As we move I glance at their equipment, hmm Roderick has chest armor, shoulder armor and sword, quite good.
Archer is carrying a bow, but not one from the shop, at first glance I can see it's technologically advanced bow with all that fancy look, I'm sure it's deadly and accurate.
The other guy has sword with chest armor, just that, I think their levels are quite lower than mine based on how much time they took to kill those 8 goblins, also their equipment is meager in my opinion, but it can also be that they used money on skills.
Let's ask them, and see their expression on my fake level.
"So guys, I see that you have armor and weapons, I can guess that you yourself have killed many goblins."
"That's right, they were strolling here before more often, but we cleaned this place, thanks to that I guess we are quite high level, right guys?" Roderick answers.
"After all that killing I'm already level 5, sadly lower amount since I'm archer so I use my bow to support you."
"Yes, we will let you kill more monsters next time, don't worry, we are already both level 7 with Roderick." Comments the other guy.
"I'm level 8, since I fought those monsters alone."
Looking at them I can see how funny this group is, difference is their trait. Roderick, thin man in his forties, the second warrior, bulky man about 30 years old, I can see that gym is his other home, lastly the archer, slender body, but muscled, his age is about 25+, it's easy to see that he trained with bows. In normal situation they wouldn't even work together, alas in survival it's better with a group I guess.
"Wow, already level 8, must have been hard out there." Says bulky warrior.
"I was careful so not that hard."
"Look that house is our base!"
As we walked while talking we quickly reached the house I spied on earlier.
"Isn't it too close to that Minotaur location?" I ask.
"It is close, but that monster just sits there doing nothing mostly, and we are careful to be out of sight there."
We step into the courtyard, Roderick comes to the door and knocks.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Who is there" Female voice responds.
"It's me Roderick."
"Okay, come in."
The door opens, and I see the girl from before, she has brown hair, young and above average face, she wore easy to move in clothes and a stick for self defense. I would say she is same age as me.
"Hello." I greet her.
She turns her gaze to me.
"Who is this?" She asks Roderick with cautious gaze.
"This is Thomas, he survived on his own at the south side, and he even is level 8 already."
"Level 8? That's a lot of killing, at least you found us so relax, it's quite safe here." She smiles faintly.
"Okay, enough with chattering, let's go inside, i don't want to be in the open where Minotaur can spot me."
"Come."
We finally enter the house, inside is clean and neat, probably home of one of these people.
Roderick turns to me.
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"Let's go to living room, there waits our leader."
"Leader?" I muse, must be stronger than them.
"Yeah, he is a monk, and knows martial arts. He is strongest out of us."
We walk to the room, from where I can see man in black clothes sitting there leisurely on a chair.
"Thomas, this is Adam, Adam this is Thomas."
"Hi." I greet friendly.
"Mhm, finally we found help, sit guys, let's discuss the situation." His voice suggest age a bit older than me but he doesn't even looks at us.
We find spot to sit and wait for him to talk, let's see what that Adam has in mind. He crossed his fingers between hands and speaks.
"As you probably know, that Minotaur is level 15, it's not something we can go against unprepared."
He turns his gaze at us.
"But with enough numbers it should be possible."
He looks at me.
"What level is our new friend if I can ask."
"He is level 8." Roderick speaks instead of me.
"That should be enough, based on your equipment you are a warrior I recon."
"Yes." Well I am a warrior if you don't take into consideration I am no cultivator.
He hung his head down.
"Based on my observations, I think this Minotaur is quite cunning, I tried to sneak up to it carefully before but it stood up with his club in hand cautiously looking at the surroundings."
"My plan is like that, Samantha and Krystian, they are summoner and archer if you don't know yet Thomas. These two will attack from distance, Roderick and Christopher will attack from the sides and support me as I attack from the front with my fists."
"Your mission is to attack from behind with that spear of yours Thomas. Based on my further observations the boss is very strong, so I suggest you to avoid his club, thanks to that his speed should be limited, and thanks to his intelligence I would be prepared for sudden tricks he can think of."
"That's all, the attack will start at noon next day."
He stands up and leaves to another room then shuts the door. I turn my gaze to Roderick.
"Is he always so commanding?"
"Well, I knew him before, quite quiet guy but I know he liked to practice some Chinese martial arts in the city. After all this fighting he changed quite a bit."
"But why he is the leader?" I try to pry more.
"Well, Christopher himself wanted to be leader but was soon overpowered after he announced that. Adam swiftly closed in and grabbed him by neck with one hand."
"It's not surprising to be stronger now."
"It wasn't now, it happened few hours after countdown, he was just a new player then. My guess is he killed some monster and got a valuable item, his speed came from level but lifting Christopher with one hand? I think it's a thing increasing strength of the user."
"Thanks to that he won the fight before it even started." He looks at Christopher.
"Well it's all past now, don't let it get to you man." He smiles to him who looks sad.