The group got in a bit of practice, before the announcement to report in groups to the warp bridge was called.

"Where is that?" Asked Marie.

"Sounds hella dank." Said Agent 4.

"Dammit Jay, you poisoned him now..." Thought Rukhar.

"No I didn't." Said Jay. "He chose that path himself."

"What path are we choosing?" Asked Callie.

"Just to..." Jay began before Rukhar yelled "Nothing no it was nothing nothing is going on let's go guys Rago lead the way you've gone before right?"

"Hmm..." Thought Frozo. "I don't think I want to know..."

"Y-yes, I have. I guess this is it. I don't know what you get for passing, honestly." Said Rago.

"What do you mean?" Asked Agent 3.

"All exams have prizes for those who pass." Said Rago. "But big tests often have obscure, but cool prizes."

"Like what?" Asked Marie.

"I just said they are obscure. But last year in a Battle Royale tourney, the winner got a V7 hovercycle." Said Rago. "And those things cost a fortune, over 1 million credits, for a defective one."

"Wow." Said Agent 3. "But what's a Battle Royale?"

Rukhar hastily covered Jay's mouth.

"It's a bunch of people in a bubble that shrinks overtime, and you gotta kill call the other players to win. Usually stuff is left erratically around, but sometimes you take your own gear in." Said Rago.

"Sounds fancy." Said Callie.

Rukhar reluctantly removed the hand.

"Thanks m8. I guess..." Said Jay.

"Just... Don't talk..." Said Rukhar. "Please..."

A short while later, they arrived at the warp bridge, which looked nothing like a bridge. Jacopo was outside a scary looking portal, calling teams in one by one.

"Just in time." Jacopo said. "4, your team is going in next, line up."

"How convenient..." Marie thought.

The group lined up. Then Jacopo told them to walk through the portal, and Axel would meet then on the other side.

They obliged, and found themselves in a barren desert wasteland, with ruins everywhere. Some had groups in front of them.

"Ok, you guys have dungeon 78N420W code 30JK329L." Said Axel. He snapped his fingers, and the group was teleported to their designated dungeon.

"The coordinates and code seems awfully deliberate..." Jay chuckled to himself.

They heard a voice in the breeze. It was clearly Chappa.

"Just a reminder. Do not enter the dungeon until we call go. Early entering parties will be heavily reprimanded, and given a legend tier Heroic dungeon to do for their cockiness."

"Sounds dangerous..." Thought Rukhar.

"Yeah..." Said Jay. "The high council members do those sometimes for stress relief. I hear only one at a time. But mostly people try with groups of 40 or more."

Rukhar was genuinely surprised that Jay could say important things.

"Get used to it. I'm the guy who's gonna avoid the traps." Said Jay.

"Traps!" Callie said, alarmed.

"Yeah, the dungeons have a handful of weak enemies, a few stronger ones, some traps, and a boss, with at least one special thing about it." Said Rago.

30 minutes later.

"It's really fricken hot out here..." Said Jay.

"You're wearing a heavy cloak. What did you expect?" Asked Frozo.

"And you're totally not chilling with Marie, casting mini snowstorms." Said Rukhar.

"It's better than whining." Said Marie.

"Snow is fun!" Said Callie, who was huddled in the accumulated snow pile.

"Attention all groups. Feel free to enter the dungeons now. As in go. This is not an option. And please... Don't die. Your group will receive a markdown if anyone is slain." Chappa said over the wind.

"Well... Here we go." Said Rago, gulping.

"Yeet!" Jay said, kicking the door.

*Enter ominous as hell creaking sequence of noises.*

"Let's do this." Said agent 3.

The room before them was very wide, with a few pillars in the center, and a few reptile-like creatures lingering in the center of the room. One was larger than the others, and clearly in charge.

"What are those?" Asked Callie.

Jay laughed.

Rukhar slapped him until he stopped, while Rago explained.

"Those little things are called Kobolds. Not very dangerous alone, but in groups they can be tricky. That larger guy is a Salamine, with another Kobold on it's back. Salamines are dumb war beasts, known for heavy armor, and being tamed only by Kobolds." He explained.

