SWNOVELXO Chapter 16: Chapter 16
**Chapter 16: The University Tournament Begins**
The day of the university tournament dawned bright and clear. The academy buzzed with excitement as students from various schools gathered in the grand stadium. This wasn't just an ordinary tournament; it was a prestigious event that determined which students had the potential to become elite dungeon explorers and future leaders of their respective academies.
Jae-min and his team stood in the waiting area, their nerves concealed behind determined expressions. The tension was palpable, but they had prepared relentlessly for this moment.
"Look at the crowd," Ji-a whispered, peering through a window. Thousands of spectators filled the stands, eager to witness the battles.
"Don't focus on them," Jae-min said calmly. "Our job is to stay focused on the matches ahead."
Se-ri nodded. "We've trained for this. Let's trust in our skills and each other."
The first phase of the tournament was about to begin. A large digital screen lit up, displaying the names of the competing teams and the rules for the preliminary round.
**Phase One: Dungeon Gauntlet**
- Teams will enter a massive dungeon simulation.
- Points will be awarded for defeating monsters and completing objectives.
- Only the top 16 teams will advance to the second phase.
"A dungeon gauntlet, huh?" Tae-jun said, cracking his knuckles. "Sounds like a warm-up."
Jae-min smirked. "Let's see if you're still saying that after we're knee-deep in monsters."
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**Entering the Gauntlet**
The team was escorted to the entrance of the dungeon, a towering gate shimmering with magical energy. One by one, they stepped through, emerging into a vast, dimly lit cavern filled with stalagmites and the distant growls of monsters.
"Stay alert," Jae-min ordered, his eyes scanning the area. "We don't know what we're up against yet."
A notification from his system appeared in his mind:
**"Dungeon Objective: Defeat 50 monsters, collect 5 enchanted cores, and activate the ancient beacon."**
"We have our tasks," Jae-min said. "Tae-jun, you take point. Se-ri, cover our flanks. Ji-a, stay in the center and be ready to heal. Min-seok, provide support from the rear. I'll coordinate and control the battlefield."
Tae-jun grinned. "Finally, some action."
As they moved deeper into the dungeon, the first wave of monsters appeared—a pack of large, wolf-like creatures with glowing red eyes.
"Engage!" Jae-min commanded.
Tae-jun charged forward, his fists enveloped in a fiery aura. He delivered a powerful punch to the nearest wolf, sending it crashing into a wall. Se-ri fired a barrage of arrows, each one finding its mark with deadly precision. Min-seok unleashed a lightning bolt, stunning several wolves at once, while Ji-a created a water barrier to protect the team from an ambush.
Jae-min activated his **Zone Expansion** ability, creating a spatial field that slowed down the monsters' movements. With the wolves hindered, the team made quick work of them.
"That's ten down," Ji-a said, wiping sweat from her brow. "Forty more to go."
"Keep moving," Jae-min urged. "We can't afford to waste time."
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**Unexpected Obstacles**
As they continued through the dungeon, they encountered tougher monsters and various traps. At one point, they reached a narrow bridge suspended over a chasm filled with swirling energy.
"This looks unstable," Se-ri said, eyeing the bridge warily.
"I'll go first," Jae-min said. "If it holds, we'll cross one at a time."
He stepped onto the bridge carefully, testing each plank before moving forward. Halfway across, a loud crack echoed through the cavern, and part of the bridge began to collapse.
"Move!" Tae-jun shouted.
Jae-min sprinted forward, barely making it to the other side as the bridge crumbled behind him.
"Great," Min-seok muttered. "Now what?"
Jae-min scanned the surroundings and spotted a series of rocky outcroppings along the chasm's edge. "We can jump across using those. Be careful."
One by one, the team leaped across the outcroppings, with Ji-a using her water magic to create a temporary platform when needed. They reached the other side safely, but it had cost them precious time.
"Let's pick up the pace," Jae-min said. "We're falling behind."
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**Completing the Objectives**
After several more battles and close calls, the team finally completed their objectives. They had defeated over 50 monsters, collected the enchanted cores, and found the ancient beacon. Ji-a used her magic to activate the beacon, which emitted a bright light that signaled the end of their run.
A voice echoed through the cavern:
**"Congratulations, Team 7. You have completed the dungeon gauntlet. Prepare for extraction."**
Moments later, they were teleported back to the waiting area, where other teams were already gathering. Some looked exhausted, while others appeared confident. It was clear that the competition was fierce.
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**The Results**
After all the teams had completed the gauntlet, the results were announced. Jae-min's team ranked 8th, securing their spot in the next phase.
"Not bad," Tae-jun said, though he didn't seem entirely satisfied.
"It's enough to move on," Jae-min replied. "But we'll need to do better in the next phase."
Se-ri crossed her arms. "The direct combat phase will be harder. We'll be up against teams who specialize in PvP."
"Then we'll train harder," Jae-min said. "We've come this far. We're not going to stop now."
As they left the stadium, Jae-min couldn't help but think about the stranger's warning. What did he mean by "forces at play"? And how would it affect the tournament?
For now, all they could do was prepare for the battles ahead.
**To be continued...**