Agnox and Jeffery made their way to the Volkar Dungeon portal. Thanks to their higher stats and flight ability from one of them, the eighteen-hour trip by walking only took less than half that at six hours. Both of their armor were repaired and of even higher quality. Zack had gone all out on it as a roundabout way to thank Mathew.

Sadly, there was no more Infernal metal. So, Zack had to incorporate layers of steel into it. The previously all-red armor now had silver parts mixed in. If Agnox was being honest, it looked way more badass.

The light-styled armor was still perfect for him to fly around. The metal parts only covered vital areas, forearms, shins, and a helmet. Everything else was leathered.

Jeffery on the other hand was decked out in heavy armor. His increased physical might allowed him to withstand the extra weight without a problem. Zack originally wanted to give the wolf blades on the armor or some sort of spikes. Agnox pointed out that it would just give the enemy a way to grab him easier.

With nothing else to prepare with as Mathew would with his rituals or the growing collection of staves to use as mana banks, the two were ready for the Dungeon.

Agnox ensured he talked to Damien and Henderson’s replacement to ensure he was good to use one of the slots up.

Mathew emphasized to him to not use his status in his favor. People were still xenophobic of him, and doing things correctly would ensure nobody had a reason to bother the imp.

Agnox timed it so when he was done with the Dungeon Mathew would be back in Blue Oaks for him to rank up. He had no clue what he could gain within the Dungeon. Just that he felt close to something. He felt it was like an Axiom but he wasn’t sure. He never developed one on his own. His Axiom of Ember was birthed from the wall.

A gift from Mathew. He knew his summoner hated that he didn’t have a chance to use the wall. The fact others showed up forcing him out of the Challenge continued to miff Mathew. Since then he had worked twice as hard to try and pay back that gift. Working to keep Mathew safe and alive.

Deep down, Agnox had accepted he could be sacrificed for Mathew’s life. It was what imps were, disposable bodies. They were thrown at enemies to soften them up. Only a few made it as far as he did, and none to his knowledge had ever made it past Apprentice rank. Those that did make it to Apprentice rank were spell casters.

Infernal creatures had a hint of dark magic within them. His first master told him this. Dark magic wasn’t evil. To most, it was morally black. However, it granted them the ability to adapt. They grew based on their surroundings creating the most volatile and dangerous monsters known to The System. Only a few creature types were more deadly such as undead or creatures directly cultivated by an outside force.

Agnox and Jeffery were examples of this. An imp who never fought in the melee in his life was now wearing armor and carrying a sword. The wolf was naturally made for his fighting style, so he grew into it further. He was large enough that Agnox could ride him if he had a saddle of some kind.

The dinosaur dungeon portal swirled with color. Agnox didn’t wait and went through the portal. He had his blade drawn, ready to be used at a moment's notice.

On the other side was a sparse forest filled with birch trees. The leaves were a fall-colored yellow. In the distance, a few miles away was a mountain that loomed above him. There was no Volkar near him at all.

Agnox looked around, “Okay buddy. You stay close, but let me do the fighting. If anything happens you jump in and save my life, okay?” He patted the armored wolf.

Jeffery just let out a snort and nodded his head up and down excitedly. Agnox knew the wolf wanted to fight, but he wanted to try to do as much of this on his own as he could.

They started to delve deep into the place. They would go to the mountain last to finish off the Dungeon Boss. Agnox decided to move from one side to the other until they reached the end mountain.

Half an hour came and went, and Agnox found nothing. No signs of any Volkar anywhere. It was weird since the last time he came here with Mathew it took less than that to find a single one.

Not even Jeffery could find one, but what he did find gave Agnox an odd feeling. It was blood on the ground and several signs of a battle taking place. “I thought we were supposed to be the only ones here,” Agnox grumbled. “Don’t tell me someone ignored the schedule or it was messed up. I wanted to rank up today!”

Agnox figured since he was here, he might as well help them. Maybe they were low leveled and would appreciate a higher leveled person overseeing them. “Maybe I can convince them to let me solo the boss for them. They can keep the rewards, I just want to fight him!”