"So we get the big guy first, right?" Asked Marie.

"Yeah. But be careful. If you kill the rider first, the Salamine will be out of control." Said Rago.

"Guys, they see us." Said Frozo.

Rukhar stopped beating Jay.

"Oh dear. Well, get ready." Said Rukhar. He drew his bow. Marie drew her gun. Frozo started a complex spell. Callie, Jay, 4, and 3 lined up in front, weapons drawn. And Rago prepped a quick heal.

The first Kobold lunged, but was sniped by Marie in midair. He landed on a well placed mine from 3, and died instantly. The rest of the group charged in anger.

Suddenly, a well placed shot from Frozo's ice cannon sent them back. Jay ran up and slashed them with a shadowrend. Saber charged up, with Callie on his back, and body slammed the Salamine. Both beasts' riders were knocked off. Callie saw one Kobold run away as she fell, so she changed into squid form, and superjumped above it, and hot it with a Slamdown. Only the Salamine was left. Rago hit it was a dark claw strike, and Frozo and Rukhar both put several arrows into it's fleshy underbelly. Finally, it collapsed.

"I uh... Think we got em." Said Jay.

"What did I say about talking..." Rukhar groaned.

"I feel unhelpful..." Said 4.

"There's always next time." Said Rago. "Theres always several groups."

"Speaking of which." Said Rukhar. "Where do we go now?"

There was a door in plain sight on the far side of the room. Callie was already there, waving. The group regrouped, and continued. Through the door, there was... Nothing.

Agent 4 leaned on a wall, and started walking again, lagging behind a little. So no one else saw him fall through a door he didn't know was there. While the rest of the group continued on, 4 decided to check out the secret. He went down some stairs, and saw a pair of those Kobold enemies guarding a chest.

"They can't be too bad." He thought, charging a wrath. He fired at one Kobold, hitting it severely, and the pair rushed at him.

Everyone else POV

Callie opened the door again. Suddenly, Jay yelled "Duck!"

Everyone ducked, but Frozo wasn't fast enough. A strange purple missile clipped his head, knocking him back. Rago used his stored heal, and charged another one.

"That was unexpected." Frozo said, still seated.

"Kobold mage." Said Rago. "And a couple regulars as well.

"There's some kind of trap behind the guy on the left, so watch out." Said Jay.

"I guess even he can be useful." Thought Rukhar.

"So we blast the guy from afar?" Asked Marie.

"Yes." Said Rago.

Everyone with a ranged attack prepared it. Only Callie was left idle. She readied her hammer, to ward off the front pair of Kobolds.

A quick volley of attacks were shot. A lightning bolt, ice shard, 2 dark claws, a grenade, and a poison arrow.

(Props to those who can guess which attack is who's.)

The Kobold mage blocked the arrow and grenade, but was hit by the Dark Claws. It was pushed into the wall, and pummeled by the remaining attacks. Meanwhile, Callie and Saber fended off the Kobolds in front. Without too much trouble, they beat them. At the end of the room, there were 2 doors.

"Which one?" Asked Callie.

"Dunno." Said Rago.

"Right one is a trap." Said Jay.

"Left it is." Said Marie.

"Hold up." Said Frozo. "Where'd that fine gentlesquid go?"

"Oh shit u right m8." Said Jay.

"Would it kill you to not talk like that?" Said Rukhar, annoyed.

"No, but I finna ain't bout to hearing stop my family buddy chum pal friend brother amigo m8." Said Jay.

Rukhar shot him in the foot with a healing arrow to shut him up.

"That felt good, but in bad way..." Jay mumbled.

Agent 4 POV

The Kobolds had been no issue, and were both slain. Agent 4 opened the chest slowly, but was not met by any traps. What he did find, was several hundred small gemstones, and a large 1 handed sword covered in strange symbols.

"Yoinking this I guess." He said, picking up the sword. Instantly, he felt a surge of energy, and sparks ran along the blade en mass.

"I better get back to the others." He thought, turning around.

Group POV

The group had gone down some stairs, and met a single Kobold, hanging around. It wasn't hanging around for long. Beyond it, Jay sensed another trap.

