Dungeons first appeared about 5 years ago. They were small pocket dimensions that intersected our own. Around that time came the first hunters, people chosen by some System to unlock special powers. These hunters were split into ranks based on their power and dungeon clear score.

  Filling out the vast majority of hunters are the E and D Rankers, people with powers only slightly above those of a peak human. Many of these Rankers steer clear of dungeons and just get on with their lives; working in an office is far safer than dungeon delving, after all.

  Above those are the C Rankers, the ones you are most likely to see delving into dungeons. There are tens of thousands of these in each region.

  B Rankers are far more rare, with only a few hundred here in the Oceania region, but their abilities are far beyond what a human can achieve. A Rankers have a simir disparity. Jakeron is only one of fifty in the entirety of Oceania. And his skills are phenomenal. Just the other week, he led a raid team against Sydney’s great A Rank dragon-type dungeon, and his buff abilities and strategic command allowed the team to suffer no casualties.

  At the pinnacle of hunters are the 5 S Rankers, of which only one is in the Oceania region: Shae, a resident here in Melbourne.

  But I'm not any of them. I'm just a below-average civilian. About to be skewered and eaten by the lizardfolk run towards me, their cwed feet making loud “tink” echoes through the tunnel.

  I turn on my phone's fshlight, revealing two scaley figures, about a metre tall in height, scampering on their hind legs in my direction. One held a dagger in its hand, the other a hammer, the metal part about the size of my head.

  What do I do? What do I do? What do I do??? I look around me, looking for anything I can use to defend myself. And I see dirt, dirt, and, well, what do you know? MORE FUCKING DIRT

  One of the lizardfolk—the one with the dagger—lets out a loud KREEEEEEE before charging down the tunnel at frightening, its bde held high.

  30m… 20m… shit, shit, shit!

  Okay Hana, I tell myself. It’s just like a little kid with a toy. Kid with a toy. An annoying little kid only 10m away.

  I charge at dagger boi—sorry, shrieking bratty kid—, letting out an aggressive noise (see: scared whine) of my own. We collide and go down, my hands wrapped out its head, beating its skull repeatedly against the cave floor.

  It wriggles in my grip, attempting to free itself, but I put my long nails to good use and gouge my thumbs into each eye with a satisfying squelch, continuing to beat its head. There is a pool of blood forming and its wriggles become slower and slower, before coming to a stop.

  I blink.

  Did I just…?

  I know I should feel sick from this, but…

  Why am I giggling?

  I gnce up and see Hammer Boi with a look of horror on its face. It shakes its head, as if to compose itself, and charges at me. Its shriek sounds less like “INTRUDER” and more like “YOU KILLED BROTHER! I KILL YOU!”.

  Without much time to think, I grab the dead lizardfolk by the wrist and ankle, and swing it around like those drunk parents do with their kid in those Drink Responsibly adverts. The lizardfolk is surprisingly light, even for a weakling like me. I guess size really does matter most in fights? Or maybe it's just my adrenaline. Who knows?

  The two skulls connect, and Hammer Boi stumbles back, dropping its hammer. I stoop to grab the hammer off the floor, and gosh, is it heavy. How did this little fel lift this? I reaffirm my grip with both hands, and heave.

  It barely budges.

  So I lean back and throw my whole body into lifting it.

  And the hammer shifts, arcing up as I fall on my butt, the metal head striking Hammerless Boi in the neck. It goes flying, its body nding limp and unmoving, the head making a completely unnatural angle to the torso.

  I… I did it? Did I actually survive?

  My bloodied hands tremble.

  I did it!

  I let out a sigh of relief, and immediately wince as pain fres in my side. I fall to my knees and clutch at my waist, finding the first lizardfolk’s dagger sticking into me. The adrenaline must have pumped so much during that fight that I didn't feel it.