CHAPTER 106: CHAPTER 106 PHOBOS DEIMOS

Zane and the corrupted hybrid horse clashed in a terrifying battle.

At first, the beast had the upper hand. Its top-tier speed and barrage of long-range magic made Zane’s movements increasingly constrained. Within minutes, he was nearly cornered—three times.

Zane gritted his teeth, analyzing the fight.

Its stats far outclass mine...

The beast was relentless.

At one point, it unleashed a torrent of water magic. Zane dodged narrowly, but the horse spun midair, channeling its massive body into a deadly back-kick.

Zane’s eyes widened. Even with Luminous Steps, he couldn’t completely avoid it.

He raised his hands, forming rapid seals at incredible speed. "Sacred Barrier!" he shouted.

White smoke-like mana erupted from his body, quickly solidifying into a radiant shield of light.

CRACK!

The hoof landed with full force.

The barrier absorbed the brunt of the attack, deflecting the remaining power backward. The beast was flung forward, tumbling violently across the ground.

It was the first time Zane had shifted the flow of battle.

Finally. A chance.

Without hesitation, he flickered forward and appeared beside the dazed beast, which was still rolling to a stop.

He raised his fingers, ready to end it with a flick—but paused.

In that brief second, instinct took over.

Zane clenched his right fist.

Let’s test something...

He punched.

No restraint. No holding back.

He unleashed the full weight of 29,000 kg into that single blow.

BOOM!

The horse didn’t have time to neigh or croak. Its entire midsection imploded. Blood and minced flesh exploded across the field like a red mist.

Zane exhaled and stepped back, scanning the mess.

He sifted through the remains and pulled out a mana core—still intact.

"Good," he muttered, wiping blood from his face.

The green card in his pocket vibrated. As expected, it absorbed the core into its data stream.

Ding!

[Quest Completed!]

[Dungeon Boss Slain.]

[+25 to all stats]

[Updated Stats:]

Strength: 1364 (Core) + 5 (Divine Radiance) + 10 (Divine Strike) → 1379

Agility: 1375 (Core) + 5 (Divine Radiance) + 10 (Luminous Step) → 1390

Intelligence: 1370 (Core) + 5 (Divine Radiance) + 10 (Sacred Barrier) → 1385

Health: 3760 / 3760 (Regen: 160 HP/s)

Mana: 4080 / 4080 (Regen: 60 MP/s)

Current Load: 28,567 kg

Mana Core Rating: ★ One-Star

Suddenly, the ground beneath him began to quake. Cracks split across the dungeon walls as mana pulses rippled through the space.

Zane looked around, alert. "What’s going on now?"

Ding!

[The Dungeon is collapsing. Since the Boss has been defeated, this instance will be dismantled and reconstructed elsewhere.]

[Please exit via the spatial rift.]

A shimmering portal opened beside him.

Zane nodded once, stepped through it, and vanished.

Meanwhile, across various regions of Mars, things were also heating up.

Hundreds of students were actively clearing their own dungeons—some managing to take on three at once. But the outside world had no way of seeing what happened within.

Live feeds failed.

Despite the best technology Earth and Mars had to offer, bee-sized drones couldn’t enter dungeon realms. By the very laws of the dungeon, only chosen participants could cross the threshold.

All anyone could see were the live ranks, projected high in the sky like glowing holograms—broad-casted back in the earth

When Zane stepped out of the rift, everything went black for a moment. Then—

He was standing on familiar Martian terrain.

It was night.

Above him, the two oddly shaped moons of Mars hung silently in the star-speckled sky.

Zane yawned. "Guess it’s time to rest."

He found a flat patch of grassland, chopped down a nearby tree, and built a large bonfire. Then he dressed another bull carcass from his storage and cooked himself a hearty meal.

The flames crackled beside him as he ate.

Finally, lying back on the soft Martian grass with his hands behind his head, Zane stared up at the purple sky above.

"What a beautiful night," he muttered. "The night sky on Mars is really something else. It’s different from Earth’s... but still breathtaking."

His gaze lingered on the twin moons glowing faintly in the distance.

"That must be Phobos... and that one’s Deimos. Hah, strange shapes, but damn eye-catching."

As he watched the heavens, nostalgia crept in. His smile faded into a softer expression.

"Even if this is beautiful, I miss Earth already... my favorite spot back in Whistler Town. Grandma... it’s been almost a month. How are you doing? Is your back still aching from overworking?"

His voice was low, full of warmth and longing. Good memories gently flooded his mind—the scent of old tea leaves, the cozy lamp by the window, the night sky back home...

Back on Earth

Fresher Meet Village – Tournament Headquarters

The moment Zane exited the dungeon, the green card he carried sent out a tracking pulse.

Within two minutes, three bee-sized drones zipped through the sky and hovered above him, their lenses quietly recording.

Inside the command tent, a group of instructors sat before a large holographic display, watching dozens of live rankings projected in the air.

"Smart move," one teacher remarked, observing the screens. "Many students chose to rest for the night. Without sleep, their performance tomorrow will definitely suffer."

"Yeah," a female instructor agreed, stretching. "We should call it a day too. Let’s grab dinner and rest."

Several others nodded in agreement.

Just as they were about to leave—

"Wait!" a teacher suddenly shouted, pointing at one of the screens. "Look at that!"

"What is it?"

Everyone turned toward the feed.

There on the projection, Zane could be seen pulling a massive dead bull out of his silk pouch and dressing it on the spot.

"...Is he—cooking?" someone asked, stunned.

They watched as Zane calmly took out a cauldron, seasonings, dried wood, and even spices. With practiced movements, he began preparing a large meal.

"...Is that kid a chef or something?"

"First time in the tournament’s history that someone brought a full-on kitchen setup to a dungeon," another murmured in disbelief.

Some laughed.

Some were speechless.

And, of course—some sneered.

The ones who sneered mostly did so out of frustration or resentment... especially those watching from the Deans’ seats.

Dean Kora’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Zane’s face on the screen.

If looks could kill, Zane would’ve turned to dust on the spot.

"This brat... enjoying himself like he’s on a picnic while I have to keep a full hundred-meter distance from him," she hissed under her breath, grinding her teeth. "Preposterous!"

Her fists clenched.

"One day... I’ll reach 8-star level. When I do, I’ll come for every last one of you. That day is coming..."

Sitting beside her, Dean Pudge cast her a glance and smirked.

Oh, that day. I’m looking forward to it too, he thought, sneering inwardly..