"First you spend all night partying and now you're bringing strange people back to the house?" Greg raised an eyebrow at Chris. "What is this, your rebellious phase?"

Chris frowned. "Who would I be rebelling against? Myself?"

"And why couldn't this have waited until morning!" Greg complained, ignoring Chris. "I was in the middle of a dream! And you know how much I love my dreams."

"Not really, no." Thomas commented. "You love dreams?"

"Do I ever." Greg sighed wistfully. "Sleep is an amazing thing guys. We shouldn't take it for granted."

"I'm pretty sure sleep only exists to deprive me of eight hours of precious time." Thomas grumbled.

"You heathen!" Greg exclaimed. "How dare-"

"Enough!" Quinn exclaimed, slamming the table. "Stop distracting people and focus!" She growled, jabbing a finger at Greg. "You're being rude to our guests!"

Greg blinked at her, before turning to Frank and Kara, who were just staring at him weirdly. "I suppose you have a point." Greg sighed, slumping back in his chair. "So, what's up? They want to join the Army? Know anything about nukes? Something to help out with the Ruin?"

"No, they're post-one hundred adventurers who need our help with a particularly nasty dungeon, apparently." Chris replied. "Lots of traps and whatnot, which you know, is kind of our thing."

"It is?" Andrew frowned.

"Well, we did do a pretty good job with that one dungeon…" Thomas muttered. "I don't know if I'd consider it our 'thing' though. But it's definitely something we can help with."

"Okay, but what do we get out of it?" Greg asked. "This isn't a moral issue, and we're not here to help every Tom, Dick, and Harry with whatever problem they might be having at the moment. Unless they can offer some tangible benefits, I'm not interested."

"Honestly, I'm not sure it's a good idea for us to mess with dungeons, period." Andrew grimaced. "We don't exactly have the best track record and if we end up turning a post level one hundred dungeon into a Ruin…" He trailed off, his expression twisting.

"True, we should probably wait until we've dealt with the last mess we caused before taking on a new one." Thomas agreed.

"Wait, wait, hold on." Greg interjected. "I don't think we need to take doing this off the table entirely, I just think we should be getting something out of it, you know? Besides, what are the odds that we'll create a second Ruin? And even if we did, this one wouldn't be connected to Andrew, so other people could take care of it."

"Who are you people?!?" Kara asked incredulously.

"They're idiots." Quinn groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"Okay, I don't know who you people are or why you're so worried about Ruins, but here's the deal." Frank began, leaning forward over the table. "We can pay you a quarter mil for the run plus five percent of anything we pull out of there, along with anything you personally own. Beyond that, you'll be eligible for quest rewards and dungeon achievements, so you'll be getting some personal growth as well. We're not looking to scam you or anything, and if you guys can actually help us run this dungeon, we're more than willing to pay."

"Quest rewards and dungeon achievements?" Greg asked, cocking his head.

Frank blinked. "You- right, you haven't- uh… basically, the higher level the dungeon, the more… features it has. It's sort of like a survival method for them. The higher the level, the more dangerous dungeons become, the more annoying they become, and without some incentives, no one would run them except to destroy them. However, if they provide enough benefits, people are incentivized to keep them around, letting them grow more and more. Around level fifty, dungeons start giving out quests, which can grant experience and special items. At level one hundred, they gain the ability to grant achievements, which give permanent bonuses to attributes, skills, or even experience gain. The stronger the dungeon, the better the rewards, and some achievements can multiply your experience gain exponentially. The only issue is that you can't have multiple achievements that provide the same benefit, so you can't stack them, only upgrade them. Though, a more general achievement will stack with a more specific one."

"Is it race experience or Class experience for quests?" Andrew asked. "And does it take rank into account?"

"Race, until the dungeon gets over level one hundred… after that things are a bit different." Frank replied. "And it's pure experience, not adjusted by rank."

"Well, I'm down." Andrew shrugged. "Money is nice, plus any bonuses to leveling would be huge right now. We need to get stronger as fast as possible, and this could be just what we need to speed up our progress."

"But if we want any of these bonuses to actually matter, we'll need to go there with our main bodies." Chris frowned. "If we die, we'll lose all the progress we've made so far."

"Honestly, it wouldn't be any fun without some risk." Thomas chuckled. "I think a bit of a challenge is just what we need."

"Yeah, seems worth it to me." Greg shrugged. "So, tell us about this dungeon."

Frank nodded, pulling out a map and spreading it across the table. "It's located here, in the mountains about four hundred miles from Nobilis. Its level is at a hundred and forty-four, so not terrible, but it's a trap type dungeon, so the danger doesn't lie in its level but its terrain, a dense, swampy jungle full of traps with a complex tunnel system running underneath that the native species uses for guerilla warfare. We can defend against the natives, but the traps are practically undetectable and full of debilitating toxins that make you weaker and weaker as you go, making everything more and more dangerous. We can only bring a limited amount of supplies, so there's no way we can bring enough antidotes, we can't spend an unlimited amount of time in there, so just going slow and inspecting every step for traps isn't an option either, and a healer would need to be protected, one slip up putting us right back where we started even if we could convince one to go with us, which… hasn't been working out. If you guys think you can handle the traps, we can take care of everything else, everyone will get paid, and we can destroy this dungeon before it becomes an actual problem."

