One of the hunters stepped forward, his voice steady and commanding. "Hello, everyone. I'm Kendrik. Today, we'll divide you into five groups. Each group will enter as a unit. Once inside, there's a fifteen-second window for stragglers to join the same instance."
"When that closes, the next group creates a fresh instance of the dungeon. This is a yellow gate. As you can see, its hue won't fade until cleared. The nearer it is to breaking, the more monsters swarm within."
"The boss at the end might pack an extra punch too. So don't assume a green gate mirrors an orange or red one from the same rift. Now come on over, we've got weapons ready for you all."
"Pick something that suits your future path. You just need to contribute to a kill for the awakening trigger, but we urge you to land one yourself. Not for class perks, but to kickstart your hunter's journey. Killing is survival." Alex selected three daggers, their edges glinting sharp. A sword suited some, but daggers flew true and deadly. A pity firearms stayed banned, with the Association claiming to want new generations more proficient in wielding weapons than relics of the past. Saying one thing while their goon officers carried them still.
"Form five lines of four to five each," Kendrik continued. "My comrades are Mark, Lester, Donavan, and Victor. Line up now, and good luck to all."
Mr. Mosbie echoed the order, his tone brisk. Alex slipped into a line already at four, scanning the other groups as they filled swiftly. The first group advanced to the gate, vanishing in heartbeats. Alex pictured the peril of lagging, tossed alone into a fresh instance, facing horrors without backup.
"Our turn. Stay tight." Lester's words cut the air as he led the way. Alex and the other four shadowed him, pulses quickening.
Alex braced for a sensation as he entered the gate, a drenching chill, an electric tingle, anything. But it swallowed them whole without a sound, seamless as stepping through an open door. The gate felt like nothing. The interior unfolded as a cavern, rough stone walls slick with moisture, air heavy with the scent of damp earth and faint echoes of distant drips.
Lester halted, sword drawn, lights mounted on his shoulders scanning the dim area they appeared in. Alex guessed it was caution. That final fifteen seconds could open them to an ambush from behind. Not paying attention might have been the downfall of a few parties, not realizing humans could be worse than monsters. "Goblins are up ahead," Lester said. "I'll snag one for you to tag-team."
They walked around a bend into the first chamber. The goblins hunched there, child-sized with green hides, faces less fierce in dull boredom as they scratched at the dirt. Filthy rags barely clung as loincloths.
Lester surged forward, blade a silver blur powered by swordsman skill. The first two goblins crumpled, throats slit before they could blink. The third lunged, but he bisected it mid-air, red ichor spraying. The fourth he seized by the scruff of its neck, slamming it face-down into the stone where it thrashed and snarled.
Pinning it firmly, Lester grinned. "Land your hits. After this, it's three more open areas including the boss room."
Alex locked eyes with the goblin, waiting for his teammates to strike first. A fleeting curiosity stirred about the creature's leathery hide. Up close, its jagged teeth gleamed, its snarling face twisting into something primal and menacing.
When his turn came, he delivered a swift strike to its ass. The impact drew a furious snarl from the beast and light chuckles from his classmates. Lester finished it with a quick snap of its neck, and they pressed on, the group's amusement lingering in the air.
With their first kills under their belts, Lester urged them forward. "Keep pushing. Claim your own now." He trailed behind as they entered the next room, daggers ready. Alex surged ahead with the others, though their pace lagged behind Lester's lethal grace, giving the goblins a moment to fight back.
It was no competition, three-foot-seven-inch children facing men. Fierce little beasts that bled red, despite all the anime Alex had watched growing up showing it as green. He hurled his dagger at the farthest one, embedding it true. Snatching his third blade, he closed in on the nearest foe. The thrown weapon felled its target with a chest strike, an effortless takedown. These goblins were no match for Alex's group.
His blade sliced into the goblin's neck. Alex shoved it back, yanking the dagger free. As the creature gasped its final breaths, he glimpsed his teammates dispatching the rest amid the chaos of hacks and slashes. Pity flickered for the wretched creatures, but he crushed it, driving his blade into its heart.
The third room held seven goblins. Alex flung his dagger early, piercing one's neck and sending it crumpling. That aggression drew their fury toward him. With measured steps, he slashed an attacker's throat while his teammates carved through four opponents.
The last goblin lunged desperately. Alex's blade met its heart mid-leap. Was it killed or death by suicide? He muttered a prayer for such lost souls, imagining goblin shamans peddling anti-depressants that only deepened the despair, turning inward rage outward like some tragic school shooter.
They advanced to the final chamber, the boss room looming. "This one's straightforward, but don't get cocky," Lester warned. "I'll handle the boss. You all clear the adds. Once they're down, flank it. Hit from behind or at the sides. Fight smart."
They charged in unison. Lester's thrown blade nicked the boss as it roared infuriated. He barreled forward, slashing stray goblins as he clashed with the four-foot boss. Its strength and speed surprising for its size. Not letting an opportunity pass, Alex tossed a dagger at the farthest goblin before engaging the closest one to him.
Alex's dagger plunged deep into his foe's chest, but it pressed on. Two more throat strikes dropped it just as another barreled from the side. He sidestepped, twisting to slash its neck. A final thrust staggered it, and it collapsed lifeless.
Glancing around, Alex saw the others wrapping up their fights in sync. They converged on the boss, striking opportunistically. His blade barely scored its thick hide, unlike the lesser goblins. A tossed dagger sank shallowly, highlighting the difference between F-rank mobs and this near E-rank boss monster.
Circling for its back, the boss whirled with startling speed, its sword arcing in a powerful sweep. Alex poured all his strength into the parry, holding firm but sliding back, breath caught in the sudden stagger. Having managed to offset the bosses attack enough it was wide open to his teammates.
The four converged on the boss in a frenzy, blades flashing toward its vulnerable eyes and throat. One sword plunged deep into its gut, pinning the beast to the ground as blood erupted in a crimson spray. It thrashed until it slumped on the ground lifeless.