Lazily now, Agnox and Jeffery wandered around the Dungeon looking out for signs of the people who were in the Dungeon. Agnox knew it wasn’t completed yet since he could enter the place. Not to mention the blood was still wet.

Just when he was about to head toward the mountain, Agnox heard the sound of gunfire from the other side of the Dungeon. “Come on Jeff, let’s see who it is.”

Agnox flew above the trees heading toward the sound of battle.

Bruno, Karin, Chris

Axe, Spells, Gun

Bruno axed down yet another of the feathered dinosaurs as Chris and Karin fired from a distance. Karin hurled spells from her wand, the lightning-based attacks jolting the dinosaur's bodies. Chris fired from a System purchased rifle.

“Damn for a Novice Dungeon this place is annoying,” Bruno complained. He swung the axe onto his shoulder to rest now that the last of the pack was dead.

“It’s because they are pack creatures, Bru,” Chris said as he reloaded his gun. “It’s fine, once we claim this Dungeon our zone will have enough power to fuel the shields and we can go further out. We were lucky nobody was guarding this place. The idiots.”

“Not our fault whoever owed this place didn’t bother protecting it. Just be sure we take the Dungeon core so they can’t get it back.” Karin said in a sing-song voice. She was happy to claim another Dungeon for her uncle. “Just be sure to keep me alive and you two will get plenty of rewards.”

“Sure thing princess,” Chris said with a chuckle.

Karin frowned at the nickname. “Not a princess. Call me that again and I’ll zap you good.” She pointed her wand at him.

“Please. You are barely level twenty... Bruno and I are over twenty, and Bruno was in the World Dungeon and lived. You have no chance to take us both out and we can lie to your uncle about how you died easily. So behave or we will have a happy little accident.”

Karin reacted visibly shocked, “You- You can’t talk to me like that!”

“Shut up you two. God, I can’t wait to get out of here.” Bruno complained.

“Not my fault she’s a b-” Chris spun around and fired up at the trees. Whatever he was aiming at, he missed.

“Enemy. Flier. Fast one too. Another one on the ground from the same direction it came from. Not as fast, but coming right for us.”

“Hey, assholes, don’t shoot me! I’m friendly!” A male teenager-like voice said.

Chris was confused he spoke softly, so only Karin and Bruno could hear him. “My ability doesn’t work on humans, probably lying.”

A red and silvered armored figure landed on a branch above them. A sword in its hand. A pair of wings stood out on its back that folded in. “Hey there! I think there was a mess up with the schedule. I was slotted to complete the Dungeon today. So if-” Agnox tried to dodge the yellow bolt of an attack but it hit him in the arm.

His body reacted slightly, but he didn’t fall from the branch. “Hey, bitch! I was trying to talk and be nice! I’m not part of this Dungeon. I’m with Mathew. Leader of Blue Oaks. The guy who’s in charge. Ring any drums?”

“Kill him,” Chris said as he fired again and Karin didn’t bother saying anything and threw a spell up at him.

Bruno held his axe out ready to swing at the creature if it came flying down toward them. He knew anything with a sword and armor would enter the melee eventually.

Agnox took off into the air. “Hey! Stop it! I’m not here to fight!”

“You are the enemy of Earth!” Karin yelled. “You assholes came to our planet. Killed nearly everyone. Do you think I’m going to let you get away since you can talk? Fuck you! [Static Charge]!”

The woman yelled her buffing spell and her hair started to rise in the air as lightning danced across her body. Agnox was confused, “Who the hell are you guys?” he didn’t want to fight yet. He saw Jeffery behind a tree, posed and ready to go in when Agnox said so.

He didn’t want to kill anyone from Blue Oaks. The promise Mathew made about him being an outstanding citizen would be broken if he did. “I’ll leave, no need to fight me here. Come on, we can be four pods in a can! We are all citizens of Blue Oaks here!”

“We aren’t from Blue Oaks or whatever demon clan you are in,” Bruno yelled out. “Stop trying to be friendly and come down here and fight us like a man or whatever the hell you are!”

Agnox flew to a branch to hide behind a tree. He shouted out from behind it. “Wait, if you are not from Blue Oaks, then why the hell are you here?”

