Captain Duncan scoured his fridge for a snack, a quick bite, or something fast to heat up to fill his stomach. Yet, the more he searched the more he failed to find what he was looking for.

He sighed and closed the door. He thought having a girlfriend would make the home feel more like home. Having two more should have made it feel like a bloody paradise. So why didn't he have food waiting for him in the microwave? Why didn't he even have a woman to hug and kiss on when he walked through the door?

The answer was apparently not something he could fathom.

Duncan ran hand through his brown hair and glanced at the phone shaking like a seizure patient on the counter. He grabbed it and sighs at the fact that the Major was calling him so late at night.

"Yes ma'am." Duncan grabbed a pack of chicken and tossed it in the sink.

"Have you seen the news about dungeons popping up everywhere and how quick the damn civilians reacted to it." Major Hines sounded pissed off.

"No, I'm not Intel and I just got off a patrol."

"Well, this is going to ruin your day but the higher ups want us to investigate. You have twelve hours to submit a report."

The phone clicked and Duncan sighed heavily. He played his hand over the chicken, defrosting it a little faster. His phone rocked in his hand as he sent his team a quick-reply to be up at six hundred.

Duncan carried his meal over to the couch and dropped down. Turning on the TV, he lifted up his laptop and clicked on a few top streaming addicts. The decision panned out as one of them, the Flame Lord Sagus, recorded finding one of the dungeons. He clicked on the vod and sat back to enjoy his meal and do a bit of research that the Intel division always fail at.

"Welcome back to my stream. Today, we have an unusual new prey. Don't know if the system is tossing us something more than the cookie cutter orc and goblin combo or if these guys are an anomaly of some kind." A guy in a red leather jacket sent a rolling wave of flames at skeletons holding swords and spears.

As you can see, they are basically easy for magic classes. Also they are coming from the shopping center. Could the dead have risen?!"

The flame lord moved forward with confident steps. He crushed all the skeletons in his way until he hit the parking lot. The skeletons were pushing the abandoned cars aside until they spotted him. Then they abandoned the cars and rushed towards the Streamer.

Rolling flames pushed the skeletons back and flame spears crushed their skulls. He went on a killing spree until he arrived at a silver arch with purple light flowing from the middle.

"What the hell is this?" Sagus squinted and shot a flame spear at a skeleton that popped out.

The streamer and the camera man walked in and found themselves standing upon red sand with burning red sun in the sky. Rows and rows of skeletons were marching across the wasteland.

"A dungeon? Convenient." He waved his hand and the sky rained down fire spears. "Kind of too easy. Let's go see what the loot is."

With a wave of his hand, the loot within thirty meters fell at his feet. He shifted through it while holding up a few items.

"Copper coins. Standard. Some kind of mana crystal. A book not written in English. These are dark equipment. Probably undead attribute. I can feel my fire mana fighting against it with a few seconds of touching. Don't suggest using it as equipment."

Sagus grabbed a book he could read. "Alchemy journal of an Apprentice Wizard. Useful." He pocketed it and walked forward and brought more loot forward.

"About the same. So it's obvious that the dungeon is a resource provider. In our day and age, it's a gold mine. After all, we swept through a lot of resources before and would have to tear down buildings for the minute steel, iron, and copper we can retrieve from them. Which isn't exactly a lot but the books.." He held up another book. "Apprentice battle magic journal. This is well needed by magic class. Oh wait."

Sagus took a book from the cameraman. He flipped through it with a surprised expression. "This is some kind of warrior technique that may be supposed to strengthen them? Not entirely sure but we can run tests live, no?"

The streamer turned back to the gate and walked out. He landed on the other side to see a bunch of surprised orcs. Flame spears wiped them out.

"So, I posted the address below and also looking for a team. Let's explore the dungeon together. Two tanks and another wizard. Thanks." He waved a peace sign and flames swirled around it in a fancy Yin yang sign.

Duncan sat his plate down and clicked on a later vod.

"Welcome back once again. We are now grouping up and preparing for the first full dive. The brown-haired pretty boy is called White Knight. I know, I know." Sagus shrugged. "He's a weird one but the dark haired one is a former fencer and nicknamed.. Jerry. Plain as shit right?"

The two men couldn't help but roll their eyes and turn away. The camera panned to a girl with pink bubblegum hair and a very slender build.

"This lovely lady is called Cute Lolita. No explanations needed. She never grew up." Sagus dodge a kicked aimed at his shin.

"Can we go in now!" Jerry barked.

"Sure, sure. Let's go." Sagus smiles.

They marched through the arch and stood in front of many skeletons…

Duncan fast forward to watch them reach the gate.

Sagus breached the gate with a powerful spell. The girl fired off wind blades that cut down the archers and archer tower. Leaving the tanks to march through the destroyed gate.

Both warriors split up and dove behind Boulders as an axe wielding knight charged over. It was greeted by flame spears and wind blades. The knight spun his axe to block the spells and Jerry crept from behind like a phantom, slashing through the neck with a mighty swing.

"Nice play!" Sagus threw up a thumbs up.

Jerry just snorted and sorted through the pile with his sword. "This is kind of easy, don't you think?"

Sagus just smiled. "It's the first level of the dungeon." He turned to the camera. "As you can see, the loot is still the same. No books this time. Also the equipment dropped is death or shadow touch. Meaning if your resistances aren't high, it can corrode your body."

They moved deeper into the castle straight into a grand room with more than twenty skeletons. The archers on the banisters launched attacks right away. While the ground force charged. More than twenty knights blended with lower grade skeletons.