"Guys, this hall is blocked by a trap." He said.

"How does he know..." Frozo wondered.

"Can we bait it?" Asked Rago.

"Lemme yeet this corpse and we'll find out." Said Jay, throwing the dead Kobold down the hall.

A large, sharp pendulum swung across the hall, getting stuck in the wall.

"Well good thing we had cannon fodder..." Thought Rukhar.

"Yep..." Said Marie.

"That was rough..." Said Callie.

"OMFG she is too cute and pure!" Rukhar thought to himself.

Jay grinned annoyingly at him, but for once didn't say anything.

Past the pendulum, a pair of the Salamines were waiting.

"Oh boy. These guys again." Said Marie sarcastically.

"Well, we know how to beat them faster." Said Rago. "Jay, hit the left one with Dark Claw. I'll get the right. Flip them so the archers have a clean shot."

Jay nodded. The pair launched dark claws, and caught the front legs of the Salamines, flipping them. Callie squid jumped above them to use a Slamdown, while Frozo put several Lightning arrows into one, and Rukhar put several poison arrows into the other. Callie landed the Slamdown right between the beasts, hitting both of their riders as well.

"Well damn Cal." Said Marie. "That was highly effective."

"Yay!" Said Callie. "At least I think that's a good think."

"Yes, Callie. It is." Said 3.

Rukhar was blushing madly.

"Dude you're beet red. I do t even gotta point it out." Jay whispered.

"AAAAAAAAAAAA" Rukhar exhaled into his own shirt.

"Are you ok?" Callie asked him.

"Yes I am 1000% fine don't worry let's just keep going now pls let's move it." Rukhar said hurriedly.

Jay laughed hysterically. Marie gave him a knowing glance.

"Dammit now that other squid girl can tell what's up too." Rukhar thought, irritated.

Callie pushed open the door, which was larger, and had several inscriptions on it.

"I think the boss is in there." Said Rago.

"I thinks there's a trap there." Said Jay.

"I think the trap awakens the boss." Said Rago.

"I think Rukhar can test that for us." Said Jay.

"Hell no! You try it!" Rukhar said, irritated again.

Agent 3 tossed a bubble into the trap area, triggering it.

"Can you all stop now?" She asked.

"..." Jay and Rukhar had no words for that.

A loud roar bellowed through the dungeon. 2 large crystals rose from the ground, powering up a large Golem.

"Guys, attack the crystals to weaken that thing!" Rago said.

"I'll handle defense, since I'm probs the only one with a defensive spell." Said Frozo.

He shot a quintet of arrows at the Golem. None had any effect, but they got the things attention. It threw a punch at Frozo, but he blocked with an ice wall.

"Now! While this thing holds!" Frozo said, temporarily dropping his smooth attitude.

Everyone began pummeling the left Crystal. Cracks began forming.

"This isn't fast enough!" Said Marie.

Jay converted his Scythe into a shotgun, and began blasting g the crystal.

"Nevermind..." Said Marie.

Soon, it broke. Everyone was launched backwards, and stunned.

The Golem lined up a punch, ready to take them out.

Agent 4 POV

Agent 4 squid jumped in front of the group, and reverted in midair, using his built up energy in the sword, he sent out a large Arc of lightning, pushing the Golem back, but still dealing no damage.

"Guys! The crystal, now!" Marie said.

The right crystal went down much faster, because Jay used his shotgun the whole time, and Frozo helped.

Agent 4 lined up another big attack, this time cracking the Golems torso.

"That's a heck of a move." Said Jay. "Where'd he learn that in like 20 minutes?"

"Don't ask me where, but he found a Runeblade." Said Rago.

"What now?" Asked Rukhar.

"Runeblades are simple magic swords, that amplify ones magic power largely, even when not in hand. The effect doesn't stack, however. But I hear even Axel has one, he just doesn't use it." Rago explained.

"Good to know! Now, let's take this guy out before 4 gets tired! That's a lot  of Mana use there." Said Rukhar.

Indeed, 4 launched one last big attack, a strong lightning rod, but then got tired and was out of Mana for the time.

