Here's how it will work: anyone who prepares a dungeon doorway by constructing all three rings and proving they have the manpower to staff, run, and house the operation will be called an Adventurer if they sign up with the Adventurers Guild. This helps us track who’s going in and out. In return, everyone has the right to join the Adventurers Guild worldwide.

Why are we doing this? So people can sign up at their local Adventurers Guild, start adventuring at the lowest level, gain experience, and then get permission to help other countries with their dungeons. Some countries don't have enough people to manage their dungeons effectively.

This is essentially a universal passport for those willing to kill monsters and explore dungeons. Here’s another secret:

The dungeons are machines, designed to create beautiful things from our imagination—think of treasure from Dungeons & Dragons. They’ve learned everything from the internet, embodying our dreams and fears. This isn't a computer you can program; it's an intelligence that spans planets. It’s helping us because, if we simply opened the dungeons, dark matter would flood in, breaking down the planet’s metal, heating the core, causing volcanic eruptions, and potentially leading to a nuclear winter. We need to release this pressure gradually to prevent a planetary meltdown.

We also need to keep a distance from the metal deposits under the dungeons. Disturbing these deposits could disrupt the dungeons. We recommend staying away from the third perimeter line and give an extra two to three kilometers before digging. Monitoring will be in place to ensure compliance. These deposits contain magical metals, a gift left behind by the interaction with dark matter.

When metal breaks down with dark matter, it becomes magical. Hence, our cities, infrastructure, and everything else have become magical. However, the main magical pilot light of our planet was turned off 2,000 years ago at our request. When we turn it back on, all metal on our planet might glow, float, or gain magical properties. Weapons, vehicles, braces, implants, and even nuclear bombs might acquire magical powers.

Imagine a B-2 bomber with real stealth capabilities or a battleship made of magical metal that can push damage into the water. These are the things that will happen as soon as we open the main gate. For now, I’ll be traveling from Scotland to the UK, then to the United States, and finally to Canada. A group of soldiers from these three countries will be the first dungeon clearers, starting in Jeremy's hometown, which has one of the dungeons—something he specifically requested.

The Ark, an ancient entity, seemed responsive to polite requests, aiming to make the process as non-threatening as possible. As Jeremy and Jeff packed for their trip to Canada, the general requested a meeting. They went to the main command tent, standing at attention until the general was ready. What caught the general’s attention were three rings that suddenly fell from Jeremy and Jeff’s chokers.

The Ark sent them a message: "Give these to the general in case someone else gets powers while you're gone." They handed over the rings while processing this bizarre telepathic message. It was a mix of text, sound, feelings, and emotions—a surreal experience they would need to get used to. They briefly shared thoughts, which was unsettling, but the connection faded quickly, seemingly controlled by the Ark.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

This all happened in under ten seconds. The general turned around, puzzled. Jeff handed him the rings, and Jeremy explained, "We're about to leave, and the Ark wanted you to have these in case someone else gains powers."

Jeremy added, "These rings will help anyone who accidentally gains powers to control them, preventing chaos. Think of them as safety rings. If you need more, the Ark can probably create them easily. Just ask."

Jeremy and Jeff both felt a mental smile from the Ark, confirming they were on the right path.

The general, an older man not used to dealing with magic, was still grappling with the surreal situation. He had dismissed all this as fantasy, the stuff of his grandkids' Dungeons and Dragons games. He blamed us for turning this nightmare into reality.

"General, thank you for everything," Jeremy started, but the general raised his hand, cutting him off.

"Shut up," the general commanded.

Jeremy obeyed.

The general began, "Corporal Jeff, you've done some stupid shit, and now you're getting out of my hair. While you're out there, don’t make things worse. Take this key and get the hell out of my sight. If I’m lucky, I won’t be here when you get back."

He threw the key at Jeremy and pointed to the door. As they were about to leave, the general yelled, "I saw your stupid YouTube videos. You know people are going to get killed this way."

Jeremy paused at the doorway, turned with a mischievous grin, and asked, "In the next year, what's going to kill more people—my way of running the dungeons or the wars happening all over the world? If we keep people with special powers from causing chaos, the rest of the planet will stabilize. We need to drain the planet's energy to unlock and control the main dungeon. Until then, we’re at its mercy. We have to work together, as one people, instead of fighting each other while the world itself is trying to destroy us. What are you going to do about it?"

The general, deep in thought, seemed to experience an epiphany. The stern, battle-hardened look faded, replaced by a youthful eagerness for a fight. He smiled, acknowledging Jeremy's point without words. Jeremy smiled back and walked out.

Many people in this world are so desperate to feel something other than the monotony of daily life that they turn to violence. Jeremy saw this as an opportunity to channel that energy into something productive—200 outlets, to be precise.

If the Ark has been on every planet for eons and possesses more knowledge than we could imagine, who knows what it can create? What if it brings forth technologies and materials we've never seen, things that could take us into outer space? The possibilities are endless, but we can't unlock the full potential of the dungeons until we manage the planet’s overflowing energy. We must start running the dungeons as they are, and with enough control, we might even be able to tweak them before fully unlocking their secrets.

The dungeons might contain hidden control rooms, maps, or other useful features. As we delve deeper, the environments will become increasingly alien. The upper floors might resemble our fantasies, but the deeper we go, the stranger it will become.