Flame Lord unleashed his might, with one hand, he sent flames rolling. The other, he set up a tunnel with flame walls. Followed by raining down flame spears.

The Lolita focused on the archers and four wind blades shot out of tiny palm at the same time.

The two warriors expertly parried the knight's whose armor seemed to have mana resistances. They parried or cleaved away fatal attacks, opening up for a flame spear or wind blade to take out the knights.

The cameraman extended a hand into the view and small circles danced around his finger tips. Light rain fell continuously over the two warriors, removing those cuts they accumulated.

When the fight ended, Sagus started laughing. "What a mana extensive fight but as you can see. Even outnumbered, our skills made the difference. Though, I suggest watching out for body shots on the knights. Their armor makes you think that they have a core or something hidden behind it. Yet, the only mana fluctuations are in the skulls. So regular skeletons are just in armor. Headshots only."

The tanks changed weapons from the loot. Two silver swords and one kite shield. Sagus found another readable book and put it in his backpack.

"Let's go down the right hall first and circle around." Jerry suggested.

Sagus shrugged and followed the tanks.

Duncan fast forward and watched the next fights in fast mode. It didn't different much from the first fight in the castle. When they found the boss room, the numbers seemed overwhelming. A hundred to five with two special units beside the boss, who was a female lich sitting on a throne.

"Let's go back out." Sagus and the cameraman left without further words.

As you might have seen, the boss fight is nightmare mode. The knights are the cannon fodder and the two special units had intense mana auras. The lich, itself, was emitting intense mana fluctuation that made the space around her seem a little distorted. Go back and watch carefully. She's definitely a level thirty-five boss with extremely good dark skills."

Duncan wrote an email to his boss explaining what he learned from simple observation. After all, soldiers didn't necessarily make good cold weapon experts.

***

[Four days later]

"We have control of the central dungeon which offers a higher percentage of raw resources. Yet, why can't we invade the inner region with fifty men? What the hell have they been doing?" Two-star General looked around the table at the men and women who couldn't lift their heads.

"Sir, it's not like what you think." A Major snorted at the General's ignorance. "Just at the outer layer, our men have killed as many as ten thousand animals in one instance. They don't get weaker as you go in but progressively stronger. Not being able to make it to the inner layer with the strength of men in the early thirties is acceptable."

"Then why do I have reports that say these civilians have stepped foot in the inner region? Even brought back rare resources?" The General slammed a thick folder down.

"They have enchanted gear. You waste our resources on external weapons. What do you expect?"

"Didn't we make those guns? How is that not equipment?"

"Only a dumbass like yourself would suggest enchanting guns that actually do no damage to beasts with hardened skins similar to steel. Or those stupid beam rifles that don't even have any power. It's a waste of time!"

"Do you think I want to file for your dismissal?"

"Go ahead." The major pushed out his chair and walked away.

"Don't you fucking walk away from me!" The General flew out of his chair.

"And the meeting comes to an end." A female major stood up and gathered her things, leaving right after.

"Major Sparks, wait a minute. I wanted to discuss your subject, the Enchanter guild. Have you made any leeway?" Colonel Mills walked up with long legs.

"Not well. They only accept verified members of real skill, who play the hard-core way." Major sparks lamented.

"Can we sanction them in any way?"

"They have a Dark Wizard who is apparently one of those 'Chosen ones'."

"Are you sure?"

"I wasn't at first because his magic happened too quickly but I managed to watch a duel and he is using the Runic System."

"He couldn't have devised that himself? I heard of the McCallums before and they have a history of brainwashing and providing excellent resources to train their young."

"He may have one or two spells like the others at this point. Yet, I don't think that is the reason because my spy says he has developed a talent checker and some kind of cellphone based on futuristic tech but on a wrist watch."

"He's an Enchanter member too?"

"I'm not sure. There is no list and well they don't just wear one color."

"Alright. So why can't we go against them because of a dark wizard?"

"The Dark Wizard practices soul and spirit Magic. He's currently a high end force that we hope to avoid falling out with due to the nature of records on fantasy Dark Wizard."

"Wait, has he shown any of those abilities?"

"Yes, we even have his combat videos before he became a Dark Wizard and some afterwards. It's not worth it to piss off his force." Major sparks walked into the sunshine.

"Fine but he is correct. We need to be able to buy equipment or something, so we can invade the inner region." Colonel Mills slapped on his patrol cap and walked away.

Major sparks couldn't help but roll her eyes. She pulled out her phone and called her best combat wizard. "Duncan, how is your side doing?"

"What do you mean, how is our side doing? It's cold, the food sucks, the pay sucks. Many have complained about walking away with how this current bullshit is going." Duncan ranted.

"I meant in the Dark Wizard case." Major Sparks moved towards her car.

"Oh, he doesn't often talk to men other than killing them. So if you want to catch his attention, I'm thinking of a pretty face with some ass."

"So you made no progress?"

"I talked with a lass named Summer but they are really tight lipped. If they do sell equipment, it might be to the Enchanter Guild or their wizard tower."

"They are building a wizard tower as well? They have to be members of the Enchanter guild."

"They are definitely members but it's not a tower per say. Something about it being built like a Chinese style temple with multiple buildings spread out. Suppose to make use of an array to draw in mana to mana wells."

Major sparks opened her car door and stepped in. She turned on her prius and the heater up.

"I'll be there in half an hour."

"Alright but what about these dumb ass conditions? At this rate, we are going to end up dead from stupidity rather than glorious fight."

"I hear you but do you have a better option?"

"Start our own merc group. Join an existing one. Many choices."

"Okay, I'm hanging up." Major Sparks rubbed her forehead.