"Why don't you just find one of these tunnels and run the dungeon that way?" Thomas asked, frowning slightly.

"Because the tunnels are only about a meter wide and mostly underwater." Frank grimaced. "Not a problem for the natives, but for us the tunnels are unusable."

"Who are the natives?" Andrew asked curiously.

"Naga." Frank replied. "Another issue with this dungeon. We don't like leaving dungeons with nobles races as mobs around, for obvious reasons."

"Sure, sure." Greg nodded. "So, what I'm hearing is we don't so much have to handle the traps, but keep you guys healthy, which is a lot less dangerous for us." He slowly grinned. "In fact, I have a method that I believe would be highly beneficial for all parties involved, if you believe you can trust me." He started to chuckle.

Kara gave him an apprehensive look. "That is the most sinister offer I think I've ever heard."

Greg coughed awkwardly. "Sorry, I always come off evil when I get excited. But seriously, this is just a good offer, no tricks. Though… It may seem like a trick, cause of a certain point, but honestly, I don't have any interest in turning you into constructs."

Kara blinked. "I'm sorry, what?!?" What was wrong with these people!?! Literally everything she'd heard since she arrived sounded like the mad ramblings of her dementia ridden grandfather!

"Well… see for yourself." Greg shrugged, sending the description of his Foundation Parasite skill to her and Frank.

Kara read the description, her eyes widening as she got to the end. "What- what's a construct?"

"Me. I'm a construct." Greg replied. "I'm a Foundation Hivemind and all my physical forms are just extensions of that singular being."

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

"So… if you did this, we would become you?" Frank asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, but again, I don't want to do that. Not that I expect you to believe that… maybe I shouldn't have brought this up." Greg sighed. "Eh, Chris can keep you healthy anyway."

"I would appreciate it if you could hit me with that though." Thomas commented. "Would help with my healing problem."

"Sure thing, buddy." Greg winked, shooting him a double finger gun and a cloud of smoke.

"Not now!" Thomas protested, waving futilely at the cloud before he sent a burst of points at it. "I don't want you in my head twenty-four/seven! Just do it when we're in the dungeon."

"Ah, fair." Greg nodded, retracting the smoke.

"Wait, this thing lets you get in our heads too?!?" Kara exclaimed.

"Well, yeah? I'm a hivemind. The mental connection is pretty much a given." Greg shrugged.

Kara shuddered. "Yeah, there's no way we're doing this."

"I dunno… this experience sharing part seems pretty convenient." Frank commented. "Plus, instant healing, Kara!"

"Frank, I'm not letting some stranger into my head!" Kara snapped.

"Okay, okay." Frank chuckled, before turning to the others. "So, I take it you guys are in?"

"I'm in." Chris shrugged.

"Yeah, me too." Andrew nodded.

"Oh, you better believe I'm in." Greg chuckled, getting another glare from Kara in return.

"I'm not sure how much I can help, but I'm down to go." Thomas added.

"Great!" Frank clapped his hands. "We just need to get the rest of the team on board, and we'll head out as soon as possible." He paused. "How do we get in touch when we're ready?"

"Just rip this and we'll be there." Chris replied, handing him a blank card.

Frank took the card, raising an eyebrow at him. "Seriously?"

"Seriously." Chris nodded.

"Okay, I can't take it anymore! What is up with you people!?!" Kara groaned, unable to bear the weirdness anymore. If she didn't get some answers soon her head was going to explode!

"Kara, seriously, you don't want to know." Quinn insisted. "Just let them do their thing, and afterwards, just hope you never meet them again. You don't want these people too involved in your life."

"You make us sound like gangsters or something." Greg chuckled.

"Not a horrible comparison…" Andrew muttered. "Get drawn in by the benefits and then you get stuck doing our dirty work."

Chris frowned. "Do we even have dirty work?"

"No, but when we do, do you really think we won't make our people take care of it?" Andrew replied.

Chris paused. "Well, that's fair."

"Fuck!" Kara cursed. "I need to know! How the fuck do you people have people?!? Who would follow you!?! What benefits can you even provide!?!"

Chris gave Quinn a look, and she sighed. "Fine, give it to her."

Chris pulled out a pamphlet and handed it to Kara, who snatched it away from him and began to read. She looked up a few minutes later, eyes wide. "Okay, those are some good benefits." She glanced at Chris. "You wouldn't happen to be interested in a second girlfriend, would you?"

"Shit, you want a boyfriend too?" Frank muttered numbly, reading the pamphlet over her shoulder.

"I am interested in a second girlfriend, actually." Chris nodded, yelping as Quinn elbowed him. "What? I am!"

"She's with Frank!" Quinn snapped.

"Is she?" Chris cocked his head. "Then why-" He turned to frown at Kara. "You shouldn't cheat on your significant other."

