They all woke before the sun.

It wasn't some planned alarm or a shout from the hallway—just a shared instinct, that silent pull of purpose, dragging each of them out of sleep with the weight of something important.

Kai yawned first, rubbing his eyes as he wandered into the kitchen in search of caffeine. By the time he put the kettle on, the others had already begun moving.

The house stirred to life quietly, each person slipping into action without needing to be told. They moved from room to room like a team on autopilot, grabbing gear, spare clothing, and anything they thought might come in handy in any environment.

Rope. Tarps. Metal pegs. Extra tent poles. One of the big cooking pots was carefully packed with ration cans. Lily found three boxes of matches in the back of a drawer and tossed them in. Zane added another medkit, duct tape, and a few tools—just in case.

Every time someone thought of something new, they opened the bag of holding and dropped it in. The process was careful and methodical. Items were layered like a puzzle

When the bag was finally full—and they all agreed nothing else useful could possibly be squeezed inside—it felt like they were ready.

Properly ready.

Breakfast was quick but hearty: eggs, toast, sausage rolls, and Corn flakes. Tarni made the coffee stronger than usual, claiming it would "scare the sleep outta your bones."

Once fed and dressed, they equipped themselves.

Reinforced leathers. Vest from the Kobolds', Gloves. Boots. Zane tightened the straps on his new shield while Bell adjusted the harness for her spear gun. Lily did a last-minute inventory check, reciting gear under her breath like a battlefield accountant. Kai pulled his hoodie up and bounced on the balls of his feet, trying to shake off the nerves. Tarni just stretched, grinned, and cracked his knuckles.

There was no more small talk. No jokes.

Just a steady walk through the stillness of early morning, down a path that was becoming well-worn, that led across the gravel and through the trees to where the black cube waited.

The forest around them was quiet—too quiet. Even the birds were holding their breath.

As they approached, the cube loomed larger than ever, impossibly dark against the paleening sky. That familiar white hemisphere shimmered faintly on its surface, glowing like moonlight on snow.

They didn't hesitate.

Each of them stepped forward, weapons slung, armour fastened, minds focused.

One by one, they placed their hands on the white surface. It felt cool beneath their palms—cool and solid and real.

The sky above them had just begun to shift into the soft grey of pre-dawn, painting the world in muted shades of anticipation.

Dungeon Entrance NAME: Dungeon at the End of the Beginning Level: Unknown Type: Unknown

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Highest Level Completed: 2 Party Members: 5 of 5 Do you wish to enter the Dungeon at your highest level reached (3)? Yes / No

Everyone selected yes

And with a familiar shimmer of light, the world vanished— as they descended once more into the unknown.

SYSTEM NOTICE Dungeon at the End of the Beginning — Floor Three Biome: Humid, Swampy Wetlands (Summer) Dungeon Monster Level: 9 Time Limit: 12 hours Option to Exit Without Completion: OFF Completion Criteria: Do quest: find 30 Dendrophylax lindenii, wait, screw that noise. Do quest: find 30 Ghost Orchids Completion Reward: Guild & Quest System (People in authority may give quests to adventurers registered to a Guild; Rewards will be managed by the System)

As the world faded into existence around them, the group found themselves standing on a small rise surrounded by what could only be described as a humid forest trying its best to become a swamp.

They immediately checked their gear and did a headcount—everyone was accounted for, and nothing was missing. Once satisfied, they took a moment to scan their surroundings.

Tarni snapped his fingers. "I know what this reminds me of—that one time I went croc hunting in the Florida Everglades with a bunch of crazy rednecks."

Everyone winced at the mental image of system-modified crocodiles and began watching the nearby water a lot more carefully.

The tension in the air was thick as they waited, half-expecting an ambush at any moment. After a few minutes, Kai broke the silence.

"Well, I don't think we're going to be attacked right now. Maybe we should start looking for those Ghost Orchids. Does anyone know what they look like?"

A quick check confirmed that no one had any clue what a Ghost Orchid—or Dendrophylax lindenii—actually looked like.

So, they made a plan. Everyone would stay on alert while Zane went around using his Appraisal skill on anything that looked remotely flowery.

The first plant Zane inspected returned a result:

Plant: Billbergia pyramidalis (Okay, all these plant names are crazy. I'm going with…) Plant: Summer Torch Can be used in alchemy. Acquire the Alchemy class to learn more.

Zane shared his findings with the group. Kai grinned.

"I'm glad the System seems to like simple names. I've never been great at reading those crazy scientific ones."

Lily chuckled. "Yeah, I remember your biology marks in high school weren't exactly stellar. How did you end up working as an engineer on an oil rig again?"

"Ha ha, that's all maths. You know, the subject you hated."

Zane listened to their banter with one ear, keeping his attention half on the undergrowth. He knew they were still maintaining their watch, even while teasing each other. He moved on to another flower—this one white, delicate, and shaped so strangely it looked like it could sprout legs and walk off at any moment.

He activated his skill again:

_______________________________________________________

Plant: Ghost Orchids Can be used in alchemy. Acquire the Alchemy class to learn more.

_________________________________________________________

"Holy frog balls, I found one!" Zane blurted out.

Max and Kaitlyn were starting to get a bit worried. There were only two days left after today before their big event, and some of the important stuff they'd ordered online still hadn't turned up.

"Mum, if it doesn't arrive today, we'll have to go into the city to get all the extra paintball shots we need," Max said, trying to keep his voice calm.

"Max, I told you—the courier has it on board and will deliver it today," their mum replied, stirring her tea.

Kaitlyn came to her brother's defence. "But Mum, they said it was onboard yesterday too—and it never showed up."

"Look, you two, I know how important this birthday is to you," she said, turning to face them. "I promise, nothing is going to go wrong."

"BUT—"

"No buts," she said firmly. "I called Franky—the delivery lady—and she told me there are three large boxes in the back of her van with your names on them. She'll be here this afternoon."

The twins exchanged a glance.

"Now," their mum continued with a raised eyebrow, "go wash your dad's car like you promised."

With a sigh and a few grumbles, Max and Kaitlyn left the kitchen. Their mother smiled at their retreating backs, quietly thanking the universe that her kids were still good kids—even when they were being a handful.

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