Three sharp tipped bolts of mana soared through the air, swerving in unpredictable trajectories. Shin ducked under the first in a sprint, stopping short of the second and darted back as the third slammed deep into the ground he had just stood, having curved up and back from above. Roots speared up from the ground below. He weaved erratically as a garden of giant thorns shot out around him, just a shade too slow.
Vines shot out from behind and Shin burst away in ground shattering speed. Roots snaked up his body rapidly and hardened like steel in an instant. His focus snapped to the left as a searing red bolt blurred through the air, exploding on the vine shackles in a great blaze of fire and force.
Shin blinked into existence just outside the range, a translucent spectral form of a muscular shug enveloping him. The light blue specter vanished and he burst forward, dense green orbs formed around him and shot forth into the sky. Yen cast another volley of magic missiles as she propelled around.
Three orbs were shattered by the volley but the remaining two slammed into her arms. Just before they struck, small dense shields appeared across the areas targeted. The orbs broke against her automatic defenses but knocked her spiralling out of control. Shin lept into the air as she set herself right, clutching hold of her collar, estoc pointed at her eye.
“Seventeen.”
A purple light gleaned across her and kicked off her like a platform, sending her flipping away as a mass of sharp vines pierced through the air. Shin landed and burst towards Kamala as a grove of plants and trees bloomed around her. The plant life surged, far larger than what should be possible and twisted into nature weapons that pierced, grasped, and thrashed as Shin drew near.
The plants near her swelled into a dense solid sphere around her as a malakh summoned and lunged towards Shin. A dense mass of ripples condensed in his hand as he sidestep the celestial’s greatsword, thrusting his hand towards the sphere of vines. Suddenly he burst to the side as spears shot out of the sphere and thrust his palm, the emanating waves of vibration bursting a hole wide open. The other side opened up and Kamala’s angel wings flew her out, only for Shin to take her back silently and undetected, a red dagger to her throat.
“Eleven.”
He burst away as an elemental of fire propelled towards him in rapid bursts. Volleys of magic missiles pelted the sand and walls of the training ground as he dodged away. A small ember appeared at his blindside and erupted into a blast of fire. Shin slid across the ground on his feet as he burst away. Two rapid firebolts blurred at him directly on target, and he sliced through them with a blue sword, shattering and dispersing their mana. The flames around Yen subsided and she fell from the sky into Shin’s appearing arms.
“Eighteen.”
Yen clicked her tongue as Shin set her down. “The sword is cheating.”
“Others will have that skill.” She didn’t counter his reply, knowing full well it was true. She herself planned to get a skill to dispel other skills in short time and there would be no shortage of players with the same intention is they had any sliver of sense.
“You teleported again so that makes five.”
“Mm. 28 to 5.” Yen flinched at the jab in frustration. Bad enough it was two on one, but he was holding back on top of that, merely mimicking what a melee type would do with his base stats and the few personal skills he had.
“Five isn’t bad. There won’t be a lot as strong as me.”
“Or as humble.”
The sarcasm had no effect on Shin as he checked over his status, having received another level into Combat.
Skills:
Greater Cure Wounds lvl. 10, Mystic Protection lvl. 4, Summon Mystic Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Grand Martial Combat lvl. 6, Rapid lvl. 5, Befriend Spirit lvl. 10, Meditation lvl. 10, Galvanize lvl. 10, Harvest Spirit lvl. 6, Spirit Possession lvl. 10, Ripple lvl. 10, Condense lvl. 10, Greater Spirit Orb lvl. 10, Greater Spiral lvl. 10,
Traits:
Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Spiritkeeper,
He was able to max Spirit Possession as well as his two new skills to rare tier, though progress on his epic tier skills was slow. He hadn’t been able to upgrade any more, having devoted his time largely to inscription and helping the others train. For his troubles, they had improved significantly in terms of combat IQ and Grenda now referred to him as a decent expert scribe. He had felt the ceiling start to crack on a few of his skills though not among them was his Summon.
Shin glanced over to the summon in question at the other end of the training grounds. Inari unleashed a flurry of swords on Donny, all clanging against his shield without fail. A sword struck his shield again but this time rebounded fiercely. He flickered his axe at the opening, cleaving deep into her shoulder as she failed to dodge in time. Out of frustration she lunged with a thrust and Donny shifted around to her back in an instant, the soles of his feet never leaving the ground.
The mystic kitsune guardian was far defter and more nimble but Donny outmatched her in speed and more so in strength, even without using the movement skills she lacked nor the defensive skills of Bulwark that stopped impact short and Greater Deflect that parried her swords away.