Kara raised an eyebrow at him. "Bit hypocritical, don't you think?" She retorted, nodding significantly at Quinn.

"Um, hun, she's not his girlfriend." Frank interjected.

Kara blinked. "Wait, what?" She frowned at Chris. "Then who's your first girlfriend?"

"Beth, but she's in a different World, so it's okay." Chris replied.

"TMI, Chris." Greg sighed.

"But it's relevant?" Chris retorted hesitantly.

"Barely." Thomas snorted. "Also, why is he getting all the proposals? I have the system! The system is great!"

"It is, but it doesn't make you immortal." Greg pointed out.

Thomas clicked his tongue. "Stupid immortality. What's so great about eternal life? It's power that makes life worth living!"

"You say, already being immortal." Andrew rolled his eyes. "Power isn't all it's cracked up to be, either."

Kara turned to Frank. "These conversations are starting to make more sense."

"Aren't they?" Frank chuckled.

"How are we going to explain this to the others?" Kara frowned.

"Well… we have a pamphlet?" Frank shrugged, before the pamphlet disappeared.

"Sorry, no spreading our secrets without permission." Chris interjected, before pausing. "Though I suppose we can't stop you from just telling people."

"I can honestly say I don't think anyone is going to believe us without meeting you, even with the pamphlet." Kara shook her head. "If I hadn't seen you literally die in front of me, or seen his trait, I wouldn't believe it either."

Frank nodded. "It's a bit hard to believe you can just have abilities like that. Maybe if you were over level one hundred, but even then, you'd need to have assimilated at least four Classes or something…"

"Assimilated?" Greg blinked. "Is that what you do at level one hundred? Assimilate Classes?" Greg frowned. "What does it even mean to assimilate a Class?"

"When you reach level one hundred, you gain your Domain." Frank explained. "Your Domain assimilates any Class that has reached level one hundred and gives you abilities based on them, like the pressure I used at the club. Pretty generic ability, Domain wise. The biggest benefit however is that Domain abilities don't use Energy, though they have a limited range, as they can only take effect within your Domain, and the only way to resist them is with a Domain of your own. The more Classes you assimilate, the more abilities you get, or in the case of similar Classes, the more powerful those abilities can be."

Andrew frowned. "How does that work for the monstrous races?"

"They can't assimilate multiple Classes, but they can get there a lot easier than we can, so while individually they're a bit weaker, there's a whole lot more of them." Frank sighed. "Besides, most people struggle just to get one Class up to level one hundred, let alone multiple. You need to either be born with a high rank or be extremely talented to pull it off."

"Does the World get involved when you get your Domain? Any kind of glowing cocoon or something?" Chris asked.

Frank blinked. "You- well, there's no cocoon but you do get analyzed by the world to determine your Domain. Why?"

"I need the World to take a look at me so I can get a special race." Chris shrugged. "Like Greg's Foundation Hivemind or Andrew's Essence Changeling."

Frank blinked. "Okay… then yeah, that should do it for you?" He replied hesitantly. Every now and then this conversation just took a left turn and he had no idea what to do with it.

"What abilities do you have then?" Thomas asked.

Frank grimaced. "We try not to share those. If someone knows about it, they can counter it."

"Ah, sorry." Thomas nodded.

"It's no problem. You didn't know." Frank shrugged. "So… any more questions?"

"If your Classes get assimilated into your Domain, can you still level them?" Greg asked.

"Class and race levels cap at one hundred." Frank shook his head. "From there, it's all about leveling your Domain and enhancing it. You can still refine your Classes, which can help you with your Domain because, you know, better skills, but leveling stops there."

"Huh. Interesting." Greg frowned. "So level one hundred is where the two systems converge, huh?"

"It's where leveling really takes off, since you're no longer constrained by skill training." Frank nodded, misunderstanding Greg's question, thinking it was about the Classes and race, rather than the difference between monstrous and noble.

"Right, well, that's all I wanted to know." Greg shrugged, before pausing. "Do you guys have any questions for us?"

"I have… many questions, but it's late, and I'm still a little drunk, so… I think they need to wait until next time." Frank chuckled. "I'm still half convinced someone slipped something in my drink and this is all some weird hallucination."

"Oh, fuck, that would make a lot of sense." Kara muttered, before scowling. "No one better be touching me while I can't enjoy it."

"I wish this was all a dream." Quinn sighed. "Or that I'd never taken in that stupid Uplift."

"Hey!" Andrew protested.

"You turned my entire life upside-down!" Quinn snapped. "Take the hit!"

"What happened to not complaining about things you can't change?!?" Andrew retorted.

"I'm not complaining, I'm rethinking my life choices. There's a difference." Quinn countered, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Would you really want to be someone who wouldn't take someone who needed you in?" Chris commented, cocking his head at her.

Quinn froze, before letting out a sigh. "No. I just wish things hadn't gotten so… weird."

Andrew paused for a moment, before letting out a sigh of his own. "Yeah… me too."