Chapter 54 : Nightmare Pyramid

At Vex’s meaningful voice, not only I but even Zeke pricked up our ears.

“Sunghoon’s proposed standard strategy—if our team had a proper lineup of a dealer, tank, and healer, it would have been a challenge worth attempting.

However, the reality is that our team doesn’t even have a tank, let alone a healer.”

“Come to think of it, they said they would form teams considering positions, but why is our team such a mess? Did they consider us disposable from the beginning?”

“There are some teams missing either a healer or a tank, but it’s rare to have a team missing both.

Still, since there are so few students capable of healing in the first place, it was probably unavoidable.

Therefore, I propose we boldly give up on the standard strategy and instead challenge the S-rank dungeon, Nightmare Pyramid.”

“W-what!? Are you crazy? S-rank dungeons are so hard that even senior division upperclassmen avoid them—how are we supposed to clear it!?”

“Please let me finish.

I’m not suggesting we defeat monsters or disarm traps.

What I’m proposing is that we simply survive inside the Nightmare Pyramid during the week-long dungeon practice.

I managed to find some very rare information: unlike other dungeons, the Nightmare Pyramid awards survival points.

Just by enduring in that nightmarish place, you earn extra points depending on how long you last.

If everything goes according to plan, we can definitely escape last place—and if we do well, we might even aim for the upper middle ranks.”

Surviving inside the dungeon without clearing it.

It was a really novel strategy, but there was a fatal flaw in Vex’s proposal.

It was true that the Nightmare Pyramid had a system of awarding survival points, but the instructors didn’t hand out those points for no reason.

Unlike other dungeons, the Nightmare Pyramid was known for directly launching mental attacks on students.

And it wasn’t just simple mind attacks—it materialized the traumas sleeping deep in their subconscious as nightmarish illusions, making it extremely dangerous.

“Wait, there’s such a loophole? Then we don’t have time to waste sitting around. Let’s immediately start gathering supplies—food, water, sleeping bags—everything we need to survive inside!”

“Hold on! From what I know, the Nightmare Pyramid isn’t named that way for no reason. We’ll be facing nightmares at least ten times worse than any we’ve ever had in real life. Are we really prepared for that?”

“Sunghoon, it seems you did some research as well.

Of course, we have a plan for that.

First, before entering the Nightmare Pyramid, we sleep for more than 10 hours straight.

Then, for the next two days, we stay awake entirely without sleep.

After that, for the following two days, we take turns napping for only 30 minutes at a time.

You might know this, but you can only dream when you enter the REM sleep stage—so if you wake up before that, you won’t dream.

Finally, for the last two days, we endure with this special awakening potion created by the alchemy majors.”

Vex placed a vial with a skull symbol right onto the table as he said this.

Honestly, I hadn’t expected a side character like Vex to be this thoroughly prepared for dungeon practice, and I felt a little guilty.

I had been so focused on the Magical Inkshadow Pen fused with my index finger that I thought it was enough to just barely pass the dungeon practice without getting expelled.

“Wait, special stimulant? It looks like a dangerous drug just from the bottle. Are you sure it’s safe to take?”

“Students who are cramming for exams right before midterms often take it. Haven’t you seen it before?”

“Eh? R-Really? No, I’ve mostly taken practice-based classes, so I didn’t know. How much does one bottle cost? Is it expensive?”

“Not really.

As long as you have basic alchemy knowledge, it’s something you can make yourself.

It’s only a little more expensive than an energy drink.

But that’s not to say there aren’t any side effects.

According to students who’ve used it, when the drug wears off, they end up sleeping like the dead for about 48 hours.

Also, if you take it too often, you can end up with chronic insomnia.

Still, if we get expelled from Pantheon Academy, everything’s over.

I think it’s a risk worth taking, but I won’t force it.

If we don’t all unanimously agree to this endurance strategy, I’ll participate in Sunghoon’s standard strategy instead.”

Vex’s endurance strategy was actually quite convincing, at least in theory.

That’s why Zeke Wolftail buried his head in his hands, thought it over for a long while, and then spoke carefully.

