Ancient stone stretched overhead as Zaro studied the labyrinth entrance. Worn glyphs pulsed with faint light, marking this as no ordinary dungeon. His void sense revealed layers of magical wards and enchantments woven through the very rock.

System, switch to a cowboy delivery for today.

Well howdy partner. Let's see what we got ourselves into this time.

Dungeon Analysis incoming faster than a prairie fire.

Location. Ancient Labyrinth of Trials.

Difficulty. Tougher than a two dollar steak.

Entry Requirements. Guild badge required.

Current Posse Size. 7 souls.

Warning. Might send you to meet your maker.

Zaro scanned his team. Ezra maintained her usual grace, bow at ready. Ramrod looked ready to headbutt the entrance. Chad adjusted his hat while pretending to understand the ancient runes. Behind them stood their charges. Marcus with his pristine sword, Sara fidgeting with sparks at her fingertips, and Tom practically vibrating with nervous energy.

Analyze activated.

Marcus Level 12 Warrior

Notable Skills. Shield Block, Power Strike

Equipment. Standard Issue

Sara Level 10 Fire Mage

Notable Skills: Fireball, Flash

Equipment: Apprentice Robes

Tom Level 11 Rogue

Agility Rating. Above Average.

Notable Skills. Backstab, Hide

Equipment. Leather Armor

A stone pedestal rose before the entrance, its circular depression awaiting a token. Zaro placed his guild medallion in the slot. Ancient machinery rumbled as the massive doors swung open.

Yeehaw partner. Quest protocol activated like a stampede.

Primary Objective: Wrangle these greenhorns through alive

Bonus Objectives. Keep all little dogies breathing

Rewards: Based on how fancy your riding looks

Listen up, Zaro addressed the recruits. This isn't training anymore. Stay in formation, follow orders, watch each other's backs.

What's our formation Marcus asked, adjusting his grip on his shield.

Diamond pattern. I take point, Ezra covers our flanks, Ramrod guards the rear. Chad provides support where needed. You three stay center, maintain sight lines, call out threats. Zaro activated void skin, familiar shadows rippling across his skin. Move out.

The first chamber opened into three passages. Void sense revealed traps in the left corridor, combat signatures ahead, and magical wards to the right.

Well shoot partner, looks like we got ourselves a choice. System drawled in his mind.

Left path: More trapped than a rabbit in a snare

Center path: Clear as creek water which means trouble

Right path: Enough magic to make a witch dizzy

What do you see, Zaro asked the recruits.

Sara's eyes narrowed. Magical resonance from the right path. Strong enchantments.

Pressure plates in the left corridor, Tom added. Probably trapped.

Center path looks clear, Marcus said. Too clear.

Hot diggity. These young uns might have some sense after all. System chuckled.

Good observations. Zaro nodded. Clear path is probably the most dangerous. We're taking the trapped route. Best way to learn is hands on.

That's not very reassuring, Tom muttered.

Welcome to field training. Now watch carefully.

Stolen novel; please report.

Stone dust fell as the first construct emerged, its crystalline core pulsing with ancient magic. Three more followed, spreading out to flank their position.

Saddle up partner. First wave incoming. System assessed. These tin cans hit harder than my ex wife.

Formation. Zaro called. Marcus braced his shield as the first construct charged. The impact drove him back a step but his stance held.

Good. Sara now.

The mage launched a controlled fireball, more focused than her usual wild casting. It struck the construct's chest, scorching stone and revealing weak points in its core. Tom darted in, daggers finding gaps between stone plates.

Two constructs tried flanking their position. Ezra's arrows struck true, finding joints and exposed crystal. Ramrod intercepted the fourth, his axe cleaving stone with practiced ease.

Zaro observed the recruits' performance, stepping in only when necessary. Their coordination improved with each exchange. Marcus learned to angle his shield deflections. Sara's aim grew more precise. Tom's movements became more efficient.

The chamber grew quiet as the last construct crumbled. Crystalline cores clinked across stone floor.

Wave one complete partner. System announced. Survival rating better than a three legged horse at the derby. Experience gained: 500. 2150 of 2700 for level up.

Three more waves to go. Zaro gathered the dropped cores. Everyone good?

The recruits nodded, breathing hard but eyes bright with accomplishment. Sara was already analyzing the constructs' remains while Tom collected useful fragments.

Hold onto your hat partner. Wave two incoming and these boys look meaner than a rattler in July.

Larger constructs emerged, wielding crude weapons. Their cores glowed brighter, armor plates fitted more tightly.

Same plan. Zaro readied his daggers. Focus on exposed joints. Sara target the cores when we create openings.

The battle erupted again more intensely. Marcus coordinated shield blocks with Tom's strikes. Sara's fireballs found their marks with improved accuracy. The team moved like they'd trained together for weeks instead of hours.

Well butter my biscuit. System drawled. These kids might make it after all.

Wave three brought constructs twice the size of the previous ones. Their crystal cores pulsed with deadly energy.

Incoming partners. These boys are big enough to need their own zip code.

Zaro activated Shadow Camouflage, his form blending into the darkness. The ability let him move unseen, watching his recruits while ready to intervene.

Tom overextended on a backstab attempt. Zaro's foot silently nudged the rogue's heel, shifting his balance. The construct's blade missed by inches, passing through where Tom's chest would have been.

Well, paint me purple and call me a plum. That was smoother than a cat sneaking past a rocking chair.

Marcus angled his shield wrong against an overhead strike. Zaro's hand appeared briefly, adjusting the shield's position. The blow deflected harmlessly instead of shattering the warrior's arm.

