"Seriously, Sharma," Sarah said, pushing open the door to her own, much tidier, apartment next door. "Your mom thought I was your secret girlfriend. I could practically hear her thinking it."
Aarav shuddered. "Don't even joke about that. This is my 'safe zone' from cosmic weirdness, and now it's ruined."
Sarah's apartment was clean, minimalist, and surprisingly high-tech for a regular Earth home. Screens glowed faintly with maps and data, suggesting she was always analyzing something. She tossed a bottle of water at him.
"Drink up," she said, pulling up a holographic map on her coffee table. "Now, about that 'Resonance Crystal'. My theory is these Dungeons aren't just monster generators. They're... nodes. Or perhaps energy sources for the entire game. And your Adaptation might be the key to unlocking their full potential."
Aarav took a long gulp of water. "Or it's just a random bug that happened to give me slightly faster EP regen."
"Which is still unique," Sarah countered, pointing a finger at him. "No one else is reporting skills from touching objects. They're fighting. They're getting skill books. But they're not absorbing ambient dungeon energy." She paused. "This could be huge for Earth's ranking. If we can find more of these, we could gain unique advantages."
Aarav sighed. "So, more dungeons. More walking. More bossy American girls."
Sarah rolled her eyes. "Oh, the horror. Look, the clock's ticking. We have just over nine days left before we're thrown back into that cosmic arena. We need to maximize our growth." She pulled up a new screen on her main display. "I've been monitoring some of the Earthling comm channels. There are others trying to organize."
"Organize what?" Aarav asked, genuinely curious despite himself.
"Information. Resources. Who's finding what dungeons, what skills they're getting," Sarah explained. "There's a small gathering happening tonight, actually. A few players trying to pool data. It's in a park not too far from here."
"A park? You want me to go to a park and talk to strangers?" Aarav looked horrified. "In this outfit? I just fought shadowy monsters."
"You're not going to a gala, Sharma," Sarah deadpanned. "You're going to a desperate attempt at survival coordination. Let's go."
The evening air was cooling as they walked towards the park. It was a local, well-known spot, usually filled with families and joggers. Tonight, however, there was a small, tense group of people gathered near a large banyan tree, speaking in hushed, urgent tones. They all had the same bewildered, yet determined, look in their eyes. Other Earth players.
A woman with sharp, intelligent eyes and a no-nonsense demeanor stood at the center, gesturing with her hands as she spoke. She wore practical, light tactical gear, looking like she'd been fighting all day. This was Aisha Khan, Aarav realized, recognizing her from the System's 'nearby players' UI that often showed names. She was from Mumbai, according to some whispers Aarav had heard.
"We need better intel on Dungeon types," Aisha was saying, her voice clear and authoritative, despite the casual setting. "Not all Rank 1s are the same. Some seem to favor specific damage types, others have different enemies. We need to map this out."
Beside her, a tall, powerfully built man with a thick beard and a strong Australian accent nodded. This was Ben Carter, an Enforcer class, focused on brute strength. He looked like he could punch through a wall. He had a female Panther linked to him, Chloe, who seemed quieter and more observant.
"Aye, we just cleared a 'Mutated Hive' dungeon," Ben rumbled, his voice deep. "Filled with venomous bugs. My Cleave skill was useless on them. Needed piercing attacks."
Sarah stepped forward, pulling Aarav with her. "Hi. Sarah Anderson, Technomancy. This is Aarav Sharma, Adaptation."
Aisha's sharp eyes immediately assessed them. "Anderson. Sharma. We heard about you two. Particularly you, Sharma. Rank 1 personal contribution for Earth. You saved us." She looked him up and down, then her gaze softened slightly. "Thank you. Truly."
Aarav just mumbled something about it being "nothing."
Ben grunted. "Good to have more muscle, even if it's the skinny type." He eyed Aarav. "Heard you adapted some weird stuff. Useful?"
"Sometimes," Aarav said, feeling a familiar reluctance to elaborate. "Expensive on the EP."
"What about that unique dungeon find?" Aisha pressed, her voice gaining a strategic edge. "The 'Resonance Crystal'? We're hearing whispers of strange 'artifacts' in some dungeons. Are you sure it was just a minor EP boost?"
Aarav glanced at Sarah. This was what she wanted. "Yeah," he confirmed, "I touched it. It gave me something called [DUNGEON RESONANCE]. Passive EP regen while inside dungeons. It felt... different. Not like a normal skill."
Aisha's eyes widened slightly. "Passive regeneration? That's incredible. Most of us are reliant on potions or long rests. This needs further investigation. We need to identify dungeons with these 'Resonance Crystals'."
Ben grunted, looking intrigued. "So, dungeons ain't just for smashing heads? Sounds like more work."
"It's about survival, Ben," Aisha corrected him. "And you, Sharma," she turned back to Aarav. "You're a vital asset. Your 'Adaptation' could be the key to understanding these dungeons. We need you to report any more oddities you find."
Aarav sighed. Just when he thought he could be lazy, everyone wanted him to be a central figure. His break was officially turning into a cosmic internship.