The Hudson River Gateway stood like a wound in reality, a shimmering oval of dark energy that made Alex's teeth ache just looking at it. The Dungeon Management Bureau had built their usual sterile checkpoint around it – white concrete barriers, scanner arrays, and enough warning signs to paper a small building.
DANGER: AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY2-STAR DUNGEON - CLASS C CLEARANCE REQUIREDENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD: TOXIC ATMOSPHEREESTIMATED CLEAR TIME: 3-4 HOURS
Alex showed his contractor badge to the DMB guard, a bored-looking woman who scanned the QR code without even glancing at his face. Just another piece of equipment being checked in.
"Iron Wolf Guild," he said.
"Bay 7," she replied, already looking past him to the next person in line.
Alex found the team clustered around a tactical table, their gear spread out like the world's deadliest yard sale. Marcus Wong stood at the center, running through the briefing with the methodical precision of someone who'd done this hundreds of times.
"—visibility drops to about twenty feet once we hit the lower tunnels," Marcus was saying, pointing at a holographic map that flickered above the table. "Sarah, I want your ice walls ready to block the side passages. Tom, you're on point for monster detection. Lisa—"
"Alex!" Marcus looked up, his face breaking into that genuine smile that made him such a favorite with viewers. "Right on time. How's the camera setup looking?"
"Good to go," Alex replied, doing a quick visual check of the team. Four members total – small for a dungeon raid, but Marcus preferred mobility over raw firepower.
Sarah Kim, C-rank Ice Manipulator, was adjusting the straps on her tactical vest. She'd been with Iron Wolf for two years, solid and reliable, the kind of Awakened who'd never make the highlight reels but would save your life without hesitation.
Tom Rodriguez, C-rank Enhanced Senses, sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, already extending his awareness into the dungeon entrance. His ability made him invaluable for detecting ambushes, though it also meant he spent most raids looking like he was half-asleep.
Lisa Zhang, D-rank Support Healer, was the newest member of the team. Still nervous, still double-checking everything, but her healing efficiency scores were off the charts. Marcus had personally recruited her from a smaller guild after watching her keep a team alive through a 3-star dungeon collapse.
And then there was Marcus himself. B-rank Swordsman, team leader, and one of the few high-tier Awakened who still remembered what it felt like to be nobody special.
"Equipment check," Marcus announced, and the team shifted into their pre-raid routine.
Alex unpacked his own gear with practiced efficiency. Primary camera: military-grade with AR overlay capability. Backup camera: smaller, lighter, better for close-quarters footage. Two recording drones: one for wide shots, one for detailed combat analysis. Emergency shield generator: rated for D-rank attacks, which meant it might buy him three seconds against anything serious.
"You sure you want to come in with us today?" Sarah asked, glancing at the DMB alerts on her phone. "Environmental hazard usually means gas or acid. Your gear isn't rated for that."
Alex patted the rebreather clipped to his belt. "Got it covered. Besides, you guys need someone to document Marcus's inevitable heroic speech."
"Hey, my speeches are inspirational," Marcus protested, but he was grinning. "Remember the Cave Troll incident? That speech got us through the day."
"That speech nearly got us killed," Tom said without opening his eyes. "You called it a 'minor setback' while it was actively trying to eat Lisa."
"It worked out," Marcus said defensively.
Alex found himself smiling despite the tension. This was why he worked with Iron Wolf instead of the bigger guilds. Phoenix Guild might have better equipment and higher-ranked members, but they treated their camera crews like furniture. Iron Wolf treated him like part of the team.
"Contact from DMB," Lisa announced, reading from her tablet. "Unusual seismic activity detected in the lower levels. They're upgrading the hazard rating to C-2."
"What's that mean for us?" Alex asked.
"Extra hazard pay," Marcus said, but his expression had turned serious. "And it means whatever's down there isn't following the usual patterns."
Alex checked his camera settings one more time. Environmental hazards were a pain to film in, but they also made for more dramatic footage. The viewers loved anything that looked genuinely dangerous.
"Alright, team," Marcus said, shouldering his sword. "Standard formation. Tom on point, Sarah covering our flanks, Lisa stays center, and Alex..." He paused, looking directly at Alex. "Stay close to Lisa. If something goes sideways, your job is to get the footage out, not to be a hero."
"Understood," Alex replied, though something in Marcus's tone made him uneasy. In three years of working together, Marcus had never felt the need to specifically tell him not to be a hero.
The team moved toward the dungeon entrance, their footsteps echoing off the concrete. The portal itself hummed with a low, subsonic frequency that made Alex's bones vibrate.
As they reached the threshold, Tom's eyes snapped open.
"Movement patterns are... weird," he said, frowning. "Usually I can get a clear read on the first level. This time it's like there's interference."
"Electromagnetic?" Sarah asked.
"No. Something else. Like the monsters are..." Tom paused, searching for the right word. "Agitated."
Alex raised his camera, framing the shot as the team prepared to enter. The viewers would want to see the moment of entry, the transition from safety to danger.
"Rolling," he announced softly.
Marcus looked back at him one last time, nodded, and stepped through the portal.
The world dissolved into shadows and strange light, and Alex followed the team into the Hudson River Gateway.
He had no idea he was walking toward the moment that would change everything.
To be continued...