Team 0 was gathered in their private training room, a space they had sorely missed during the last few weeks of hellish training. It was spacious and well-equipped, with comfortable sofas arranged in a semi-circle facing a large digital screen, where the AA logo rotated slowly - entirely different from the spartan barracks they had been given at the Facility.

Miss Walker entered the room with her tablet in hand, the blast doors hissing shut softly behind her. She wore her usual confident expression, but there was an added seriousness to her demeanor today. "Good morning, team. I have your next mission briefing." She announced.

As she spoke, files began to appear on the team's tablets. They all picked up their devices, scrolling through the detailed mission report. The briefing outlined their next assignment: to work with a team from the Ten Thousand Eyes Guild, a group they had collaborated with before and found to be surprisingly reliable, to clear a new dungeon.

"The dungeon in question is an F-rank one not far from the city." Miss Walker explained. "It's a newly formed one, hosting a variety of birds, amphibians, and insect monsters. You need to assess whether the threat level is correct and, if it is, clear it."

Maria, her fiery red hair tied back in a practical ponytail, looked up from her tablet with a concerned expression. "Water or poison magic-using monsters could be a problem, especially with amphibians around. We need to be prepared for that."

Daniel leaned back, rubbing his chin as he looked at the data. "Do we have any information on the Ten Thousand Eyes team we'll be working with? Knowing their capabilities is important to find out how we can best coordinate. The last mission we fought with them went tits up at the end because they couldn't maintain discipline. It'd be good to prepare for something like that."

Miss Walker shook her head slightly. "Unfortunately, we don't have detailed profiles on them yet. But you are right that you should be ready for any circumstance. Still, as far as guilds go, the Ten Thousand Eyes is not as bad as many others."

Ezekiel, his eyes bright with excitement, chimed in. "The fact that it’s a newly formed dungeon means we can take our time and see how much we have grown. The sparring is nice, but nothing beats some real-world experience."

Lauren nodded in agreement, fingering the hilt of her daggers. "New dungeons can be unpredictable, but that also means we might learn something more. It's a good testing ground."

James, who had been quietly reading the information packet, finally spoke. "Insect monsters are known for their physical strength and resilience. We'll need to be cautious, since they might surprise us. We haven't met many before, beyond the spiders, which are technically air-breathing arthropods and not insects. Still, even those were more annoying than other monsters in their range."

The room buzzed with concern, curiosity and eagerness as they all shared observations or made a note to check on something before they went in.

Miss Walker observed them, a hint of pride in her eyes. "I know you're all capable of handling this. Teamwork and communication are key, especially when coordinating with another guild. Keep your wits about you, and don't hesitate to use your new abilities. The first dungeon run after a rank-up is always a bit more complicated, but this should be well within your capabilities. Good luck, and have fun."

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The drive to the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was filled with tense anticipation. As Mr. Robinson's van wound through the scenic countryside, the lush greenery gradually gave way to a more ominous landscape. The once vibrant refuge was now shrouded in a thin, purplish fog, the result of wild mana transforming the area into a dungeon.

Upon arriving and piling out of the van, the team was met by a group of park rangers, their faces etched with concern. The lead ranger, a middle-aged man with a weathered face and a stern expression approached James and the team.

"Thank you for coming so quickly." He began, his voice betraying a hint of relief. "We've had a tough time since the dungeon formed. One death and several injuries during the evacuation. The dungeon expanded rapidly, taking over the entire swamp. It’s contained for now, but our readings indicate it might start growing again."

James nodded, understanding the urgency of the situation. "We'll make sure to clear the dungeon as quickly as possible. You have my word; we'll be done within a day."

The rangers seemed somewhat reassured by James's confident response, though their anxiety was still palpable. They provided Team 0 with a brief overview of the swamp's layout and the areas where the most activity had been reported. Although they already had seen this information, they weren't so foolish as to discount the expertise of people who walked through the swamp daily.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

As the exchange concluded, another vehicle pulled up to the site. The insignia on the side indicated it belonged to the Ten Thousand Eyes Guild. Five Awakeners stepped out, their demeanor professional and focused.

James discreetly extended his psychic senses to gauge the newcomers. He sensed determination and good intentions, which was a relief - dealing with a competent and earnest team was rarer than it should be, unfortunately.

In addition, he also picked up on a subtle undercurrent of tension between two of the female members, which he intuitively recognized as romantic in nature. They felt like two lovers in the midst of a breakup, though he didn't delve too deeply. He decided to keep that observation to himself for as long as their circumstance wouldn't affect the mission and focused instead on the task at hand.

The Ten Thousand Eyes team leader, a tall man with sharp features and an air of quiet confidence, approached James. "I'm Aaron." He introduced himself. "I've heard about Team 0. My friend, Tea, speaks very highly of you." He gave James a knowing smile, clearly aware of Tea's flirtatious encounters with him.

James returned the smile a bit sheepishly. "It's good to meet you, Aaron. We appreciate the backup. This looks like it will be a challenging dungeon despite being new."

