[Morningstar Forest]

  A young, brown-skinned boy with burn scars marking his arms and hands traversed a lush forest. Wading through the thick roots covering his eyes from the harsh sun that cut through the canopy.

  Something rushed behind him, a small humanoid creature armed with sharp claws leaped to strike the boy.

  Weaving away from the strike, the boy quickly rushed in giving the creature no time to recover. Throwing a jab into a hook at the monster dizzying it.

  The creature began to run knowing it was overwhelmed.

  "INGUNN!! YOU'RE UP THE GOBLIN IS RUNNING!!"

  Appearing out of thin air, a boy with flowing dreads dragged his knife through the goblin dropping it to the ground.

  "Yea yea, I heard your whining Kam. You didn't need the assist, but I'll take the magic stone."

  A faint glow began to rise from the goblin's chest.

  "No one was 'whining', it's called teamwork we all have our roles in the party for a reason."

  "It just looks like you couldn't handle a goblin on your own, hahaha!!"

  A whistling arrow flew past the bickering boys into a goblin preparing to ambush them. Two more boys walked out of the forest, one with glasses and waves holding a bow the other with a blonde buzz cut holding a staff.

  "We won't always be here to save your ass Ingunn, watch your back especially while your [Blink] is on cooldown." smirked the boy with the bow.

  "Whatever Wilfred, you didn't even kill it, it's bleeding out someplace else now."

  Will shook his head.

  "That's the point we are going to track it back to its camp so we can finally get out of this damn forest. I'm so sick of these bugs and this heat. Arti, do you mind grabbing the stone, thank you."

  The blonde dug a knife into the goblin's chest, a grey glowing stone salvaged from the corpse. "That's another stone for Ingunn, you've got $100 from the two e-rank stones we've collected. We should get moving though it should've hobbled its way back to its camp by now."

  "Arti is right, plus we have to get home soon I don't know how much time has passed out there. Damn we have school tomorrow too, did any of you do the math homework?" asked a worried Kam.

  Will rolled his eyes and motioned for everyone to follow.

  "I'll give you the notes later, let's just focus on the goblins for now."

  After walking through the forest for some time, the squad found a clearing in the woods. An array of huts grouped around a campfire; goblins scurried between a few small huts surrounding a giant hut. Standing outside the encampment the boys began planning their assault.

  Their plan went into action. Arti began chanting, in the center of the camp a totem with a stern face and brown markings rose from the ground.

  [Earth Totem - Rumbling]

  The ground began to violently shake destroying the huts within its radius. With the huts destroyed Kam and Ingunn swiftly killed the frenzied goblins while Will picked off any targets outside of the totem's range.

  The giant hut remained standing. A goblin scurried from the hut in fear as a massive goblin reared its head from the entrance of the hut. Seeing the destruction of his encampment he broke out of the hut with its large frame in a rage. It wielded a massive club the size of a man, its body adorned with jewels and gold unfitting for its sloppy build.

  System: [Slay the Goblin King]

  The system revealed the objective of the dungeon. This was their way out.

  "He's so damn fat! Do we have to fight this lame ass boss for our first dungeon!" cursed Ingunn.

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  "Now why did his stomach come out of the hut before him." chuckled Arti.

  "Please, stop I'm going to die laughing before he even gets to fight. Let's focus on getting out of here." Holding back his laughter Will took his position in the backline.

  "I bet his magic stone is worth a lot though, you guys know the deal stall for time while I prep my skill," added Kam as he retreated into the forest, with heat beginning to radiate from his body.

  "Sure you heard him, let's get this over with!" Said Ingunn as he disappeared.

  Now in the air in front of the Goblin King, Ingunn swung his knife at its neck.

  Furious the Goblin King dashed back with a speed that didn't match its size. It swung its massive club trying to swat him out of the air missing as he had already hit the ground slashing a deep gash into one of its pudgy legs.

  A volley of arrows flew into the Goblin King's gut drawing its attention to Will taking shots from the rubble of the goblin huts.

  Grabbing one of his subordinates below him the Goblin King used it as a shield to block the arrows. Even with the injuries sufficed to its leg, it dashed for Will destroying all the rubble in the way.

  Forcing Will out of his cover a totem rose from the ground giving him time to escape.