“To take your Dungeon! To rid Earth of another enemy!” Karin yelled out. A bullet punctured through the tree right next to Agnox’s head.

Several thoughts came through Agnox’s mind. One thing he knew was that these guys were not part of Blue Oaks at this point. They were from another zone and they were here to take this Dungeon from Mathew.

“I’m sorry, I can’t let you take this from my Boss. He would be pissed if I did that. So, I’ll give you one last chance, surrender, leave, and we can still be friends. Otherwise, I’m going to fight back!” Agnox said. He didn’t want to mess anything up in case Mathew wanted to try and be nice with the other zone to have them join Blue Oaks peacefully. But, at this point, he was getting pissed at them for not even talking back.

There was no response, just the sound of lightning and bullets hitting the tree. “Fine, have it your way assheads!” Agnox’s blade ignited with flames. “Jeffery sic em!”

Chris’s eyes went wide as he forgot about the other enemy thinking it was just another small creature or dinosaur. Instead, a giant wolf leaped out from the treeline covered in armor that matched the flying creature.

“Kill the giant mutt!” Chris cried out in a panic. Bullets flew faster as he used an ability to enhance his firepower.

Bruno let out a yell and his body grew slightly. “Come here Sif, I’m going to split you open!” The man swung his axe toward the wolf. The wolf lept forward into the attack taking it on the armor on purpose. He pinned the man to the ground and went to bite Bruno’s head off. Bruno held the shaft of his weapon in Jeffery’s maw, barely keeping it away from his head.

Agnox flew down and went to slice at the spellcaster, finding her to be the easiest target. As he got close the gunner pulled out a sword and swung it up and him. He easily dodged the blade and left a burning slash across the woman's arm.

As his sword connected a shock of electricity traveled up the sword and into his arm. Agnox fell to the ground as his wings locked up for a moment. He rolled to his feet and charged forward again.

He locked blades with Chris. Each swing of his dark-flamed sword let out a shower of embers. Agnox had to dodge both spells and his enemy's blade. Luckily he was agile in the air, able to move in all three dimensions.

Jeffery was somehow shoved off of Bruno. The large man got back on his feet and rolled his two-handed axe in his hands. “Damn you are heavy. Maybe lay off the kibble some okay pup?”

Jeffery’s eyes just narrowed as he snarled. Saliva dripped from his maw. He ran forward again toward the axe man. Bruno jumped up and over Jeffery, slamming his axe into the wolf's armored back. Jeffery turned around and looked over to where Agnox was fighting.

He ignored the large man and charged forward.

“Look out! Wolf from ya’lls seven o’clock!”

Karin turned and let out a shocked yell as she cast a spell “[Mana Bolt]!” A lightning infused bolt flew toward Jeffery, hitting him in the face. His body locked up for just a moment, causing him to trip.

Bruno was back on top of Jeffery slamming into him with his weapon. Damage to the armor was already appearing, but the armor proved to be resistant to the axe’s attack.

Agnox maneuvered backward in the air, his empty hand pointing downward. He released three [Fire Bolts] before flying over to Bruno to help out Jeffery.

As he released the third bolt, he flew downward and parried Chris’s blade as he open-palmed a [Fire Bolt] into the human's torso.

Chris’s armor protected him, but the heat still affected him. He stepped back creating an opening for Agnox. As he stepped forward, a bolt of lightning slammed into him from the caster, Karin.

Agnox’s body once again stiffened for only a moment. That was enough for Chris to recover and was ready to continue fighting.

Jeffery continued to headbutt Bruno and take axe attacks on his armor. Bruno was getting bashed but could tank the damage.

“These two are strong, must be the Dungeon bosses, or an allied Dungeon here to help,” Karin yelled. “They are standing up to us on even footing even with a numbers disadvantage.”

Agnox scowled. She was right, they were outnumbered. He needed Jeffery to target the same target as him so his [Backstab] skill grants a bonus to his attacks. He can’t lose this fight. Mathew depended upon him to win this.

There was no backing down, he would hunker down and win this fight lasting until they gave up or died.