[Grenz Town Guild Hall – Morning]
The guild hall was bustling, the bulletin board filled with new Silver-ranked quests. The Truck Survivors were huddled around a table.
Daichi (checking the board): "Alright, we've been taking all the good stuff… maybe it's time the Backup Squad takes one."
The eight students — the so-called Backup Squad — perked up.
Minami (Sword Dancer)
Toru (Shield Breaker)
Kana (Spirit Healer)
Ren (Rune Caster)
Chika (Beast Claw Martialist)
Souta (Whirlwind Lancer)
Eri (Dagger Phantom)
Keita (Earth Shaper)
Minami (hands on hips): "We're not backup forever, you know."
Toru (nodding): "Yeah, let us handle something."
Ms. Sato (smiling): "Alright then. There's a dungeon investigation quest here. Nothing too big. Go check out what's inside and come back."
Keita: "No boss monsters?"
Hiroshi: "Probably just slimes and goblins."
Takeshi (grinning from outside): "Want me to drop you off?"
Everyone: "NO!"
[Edge of Cinderwood Dungeon – Afternoon]
The dungeon entrance gaped like a jagged wound in the side of a rocky hill.
Minami (pumping fist): "Alright team, formation like we practiced!"
Toru took point with his tower shield.
Eri and Chika flanked.
Kana and Ren covered the rear.
Souta kept watch.
Keita and Minami held center.
They moved cautiously down narrow, moss-covered stone passages. Faint green light flickered from enchanted crystals.
Chika (peering into the dark): "Heard something."
A horde of Lesser Goblins charged.
Toru (blocking): "Here they come!"
Minami slashed gracefully, Ren fired rune bolts, Eri vanished into the shadows, and Keita raised an earth wall to funnel the goblins. They fought like a team — a little sloppy, but with grit.
Kana (healing Souta): "You okay?"
Souta (grinning): "Better than okay."
They cleared the goblins after a few tense minutes.
Ren (panting): "That… wasn't too bad."
Keita: "This is great training."
[Meanwhile, Outside the Dungeon]
Takeshi sat on the hood of his Fuso Shogun 510, smoking a pipe and staring at the dungeon entrance.
Takeshi (to himself): "Bet I could fit this baby inside."
Aya (glaring): "DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT."
[Inside the Dungeon – Midway Through]
The Backup Squad entered a mossy chamber.
Minami: "Looks like a dead end."
But it wasn't.
A Dungeon Guardian Slime, three times their size, dropped from the ceiling with a wet plop.
Keita: "GUYS, BOSS FIGHT!"
They fought hard — Minami's sword flashing, Souta's spear striking with precision, Keita's earth pillars smashing into gelatinous flesh.
Kana kept the heals flowing while Ren's runes exploded in bursts of light.
But the slime was resilient.
Eri (panting): "It's too tough!"
[Back Outside]
A loud tremor shook the ground.
Takeshi (perking up): "Sounds like fun."
Despite Aya and Haru's protests, Takeshi hopped into the driver's seat.
Takeshi (grinning): "Time to clear a dungeon."
The Fuso Shogun roared to life.
Jun (watching in horror): "OH NO, HE'S ACTUALLY DOING IT."
[Inside the Dungeon – Final Chamber]
The Backup Squad was barely hanging on.
Minami: "We… can't…"
Suddenly — CRASH!
A wall exploded inward as the Fuso Shogun 510 barreled into the chamber, headlights flaring.
Dungeon Guardian Slime (confused wobble): "Gwooo?"
Takeshi (out the window): "DUNGEON PARKING, BABY!"
WHAM. The truck crushed the slime into a puddle.
Keita (blinking): "What… just happened?"
Chika (wide-eyed): "Did… did we win?"
Takeshi (thumbs up): "All yours, kids. Team effort."
[Aftermath – Guild Hall]
The Backup Squad returned triumphant, hauling the slime core.
Guild Master: "Not bad for rookies… even if the report says a 'metal monster' helped."
Daichi: "Takeshi…"
Takeshi (shrugging): "Hey, you told me to drop them off."
The Truck Survivors roared with laughter.