D-Class Dungeon CG-4634

Lucas looked at the time and gasped at how late he was as he made it to the Crimson Blades headquarters close to Metropolis City Hall.

Lucas made his way to the elevator bank, his hand hovering over the call button. Pushing it repeatedly, he anxiously glanced at his watch. The seconds ticked by agonizingly slow until finally, the elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. But as Lucas stepped forward, his eyes widened in terror.

Inside the elevator stood a woman, holding a glass case that contained a snake—a sleek and sinuous creature, its eyes fixed on Lucas's trembling form. The fear that gripped Lucas was palpable, his heart pounding in his chest. Without a second thought, he abruptly turned on his heels and bolted out of the elevator just as the doors began to close.

Lucas rushed to the nearby staircase. He ascended flight after flight, his steps hurried and erratic, until he reached the third floor. As he burst into the room, the foreman, Victor, looked up, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Well, well, look who finally decided to join us," Victor said in his unmistakable New York accent, his tone dripping with amusement. The other agents in the room exchanged knowing glances, suppressing their laughter.

In prominent lettering, the board displayed the title: "D-Class Dungeon CG-4634."

Lucas panted, his chest heaving, as he attempted to catch his breath. He launched into a series of excuses, his words tumbling out in a jumbled rush. "I... I live downtown, far away. My alarm died, and I had no hot water. Then I missed my bus, and on the way here, I tripped over a pretty girl. And... someone had a snake in the elevator!"

The room fell silent, all eyes trained on Lucas. His admission about his fear of snakes hung in the air, a vulnerable confession. Victor's smirk faded slightly as he regarded Lucas with a mix of understanding and curiosity.

"Well, today's going to be an interesting day, that's for sure," Victor said, a glint of mischief in his eyes. The rest of the room erupted in laughter, finding amusement in Lucas's predicament.

Lucas mustered the courage to ask, "Why do you say that?"

Victor shrugged, offering no further explanation. "Just a feeling, kid. Just a feeling."

The members of Crimson Blade Treasure Collection Team 17, including Lucas Moore, made their way in the team truck to the entrance of a subway station. They had finally received the go ahead to carry out retrieval at a dungeon gate that had appeared deep within the subway tunnel. The Ministry of Dungeon Affairs were keen to make the dungeon go away because it was blocking the normal operations of Metropolis City transit operations. The Vanguard unit went in first and had no trouble clearing the dungeon and were done within two hours.

As they descended the dimly lit stairs, the sounds of the bustling city above faded away, replaced by the distant rumble of passing trains. Reaching the platform, the team moved with purpose, their footsteps echoing against the tiled walls. The flickering fluorescent lights cast an eerie glow, adding to the atmosphere. They followed the winding path, guided by the faint traces of magic that emanated from the dungeon gate ahead.

As they approached the gate, a hushed silence fell upon the team. The massive stone archway loomed before them, adorned with intricate carvings and symbols.

Without hesitation, Team 17 entered the dungeon, their torches casting flickering shadows on the cave walls. It was a familiar feeling for Lucas as he passed from one world to another. This world looked like a cave underneath a mountain. The walls of the cave rugged and uneven and soared to towering heights, nearly 50 feet above the uneven, rocky floor.

Victor handed Lucas a pair of dark goggles with thick seals. "Put these on and whatever you do, don't take off the goggles."

Lucas nodded and did what he asked although with a lot of curiosity and fear.

Team 17 ventured deeper into the labyrinthine cave, their torches casting eerie shadows on the damp walls. The winding path led them to a colossal chamber, its grandeur accentuated by the haunting silence that enveloped the space. As their eyes adjusted to the dim light, they were met with a sight that filled Lucas Moore with sheer terror.

Yellow eyes, countless in number, stared back at him from all angles. The giant basilisks, now deceased, lay motionless on the floor, their lifeless heads adorned with eyes that seemed to retain a ghostly glimmer. Lucas felt his heart race, his breath catching in his throat as the illusion of these eyes made him believe they were alive.

Overwhelmed by his fear of snakes, Lucas couldn't contain his terror any longer. He let out a piercing scream that echoed through the chamber, his voice betraying the depths of his phobia. The rest of Team 17 burst into laughter.

Victor, smiling rushed to Lucas's side. Placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder, he spoke in a soothing tone. "Lucas, it's alright. They're dead, my friend. We're here to collect the eyes."

Lucas looked at Victor, his eyes wide with panic. "But... but the snakes, Victor! I can't handle them. They terrify me."

Victor smiled kindly, understanding Lucas's fear all too well. "That's why we've brought these." He reached into his backpack and pulled out a set of dragon leather tarps. "These tarps are specially treated to block the petrification effects. We'll use them to safely collect the basilisk eyes."

Lucas's trembling subsided slightly as he listened to Victor's reassuring words. He glanced around at his teammates, who were now chuckling and exchanging knowing glances. Their laughter filled the chamber.

Victor turned his back to the cave and faced the team with a grin. "Well boys, looks like the Vanguard unit have left us with a ripe mess to handle."

There was some laughter and jeering from the members of the treasure collection team.

Lucas suddenly blurted out; "Why is there a B-Class monster in a D-Class dungeon?"

"Sometimes these things happen," Victor explained. "Our methods for prospecting dungeons aren't exactly accurate but the Vanguard units that go in first always assume that the class of the dungeon is higher than the rating so they must have come in prepared."

The team then went to work bagging the basilisk eyes.

Lucas had approached one of the basilisks. He reached the basilisk's head and saw its eyes. He wondered if it was really dead, or if it was pretending. He decided not to take any chances, and quickly threw the dragon leather tarp over the basilisk's eyes. After feeling no resistance he locked in the metal clasp.

He breathed a sigh of relief.