Aaron nodded, glancing towards his team. "Let's have a quick huddle to discuss our approach. Two teams working in tandem can cover more ground and watch each other's backs, but we can work separately if you prefer."

The two teams gathered, introducing themselves. The Guild team consisted of Aaron, the two girls with the underlying romantic tension – Miriam and Jenna, who were a wind mage and a healer – along with a burly man named Kaleb, who was a Warrior and a quiet but alert woman named Iris, who Aaron assured them would help significantly in scouting the terrain.

The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge's environment presented its own challenges. The dense vegetation, murky waters, and uneven terrain would make navigating and engaging with monsters difficult. Additionally, the presence of amphibian and insect-type monsters meant they could expect a variety of attack patterns and adaptations.

"Let's split into two groups," Aaron suggested after James had reassured him that Team 0 could do its own reconnaissance. "One team will focus on the denser areas near the water, while the other takes the dryer, more open spaces. We'll stay in contact and regroup if we encounter anything we can't handle alone."

James hummed in agreement. "You could do a loop around the edges and deal with everything there while we begin dealing with the monsters closer to the Boss. We'll wait for you if we finish too soon."

Aaron nodded, satisfied with the plan. "Sounds good. We'll take the perimeter and clear out any stragglers or smaller nests. We'll meet you at the center once we're done." He repeated, earning nods from his teammates.

With the strategy set, the teams geared up. Team 0 strapped on their gas masks, a necessary precaution given the purplish mist that drifted through the environment. They said their goodbyes to Aaron's team and entered the dungeon proper.

The atmosphere inside the dungeon was eerie. The fog hung heavily in the air, distorting the landscape of the swamp into something alien and foreboding. The sounds of wildlife were eerily absent, replaced by the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant splash of water.

As they ventured deeper, the team remained alert, their senses attuned to any sign of danger. It wasn't long before they encountered their first challenge - a swarm of Water Striders, mutated by the rampant mana into large, intimidating creatures the size of a Labrador.

Maria reacted instantly, her expression twisting in horror as she launched a beam of white-hot fire. It passed through the swarm without resistance, the relatively thin carapace not challenging the fire mage's newly enhanced abilities. Incinerating the majority of the creatures in an instant, Maria's girlish scream of disgust echoed through the swamp, in contrast to the deadly efficiency of her attack.

The remaining striders, disoriented and weakened by the heat, were quickly dealt with by Daniel. He created a barrier around the lot, compressing the space and crushing the creatures within. The display of raw power was swift and decisive, leaving no monster standing after only a handful of seconds.

After the brief but intense encounter, the team regrouped, their expressions a mix of surprise and relief. "That was easier than I expected," Maria commented, what little of her face was visible still scrunched up. "These new skills really do make a difference, even with F-rank monsters.”

Ezekiel nodded, his eyes shining with excitement. "I can't wait to try mine out. Actually, that reminds me. I should buff you guys now since it doesn't cost me much." He lifted his hands, and a soft glow enveloped every member, significantly boosting their attributes.

James felt the new strength settle in his bones, and for a moment, he thought he might be able to fly if he just lifted himself with his psychic power. He sighed, deciding that such experiments were best left for later, but patted Ezekiel on the back in thanks.

Soon after, James, who had been scanning their surroundings all the while, suddenly tensed. "Heads up." He warned, his voice low. "We've got company, and it's not what you'd expect."

The team turned just in time to see a group of ducks approaching them. At first glance, they appeared normal-sized, but James's senses picked up something far more sinister. These ducks were infused with murderous intent, working in concert with their water magic to craft a deadly barrage of water bullets below the pond's surface.

For a moment, his teammates looked at him in confusion, not noticing anything beyond the ordinary, but upon seeing him with his guard up, they followed his lead, having learned to trust his senses.

Daniel quickly raised a barrier, and when the water bullets emerged with great speed from the pond, they splashed harmlessly against it. The ducks, undeterred, continued their assault, coordinating their attacks with surprising intelligence and precision.

"We need to take them out quickly," James instructed. "Their water magic is no joke."

Ezekiel buffed their defenses, ensuring they wouldn't get injured even if they left the safety of the protective bubble that encapsulated them. Maria unleashed small fireballs aimed at disrupting the constant barrage. At the same time, Lauren darted in and out of the barrier, slashing with her daggers and eliminating a duck with each attack, her knives trailing black smoke as she did so.

James took the moment of respite to concentrate as he was protected from the attacks. He had tried several times to influence others with his new psychic powers, but he hadn't done any direct harm with them yet.

Now, let's see if I can make this work.

Mental Assault was a Skill built explicitly for this situation, so he let it handle the bulk of the effort. He dumped mana into his mind, reaching outwards in a sweeping, unfocused attack in the ducks’ direction.

All at once, the previously coordinated monsters started thrashing, hitting each other. They became veritable sitting ducks, making easy targets for Lauren, whose daggers extended into proper swords made of smoke and quickly dispatched the monsters.

"That was unexpected." Daniel sighed, lowering his barrier once he was sure the danger was gone.

"Let's hope that's the strangest thing we encounter today," Ezekiel replied half-jokingly.