“To be honest… if I get expelled from Pantheon Academy, I’ll be kicked out of my family too.

I said earlier I could just make a contract with the Guardian God of the Wolftail Family, but to be real… he doesn’t like me very much.

So let’s try Vex’s endurance strategy.

If we show some grit, maybe the Constellations will look kindly on us.

And if it really gets life-threatening, we can always call for help from the instructors, right?”

“We can call for help, but the moment we do, we’ll get points deducted.

Especially since entering a dungeon way above our level would be seen as reckless.

We’d probably get a massive penalty and end up in last place for sure.

Well, either way, it’s all or nothing. Kim Sunghoon, what do you think?”

“If you guys are both in, I won’t object.

But you better be absolutely prepared.

If you even look like you’re dozing off, we’ll be throwing cold water on each other — and if that’s not enough, be ready to slap each other awake hard enough to leave bruises.

If you go into an S-rank dungeon half-assed, hoping for some lucky break, it’ll end in the worst possible way.”

“I completely understand.

Then let’s each prepare thoroughly and meet tomorrow at the same time in front of the Dungeon Management Office.

As I said earlier, don’t stay up all night out of nerves — you must get at least 10 hours of sleep.

And you’ll need to bring your own special stimulant too.

I can’t afford to buy extras for everyone.”

Vex gave his final reminders.

In my case, once I activated the Constellation’s consciousness, my physical body would naturally fall into a state of suspended animation, so I didn’t really need the special stimulant.

But seeing how much effort Vex was putting in, I couldn’t just ignore it.

Even if I didn’t end up needing it, I could always give my dose to someone else.

Taking two special stimulants would be as dangerous as overdosing on sleeping pills, but Zeke Wolftail, with his werewolf bloodline, would probably survive it.

“Wow, I was a little nervous about the dungeon, but F-rank dungeons are super easy. I think I could clear this by myself!”

“Since it’s going so well, why don’t we skip E-rank and head straight to the D-rank dungeon — the Lizardmen Swamps? Our dungeon performance grades are based only on the highest-ranked dungeon we clear anyway.”

“That’s a good idea, but starting from D-rank, I’ve heard you can’t just charge in without thinking. We need to approach it carefully.”

This was the Dungeon Management Office of the academy, where dungeons were arranged by floor like a department store.

Since the Junior Division had dungeon practice sessions, the place was packed with students.

Occasionally, there were also Senior Division students wearing a petal badge instead of a sprout badge, preparing for dungeon raids.

Most likely, those Senior Division students weren’t there for practice, but aiming for the rewards given for being the first to clear a dungeon.

Even for Senior Division students, the completion rate for S-rank or A-rank dungeons was quite low, as many couldn’t clear them to the end.

Breaking previous records was practically impossible, since the academy kept historical records even from graduates of Pantheon Academy.

However, even just clearing the dungeon earned precious elixirs or artifacts, so Senior Division students often squeezed time out of their schedules to challenge higher-level dungeons, even outside of class requirements.

And here, there were three Junior Division students who dared to apply for the S-rank dungeon that even the Senior Division students hesitated to attempt.

“We’d like to request access passes for the S-rank dungeon, Nightmare Pyramid.”

“S-rank dungeon? Are you really sure about this?”

“Yes, we are sure.”

“Earlier today, around noon, Iris Lunai, Abel Sellerime, and Stella Darkbane came to get passes for the S-rank dungeon.

I advised them to at least clear an A-rank dungeon first.

At the Junior Division level, even clearing an A-rank dungeon basically guarantees first place.

If you overdo it and something goes wrong, it could end in disaster.

Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”

“We understand that we’re nowhere near the top students. But we’re not challenging the S-rank dungeon out of recklessness.”

“Is that so?

Well, I’m just a receptionist.

If you ask for it, I have no choice but to issue the pass.

Just make sure you properly carry your ELT device.

And if you ever feel cornered, call an instructor immediately.

In other dungeons you might get away with it, but in the Nightmare Pyramid, even a moment’s carelessness could cost you your life.”