Path of the Unmentioned: The Missing Piece

As Kyle stood among the students. His gaze moved across the wide chamber filled with glowing dungeon platforms.

Each one pulsed softly with mana. Bright colors lighting up the stone floor beneath them.

The air itself felt thick with energy. It buzzed around him. Invisible but impossible to ignore.

The pressure made the tiny hairs on his arms stand up.

He narrowed his eyes.

The platforms didn't just glow. They pulsed. Alive, almost. As if breathing.

And the mana they gave off was even denser than the teleportation portal they had used to get here.

Students were whispering among themselves. Their voices hushed but filled with nervous excitement.

Some adjusted their gear. Others tried to act confident. But their eyes kept flicking toward the swirling gates ahead.

Then. A sudden sound cut through the low murmur.

Footsteps. Slow and dragging.

Everyone turned to look.

A man was approaching from the far side of the chamber. He looked out of place. Like someone who had accidentally wandered into an official event.

But Kyle recognized him immediately.

Professor Brynn Foxglove.

The homeroom instructor of Class B1.

He looked like he hadn't slept in days. His black hair hung messily over his forehead, greasy and half-tangled.

The long dark coat he wore dragged slightly as he walked. His skin was pale, and the dark circles under his eyes were so deep they looked like bruises.

Even his shoulders slumped like he was just too tired to stand straight.

But when he spoke. His voice was surprisingly loud and clear.

"Listen up," he said, tone dry but firm.

That was enough to quiet the room. All the whispers faded.

"You are all being assigned a dungeon based on two things: your combat performance and your current mana core rank."

Kyle watched the students around him stiffen. This wasn't a practice drill. That much was clear from the air alone.

Foxglove kept speaking, raising his hand.

"There are mana drones already inside each dungeon," he said. "They'll track your movements, kills, teamwork… basically everything you do. So don't slack off."

He showed them a small black band strapped to his wrist. It looked simple. A metal band with a glowing blue gem in the middle.

"You'll each get one of these. This band will track your points. The more monsters you kill, The higher your score. Stronger monsters are worth more."

Some students nodded. Others looked unsure.

"Whether you work alone or in a party is your choice. But remember. If you're in a team, the points are shared equally."

Foxglove gave a tired wave of his hand.

From a box behind him. Hundreds of wristbands shot into the air. They flew through the chamber like silent arrows, each one stopping in front of a student.

Kyle caught his easily. The band snapped around his wrist with a soft click. The metal felt cold against his skin.

The blue gem glowed once. Then faded to a dull shine.

Foxglove went on.

"You're allowed to carry two health potions and two mana potions. Standard grade only. No artifacts. No external tools. No fancy tricks."

He paused, scanning the crowd.

"The exam will last six hours. Kill as many monsters as you can."

"When time's up. Your band will glow green. That's your signal to stop and meet the senior assigned to your dungeon."

He tapped the gem on his band.

"If you're injured or overwhelmed, press and hold here. That sends a distress signal. One of the seniors will come to help."

A small wave of relief rippled through the room, until he added.

"But if you press it… you fail."

Silence followed.

His voice got harder.

"This isn't a training simulation. The dungeons are real. The monsters are real. If you die, you die."

"The seniors will be inside with you, yes. But they're not your babysitters."

He stepped back. Folding his arms.

Then, from the side. Another instructor began calling out names from a mana Tab.

"The students assigned to Silver Grade 2 dungeon are… Cedric Valteri, Eleanora D'Argent, Cassian Emberfall, Serena Blackthorn… and Kyle Valemont."

Kyle stayed quiet. He had expected that.

He was already Silver Grade 3, after all.

But two names caught his attention. Cassian and Serena.

His brow furrowed slightly.

'They're only Peak Bronze Grade 1…'

In the novel. Only Cedric had gone into this dungeon. Eleanora… she had already died by this point.

But that wasn't the case now.

He glanced sideways.

Cedric stood calmly, arms folded. His sword sheathed at his waist.

Eleanora stood beside him silent, collected. Her long pale-blonde hair glowing slightly in the dungeon light.

Serena was staring forward, as unreadable as ever.

Cassian adjusted the leather straps on his gauntlets, jaw clenched.

They didn't look nervous.

They looked ready.

'Everyone's improving fast…' Kyle thought.

