Congratulations! For defeating Fallen Soldier, Level 21, 142 XP has been awarded. (x4)
Warning: for defeating a monster more than 10 levels below your current level, a 75% XP penalty has been applied.
Congratulations! For defeating Fallen Knight, Level 22, 148 XP has been awarded.
Warning: for defeating a monster more than 10 levels below your current level, a 75% XP penalty has been applied.
Congratulations, You have reached Level 36. Two skill points have been awarded.
Congratulations! For clearing the dungeon solo, 50 XP has been awarded.
I watched as the system notifications scrolled by as I caught my breath after the fight. I couldn’t help but smile at the level-up notification. Part of me was a little surprised at how much I had leveled in such a short time; after all, it had taken me almost eight years to get to level 15, while in just the last two days, I’d leveled 21 times.
«Well, you were focused more on training than experience acquisition back then,» Gem commented.
«True,» I acknowledged, «but that still doesn’t explain why I leveled so much faster.»
«It comes down to three factors, really. The first is that the first one hundred or so levels are relatively easy to get to, requiring significantly less experience than, say, level 500. The second is that the path you took hadn't been open to the public, so you were courting rooms that were as near total capacity as possible. If that path had been trodden regularly, those rooms would have about half the number of monsters. And if I remember correctly, and I do because I don’t have that mushy, unreliable, gray matter you organics have, you only fought one or two monsters each delve back in the Forestend Dungeon more because those monsters would help you practice your skills instead of grant you the maximum experience possible.»
«Okay, I see your point; more monsters mean more experience meant more experience, even with the seventy-five percent penalty. You know, there were only a few rooms where I didn’t actually see the penalty pop-up. Anyway, you mentioned a third factor?»
«A yes, the third factor is you were fighting solo, so we are getting all the experience from the monster you slane instead of only partial experience. You do remember me explaining that when you’re in a party, all the experience points from defeated monsters are, for the most part, evenly distributed to all the party members. This means that if you're in a party of four and you defeat a monster that gives you five experiences, only a quarter of that experience is given to you. By the creators, quite a few of your instructors for those adventuring classes you took mentioned this as well.»
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«Well,» I said a little defensively, «since I wasn’t planning ever to join a party, I figured it wouldn’t be anything I’d ever need, so I wasn’t really paying attention.» I could almost feel Gem's incredulous look through the link.
«You seriously thought you could go your entire life without joining a single party,» Gem asked slowly, as if she couldn’t believe what she was saying.
«Well, ya, that way, it would be easy to keep my class a secret. If I joined a party, I’d always be on guard about what a normal Adventure Class could do so my party members wouldn’t get suspicious if I did something that wasn’t typical of the class. And you can be on guard twenty-four-seven, so I’d slip up at some point and have to come up with some lie or come clean, neither of which is all that appealing. So, I figured I’d sidestep that issue by never joining a party.»
«When you put it like that,» Gem said, «it does sound reasonable, but there is one flaw in your little plan.»
«Oh, and what that?»
«The fact you went ahead and agreed to that little condition of the Guildmasters that let you enter the Guild’s archive. You know, the one where you agreed to enter the lost dungeon with a party.»
«I know, but I figured I could keep a lid on some of the more…unique aspects of my actual class for the few days it would take to get to the bottom of the dungeon.» the slight snort of acknowledgment I got from Gem did not instill a sense of confidences. «anyway let's see what the dungeon has given as a required for completing the dungeon,» I add using the stone pillar I had been resting against as leverage to get back onto my feet. I headed to the dias, where a chest had appeared in front of the throne.
The chest’s surface is adorned with intricate designs and carvings that shimmer faintly in the dim light. It is bound in dark iron with golden inlays winding across the lid. A single rune, softly glowing a gentle blue, holds it shut. Clearly, the dungeon had gone all out on the theming for its final room, and I was a little impressed. I would probably have been even more impressed if the rest of the dungeon hadn't been such a hodgepodge of half-done themes or just blank rooms with random monsters thrown in.
Pushing the lid open, I looked to see what rewards I had been given. The first thing I notice is a sword, its blade as black as midnight yet radiating a faint, silvery glow. I carefully lift it from the chest. It’s lighter than my current weapon, or at least the default form of my weapon; I swing it experimentally, getting a feel for it. I wasn’t the greatest judge of value, but I figured I could get quite a decent price for it. Beneath the sword are potions—three glass vials filled with swirling, iridescent liquid. One the unmistakable ruby red of a healing potion, another the emerald green of a stamina position, and the last one I wasn’t sure of. A milky white substance that I had never seen before. Beside the potions is a small amulet, its surface inlaid with a deep purple gemstone. All in all, it was a decent hall when added to the looted items from the monsters I had defeated.
The lid's defining thud when it closed the chest was a fitting punctuation to my first delve into the Shipwreck Dungeon. Pulling up my administrator screen, I flipped my Friend or Foe designation to friend and started the long trek back to the dungeon's entrance.