  [Earth Totem - Rumbling]

  The ground began to quake again, causing the Goblin King to stumble. Now enraged, it roared throwing the Goblin at the totem destroying it. Now locked onto Arti without warning it tossed its massive club in his direction as it dashed towards him.

  [Earth Totem - Stalwart]

  A large grey totem rose intercepting the Goblin King catching its aggression as Arti dodged out of the club's path. But it didn't last long against the heavy swings of the Goblin King, leaving it smashed into dust.

  "I hope you didn't miss me too much, I came just back for you." jeered Ingunn as he dug into the neck of the Goblin King with his dagger, jabbing multiple wounds into it until he was shaken off and launched into a tree.

  "FUCK!!"

  The Goblin King cracked an ugly smile rejoicing in the pain of that pest.

  But from the forest, a massive heat wave scorched the surrounding trees the smell of coal permeated the air. Kam emerged from the burning forest arms disfigured into claws of dripping magma and brimstone.

  Like a wild beast, he launched himself at the Goblin King sinking his claws into the monster. Searing the skin of the Goblin King it writhed in pain slamming itself into the ground on top of Kam but he did not let go.

  [Water Totem - Energy Stream]

  A blue totem rose from the ground, and Ingunn crawled his way towards the totem.

  "Did you need to put it so far?"

  "No clue what you're talking about man. Heal up for now, there is no way we lose this."

  The Goblin King couldn't shake Kam off of him the heat burned through his energy. A final series of burrowing strikes pierced through the King's gut leaving it fatally wounded taking its last breaths it fell to the ground Kam standing in the corpse letting a feral cry loose.

  System: [Goblin King Slain]

  [Rewards according to participation will be allocated to your inventories]

  [The exit gate is now open]

  "Finally we can leave!! I can't wait to go home!" Cried out Will.

  Kam fell out his body drained of energy, the magma and brimstone dissipating as he fell.

  "I just need to take a nap, Will don't forget to send me the homework!"

  "Don't fall out just yet we can't carry you, well I don't want to carry you. You better crawl over to this totem so we can leave," ordered Ingunn.

  "I just leveled up, make sure you all did too." Everyone but Kam had brought up their system screens to see that they all had leveled up.

  With their newfound strength, they dragged Kam out of the dungeon.

  In a blink, they were outside a grey portal that swirled into itself until it disappeared.

  "Damn, we've been gone nearly all day! We have to get Kam home first since he clearly can't do it himself.

  Arti assured Will that Kam's mom was cool so he would take him home and drop him at the door. They were the first to leave with Arti reminding Will to send Kam the homework.

  "Are you feeling alright bro, you were the only one to take a big hit in the fight?"

  "Arti's totem did a good job healing my back just hurts like hell. I'll probably feel better tomorrow. Thanks though, despite this being a grey dungeon I wonder what the harder dungeons are like. Maybe we will get to fight a dragon!"

  "Yea I bet you cannot wait to brag about being a dragon slayer. Take it easy for now. There isn't any more information on any more local dungeons like this, we were lucky to find this one. But we can talk more at school tomorrow, see you then."

  "See ya' then."

  Exchanging a handshake Will walked into the distance as Ingunn made his way home.

  Ingunn made his way into the house, but no one was there to greet him. A plate sat in the microwave with a note on the cover. "Working extra hours see you tomorrow night, enjoy - mom."

  Tossing the note into the trash he began warming up the spaghetti.

  Bringing up the system, he began looking over his skills.

  [???] LV.1 - NEW SKILL

  Ingunn tried to comprehend why a skill would be hidden. Suddenly the hum of the microwave faded away, when he went to reach for the handle, he realized he couldn't hear his footsteps or his breathing.

  A voice pierced through the silence, similar to the system but almost angelic.

  Ah, there you are, my love.

  The weight of those words froze his body, from the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of a woman with an ethereal glow floating towards him. He knew her gaze was locked on him even though he couldn't see her face.

  [Do not approach any further]

  [Leave NOW]

  A cold hand passed through him pressing on his heart.

  One day you will hold my heart in your hands as I have yours now. This is my love for you do not forget it.

  Severed from reality Ingunn blacked out, dropping to the floor in darkness.

  [The End]