As Shiro and the group prepared to continue their descent into the dungeon, Ren lingered behind, his eyes fixated on the spot where the Dullahan had fallen. The arena was now silent, the once-ominous presence of the black-armored knight reduced to faint traces of blue flame and scattered fragments of dark armor.

Ren approached the remains cautiously, his mind racing. The essence that Shiro absorbed wasn’t just a gift, it was this world’s equivalent of "experience points," much like in the game. The whole group had received a share of it, but Shiro had undoubtedly taken the lion’s share, thanks to his pivotal role in the battle.

"If they keep fighting like this," Ren mused, "they should level up before they even leave this dungeon."

A strange sense of satisfaction filled him, watching the mechanics of the game world come to life. But his attention quickly shifted. The Dullahan’s greatsword still lay embedded in the stone floor where the creature had left it.

The weapon was massive and foreboding, its blue flames flickering faintly along the blade’s edge. The sight of it stirred something within Ren, an old desire from his days playing the game.

“I’ve got to try,” he muttered, a grin spreading across his face. “Even if it’s pointless.”

Without hesitation, Ren reached for the hilt of the greatsword. His hand closed around it, or at least, it tried to. To his dismay, his fingers phased right through the weapon, as if it were an illusion.

“Goddammit!” Ren cursed out loud. “My dream...”

Disappointment washed over him. The thought of wielding the Dullahan’s greatsword had been tempting, but his Unexistence skill wasn’t going to let him have that satisfaction. He couldn’t interact with physical objects while in this state, something he knew, but had momentarily forgotten in his excitement.

“Figures,” Ren sighed, stepping back from the weapon. “Guess it wasn’t meant to be.”

The disappointment lingered, but not for long. Ren was adaptable, after all. He quickly shook it off, reminding himself of the bigger picture. The group was moving forward, deeper into the dungeon, and he needed to keep up.

Taking one last glance at the greatsword, Ren turned and hurried to rejoin the others. The dungeon wasn’t going to explore itself.

The trek through the dungeon was relentless. Every step forward brought new dangers and fresh challenges for the group. Ren watched from the shadows, observing how each of his classmates dealt with the obstacles in their path.

They encountered numerous traps, from simple pitfalls to complex mechanisms involving swinging blades and bursts of fire. While some were easily avoided, others required quick thinking and teamwork to disarm. Shiro often led the way, his keen senses and swift reflexes guiding the group through treacherous areas.

“Ugh, these traps are so annoying,” Rolan grumbled as he trudged through the dark corridor.

“It’s even more annoying when you keep complaining,” Lucius replied, walking beside him.

“I mean, how many traps can you put in one place?!” Rolan continued. “We’ve already run into six in the last thirty minutes.”

“It just shows how important this place is. They're clearly guarding something,” Shiro said, his eyes focused ahead.

“We still don’t know what we’re supposed to find here,” Liana added, her voice thoughtful. “Even Principal Valis didn’t have any solid information about this dungeon.”

“Then why send us here?” Rolan questioned. “None of this makes sense.”

“It might not make sense now,” Shiro said firmly, “but if this place holds the key to surviving the invasion, then we have no choice but to clear it, no matter what.”

Rolan opened his mouth to argue but found no retort. He quickly changed the subject. “At least there aren’t any more monsters—”

Suddenly, the group heard a low, slithering sound from up ahead. From the shadows, a massive serpent emerged, its scales glistening ominously in the dim light.

“Seriously, Rolan?! Again?” Lucius groaned, exasperated by his classmate's bad luck.

“How is this my fault?!” Rolan shot back, defending himself.

The group fought tirelessly as monsters continued to emerge. They dispatched each foe with a combination of swordplay, magic, and strategy. Though each battle drained them, their resolve remained strong.

Their next trial came in the form of an arena, eerily similar to the one where they had fought the Dullahan.

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Inside, they faced a banshee, a ghastly spirit whose haunting wails echoed through the chamber, sending shivers down Ren’s spine despite his immunity to its effects. The banshee’s shrieks were soul-piercing and disorienting. It flitted through the air like a blur of darkness, making it nearly impossible for the group to land a hit.

Lucius, the son of a duke, stepped forward. Though his magic was usually reserved for more controlled situations, he acted without hesitation. He summoned a powerful barrier to shield his teammates from the banshee’s screams, then unleashed a torrent of fire, engulfing the spirit in flames. The banshee’s wail before it was finally silenced, leaving only a faint echo and a scattering of ash.

The third arena presented an equally formidable foe: a golden harpy. It was a creature of both beauty and terror, its wings shimmering like gold, though its sharp talons and fangs made it anything but elegant. The harpy moved with blinding speed, swooping down on the group with lethal intent.

Celes, typically quiet and unassuming, revealed her true potential in this fight. With razor-sharp reflexes and keen deduction skills, she predicted the harpy’s movements, leading the group in a series of precise counterattacks. Dodging the creature’s assaults with ease, she landed calculated blows at just the right moments. Ultimately, it was Celes who delivered the finishing strike, plunging her dagger into the harpy’s heart and sending it crashing to the ground.