The knight had acquired the skill from intermediate lord alongside the now upgraded and currently unused Greater Flex, which doubled his strength, progressing both to rare. Bulwark was the more reliable defense but also quite costly. Deflect allowed him to defend more frugally and thus fight longer. He had naturally learned Skid, upgrading it to Slide and fuses the rare tier upgrade with Greater Dart to create Shift, an extremely versatile and fast short range movement skill, the same one the ogre champion had possessed.
Shin watched them closely. Donny was the most improved of the three but he already had fundamentals under his belt when they met, albeit lacking in deadly weapon experience. The spar was good for both of them, he felt. Donny gained more variety in style of opponents and an opportunity against someone more on his level, while Inari was getting more experience versus players, slowly learning to fight more tactically instead of bullying her stats. Although by her current rampage, she was still prone to resorting back to brute force when frustrated.
Donny weathered the deadly tantrum with moderate ease and started pushing Inari on the backfoot. Inari’s movements grew more desperate as she swatted and dodged the relentless knight until finally her frustrations snapped and Donny froze in place, her sword stopping just short of his neck.
“Supposed to be off limits.” Inari ignored her defeated foe and dashed away in a huff to Shin’s side.
“It’s training.” Shin’s words also fell on ears that didn’t want to hear them. But he didn’t mind, checking over the status of the pouting fox.
[Mystic Kitsune Guardian (rare) - Intermediate Lord]
Strength - 312
Agility - 393
Constitution - 205
Vitality - 252
Dexterity - 346
Perception - 270
Force - 360
Spirit - 338
Control - 304
Willpower - 345
Skills:
Greater Trickfire lvl. 8, Keen Cut lvl. 9, Greater Paralyzing Stare lvl. 7, Greater Celestial Fire lvl. 2, Superior Sword Combat lvl. 10,
Traits:
Hallowed (epic), Windwalker (epic), Lesser Soul Weapon (rare), Greater Will-o’-the-Wisp (Rare), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare), Lesser Curse Resistance (rare), Lesser Charming Resistance (rare),
His rank up, and subsequently hers, had done wonders for her might. She had demanded a fight with Kong soon after and although outmatched, lacking in physical stats even more than Donny, she had Combat and a paralyzing skill, making it a much more even fight, maintained only by Kong’s sharp mind and evasiveness.
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Shin looked to Yen. “Safeguard is still too unreliable.” The skill in question was the automatic shield defense she had displayed early, a product of fusing Alert and Buffer that reacted to all intent to harm she claimed, the common tier predecessors she had chosen way back for intermediate peasant.
“I know. Got it all planned out.” The mage glanced over to the approaching Donny. “Still haven’t fused them?”
“Cut me some slack. Can’t figure out magic as easy as fighting.”
“One of them uses Vitality, it’s a martial art.”
“So the system says.”
“My favorite party!” The four of them turned their attention to the entrance of the training grounds Chato just walked through. Nearly twenty people accompanied him now, all at least lesser lord with three intermediate lords like the town boss himself. “You all just live here now, uh?”
“Need something, mate?”
“Ah, it’s a long list. But right now a cleared dungeon.”
“It’ll be handled.”
“Is that true, goblin boy?”
“Shin.”
“Shin the Goblin Boy.” Chato chuckled with a sway before growing a bit serious. “Are you gonna clear my dungeon?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. I was just worried you had forgotten our deal I wouldn’t, want you to lose out on my money, ah.” Chato casually glanced at each of them before taking his leave. “I want good news tonight.”
The party watched him and his entourage leave before talking.
“It’s barely past noon, what’s his problem?”
“Getting worried. People under him are starting to look like threats. Needs to make it look like he’s still top boy.”
“Is that something we should worry about?”
“Not our problem.”
---
The party walked towards the dungeon portal as Chato watched from atop the wall again, their minds readied, and entered without pause. Shin passed through into a massive empty cavern filled with ledges and rocky protrusions unlike the narrow tunnel they were expecting. Shin’s eyes flashed iridescent and found no enemies lying in wait.
“Oi.”
The party turned to Donny and then to the huge mural of a dragon he was looking at behind them.
“At least we don’t have to redo the grunt work.”
Shin hopped out into the cavern to no reaction. The room was barren save for seven dark tunnels leading off somewhere Shin couldn’t see through. He dashed next to two at random, the eye of a braided brass ring, his rare tier trap detection, glowing to yet more inactivity.
