The Overlooked Hero Breaks the System

The early morning air was crisp, but tension weighed heavier than the cold. The summoned students had grown accustomed to daily training, yet today felt different.

General Aldren stood before the gathered students, his sharp gaze scanning the group. Behind him, several instructors and knights observed in silence.

"Training can only prepare you so much," Aldren began. "It is time for you to experience real combat. Today, three squads will enter a dungeon for a live combat assessment."

Murmurs spread through the students.

"Dungeon already?" Ethan whispered, shifting uneasily.

Dante grinned. "Finally, something real."

Aldren raised a hand for silence. "This is a controlled mission. Your goal is simple—eliminate monsters, gather resources, and return safely. However, you must proceed with caution. Dungeon environments are unpredictable. Stay together and follow instructions."

He gestured toward a knight who unrolled a scroll. "The squads participating in this mission are—Squad One, Squad Two, and Squad Nine."

A ripple of reactions followed.

Squad One—the elite group with Leon, Elena, Alan, and Aisha.

Squad Two—the strong combat unit led by Felix, the Spirit Mage.

Squad Nine—the general training squad. Rei, Dante, Ethan, and Kai.

Dante raised an eyebrow. "Us? With the elites?"

Ethan groaned. "We're dead."

Kai adjusted his glasses. "They must be sending a mix of teams to test different combat styles."

Rei remained silent. This was a problem.

Unlike controlled training, dungeons were unpredictable. If something unexpected happened, he might be forced to show his real abilities.

For now, he would do what he always did—stay unnoticed.

An hour later, the squads gathered at the dungeon entrance—a massive stone gate embedded into a rocky hillside. The structure pulsed faintly with magical energy, indicating that it was an active dungeon.

Aldren stood at the front, flanked by instructors. "This dungeon has been scouted and is classified as mid-tier. You will encounter low to mid-level monsters—skeleton warriors, lesser beasts, and possibly a dungeon boss. Move efficiently. Do not act alone."

The dungeon gates groaned open, revealing a dark, ancient corridor stretching into the unknown.

Leon stepped forward without hesitation, his golden aura faintly glowing. "Let's go."

Elena smirked and followed, her blue energy flickering around her hands. "Try to keep up."

Felix, ever composed, walked in silence, his spirit energy coiling around him protectively.

Rei entered near the back, keeping his pace steady. He wasn't the only one being cautious—Ethan and Kai hesitated before stepping inside.

The dungeon's interior was vast, filled with ancient stone ruins and flickering torches casting eerie shadows. The air was thick with the scent of dust and decay.

As they moved deeper, the first enemies appeared—skeleton warriors armed with rusted blades.

Leon stepped forward first, unsheathing his sword. "Let's see how strong they are."

The skeletons rushed forward, weapons raised.

Leon's blade glowed with divine energy as he struck, shattering a skeleton in one clean blow.

Elena moved in next, casting a lightning-fast spell that incinerated two enemies instantly.

Felix simply raised a hand, and a ghostly spirit formed, launching forward and dismantling the skeletal remains effortlessly.

The battle was over in seconds.

Dante whistled. "Well, that was fast."

Aisha, the Lunar Priestess, smiled. "These are just the entrance monsters. The deeper we go, the stronger they'll be."

Kai adjusted his grip on his staff. "Then we better stay prepared."

Rei observed silently. He had no need to step in.

But he knew the deeper they went, the harder it would be to stay passive.

As they advanced further, the dungeon's atmosphere changed. The flickering torches dimmed, and a faint tremor ran through the stone beneath their feet.

Felix narrowed his eyes. "Something isn't right."

Leon stopped, gripping his sword. "The mana in the air just shifted."

Suddenly, the walls began to glow with red sigils. The entire dungeon trembled.

Aisha's expression darkened. "This… isn't normal. The dungeon's structure just mutated."

"Mutated?" Ethan asked.

Elena frowned. "Some dungeons evolve while people are inside. It means new threats are appearing."

Before anyone could react, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from deeper within.

From the darkness, hulking skeletal beasts emerged—larger, faster, and much deadlier than before.

A mutated dungeon had turned a simple test mission into a real survival battle.

The mutated skeleton beasts charged forward. Their red eyes glowed with unnatural energy, and their bodies were covered in enchanted bones—far more durable than the enemies before.

Leon and Elena immediately took the front lines, striking at the creatures with overwhelming power.

But they weren't the only targets.

A skeleton broke through the line, rushing toward the weaker students in the back.

It was heading straight for Kai.

Kai barely had time to react, his mana exhausted from earlier. He tried to raise a barrier, but the creature was too fast.

Time slowed.

Rei cursed internally.

He had two choices.

Do nothing and let Kai get injured or worse.

Intervene and risk exposing his real capabilities.

The decision took less than a second.

Before anyone could react—

Rei moved.

He vanished from his position, crossing the distance instantly.

With a precise strike, he shattered the skeleton's enchanted core before it could reach Kai.

The creature collapsed.

Kai, breathing heavily, stared at him in shock. "You—"

But before anyone else could notice, Rei quickly stumbled backward, faking exhaustion.

Dante turned. "Whoa, that was fast—"

Felix's sharp eyes lingered on Rei for a fraction of a second.

Rei kept his expression neutral, but deep down, he knew—someone had noticed.

And it was only a matter of time before the questions started.