Chapter 9

He wasn't sure what skill he would comprehend.

Immediately.

He opened his backpack space; inside the three-cubic-meter space, four items were neatly arranged, three of which were the settlement rewards from this dungeon.

[Giant Bear Battle Shield] (Growable, Bound)

Quality: F-Tier

Restriction: Strength 15 points

Attributes: Strength +2, Constitution +3

Additional Trait: Reduces damage taken by 10 points when attacked.

Divine Blessing: Can be upgraded to E-Tier equipment after receiving 100 attacks.

Note: Number of times this equipment can be upgraded (0/5)!

Durability: 50/50

Luo Chenyu’s brow twitched.

A shield with Divine Blessing that can grow to A-Tier is very suitable for a Defense Warrior whose "full-time job is getting hit."

Although the additional trait doesn't look like much at first glance, for a novice with low health, reducing 10 points of damage is already a god-tier skill.

In a critical moment, it might even save his life.

After equipping the shield, Luo Chenyu shifted his gaze to the next item.

[Special Skill Chest (Defense Warrior)] (Bound)

Quality: Special

Effect: Opening it grants a Tier 1~Tier 3 special skill for a Defense Warrior.

Seeing this item, Luo Chenyu’s heart was filled with joy.

Suddenly, he felt that the Principal’s Tier 1 special skill [Guardian Shield Wall] wasn't so appealing anymore.

Without hesitation, he used the golden, shimmering chest.

"Ding, you have obtained the Tier 3 Defense Warrior special skill [Counter-Damage Shield]!"

[Counter-Damage Shield] (Tier 3): Defense Warrior special skill. Summons a counter-damage shield; each time an attack is sustained, a portion of the damage is returned to the target. During the skill's duration, your own defense value is increased by a certain percentage.

It’s a good skill!

But Luo Chenyu noted that sometimes having too much luck isn't a good thing.

Initial professionals can only learn Tier 1 and Tier 2 skills.

A Tier 3 skill requires a 1st Class Advancement before it can be learned.

"Ahem, [Guardian Shield Wall] is still better!"

[Primary Skill Forced Upgrade Scroll] (Bound)

Quality: C-Tier

Effect: Increases the level of a designated Tier 1~Tier 4 skill by 1!

Generally speaking, skill levels can only be upgraded through personal comprehension; the max level for a Tier 1 skill is LV.5.

However, for many professionals who aren't that "intelligent," there are other ways to increase skill levels.

For instance, the [Primary Skill Forced Upgrade Scroll] before him.

Therefore, the price of [Skill Forced Upgrade Scrolls] has always remained high, sometimes even exceeding that of some Tier 5 skills.

With an SSSS rating, it really dares to give anything!

With a thought, he chose to use it on [Steel Shield].

[Prompt: Your skill [Steel Shield] disdainfully kicks the [Primary Skill Forced Upgrade Scroll] away and spits on it!]

Luo Chenyu: "..."

I'm pulling an all-nighter to release chapters!

Outside the dungeon, the principals of several middle schools in Longhai City sat leisurely under the shade of a large tree, drinking tea and chatting.

It was like this every year.

They would keep watch the entire time the students were inside the novice dungeon.

Although the novice dungeon provided "sliver-of-health" protection for students, they would still be in that same near-death state upon exiting.

Longyuan Valley was not within the city, and monsters often wandered nearby.

On the eve of Awakening Day, the Education Department would commission the Adventurers' Guild to clear out all monsters near the novice dungeon to ensure the event proceeded safely.

However, accidents could still happen.

For example, a student with a sliver of health might be kicked out just as a monster happened to respawn nearby...

Such tragic occurrences were not isolated cases, but the norm.

"Old Principal, your school's Ye Xingtong awakened as a Rage Flame Mage; why is she still participating in the novice dungeon?"

A young principal beside An Chen asked in a low voice, his tone very humble.

This young principal had once worked under An Chen and was full of respect for the retired principal.

"Young people these days have their own ideas!"

An Chen smiled, took a sip of tea, and then, with a look of intense gossip in his eyes, continued: "My guess is that she's doing it for her little boyfriend!"

"What?"

On the other side, the principal of the Second Middle School looked at An Chen in surprise. "Are the students at your First Middle School so open-minded now? Dating before they've even graduated?"

"They are in the prime of their youth; isn't it normal for them to develop feelings for each other?"

An Chen smiled slightly and said, "As teachers, we should guide students to be positive and upward-looking, not break up a pair of lovebirds and leave shadows on their young hearts."

Second Middle School Principal: "..."

This fallacy left him speechless.

He then asked curiously, "Who is it that could win the favor of an S-rank hidden class user?"

"Luo Chenyu!" An Chen gazed at the dungeon entrance and said, "Perhaps you aren't familiar with the name, but you should know Luo Kuang!"

"No wonder..." the Second Middle School principal realized. "Same residential compound, childhood sweethearts!"

Suddenly, the Second Middle School principal had a thought and asked, "Doesn't that mean your school has gained another Berserker with bloodline power?"

The young principal also spoke up: "Our school has three Berserkers, but unfortunately, without the bonus of bloodline power, they seem a bit ordinary."

However...

"Luo Chenyu didn't awaken as a Berserker; he became an ordinary Defense Warrior. It's a pity!"

"This..."

"It is indeed a pity. Luo Chenyu should be the only seedling left of the Luo family; I fear this lineage will end here."

An Chen sighed and continued, "Luo Chenyu's eyes are exactly the same as Luo Kuang's. I believe that even as a Defense Warrior, he can become a high-level professional."

The Second Middle School principal asked skeptically, "Since he's like Luo Kuang, then he... he wouldn't be participating in the solo mode assessment, would he?"

"That's right, and he even made a deal with me!"

An Chen then laid out the details of the deal, immediately leaving the two principals beside him speechless.

They sighed in admiration, noting that they were truly cut from the same cloth.

Just then.

The dungeon entrance suddenly emitted a brilliant light, attracting everyone's attention.

"Out in just an hour?"

"With this kind of light, someone achieved an SSS rating!"

Aside from a few students who had been eliminated and stayed to watch the excitement, everyone present was a teacher from the Longshan City schools.

They were naturally familiar with the light at the dungeon entrance.

Even if they hadn't eaten pork, they had seen pigs run.

— Author's Notes —

^PS: Seeking flowers, evaluation tickets... all you handsome guys, give some free data!