The next run to the surface involved giving Serena the anime choker so she could boost her stats and abilities while massacring Ligerfangs and Minotaurs,

but this time using the Goliath Nail as her weapon. And a few Magic cantrips to start her Magic growth.

As single Level up the run wasn't special, but her stats got far better.

Serena Troy- Level 21

Title: none

Strength: 24

Speed: 24

Mind: 9

Magic: 4

Chi: 9

Endurance: 15

Free points: 20

Class: Cultivator

Job: Teacher

Cultivation rank: Core-high

Cultivation Skills:

Guiding: early

Honing: medium

Reinforcement: early

Lightening: none

"This is unreal! How can someone grow their stats so fast?" she asked in surprise as we came out from the Dungeon.

I smiled at my new girlfriend and then shrugged. "You're not that strong actually. Stats tend to grow faster at the beginning, but they slow down later. And Floor Bosses are immune to most things under 40 stats." I spoke in warning.

Then I looked around more cautiously. A pair of green mecha suits were guarding the Epicentre Base now. Definitely sent by the Academy.

'As durable as a Minotaur, these suits. Quite amazing.' Lisa sent to my mind.

I sighed in relief. Not really a danger then. My eyes narrowed as I observed their stubby cannons, looking a bit like a grenade launcher with a revolver style magazine. If the guns were advanced as the suits, they could probably kill a Minotaur in one shot too.

Lisa locked eyes with a nearby man with long robes, and lead us directly to him.

"Oh, people emerging from the monster den? And you even tamed a monster somehow..." he spoke in a bored voice, while measuring Mystic for a steak.

The cat just ignored him, seeming more interested in the flying helicopters.

"We're from Ecole Phenomenale. This is Teacher Serena Troy." Lisa answered in cold voice, as a ball of energy gathered in her palm.

The man frowned, as his eyes got covered by a grid like spell. "Hmmm. Indeed, the Cultivator. A bit stronger than I was told." he mused softly, then turned around and ignored us.

Wow, Lisa manged to get us through somehow. Or perhaps it was the reputation of the University.

My Earth wasn't exactly the same place it was before I started my adventure. The CYOA would have changed things as to fit both world changes properly, giving them a back story.

Serena sighed and pointed at large helicopter being loaded with crates marked with triple crescents. Biohazard signs.

Soon enough, we flew to Rabat, Morocco and boarded a private jet charted by the Ecole.

In flight, Lisa worked on her laptop, creating a legend for us. And indeed, as we landed in Geneva we crossed though the diplomatic gate and even received our new Swiss passports. My own named me Pef Wildbourn, which made me smile for a second.

Stolen novel; please report.

"Madame Troy, I see your fact-finding trip was quite fortunate." a portly man received us in a polite voice.

Lisa glanced at me. 'Esper 3.'

I nodded while taking a look around the school. The place was old, possibly 14th Century. Quite a deep backstory then, going back to the early Alchemists like Paracelsus. No wonder the Academy man took a step back. The Ecole was old money. It might be smaller but it was rich and old. Soft power, instead of mecha suits and magi-tech like the Academy.

Not long after, we sipped coffee in a conference room, as more teachers arrived to meet us.

I just kept my screen open, since it didn't show anything important. My special abilities did not show at all, instead the screen made me look like an overpowered Cultivator. Even the name had changed after getting my new passport, showing the same thing.

Lisa was grinning far to wide as well.

Then another bombshell of a teacher arrived, her large breasts overflowing from a tight dress, while curly black hair fell on her shoulders.

"I am Alchemist Devoinne. Now, what was so important...?" she asked just as Lisa took out her Potions and rolled them on the big oak table.

Silence is golden, they say. The teachers of the Ecole certainly thought so too, as they examined the Potions with their game screens and other powers.

"Lisa, show them your screen too." Serena whispered as the teachers of the Ecole began to frown.

Perhaps they were suspecting the Potions as fake or cursed.

Lisa Wildbourn - Level 21

Title: Companion

Strength: 25

Speed: 25

Mind: 22

Magic: 21

Esper: 41

Endurance: 51

Free points: 20

Class: Transmuteer

Job : Potioneer

Esper rank: 4

Esper Skills:

Telekinesis: medium

Reinforcement: early

Telepathy: medium

Divination: early

Except the one free point she used to reach Esper rank 4, Lisa had perfectly saved her free points, giving her the option to instantly reach Esper rank 6.

"Your stats are even more absurd that your husband's, Lady Wildbourn. At least he has 10 more levels to account for such growth. Especially in Endurance, but also your special gifts." the Alchemist lady noted with wise eyes.

And again, Lisa's special abilities were not listed on the screen, but Espers and their general powers were mostly known.

"The Dungeon is extremely dangerous. Even with Potions to boost stats, the Floor Bosses are 20 or 30 levels higher than regular monsters. Mystic here is such a monster, in fact." Lisa said calmly and urged the cat to jump on the table as well.

"There's also reason to believe the Dungeon itself is sapient and will deploy monsters in such ways as to counter tactics or abilities if they get too successful. Sometimes is a monster horde, other times an engineered monster with specific abilities. Especially if the Dungeon walls are damaged..." I mused gently with another sneaky glance at the Alchemist's great assets.

Lisa sighed and opened her inventory to extract a pile of loot and more Potions, filling the table. "We do not know what lies at the bottom of the Dungeon, but strong monsters are guaranteed. So strong that even a Level 100 will die in one hit. And probably not even damage them."

The teachers from the Ecole took another look at her screen, then began gossiping between them. I guess the warning will serve for something.

"Then I welcome you both to our school. Now, shall we go over this pile of strange materials and learn what they are?" The alchemist decided for the rest, and they didn't seem to mind.

Mystic pawed a monster crystal closer and then ate it, proving at least one purpose for the thing.

"The crystals are magic energy. While my cat eats them as sustenance, they can also power an airplane or a car. Possibly a spaceship as well." I provided with a mild voice.

The Alchemist ignored me, or the cat and instead walked beside Lisa to chat about transmuting and other exotic stuff.

"Want to see our library? We have some Chi manuals too." Serena asked me in a kind voice.

Oh? I did want to learn how to properly use my Chi, instead of guessing my way.

I did want to reach the next Palace stage, and not fumble around so much. Manuals could be useful.