

Lyra's blush spread to her ears, and she barely managed to mutter, "T-Thank you."

Amelia cleared her throat sharply, pulling Mikael's attention back to her. "Shouldn't we focus on the dungeon now? Or are we turning this into a social event?"

"Of course, Amelia," Mikael replied, the corners of his lips twitching into a smirk. "Let's not keep the dungeon waiting."

As the group moved toward the portals, Mikael glanced back at Lyra and gave her a quick wink. 'She's way too easy to fluster,' he thought, amused. 'I'll have to visit the library more often.'

Amelia, catching the exchange, narrowed her eyes slightly but didn't comment, instead choosing to step a little closer to Mikael as they walked towards the dungeon.

The three of them stepped through the swirling portal, Emily's watchful gaze following to ensure everything was proceeding smoothly.

After a brief sensation of floating in a black void, Mikael felt solid ground beneath his feet again. Immediately alert, he scanned his surroundings, ready for any potential monster attack. His first impression, however, wasn't of danger—it was of heat.

'Hot,' he thought as a wave of warmth enveloped him.

[Dungeon Clear

Rank: E (Dirarnia World, RE(repeatable quest)

Description: Clear the E rank dungeon

System rewards: 400 LP (300 LP because the user is accompanied)]

[Accept Yes/No?]

Mikael gained a smirk as he was hoping that it would happen and immediately accepted the quest before he looked at his surroundings.

The dungeon's interior radiated an oppressive heat, enough to make an average human break into a sweat within moments of arrival. The environment consisted of a vast underground cave, its most striking feature being the numerous pools of molten lava scattered throughout. Small stone pathways snaked around the lava lakes, their surfaces blackened from the constant searing heat.

Above them, the cavern ceiling sparkled with an abundance of glowing fire stones, illuminating the space alongside the lava's orange-red light. At the far end of the room, Mikael spotted a narrow corridor of blackened stone that stretched into an unknown darkness.

The most concerning sight, however, was the group of eight monsters lounging near the largest lava lake in the cave. The creatures were roughly the size of a large dog and moved on four legs, but that was where the resemblance ended. Their bodies were cloaked in dense black fur interwoven with bone-like protrusions that served both as armor and weaponry. Their glowing amber eyes gleamed with feral bloodlust.

Mikael recognized them instantly from his studies in the Dungeon Exploration class. 'E- rank Bonefiends,' he thought. 'I've seen their descriptions before. But the bigger issue isn't them—it's the dungeon itself.'

He gave his surroundings a quick evaluation and sighed inwardly. 'Yeah, definitely a fire-type dungeon. With no water mage in our group and my spells being wind-based, we're at a disadvantage here. But against overwhelming strength... does it really matter?' A smirk tugged at his lips as confidence swelled within him.

Just as his thoughts concluded, Amelia's voice broke through his focus. "What do we do?" she asked, her tone slightly shaky.

Mikael turned to her and was surprised to find Amelia trembling ever so slightly, though she was clearly trying to maintain a composed façade. She wasn't succeeding, and the sight of her trembling touched something in him.

Without hesitation, Mikael stepped closer and pulled her into a gentle hug. "Oh, the great Amelia is scared?" he teased lightly, his tone both comforting and playful. "Don't worry—I'll protect you from all the big, bad monsters!"

"Pfft," Amelia chuckled softly, his ridiculous words somehow easing her nerves. She stepped out of the hug without a word, turning back toward the monsters with renewed determination. "I'm not scared," she declared firmly. "I was just... a little cold from the teleportation!"

Her claim wasn't particularly convincing, given the sweltering heat of their surroundings. To make matters worse for her, the tips of her ears had turned noticeably red, and she refused to meet Mikael's gaze.

Watching her attempt to act as if nothing had happened, Mikael couldn't suppress a quiet laugh.

Amelia whipped around to glare at him fiercely. Unfortunately for her, her attempt at intimidation was undermined by her blushing cheeks and her stunning features—her silky black hair and vibrant green eyes only added to the impression of an embarrassed beauty rather than a fearsome warrior.

Author Note:

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