The sense of my stomach churning was fleeting, soon replaced by the feeling of solid ground beneath my feet.

At the same time, my folded Spatial Awareness fluttered tremulously.

A shift in the environment.

It was perceived involuntarily. The smallest hairs on my body bristled in reverse.

This place is Earth. Unquestionably a part of Earth. Not a separate entity developed enough to stand alone, but rather, an adjunct space—a subspace—that only persists because it is tethered to Earth.

Yet it is also a partitioned space. This place and the outside are separate realms with different natural laws.

‘Ah.’

In any case, gates merely function as bridges built within the same world.

Dungeons, tiny subspaces rooted in Earth. While they are unstable spaces that can only exist because of Earth, they are still categorically different from Earth, obeying their own set of principles.

It becomes naturally perceptible. Comprehension dawns on me. Without realizing, understanding just happens.

“…All members are inside. Commencing the expedition as of now.”

Upon entering the dungeon, the three from the combat major quickly formed a triangular formation around me and Elia, scanning the surroundings.

As previously discussed, the combat majors will form a defensive formation around the two of us from the support faculty as soon as we enter.

“Mr. Hayul, please proceed with the surrounding detection.”

I nodded at Atila, who was scanning our vicinity with a sharp gaze.

I unfurled Spatial Awareness with a sense of elation that comes from enlightenment. An influx of information flooded into the dark world.

While I had restrained myself outside the dungeon due to the experience with the gate, I was now confident there would be no issues.

Radius 10m, 50m, 100m… 200m…

Roughly about 300 meters in diameter, or is it 600 meters?

Suddenly the range expanded several times over. It’s one thing to say it multiplied, but considering that it expanded into the shape of a sphere, the volume of information had increased innumerably.

– Zzzt, Zzzt…

A flash struck my mind. It felt as though an electric current was swirling through my head.

[No monsters within range.]

“Thank you. Please notify us immediately if you detect anything unusual.”

[Yes]

My role in the dungeon expedition involves the detection of monsters and herbs. While Spatial Awareness enables me to undertake the detection, communication of the information is the issue.

Being mute, it’s uncomfortable to relay what I find, even after successful detection.

Although this issue will be resolved once I get the necklace of confession, it does not help me with the current problem.

That’s why for now, I’m using a clipboard where I’ve pre-written information to quickly provide updates.

After meticulously scanning the area, we congregated in one spot.

Atila, who had assumed the role of the leader, coughed to draw everyone’s attention.

– Thump

She thudded her massive shield against the ground. A dull vibration traveled up our legs, its heavy weight palpable.

“As discussed, our first priority is to reach Point A. We will subdue any monsters encountered along the way, but deeper incursions for the purpose of subduing monsters will be deferred.”

Everyone nodded at Atila’s directive.

Our dungeon expedition practice was a time-limited task. The conditions for task completion were also announced along with the team assignments.

[Ipchun Class Team 11]
① : Arrive at Point A, find the marking, establish a temporary base (35)
② : Subdue 80 Green Goblins (40)
③ : Collect 500g of Mana Herbs (15)

Team 11 had been given three conditions.

Arriving at Point A and establishing a temporary base.

Reaching the designated coordinates included in the file and setting up a temporary base.

Subduing 80 Green Goblins.

The task was to subdue 80 Green Goblins, monsters whose average hierarchy lay in the 8th tier, with some as high as the 7th, and bring back evidence of this. Normally, trophies such as ears or fingers were collected, varying with each specimen.

Collecting 500 grams of Mana Herbs.

It involved gathering 500 grams of weeds that grow profusely in forest dungeons, absorbing copious amounts of mana. Mana Herbs are not particularly valuable on their own, but they’re used as a basic component in alchemy, which explains their high demand and supply.

After forming our ranks, we steered towards the coordinates for Point A. Given that the smartwatches had a coordinate specification function, it was a straightforward task.

The party traversed land thick with trees and underbrush.

