White-bluish walls... That's right, the safety area of the second floor. Now 6 other people are gathered here... They didn't touch my character while I was away didn't they?

I lifted my head that was covered with the black hood. There seemed to be a fireplace at the center I wonder who did it. The cold temperature struck my body... I shivered as I felt really cold... I logged out earlier... The sudden change of temperature made me scream in surprise. The players gathered in front of the giant locked door looked on my direction...

"Ah.. I.. Ugh... Was logged out earlier so... The sudden change in temperature surprised me..."

By reflex I told them my reason for suddenly yelping...

"Ah! It's okay... You've found a good area monsters don't come here! The name's Ford, young lady"

He gestured his hand with a half-assed salute and smiled while showing his teeth. 

"Sorry, I'm a guy... Name's Ryo by the way."

I hid under my hood and took some hound pelt from my inventory. His face showed disappointment but smiled once again and changed the topic.

"Ah! You're a collector, huh?"

"Collector?"

"You know the person who takes the spoils from the monsters... What race are you using again?"

"I'm using the Ylka race... and I'm going solo... I'm trying to figure out a way to open this door so I can map the whole place up. I don't want to go down the third floor and start again after I'm done with the third..."

"You also knew that this dungeon only has three floors pretty impressive! You've done your research in the town eh?"

"Only had three levels? No... I didn't know that this dungeon only had three levels... Have you gone to the third level?"

"Yeah! We mapped the whole place and we found no [Kobold King] in there."

"Can you pass me the map data?"

"Sure! Can you pass me your 2nd floor map data?"

"It's incomplete though!"

"It's okay! It's okay!"

>[Cruel Heart's Labyrinth Map (Floor 3) added to the map database]

>[Sharing Cruel Hearts Labyrinth (Floor 2) Map Data]

Ford happily said so as he moved closer to my position. He sent me the 3rd Floor Map Data and I passed him the 2nd Floor Incomplete Map Data...

"You've gone solo but already gotten the place mapped up to 56% you're pretty good... How many rations do you still have?"

"I got more rations in stock since the cold temperature helps in lessening the decrease in the satisfaction and stamina meter."

"It was hell down the third floor! It was too damn hot! The decrease in our satisfaction and stamina meter became rapid and our food stock went by in a flash..."

"I see... Then as thanks for the map data here some food... Though there are no real taste in that..."

It actually tasted like sand... The sandwich and other stuff the only distinctive one was water... It doesn't taste like sand when you gulp it's good. I took out the food from my inventory and gave it to Ford and his party.

"But weren't all players given the same amount of money at the start? You seemed to have bought many stocks."

"Well, I worked for it... and for the record I didn't have any gold in my inventory..."

"Woah! I also had a friend who picked Ylka, he also didn't have money in his inventory. He died earlier though and he couldn't log in anymore he said..."

"So if you die there is no one more chance?"

"Guess so? They are picking true beta-testers after all. Hey, wanna enter our party?"

[Ford Kryslain request you to join their Party. Will you accept?]

"Why not?" As I said that I tapped the accept button.

Then a rumbling noise came from my back...

Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

"The door! It's opening!"

What's inside was.... a magic circle that glowed a crimson color it was a magic circle that prevented players from going back to the previous room once they were inside.

"Monster House!" I yelled as I saw vicious looking beings as the other side of the door opened up.

"They needed a seven people party in order to enter!"

It's a raid dungeon?!! Damn it!

I've mostly got a hold of the monsters weaknesses it'll be a cinch... But I saw unfamiliar ones on their ranks.. Their names were [Flame Serpent], [Lava Golem] and [Burning Armor]

"It's the enemies on the third floor!"

Ford yelled. He's teammates assembled into a blockade like formation.

"Hide behind us, Ryo!"

"Don't worry I have a beetle shell with me!"

I took another beetle shell and sunk it to the ground with him behind it.

"Here it comes!"

The [Flame Serpent] breathe fire that aimed in our direction. The heat seemed to exceed 56° heat easily. most of it's flames almost got through to the beetle shell. It burned the excess clothe of my cloak. Strong... If I soloed these guys will I live?

"Okay, guys! Let's go! Kill the [Flame Serpent] first! Ryo, Aira focus your attention on the hounds don't let the party that's fighting the [Flame Serpent] get attacked!"

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

Everyone did what they were told to do... This wasn't the first time I've been into a party I've been in a party countless of times that I couldn't count it anymore... However, it feels good not having to order people... It's a troublesome work... and you might get blamed in the end.

Me and Aira kept the [Icy Hounds] and [Shard Beetles] at bay. Using the information I've taken from analyzing their body structure. I cut them effectively and smoothly. Aiming on the softest and most fatal spot of the body that was all I did. Not killing the monsters and rendering them unable to fight.

I heard voices of admiration from the other team that was fighting the [Flame Serpent]. Since I had no empty vials anymore I killed the roaming arachnids that came near the battleground. Without using too much strength in my slashes my stamina decreased by only a small amount in every slash.

The only ones I've had a hard time fighting was the [Frozen Golem] and the [Ice Lizard] since I don't have the vial now it was way harder to fight it... Combined with the coordination of the [Frozen Golem] I could not destroy the [Frozen Golem] immediately. Aira lured the [Ice Lizard] for me to fight the [Frozen Golem] alone. I took out another beetle shell and took the golems crystallite barrage...

"Take this!"

I bashed the shell in the golem's lower body and followed through with a slash. Changing my location after every bash made the golem go berserk and shot crystallites in all directions. With it's magic decreased it could no longer maintain the form and the blocks of ice that defends the Core became slightly soft.

I bashed it once again and broke the golem's defence! I stab the core and the golem stops moving. After a while the monster's dwindled and soon all heaps of monster corpses piled up near the entrance. I collected samples of the [Lava Golem] and the [Flame serpent's Scales] and the [Burning Armor's Magic Core].

The [Burning Armor] had an ominous appearance yet was pretty weak and come in sets. They're as strong as the [Icy Hounds]

Our stamina and satisfaction meter almost depleted we sat while breathing heavily, I then distributed food to everyone to at least fill up some of the gauges...

Series of laughter filled the cold dimly lit room as we sat tired.