I sat near the vending machine, the Beginner's Guide balanced on my knee. Everyone else was still sorting supplies or checking the store inventory, but my focus had shifted. As helpful as skills or gear were, they weren't what mattered most to me right now.
What was happening outside this damn mall?
What happened to my children?
Were they trapped in other dungeons like this? Were they safe? What about the farm—our home? I needed answers, and I needed them now.
The first few pages of the guide were familiar—menus, stats, interface functions. But deeper in, the content shifted. A bold header caught my eye:
System Environmental Notice: World Expansion
"Upon activation of the System, Earth was expanded approximately tenfold. This expansion affected global geography, weather systems, and tectonic stability. Resulting phenomena included: earthquakes, floods, wildfires, mana storms, and the emergence of new biomes."
I blinked hard. Ten times? Earth was now ten times bigger?
How the hell hadn't we felt the tremors?
"All individuals inside major population structures—malls, universities, hospitals, prisons, high schools, etc.—were transitioned into dungeon instances. All others remained in the expanded overworld. The Overworld remains fully active. The system interface is accessible. Users outside the dungeon can still level, evolve, and receive classes upon reaching Level 10. Resources, mutated flora and fauna, and System events are now global."
So the dungeon protected us. Sealed us away while the rest of the world got chewed up and spat out.
Everyone not in a designated structure was dumped straight into the wild.
I gritted my teeth, fingers tightening around the edges of the book.
Cameron had been volunteering at the local prison. That should count as a major structure. He should be in a dungeon. It's not ideal, fighting prisoners and monsters, but he can handle himself. And maybe he found allies. Maybe even the person he was looking for, his father.
He thinks I don't know why he started volunteering.
Skyler and Taylor had just returned from their football camp. The drop-off was at the high school; the same place Raine was for her track meet. They said they'd stay with her. I hope they stuck to that plan, but Taylor is probably with his girlfriend somewhere around the school.
But Robin…
She was the only one I hadn't placed. She'd gone camping with friends, somewhere near the northern range. It was a short drive before. Now? That might be hundreds of miles with the terrain twisted beyond recognition.
I clenched the book tighter. I trained all of them in combat, wilderness survival, and situational drills in case I ever went missing. They were better prepared than most.
But this was different.
Robin could trap, hunt, and fight if she had to, but she didn't have walls or teammates. She was out there in an unknown world that had changed overnight. Ten times more dangerous.
A soft tap on my shoulder made me flinch.
I hadn't even heard the footsteps.
I looked up to see Sol watching me with concern. He knelt beside me silently.
"What's wrong?" he asked, voice quiet.
I didn't answer right away. Just hugged him and passed him the book.
He read the page, and I heard his breath catch. He took a few deep breaths, then hugged me back.
"They're going to be okay," he whispered. "We've been through worse. This is just a test."
I held him tighter and for a moment the world stood still until I pulled away and gave Sol a faint smile.
"Thanks. There's no point in worrying. Your siblings are strong. I prepared all of you for anything."
Sol hesitated, then asked, "What about the farm? And Thor, Luna, and Rex? What if… what if we have to put them down?"
My mind drifted. Our land. The fencing I'd built with Cameron. The barn. The toolshed. The hill that overlooked the creek. Our dogs who are, Thor, Luna, and Rex, smart, loyal, and brutal when commanded.
The goats. Chickens. Cows.
Were they still alive?
Were they still… normal?
Or had the System warped them like everything else?
Would my dogs even recognize me?
I swallowed hard and pushed the thought down. That was a later problem. I had to get us out of this dungeon first. Then get to the farm.
"I'm hoping for the best. If it comes to it… we'll handle it," I told Sol. He stared at me, then nodded slowly.
I closed the book, fingers lingering on the worn cover.
We needed that Base Core. Once we had it, we'd plant it on the farm. That'd be our safe zone. The one place my kids could head to if they got out of wherever the System locked them up.
And if they didn't?
Then I'd go to them.
Murmurs drifted across the room. The others had gathered again near the vending machine interface. Viktor and Nicole stood closest, going over the coin pouch.
Laney held it up. "One hundred coins total."
"We only found seventy-five earlier," Giselle said, brow raised. "Where did the other twenty-five come from?"
"Sol had them," Nicole said casually. "He's been looting bodies."
"Do we use all of it now?" she added, shifting into business mode.
"Depends," Devan said, arms folded. "Potions? Skill books?"
"Health potions are a must," Sloan pointed out. "We don't know what the boss fight will look like."
"Let's set aside thirty coins for potions," Logan offered. "Three or four people carrying spares."
Nicole nodded. "That leaves seventy. How many skill books do we buy?"
Mitch leaned in. "Start with three. That way we've got room left over for gear or extras."
Giselle rolled her shoulders. "Fine. But who's getting them?"
I stood and approached. "I'll take Meditation. We need at least one person with access to mana. Might help us understand how magic feels before we run into someone using it against us."
The group didn't argue.
"Smart," Nicole said. "We don't even know how common magic will be. Better we experiment first."
Viktor groaned. "I wanted Quick Step, but fine…"
"You'll get your turn," I told him. "For now, it's survival first."
Everyone nodded.
Josh cleared his throat. "Can I get Basic Martial Arts?"
We turned toward him.
He looked nervous but held his ground. "I want to protect Liz. I don't have experience, but I can learn."
Nicole nodded. "That makes sense."
Viktor added, "Actually, from what I've seen, you and Liz are probably the weakest here. No offense. Mitch and his crew aren't doing much better."
Mitch flipped him off, drawing a round of chuckles.
I added, "If we're thinking that way, Liz should get Restoration Pulse. Healing is just as important as fighting. That way she's still helping us survive."
Everyone nodded again.
Laney did a quick count. "That's 57 coins total. Leaves us with 13."
"Wait," Sol said, stepping up to the machine. "I have stuff to sell."
"Sell?" Liam asked, confused.
Sol nodded. "Six goblin ears. Two goblin daggers."
"You picked up ears?" Amber said, wrinkling her nose.
Sol shrugged. "They sell."
He returned a minute later and dropped ten bronze coins into Laney's hand.
"One per ear. Two per dagger."
Viktor clapped him on the back. "Lesson for everyone: loot everything. Even the gross stuff."
Laney recalculated. "We're back up to 23 coins."
Nicole spoke before anyone else. "Let Sol pick something for himself."
Sol looked around. No one objected.
"I want Quick Step," he said with a grin. Viktor groaned again.
"Alright," Laney said. "Back to eight coins left."
Nicole nodded. "Everyone collect their items. Get familiar. Practice. After lunch, we'll decide our next move."
It was almost noon. And despite the fear clenching my gut… I felt ready.