The green grass grew to about thigh-height. If it stood straight instead of curving over mid-way, it would have exceeded my height.

The trees too were incredibly large, easily surpassing 15 meters in height with correspondingly massive girth. I could divide myself into four or five and still not manage to encircle one.

Broad leaves suggested they were deciduous trees.

The air was also damp. Breathing in deep brought moist air flooding into my lungs, and droplets of water clung to every tree and leaf.

“It’s a relief we have a path cleared already.”

“Indeed. If we had to explore and create a path from the beginning… Haha.”

If anything, we’re spared the trouble of fighting through walls of grass, one by one.

A path was already beaten due to periodic subjugations. The vegetation in the dungeon was so tenacious that it needed some trimming, but it wasn’t like we were hacking fresh ground, so the effort was comparatively manageable.

Atila and Nam Yeon-jung, leading the way, used short swords hanging by their waists to cut away the slightly overgrown grass.

As we walked, the only special thing to watch out for was the somewhat sticky ground.

[To the northwest, 75 meters, 2 entities.]

“Received. Keep signaling.”

Meanwhile, I continued my role in detection. With Spatial Awareness that had become broader and more precise, exploration was unhindered.

We had passed by several Green Goblins along the way. They were neither directly in our path nor in significant numbers. Since we hadn’t established a base yet, we decided to bypass them for now.

Mana Herbs were also detected in abundance. Spatial Awareness included the ground beneath, allowing me to differentiate tree roots and grass embedded in the earth.

Just the Mana Herbs we had passed along the way would easily exceed our quota.

Although the Mana Herb condition does not carry many points, there appeared to be no need to worry.

As we continued, I memorized the locations of Mana Herbs and Green Goblins we had encountered.

“Arrived at Point A… let’s survey the vicinity before setting up the temporary base.”

It was roughly two hours since our entry into the dungeon that our team arrived near Point A.

“Mr. Hayul, will you be able to find the marking?”

[I’ve found it.]

“First, let’s search for the marking while… What? Already?”

Atila blinked in surprise. I nodded and pointed in one particular direction. The team members followed my lead.

“It really exists.”

A flag as tall as a person was wedged in the gaps between thick tree roots, its camouflage color blending with the earth and grass. If not for my detection ability, it would have been rather troublesome to find.

Atila marveled as she felt the flagpole.

“Your detection ability is incredibly precise, Mr. Hayul. I’ve experienced difficulties with my academy peers due to their imprecision.”

[Thank you.]

‘I would’ve been miserable without it.’

After all, it’s the ability I traded my eyes, nose, and mouth for.

Despite it being Spatial Awareness that almost killed its owner upon first use due to its excessive performance and later being downgraded to a subpar vision for cost savings… I now feel like I can’t live without it…

Having found the marker, too, we chose an appropriate location and set up a provisional base.

Without a broad clearing to use, we just cut down some trees to make space.

Since it’s just a temporary base we’ll be using for a day, no particular measures were necessary.

Creating a spacious area and laying down magical tools for protection, security, and survival was enough.

If there had been a pure mage among us, direct magic would have been set up, but our team lacked a mage.

Elia could use reinforcement magic, but only just that, and as for me, I am still a beginner barely handling the lowest grade and didn’t offer to help.

“Uh… Mr. Hayul, you seem to have brought a lot?”

‘……’

While everyone else was rummaging through their bags in the cleared area, lots of things were popping out of my backpack, attracting everyone’s attention.

[I packed a lot just in case.]

Professor Atra had jammed a bunch of items in there. When I expressed concern about the weight, she told me the bag was also enchanted with a weight-reduction spell.

“Next, let’s search for the Green Goblin village.”

We marked our coordinates after setting up an adequate base, took a brief rest, and then got to our feet.

The first condition—reaching Point A, finding the marker, and constructing a temporary base—was met.

Now we just had to complete the second and third conditions: the Green Goblin eradication and the Mana Herb collection.

