This floor was less open, and much more oppressive. Prospective adventurers covered the landscape with sprinkles of normal civilians. The spiral-shaped dungeon stuck into the middle of the ground loomed over the stores surrounding it.
Screens played footage of the dungeon floors above, flipping from party to party.
"Ah, that's the hero party isn't it?" An onlooker said, snuggling his girlfriend in his arms.
"He's handsome!"
She said it louder than she wanted to.
"Ah… not as handsome as you thought." Even she didn't believe that.
Gregory and co. I walked towards the dungeon, but my eyes were glued to the screen. I started this journey to catch up to him and now I was at least in the same place as him. I looked down at my hands, covered in grime and calluses.
All the grueling days, swinging a sword without any talent, all the blood and sweat...
I'm here, on the first step.
I caught up to the group.
"What was that guy doing?"
"I don't know babe, he must hate the hero."
The line for the dungeon was a pain, but necessary. The mage guild was in charge of it after all. Sneaking in isn't worth the trouble and they can put a spell that lets you teleport safely out upon fatal injury.
"I don't need it!"
As we were now the next party in line, a commotion broke out. A large axe-wielding man shouts at the tired looking mage.
"Sir… you need the spell, it's for your safety."
"Safety? Dungeons aren't supposed to be safe, you numbskull, if I don't want it, you don't give me it!"
The mage rolled his eyes, handing the man a ticket. "Well, I guess I can't force you."
"Good. Jeez… wasting my time." He grumbled and stomped off.
"Next!"
Our party walked up, Gregory the party leader handed us some tickets, a formality. And one-by-one the mage placed his palm on the side of our shoulders. Implanting the spell.
"Does that happen a lot?" I ask, as he places his hand on me.
"All the time."
"Next!"
He shouts and we're ushered off.
A status window popped up as soon as I walked into the dungeon entrance.
And at the same time, Gregory turned back.
[Whacker has detected a foreign mana]
[Purify y> n>]
"You ready?" He asked.
"Yes." I replied in an instant.
['Emergency Exit' had been purified]
It was so sudden, I was being transported already.
Being suddenly put into another place was jarring, even the lighting was different. A dim cave opened up before us. The princess walked up to me, who was desolately looking into the distance.
"Calvin, did something happen?"
I smirked. She can always tell.
"I may have purified the safety net."
She stared silently, I could barely see her pupils under her hood. A breath escaped her lips. "Why…" She paused, "No, it's not your fault. Still, it's bad."
Gregory and his party were talking on their own, well it was like that from the start. Us two and them were a sort of group less of a party.
"On the tenth floor there should be a way out. For now let's join them."
I nodded. And we walked up.
-thud.
A quiet sound, but enough for all of us to notice it.
The cave led towards one specific tunnel, so that's where the noise came from.
A small green goblin with a bulb-shaped nose and a leotard stood in the middle. Placing its hands on its head, it averted its gaze and whistled.
No, you're not playing this one off…
An arrow whizzed through the air, lodging itself into the forehead of the thing.
We walked up to the goblin, and I knelt down. It was my first time seeing one but they were frequently featured in children's stories to teach lessons. I still remember the tale of the goblin who takes boys who steal cookies. Poking its cheeks, it didn't seem like such a scary story.
I could've stolen those cookies.
The elf plucked the arrow out and wiped it off with some wind magic. The princess can use it too, is it easy to learn?
"If the manual is right, the objective is to slay a goblin village. There should be about 15, three mages, and now… eleven sword-gobs."
"I'll quickly shoot the mages, you guys split the fighters amongst yourselves." The elf spoke, her voice was cool but I couldn't stop thinking about the book.
It wasn't far from the dead goblin as expected, actually it was just a left turn and we were there. A crude fortress made of wood. The fences were goblin sized so we could easily jump over them. Seeing as they think I'm a thief, I was allowed to sit it out.
I cheered them on while sitting with my knees tucked in. Happy to not have to engage in combat.
The princess gave me a weird look.
Anyway it was a massacre, as expected of the first floor even children could clear. The princess dashed forward, her trauma of goblins made her style even deadlier, she sliced so cleanly the goblins didn't even realize they were cut.
But, the person who I mostly watched was Gregory, he didn't seem to be using whatever that pressure was, opting for a simple stab to the head for each. When he threw his sword back, the still connected goblins' bodies ragdolled like loose meat on a rod.
"All done?" I ask, getting up from a rock.
The princess glared again.
What can I do? They think I'm a weakling. I'll enjoy this rare chance to relax and be carried by the strong.
"Yes, we should be transported any second." Gregory replied, wiping sweat off his face.
Like he said, we were transported.
Again, the lighting changed. Sunlight peered through trees. An artificial sun. How does that work?
