Chapter 56: Lances Confidence in his Art Skills

Chapter 56: Lance's Confidence in his Art Skills

In a corridor where the light flickered uncertainly, three figures stood silently. They were shrouded in the shifting lights and shadows, and their silhouettes looked incredibly eerie and sinister.

"Classrooms rated Difficulty 3 are generally beyond the reach of ordinary students. They only open for special events or high-stakes assessments. Legend has it there's even a hidden Difficulty 4 classroom somewhere in the corridors, though I've never heard of a living student actually experiencing it."

After listening to Bakar for a while longer, Lance handed him a credit coin. The demon student immediately snatched it up, clutching it as if it were a "get-out-of-death-free" card.

Lance then opened the Shadow Realm mission details window.

[Time remaining: 11 hours 42 minutes]

[Mission Objective 1: Achieve over 60% exploration of the academy. (Current progress: 4%)]

[Mission Objective 2: Investigate and identify the source of tonight's danger.]

[Mission Objective 3: At least one person must survive until the time limit expires. (Current survivors: 6/6)]

[Challengers Lance & Hyperion are located in Corridor G21, not currently participating in any classroom challenge.]

He noticed that the "3% progress" originally listed under Mission Objective 1 had shifted to "4%," which was a boost of 1%. Based on an earlier discussion Lance and Hyperion had, the six challengers in the Shadow Realm dimension were likely split into three pairs.

The change in data suggested that entering a Difficulty 1 classroom granted 1% exploration progress, and clearing it added another 1%. By extension, Difficulty 2 and Difficulty 3 classrooms would likely yield even higher exploration progress.

If the three teams each cleared five Difficulty 1 classrooms within the twelve hour window, the absolute maximum exploration progress they could achieve would be 2% multiplied by five, multiplied by three, equaling 30%.

Therefore, they had to consider splitting up to tackle more Difficulty 1 classrooms simultaneously, or attempting Difficulty 2 and 3 classrooms if they hoped to meet the Mission Objective 1 requirement of 60% exploration within the twelve hour time limit.

Lance glanced at Hyperion, and she nodded in return. She was excellent at arithmetic and had evidently grasped the mechanics of this Shadow Realm dimension. The strategy going forward was clear: They would aim to challenge the most difficult classrooms while investigating the nature of the "potential threat," which was Mission Objective 2.

"Bakar, are you aware of any recent anomalies at the academy? Or is there any particularly dangerous event going on tonight that frightens you?"

Bakar looked at Lance mutely, unable to find the words. He didn't understand what Lance meant, nor could he imagine what, aside from Lance himself, could possibly be more dangerous tonight.

"Alright, then." Lance nodded resignedly. The information available to a student like Bakar was limited; he clearly wasn't privy to the school's deeper secrets. To learn more about Mission Objective 2, Lance would have to ask a teacher or perhaps a senior staff member, like a department head.

It was a pity he couldn't ask the two examiners from the test room. Regardless, Lance was certain he was ahead of schedule. After all, had he finished the exam normally, he would have had to wait over an hour just to learn these rules. Plus, he might not have encountered a classmate as friendly and sincere as Bakar, who was willing to share every last detail of what he knew.

Time to hit the books. Without studying, there is no way to survive!

Unlike the classes at Ikerite University, which made him want to run away, Lance honestly didn't mind studying at this extraordinary, fantasy-world demon academy. In fact, he was actually looking forward to it a little!

Hyperion was speechless. She felt as though Lance couldn't wait to get to the next classroom. Yet, the version of him she had seen in the Sages' College classroom earlier that day had shown absolutely no sign of this thirst for knowledge...

Hyperion worried that after completing his studies at this school, Lance might awaken traits from which there was no turning back, becoming even less "human." However, she couldn't really say anything. After all, she wasn't exactly fully human herself.

Just as Hyperion was thinking this, Lance patted Bakar on the shoulder and said, "Bakar, there's an old saying in my hometown: 'A wise man submits to circumstances.' I trust you won't refuse to cooperate with us, right?"

The demon stuttered, "W-well, naturally."

Lance needed a sincere and clever demon to guide him. It would save a great deal of time. "If things go well, we certainly won't treat you unfairly. Now, would you mind taking me to an art classroom?"

Bakar hurriedly extended his left hand in an elegant, aristocratic gesture, acting like a servant, and began to lead the way. "This way, please."

Although the school's layout was a labyrinth of shifting corridors that defied any attempts to map them, Bakar was driven by an intense will to survive, so he naturally knew exactly which classrooms lay along most of the passageways.

Lance and Hyperion followed Bakar as they moved swiftly through the corridors. Their pace was steady and rapid. A few minutes later, a massive gate loomed ahead of them, standing like a silent giant guarding the secrets within.

Bakar stopped and turned. "They say there's a music classroom behind this door, and it's the closest art-related classroom I know of. If it doesn't suit your needs, I can help you look for others."

Lance gazed at the artistically crafted gate. It bore two peculiar demonic sigils, clearly indicating a Difficulty 2 rating. He nodded, seemingly satisfied with the choice, then reached out and placed his palm against the ancient, solid gate. "This one will do."

There was no telling how much time could be wasted if they kept searching. Bakar had clearly never visited a classroom of this caliber before, so he looked at Lance with lingering apprehension. "Are you really going to challenge a Difficulty 2 classroom?"

"Don't worry. There isn't a single art-related subject that scares me." With that, Lance confidently pushed the gate open. As he stepped inside, the interior came into view. Far from a standard tiered lecture hall, the space resembled a grand theater. There were ornate lighting fixtures, plush red velvet seats, and a stately stage. Everything exuded an air of luxury and nobility.

On the stage, a student was concentrating completely on playing music. Their movements were perfectly coordinated and brimming with passion, sending echoes rolling through the vast hall like waves upon the sea. At the edge of the stage, a formally dressed teacher, who was clearly the one in charge of the classroom, was faintly visible as they stood beside the curtain.

He spotted the trio the moment they appeared and immediately gestured for them to head toward the back rows. His movement conveyed an air of absolute, impeccable authority.

Lance nodded as they slowly made their way up the tiered seating toward the highest point of the room. From there, they finally gained a clear view of the entire theater-style classroom.

The students sitting in the rear tiers were watching the performance much like an audience. Closer up to the stage were four teachers sitting in large chairs facing the stage, listening to the musical performance with the air of judges.

Lance studied this bizarre setup. Although he didn't yet know the rules of the classroom, a strong sense of deja vu inexplicably washed over him.

Huh? Is this the demon version of a music competition? Do they call it "The Demonic Voice?"

Lance felt the whole concept of this classroom was absolutely absurd.