Sara's fireball sailed wide. Zaro redirected it with a void bolt, the combined energies striking a construct about to flank Marcus.

The recruits never noticed their invisible guardian. Each near miss became a learning moment, each close call improved their technique. Zaro's subtle corrections kept them alive while letting them feel they'd succeeded on their own.

Tom nearly backed into a constructs blade. Zaro's shadow cloaked form guided him into a proper dodge. The rogue turned the movement into a perfect counter strike, beaming with pride at his apparent skill.

That there's some mighty fine teaching pardner. Subtle as a summer breeze.

Sara's fireball went wide as a construct rushed her. Shadowy hands adjusted her aim mid cast, the spell catching its core dead center. Her eyes widened at the precision but battle focus kept her moving.

Void sense warned of an overhead strike. Zaro's quick hands pushed Marcus three inches left, the construct's mace cratering the floor where he'd stood. The warrior capitalized instantly, shield bash staggering the enemy.

Sara's next spell chain showed real improvement, each blast building on the last. Tom's movements grew more precise, reading the battlefield better. Marcus led the formation with increasing confidence.

Zaro's subtle guidance had saved lives while teaching valuable lessons. The recruits would remember those perfect moments, their bodies learning proper form without conscious thought.

Ancient stone settled as the construct collapsed. Cores clinked across the floor while dust drifted down from the ceiling.

Jumping jehoshaphat partner. They're starting to look like real fighters. Experience gained. 1150.

Level up incoming faster than a tumbleweed in a tornado

System alert. Level up achieved.

Level 12 unlocked partner

10 stat points awarded, 13 stat points banked

5 skill points awarded. 11 stat points banked. 1 skill upgrade points available.

550 of 3,300 experience until level 13.

Zaro was itching to upgrade his stats.

Well butter my biscuit partner. Stats incoming:

Level 12 .

HP 800.

Mana 400.

Attributes.

Strength 30. Plus 5 allocated.

Agility 25. Plus 5 allocated.

Intelligence 40.

Vitality 40.

Stamina 30. Plus 5 allocated.

8 stat points and 16 skill points banked like a squirrel saving nuts

Zaro activated Eye of the Storm as he allocated points. The meditation state dulled the familiar pain of rapid enhancement. His muscles rippled and reformed as strength increased. Agility changes sent pins and needles through his nervous system. Each threshold crossed felt like lightning in his bones. Good thing it was just agility bringing the pain this time.

The changes settled quickly under Eye of the Storm's influence. His movements felt smoother, more precise. Strength and endurance halfway to the next threshold.

Well butter my biscuits. Achievement unlocked: In the Lab

First labyrinth challenge cleared

Reward: 2 stat points

Note: Not too shabby for a greenhorn. 10 stat points banked.

Hold onto your hat partner. Achievement unlocked: Dark Matters

Shadow Camo maintained for 3 straight minutes

Reward. Range increased by 1 foot

Note: Now you can haunt from a bit further back

Zaro stored the fallen cores in void storage while reviewing his status. The extra foot of Shadow Camo range would help with group protection, and two more stat points never hurt. His students were catching their breath, their stances showing marked improvement.

A hidden doorway ground open, revealing their next trial. His void sense detected something different ahead. More intricate. More lethal.

Looks like this rodeo ain't over yet partner. System drawled. Hope them younguns saved some energy.

While his students recovered and gathered cores, Zaro activated Eye of the Storm. The familiar meditation state settled over him as he walked slowly, checking the chamber. At level 5 the ability let him move while maintaining focus, recovering 5 points per second across all stats.

Fifteen seconds passed as he examined the fallen construct. His mana surged back to full, the out of combat regeneration stacking with Eye of the Storm. The recruits never noticed their instructor's quick recovery, too busy comparing notes on their victory.

System, analyze the next chamber, Zaro thought while maintaining his recovery state.

Well shoot partner. That next room looks trickier than a box of rattlers. Got myself some interesting readings.

Multiple magical signatures

Some kind of puzzle mechanism

Trap potential. Higher than a cat's back in a dog fight

The new chamber stretched upward into darkness, circular platforms floating at different heights. Ancient runes spiraled across walls, their patterns flowing like water. At the center stood a pillar covered in glowing symbols.

Well lookee here partner. System assessed. This here chamber is more complex than my aunties prize winning quilt pattern.

Floating platforms. 7 total.

Magical resonance. Off the charts.

Threat level. Might make that last fight look like a barn dance.

Note. Them symbols are changing faster than a politicians promises.

The group decided to take a breather before they start on the puzzle ahead.

Zaro pulled some of Ol Jebs flapjacks out of his void storage along with some jerky and some blueberries he had on tuck.

The group broke bread and talked about the labyrinth and its challenges and speculated how much harder it was going to get.

Zaro used Analyze on his young padawans.

He noticed that even though they didn't have a system, his system allowed their respective levels to show up. And it seemed to update as their skill grew.

Being a part of a gold dungeon at level 10 was crazy. But a group of 7 with Ramrod, Ezra and Chad, each already in the late 30’s on levels plus Zaro with his powerful class made it overkill.

They had already grown.

Marcus is level 13 now.

Sara is level 12, she must have already been close to her next level.

Tom is level 12.

They might end up around level 18 by the end of this thing.

That's the beauty of the system. Hard work will pay off, but not actually allocating skill points means they have to hone their skills and the system is keeping track of what that translates to in the world. Zaro thought.

Zaro said. Rest up. We move in 10.