More names were called.

Luna. Reo. Lyra. Sylvie.

They were sent to another dungeon.

Silver Grade 3.

That made sense. Their ranks were solid. But not enough to enter the Grade 2..

Kyle gave a small nod to himself.

Just then. An instructor walked over to Kyle's group, checking a list on his Mana Tab before nodding.

"You five. Wait here. You'll be heading out shortly."

Kyle, Eleanora, Cedric, Serena, and Cassian stepped aside.

Watching as groups of students were called and led to different dungeon gates.

The wide hall echoed with footsteps, mana hums, and the distant whir of teleportation.

A few minutes passed.

Then the same instructor came back. Heading straight for them.

But before he could reach. A man stepped in from the side.

He wore a sharp, dark gray uniform with a silver badge on his chest. The insignia of the Dungeon Association.

He leaned in and whispered something to the instructor.

The instructor blinked. Looking slightly surprised… but then gave a polite nod.

"Ah, perfect. I'll leave them to you, then. Thank you."

He turned to Kyle and the others. "He'll escort you to your assigned dungeon."

And just like that. He walked away.

The Dungeon Association official turned to face them.

He looked calm, almost too calm.

His eyes were unreadable. But his smile was practiced, neither friendly nor cold.

"This way, please. Your portal is ready."

There was something oddly soft about his voice. Like it was meant to be comforting.

Kyle glanced at the others. No one said anything.

As, they followed him.

The man led them through the giant stone chamber.

Past the usual dungeon gates glowing with blue. Students stood in groups, waiting. Instructors gave last-minute instructions.

But they weren't heading to the middle of the hall.

Instead. The man was taking them toward the far corner. A quiet place, dimly lit.

Only a few crystals lined the walls here. And the dungeon gate ahead pulsed faintly.

Up ahead. Seraphina was organizing another group. She turned for a moment. Then froze.

Her eyes locked onto Kyle's group.

Her expression shifted in an instant.

She shouted. Her voice sharp and loud across the chamber.

"Stop! That's not their assigned dungeon!"

Heads turned.

She stepped forward quickly, raising her voice again. "Their gate is B3. You should know that!"

Kyle stopped in front of the gate, confused. "What's happening?"

Eleanora frowned.

The man beside them didn't answer.

He just turned, slowly. And looked at Seraphina.

And smiled.

But this time. It wasn't calm.

It wasn't professional.

It was wrong.

Too wide. Too still. His eyes didn't match the smile at all.

Seraphina's and Eleanora's eyes widened

"Students. Get away from that gate—NOW!"

She took off running toward them. Hand outstretched.

But she was too late.

Click.

The man pressed a small black device in his palm.

A sound like cracking glass echoed through the air.

The glowing blue portal in front of them began to shatter.

Cracks crawling across it like spiderwebs.

Then it broke completely. Like a mirror smashed by a hammer.

In its place. A black swirling gate emerged. Inky and alive, pulsing like a heartbeat.

A cold wind rushed out of it. Howling across the hall.

And then the pull began.

A violent, invisible force surged forward. Dragging everything toward the black gate.

Kyle staggered back, trying to resist. Cedric yelled something, but the wind swallowed his voice.

Serena and Cassian were pulled off their feet. Eleanora's heels scraped against the floor. Her magic flaring.

They didn't even have time to react.

The suction was too fast. Too strong.

Seraphina reached them just in time to see Kyle being pulled in. She lunged forward.

Her hand reached out. Her fingers brushed Kyle's as he slipped away.

And then he was gone.

The gate swallowed him whole.

Her momentum carried her forward, and her hand slammed into the edge of the gate.

ZZZTTT!

Black sparks exploded.

A violent crackle of mana shot through her arm. The shockwave sent her flying backward.

She hit the ground hard, rolling once before stopping.

Smoke rose from her fingers.

Her hand was blackened. Burned.

Aurelia came running from the side, shouting her name.

Seraphina didn't respond.

She pushed herself up with her other arm, eyes wide. Staring at the now-quiet gate.

She looked to where the man had been standing.

But he was gone.

Vanished. Without a sound. Without a trace.

Only the black gate remained.

Still.

Waiting.

"Shit," Seraphina whispered, trembling.

And the hall fell into a stunned silence.

———