The lightning rod left a hole in the Golems chest. Agent 3 used this hole to get several critical hits with grenades, while Jay and Frozo used Slamdown at the same time, launching the thing back. Marie lined up a heavy shot, and downed the Golems left eye. It suddenly went berserk, turning and angry red.

It swiped it's hand, tossing Jay and Frozo into a wall, then charged the group. Rago hit it with his best attack, silent night, but it barely slowed it down. But Agent 4 had recovered some Mana, and fired a tempest bolt, destroying the Golems arm.

Marie took advantage of this, and fired a crippling shot at the Golem, while agent 3 rapidly deployed mines behind it. It stumbled onto several, and lost its footing. From there, it was an easy fight, as the Golem couldn't fight back while on the ground.

"I think... We did it, guys!" Rago said, as the dust cleared.

"Heck yeah!" Said Jay.

"Dibs on the treasury!" Said Rukhar.

"No. Let's let Rago go first." Said 3.

"Fine." Said Jay.

The treasury itself, in a little room behind the boss room, had a pair of chests, filled with gems, gold, and a few charms and trinkets.

"Nothing good, that I can see." Marie said.

"You just don't know what to look for." Said Jay. "Turn your headgear on."

Marie obliged, and saw the items for what they were.

Jay grabbed a band of shadows. "Plus dark, yeah!"

Callie found a pink ring with several Burst modifiers.

"That makes your area attacks bigger." Said Rago. He had pulled out another book, this time of Blood. "I'll take it."

Marie found a full on repeater rifle.

"Now that's a quality firearm." Said Frozo.

Agent 4 insisted on passing, untill Rago tossed him a power rune.

"You break it, and you get a boost. There a bunch in here." Rago said. He tossed 2 more.

After looting, everyone was happy. But Agent 4 had to lean on a wall again. And fell through another secret door. Revealing a third chest, with similar contents to the first 2. Nothing major, besides a strange necklace.

"Hell yeah, gimme that!" Said Jay. "A demon charm, I've been looking for one!"

"Sure...?" Said 4, tossing it over. He himself got a ring of lightning, further boosting his output.

The group left, going back the way they came for all of .001 seconds before Jay said "there's another room."

He pushed on the wall, revealing a staircase. And a lone Giant Rat.

Callie barbequed it with a single basic attack.

"Giant rats, very weak." Said Rago.

"But hella delish." Said Jay, sneaking a part.

"Yuck!" Said Callie.

They went up the stairs, and found a door, and a side passage. The side passage had another chest in it. This chest was full of refuse and other unwanted items, plus several Mana crystals. Jay took them, and shared. No one else lacked a gag reflex.

"Well, this is nice...I guess?" 3 said.

"Better for mages, but you put em in your weapon of you can, or make accessories out of em. They boost your Mana." Jay said.

The door led right back the the first room.

"How convenient..." Said Rago. "Well, let's go.

Outside the dungeon, a bell awaited.

"Ring to go home." It said.

Frozo rung the bell, and the group went back to the facility.

At the front of the room, Axel was ready to make an announcement. After 10 minutes of waiting for the rest of the groups to arrive, he said "ok. Well done this time, everyone. All of you failed."

Everyone list their minds in sadness and anger.

"But it's opposite day." Said Axel, smirking.

The outrage ceased to exist in a moment, replaced by rejoice.

"As a reward, and I know it's small, but everyone has gained LFR and LFG permissions." Axel said.

"It is looking for Raid, or looking for Group." Jacopo said. "So you can go dungeon with friends or total strangers whenever you have downtime."

"Classes dismissed!" Axel said. "Also no, I am not confiscating anything any of you got, except that Master Seal Karen. No you can't summon a legendary beast in the facility."

The student named Karen let out an obvious groan, but gave the seal away.

"Take this charm of will instead." Axel said. "Now, off! I need to get back to work."

Everyone departed.

A/N wow, almost 3000 words! That's a bit more than usual. Anyways, the user OCs are going into the E.S. Characters chapter ASAP. Owners are as follows.

Rago: Le moi.
Rukhar: NotGoodAtNaming
Jay: DisRandomDude3
Frozo: @TheFrozenHero

Check em all out sometime! Till then, see ya!