Ren was impressed by the group’s abilities. They were no longer the inexperienced students he had first encountered in the game. Here, they were battle-hardened, resourceful, and determined to survive despite everything the dungeon threw at them.

Yet, something felt off.

“They’re performing excellently,” Ren murmured to himself, frowning, “but the time it took them to defeat the bosses is weird. For prodigies, they’re still struggling too much for a dungeon of this difficulty.”

This dungeon beneath the academy wasn’t known for being particularly hard. What made it unique was its hidden location and the prize item at its end, but difficulty wasn’t supposed to be one of its defining traits.

Before Ren could finish his train of thought, the group suddenly stopped speaking. Glancing ahead, he saw why.

After what felt like an eternity of battles, they had arrived at a massive door at the end of a long, dimly lit corridor. The door was carved from ancient stone, covered with intricate runes and symbols etched deeply into its surface. The air around it was thick with a sense of finality.

"This is it," Shiro said, his voice echoing slightly in the quiet corridor. He stepped forward, his hand tracing the lines of the door’s carvings. "The last room."

The others gathered around, visibly exhausted but with a flicker of anticipation in their eyes. They knew that whatever lay beyond the door would be the ultimate challenge, the culmination of everything they had faced so far.

“What do you think is inside?” Liana asked, breaking the silence.

“Please, let it be a treasure room!” Rolan exclaimed, practically praying.

“For once, I agree with you,” Lucius added, sharing the same hope.

Celes, however, readied herself. “Be prepared. There could still be traps or monsters inside.”

“Yeah, Celes is right,” Shiro said firmly. “Let’s go in.”

The group tensed, bracing themselves for whatever lay beyond. All except for one, who stood back with a smirk.

“Hah, they’re so tense,” Ren chuckled to himself. “I bet they’re expecting some final boss or monstrous challenge. The truth is far weirder than that.”

Shiro laid his hand on the door and pushed it open.

The massive door creaked, revealing an enormous chamber. Its ceiling arched high above, dotted with glowing blue lights that cast an eerie, almost sacred glow across the space. The light shimmered off the stone walls, making the room feel otherworldly, like they had stepped into another realm entirely.

Ren followed closely as Shiro led the group cautiously into the room. Each step they took echoed off the stone floor, amplified in the vast emptiness. Their breaths were shallow, their eyes scanning every corner of the space for traps, monsters, or a final boss waiting to strike.

But nothing happened.

No hidden mechanisms clicked into place, no beasts sprang from the shadows, and no spectral figure materialized. The silence was almost deafening, a stark contrast to the chaotic battles they had faced before.

The only notable feature of the otherwise barren chamber was a single pedestal in the center of the room. It was made of the same ancient stone as the walls, etched with intricate carvings that faintly pulsed with the blue light illuminating the chamber. The pedestal was empty, its surface smooth and untouched by time.

Shiro motioned for the group to approach. They did so cautiously, weapons ready, the blue light around them intensifying as they neared the pedestal.

Suddenly, a soft blue glow emerged from the center of the pedestal. It wasn’t an object or form, just an ethereal light that hovered above the stone. It bathed the room in a serene, calming aura but offered no immediate clues about its purpose.

The group exchanged puzzled glances. While there was no obvious danger, the room’s sheer emptiness, combined with the strange glow, kept their guard up.

“What is this place?” Liana asked in a hushed voice, eyeing the pedestal.

“A sanctuary? A shrine?” Lucius suggested, frowning. “But where’s the artifact?”

Celes stepped closer, her eyes locked on the glowing light. “It could be hidden. Or perhaps the light itself is the key.”

They formed a tight circle around the pedestal, inspecting it from all angles. Shiro reached out, his hand hovering over the blue glow but hesitated to touch it.

“It feels like it’s waiting for something,” he murmured.

Ren watched from the shadows, his mind racing. He knew exactly what needed to be done, one of them had to place their hand on the pedestal. That would trigger the next step: a question. But he couldn’t just tell them. He wasn’t supposed to interfere directly, not without risking the delicate balance of the story.

The group fell into discussion, each offering theories and suggestions about the pedestal and its glow. The tension in the room was palpable, curiosity and caution mixing as they debated their options.

Ren, silently urging them on, muttered under his breath. "Come on, Shiro. Just put your hand on the pedestal."

After what felt like an eternity, Shiro made his decision. Stepping forward once more, he hovered his hand above the pedestal. The others watched, holding their breath as his hand slowly descended onto the smooth stone surface.

The moment Shiro’s hand made contact, the blue light flared brightly, flooding the room with a blinding glow. The others shielded their eyes, but Ren kept his focus, knowing what was about to happen.

From the heart of the pedestal, a voice echoed—deep, resonant, and ancient. Though it spoke in a language none of them recognized, yet the meaning was clear.

“Do you believe in the goddess?”