Chapter 25
“Any chance you can tell us what to expect?” Z asked as the group stood in the now very cramped tunnel that led to the entrance of the Random Dungeon. In hindsight, making it such a small tunnel probably wasn’t the best idea. It had fit with the concept of a dungeon when Jamse had first started DCO, but now, he couldn’t help but admit it felt a bit… unnecessary. Then again, more and more of his players simply entered the dungeon from the Safe Zone town on the fifth floor, meaning this tunnel got less and less use. For a party of five, it wasn’t terrible either, but if players were adventuring in larger groups, especially if say, they were taking on git gud mode with a raid party, well, it left a lot to wish for.
“Dickens?” James offered up with a grin. Rue snorted at that, and most of the Knights laughed as well.
“Any details at all?” Z asked hopefully. “Like, how many, or levels, or anything?”
James shook his head. “IF I did have that type of information,” he stressed the if, “I wouldn’t be able to share it.”
“Steve would have.” Oak coughed under his breath.
“Steve’s got a bad habit of not keeping secrets,” Rue said in response, “and we’re not in the same position as Steve.” It was true. Steve could get away with practically anything it seemed. While James and Rue had very strict rules they had to follow. Even with the government plans revealed, they still had to tiptoe best they could, lest they trigger some sort of disciplinary action. That was part of why James had asked Z and the others to this dive. Within the dungeon, within the chaos of his masterpiece, he’d be able to speak with them.
“Well, it can’t be helped then,” Z looked at Oak. The party’s tank was standing closest to the door that led into the dungeon. James and Rue had temporarily joined the party as well, allowing James to see, if he glanced up and to the side, everyone’s health and stats. The Knights Who Go Ni, in the mid-80s for their levels, and with proper gear acquired from being the top tiered adventurers, had stats that made James drool. How he wished he could adventure with them full time. Meanwhile, he and Rue, were level 79, with a bit of experience to go. Meaning, they needed to not die, and arguably, this plan was probably not ideal for well… living.
“We’ve done plenty of dives into the unknown before,” Z continued, “and this time around, we’ve got two healers to keep the party topped off, and Nyx should add a good bit of additional dps for us. Not to mention we know Ifrit can serve as an off tank if needed. We’ve got a baby raid party, so I’m sure we’ll be fine.” Ifrit was James’s summon. A fiery Djinn that dual wielded massive swords. Because the Djinn had died during the Siege War, in an epic duel to the death against an empowered Sergeant Jenkins, the Djinn’s stats weren’t going to be as impressive as they had been. Still, Ifrit was indeed a formidable summon, and with James’s buffs, was a titanic force to be reckoned with. Against this floor though… James was hesitant to even summon the creature. Though, he wasn’t going to mention that just yet.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“At least I know there won’t be snakes this time.” Oak said, his eyes seeking out James’s, as if he was searching for confirmation. “It’s bad enough I’m pretty positive the sixth floor boss is a snake. And then you know, there’s the blasted playthons on the third. I would lose my mind if this floor suddenly had snakes too.”
“I can promise you there aren’t any snakes, at the very least.” James said, offering the tank a small bone. Oak went through a lot for the party. And he took most of it in stride. James figured, at the very least, he could give him a small bit of solace.
“Well there you go,” Z slapped Oak’s back, the party leader being the next in line for their formation. Behind him was Elm, with Faust, Med Ic, Rue, and James behind them. Physical classes in the front, magic classes in the back, a standard raid formation. And necessary, since the dungeon door entrance forced them to file out into the floor one at a time.
“Watch out for traps though,” Z continued as he gave Oak a gentle nudge towards the door. “Don’t need you falling into a pit with a Sacrificial Lamb again.” The party laughed, and before he could catch himself, James found himself laughing as well. That was still one of his favorite memories of the party. Z looked at him with a questioning gaze for a just a moment, before he turned back towards the door, ready for the start of their dive. They’d already technically entered the instance, the party leader selecting Hard Mode for the floor. The mobs were only level fifty, meaning their party should, in theory, be extremely over leveled for these creatures.
However, levels were only one factor in what made a monster dangerous. Skills and upgrades could greatly shift the danger a mob presents to players. On top of that, Old Man Jenkins, the normal first floor boss, was level 65 this time around. Then there was the World Boss, Charles the Dicken, who had the possibility to appear as a level 70 World Boss. And finally, the special hard mode boss, the level 75… Hokey Pokey.
The upgraded mobs, the new and unique boss, and just the sheer craziness that was the floor James had designed, waited for the Knights Who Go Ni to enter. And while James knew full well what to expect, from a design standpoint, he couldn’t help but feel his breath catch in his chest, as his heart rate increased, and he could swear he could feel and hear the blood rushing through him, spurred by the heightened state of anticipation. The thrill of a new dive, a new adventure. And an eagerness to see his horror show finally in action.
Oak opened the door, and in the next moment, all the party knew was chaos.