The notification appeared three days after Hollow Grove.
[Raid Dungeon Available: Corrupted Den - Rank C][Minimum Players Required: 10][Recommended Level: 8-12][Estimated Clear Time: 6-8 hours][Entry Locations: Industrial Sector (Warehouse District), North Quarter (Abandoned Factory), Westside (Shipping Yards)]
Riri sat cross-legged on the penthouse floor, Loki's massive head resting on her thigh while Vesper dozed on the back of the sectional. Her fingers worked through the tangles in the Alpha's fur, pulling out dried blood and forest debris.
C-Rank. A significant jump from E-Rank Training Dungeons.
She pulled up her current Status.
[Riri Lee - Level 12 | Class: Beast Tamer (Unique - SSS)][HP: 456/456 | MP: 920/920 | Stamina: 338/338][Combat Power: 6,847][Strength: 62 (+15 Loki) | Agility: 158 (+8 Vesper) | Constitution: 73 (+12 Loki)][Intelligence: 82 | Wisdom: 35 | Charisma: 90 | Luck: 25]
The recommended level for Corrupted Den was 8-12. She exceeded it comfortably. But the real problem wasn't her stats.
It was the minimum Player requirement.
Ten people. Mandatory. Forced grouping with strangers who'd see the golden "2" above her head and make assumptions.
System #2's interface flickered into view, particles swirling with unusual hesitation.
[Host... the Party Finder system has been active for C-Rank dungeons since yesterday. Most groups are already filled with established teams. You'll likely be placed with... less coordinated individuals.]
Loki's ears twitched. The bond pulsed with mild concern, the wolf sensing her tension before she'd consciously registered it herself.
She scratched behind his ears, feeling the coarse fur and old scars beneath her fingers. "It'll be fine. Worst case, you and Vesper carry while I avoid friendly fire."
[That's... not reassuring, Host.]
"Wasn't meant to be."
Riri stood, dislodging Loki's head from her lap. The massive wolf rose with her, stretching languidly. Vesper's eyes opened on the sectional, reflecting the morning light in shades of obsidian.
She pulled up the Party Finder interface.
[C-Rank Raid: Corrupted Den][Available Parties: 47][Filter Options: Level Range, Class Composition, Clear History, Communication Style]
She filtered by level range first: 10-13.
[Available Parties: 12]
Added another filter: parties with at least one confirmed C-Rank clear.
[Available Parties: 3]
She examined the first.
[Party Leader: Maddox Rivera - Level 11 - Warrior][Members: 7/10 | Requirements: No pets allowed (space constraints)]
No pets. Dismissed.
The second.
[Party Leader: Brenna Kai - Level 10 - Mage][Members: 8/10 | Requirements: DPS focus, experienced Players preferred]
Eight members, two slots, DPS focus. They wanted burst damage, not sustained companion pressure. Dismissed.
The third.
[Party Leader: Theo Cross - Level 11 - Tank][Members: 8/10 | Requirements: Level 10+, any class welcome, first-timers to C-Rank accepted]
Two slots open. No restrictions on pets or class types. She pulled up the full roster.
[Party Composition:][Theo Cross - Level 11 - Tank][Avery Lin - Level 10 - Healer][Yui Tanaka - Level 10 - Archer][Wren Blake - Level 9 - Rogue][Bryce Holden - Level 10 - Mage][Delilah Carter - Level 11 - Warrior][Riddick James - Level 9 - Support][Alex Torres - Level 10 - Mage][Open Slot][Open Slot]
Balanced composition. Tank, healer, mix of DPS and utility. Her gaze caught on something at the bottom.
[Note: One slot reserved for high-level Player. Second slot open to general applicants.]
Reserved slot. In a group where the average was Level 10, high-level probably meant Level 12 or above. Reserved slots were uncommon. Most Players just joined outright. The only reason to hold one was if you were coordinating entry timing or had conditions that needed discussion first.
Someone who operated outside normal party dynamics.
System #1.
The thought arrived before she could stop it. She dismissed it just as fast. Samael Santoro wouldn't run a C-Rank Raid with a pickup group. He'd solo it or cultivate whatever elite circle someone at his level warranted. Unless C-Rank mechanics genuinely required multiple Players and even he had to compromise.
She let the speculation go. Didn't matter who the reserved slot was for. She needed the second opening.
Riri tapped the application prompt.
[Submit application to Party Leader: Theo Cross?][Note: Your Level (12), Class (Beast Tamer - Unique), and Combat Power (6,847) will be visible to Party Leader upon submission.]
Beast Tamer would raise questions. The class was hidden, exclusive to System #2. Most Players had never seen it in the wild. And her Combat Power was more than double the party average, which would invite its own brand of suspicion.
But she needed nine other Players to enter. No way around it.
She pressed YES.
Loki padded over and dropped his head onto her knee. The bond pulsed steady, patient, unbothered by whatever came next.
[Application Submitted][Estimated Response Time: 5-15 minutes]