“Let’s search the areas where Mr. Hayul spotted Green Goblins.”

Green Goblins live in groups. The few that we encountered on the way, two to three at a time, were probably out hunting from their village.

Their distinct trait is their small stature. They reached the waist of an adult male, and their bodies were generally frail. By human aesthetic standards, they were deemed ugly.

In other words, they were run-of-the-mill goblins.

Finding the village didn’t take long. Focusing on the areas where Green Goblins were frequently discovered, we quickly found the location of their settlement.

The village was strategically placed with mountains behind and a river nearby—a prime location. The monsters seemed ignorantly content situated in such a spot, known in geomancy as having a mountain at the back and water at the front.

‘Quite by the book.’

Walls made of trees, with their ends sharpened and placed in a row, surrounded the inner part, where primitive tents were erected with wooden frames covered with leaves.

The village was teeming with groups of Green Goblins. There were approximately 135, disgustingly overabundant. I had wondered if we could find the required 80 within the given time, but we found the entire quota in one go.

“…Now I see why people search for those with detection abilities.”

I had jotted down the situation inside the walls, the structures, traps, and number of individuals, and Atila, who had been hiding in the forest near the village, looking down from behind a tree wall, said so, somewhat reluctantly. Nam Yeon-jung beside her nodded his head, too.

“The price for those talents is high for a reason. It’s because the number of individuals with detection abilities is inherently few.”

70% of superhumans are vanguard types. The majority of superhumans who haven’t awakened their unique abilities tend to engage in close-range combat utilizing their strong physiques and Qi.

Among the modern population, those who have awakened as superhumans are scarce, and those with unique abilities are even scarcer.

From there, detection abilities are in short supply. Even those with mediocre abilities are sought after for various tasks.

In essence, there’s a shortage of supply.

There’s even a nasty cultural aspect where those without unique abilities are derisively branded as fakes. Of course, I’m not condoning such views, but such phrases have come about because possessing a unique ability creates a significant disparity.

“One hundred thirty. Mostly 8th-tier with three of the 7th…”

Atila, our team leader, appeared pensive.

“The number’s a bit high, but since most are 8th-tier, let’s proceed with the standard protocol.”

Basically, storm in and see. It might sound reckless, but everyone aside from me nodded in agreement.

After all, excluding myself, all the team members were prominent prospects from their regions’ academies.

They could probably handle the 8th-tier effortlessly, and even the 7th-tier wouldn’t pose too much trouble.

There is a safety net in place, too. Currently, all team members are wearing bracelets fashioned from purple strings handed out the previous week by the Vice Principal.

It’s a safety device.

Upon inspection with Spatial Awareness, the magical tool was a complicated concoction of spells that could induce motion sickness.

As explained by the Vice Principal, the moment anyone suffers life-threatening injuries within the Shio-ram, protective magic deploys, and a summoning spell transports them to the infirmary.

Naturally, it doesn’t react to minor injuries. The condition is a life-threatening wound.

It’s a remarkable effect. Almost unbelievable. According to the Vice Principal’s explanation, such a miracle was possible thanks to the active support of the Principal and the fact that the dungeon was under the Shio-ram’s management.

Since the Vice Principal’s tenure, the bracelet has never failed to function. It somewhat lightened our psychological burden.

“Let’s go.”

On Atila’s command, with her shield raised, everyone gripped their weapons.

I, too, swallowed hard, gripping my staff amidst the tension.

If I dropped my guard now and ended up disqualified, getting scolded by Professor Atra would be the least of my worries. I’d risk not only missing out on a good grade but could even end up with a negative score.

For someone like me with nowhere else to go if abandoned by the Shio-ram, it was a path I could not afford to tread.

If I were expelled here, it would not be a mere suspension—it would be a life-ending move. I cannot be expelled.

Stepping on the uneven earth, I cautiously advanced towards the village.

The real eradication began.