"Thief, we're gonna need you to scout, this time we need to find a village of orcs, but it's in a random location every time."
That's annoying.
I chuckled.
"Haha… right, I am a THIEF."
[Totally Looking for a job is questioning the legitimacy of this strategy]
Just allow it!
[People believe half-heartedly you are a 'thief']
[Spinning roulette…]
[Skill will be weakened further due to lack of trust]
[Skill, 'Stealth' has been obtained]
[Stealth]
[User will become invisible for a minute. Footsteps will become quieter]
[Downgrading…]
[User will become invisible for ten seconds. Footsteps will become quieter]
Ugh.
"I'll be… right back."
I crept through the trees, without a scouting skill I'd have to find it with sheer luck, something I actually have a lot of. Maybe. Sometimes.
"Why didn't he climb the trees?" The fighter asked.
"I don't know." Gregory replied.
The princess facepalmed.
It took longer than I'd like to admit to find the village, but I found it. A large gate made of logs and tied with vines opened up, a large, hulking figure walked out. An obtuse wooden hitter hung to his loincloth. Its shape resembled a goblin nose.
Crouching, I tiptoed through the open gate.
I needed to save 'stealth' when I needed it so I quietly explored, from tent to tent I made it deeper inside. About fifteen, same as the goblins. Most were sitting beside a campfire, grilling a peculiar kind of meat. And talking in an incomprehensible brutish language.
That should be enough.
Hey, I didn't even need stealth.
Maybe I was made to be a thief?
The tent I was looking at became darker.
[Stealth!]
I activated it, and leapt out of the way, a club collapsed onto the tent where my head was. A sleeping orc was caught in the crossfire and had its head crushed in.
Ah, shit!
I dashed as fast as I could back towards my party.
It was at five seconds when I made it to the gate, and one when I dived into the bushes.
I caught my breath, quietly.
And quietly, made my way back to my group.
They had set up a camp by now, and were chatting. When I walked out of the trees covered in leaves and sweat naturally questions arose.
"I found the camp, there's fifteen… fourteen of them, there was some infighting. All wielding clubs."
Right, well, we might as well quickly finish this floor. And we can rest on the next." Gregory spoke and the party cleaned up their camping materials, handing them of course to me.
I lead them through the forest and to the camp.
"Thief, sit this one out again." Gregory shouted as he and the party dashed into the encampment.
With pleasure.
It was like the goblins again, but now the enemies were twice the size.
"Kreek! Keek!" A particularly buff orc stood up from his seat, and was immediately shot three times.
"So loud." The archer retrieved her arrows and kicked the poor guy's head.
Are we… the baddies?
The princess was violent as ever, tearing through the orcs like paper. Along with Gregory who was showing more vigor, they fought exceptionally well with each other, one orc fell to both of their slash splitting it four ways.
The fighter was doing well, but it was boring to watch him punch holes through everything.
I wonder how the hero… Marcus is doing. Ugh, if I call him the hero when we meet that wouldn't be good.
-Clink.
The last cowering orc was eliminated, as Gregory separated his head from his shoulders.
"Phew, that was a tough one, good job you guys."
They all smiled amicably at me besides the princess who gave me an increasingly threatening glare. Ah, this is fun.
"T-thanks for scouting ahead, we couldn't have done it without you." The fighter spoke, for the first time, I think? Again his tone doesn't match his image.
"You too."
[A kinship is evolving.]
['Baan' would die for you.]
Damn, this guy is easy.
The screen changed, and my expression with it. It changed so much the members all collectively looked at me.
We were transported to the third floor.
And the screen still stood before me.
[You can obtain a skill from the character, 'Baan']
The party surveyed the room, a tomb of sorts, meanwhile my eyes were glued to the screen.
[Skill List of character 'Baan']
[Dragon-Fist Martial arts Lv.8] —-> [Snake-Fist Martial arts Lv.1]
[High Jumping Lv.5] —-> [Kind Of Okay Jumping Lv.1]
[Bloodlust Lv.9] —--> [Now I'm Angry Lv.1]
[Perception Lv.10] —-> [30/20 Vision Lv.1]
]
What the hell is this?
No, really, what are these names?
Sighing, I look over the skills.
Jumping is out.
Bloodlust makes you lose rationality, something I need to lie about.
I have something like perception already. I haven't used it, but I have one.
['Snake-Fist Martial arts' has been unlocked.]
The party had drifted off and were studying a sarcophagus in the corner of the main room.
I'll try it.
Using a skill requires me to think about it, so I did.
A green energy surrounded my fists, an understanding that wasn't there before was. If I had to describe it, it's like pushing out a poo and suddenly attaining enlightenment. I just had to push my body and it'd do the right thing.
"Thief, we need you!"
Gregory shouted, and I quickly turned off the skill.