“Nothing.” He hopped back to the rest of the party that had joined him in the center.
“Maze type. Might as well pick one randomly.” Yen said with some confidence.
Shin silently agreed, taking the vanguard down the tunnel at the left he had searched. He led cautiously, ready to react to any possible trap but none happened. They came to the end and Shin peered through to another cavern, this one filled red scaled drakes.
“Dozen drakes. Mid rank. Two look like variants.”
“Light work.” Donny took the front at the ready.
The two burst forth, Shin piercing one through the eye and Donny cleaving through the neck of another without the aid of a skill before the rest reacted. They tore through the regular drakes as the casters waited in the distance vigilantly. Shin sidestepped a fireball one and burst back as tail shattered the rocky ground. The variant rolled forward off its tail right side and turned to Shin. Larger than the regular drakes it stood with thicker limbs and a flat wide tail, but the same bestial look in its eyes.
[Guard Drake (rare) - Intermediate Lord]
The guard drake burst forward into a flip, slamming its tailing on the ground again as Shin darted away. It charged forward this time snapping at air as Shin easily dodged. A taunting roar struck Shin’s mind, urging him to attack, but was easily ignored with barely a strain at all.
Shin lunged at the monster, gone stationary with its taunt, and his estoc struck still on the roof of its mouth like stone. He darted back as the guard drake snapped its jaw in response and chased after him again. Shin burst to its side and struck with a rippling palm, sending the drake crashing into the wall. The guard drake shook and rose to its feet, flames cloaking its body in spurts, as an estoc passed through its eyes. Its jaw snapped shut and Shin darted back but the drake spasmed and fell limp.
[Guard Drake (rare) - Intermediate Lord]
Strength - 404
Agility - 298
Constitution - 453
Vitality - 376
Dexterity - 234
Perception - 307
Force - 342
Spirit - 306
Control - 234
Willpower - 226
Skills:
Bash lvl. 7, Greater Fireball lvl. 5, Fire Cloak lvl. 4, Greater Taunt lvl. 6,
Traits:
Ironscales (epic), Heat Presence (rare), Lesser Poison Resistance (rare), Lesser Disease Resistance (rare),
A loud clang brought his attention over to the center, as Donny’s axe left a mere scratch on remaining guard drake’s neck. He sidestepped a bite in retaliation and bashed its face with his shield. Aura wrapped around his arm and he hacked into the beast’s neck, sinking in only mere inches. He ripped his axe free and bashed the drake again before it could set itself steady and chopped again without a skill, digging into the open wound a little more.
The guard drake flipped and slammed its heavy tail into the ground as Donny darted away. As the monster return to its feet Donny bashed its head wide and chopped once more, blood starting to pour heavily from the wound. The guard drake roared and Donny flinched, his body fighting against itself until he darted forward with a maddening warrior’s yell, aura surging around him arm and cleaving through the rest of the guard drake’s thick neck.
The anger in Donny’s expression vanished as his posture relaxed, though dissatisfaction remained. “Not much fun being on the other side…” Something caught Donny’s eye and he reached down, picking up a glowing red orb.
[Fire Essence (1)]
“Any ideas?” Donny waved it at the others.
“Nothing’s ever dropped loot out of nowhere like an MMO before. Must have something to do with this dungeon.” Yen commented.
Donny stored it, then withdrew it and stored it again. “Guess we’ll find out.”
They chose another path and head down into third cavern. “Same number, one different variant. But they’re yellow.”
“Different element?” Yen suggested. “Lightning maybe.”
“Makes our fire resistance a bit useless.” Donny said.
“Lightning is fast.” Shin added.
“Same plan, then. Bail us out if things go south.” Donny looked at the casters.
“Always ready for that.”
Shin and Donny burst out at the same time, adopting the same strategy to the same success. As they slaughtered the regulars, the large horn on the snout of the new variant glowed and a bolt of lightning surged at Donny. The lightning struck fast, leaving Donny barely enough time to activate a skill. The chain of lightning ricocheted off his shield burrowing into the wall of the cavern high. Donny strained under the constant stream of lightning, his mana dropping steadily and residual electricity seeping passed his Spellparry and through his body, spasmed it stiff.
A red bolt crashed into the horned drake with a powerful explosion, echoing across the cavern. The drake’s body rolled out of the blaze, bloodied, burnt, and broken. A second firebolt struck the guard drake, though this one rose to its feet, sparks of lightning surging around its bloodied and charred body. A gray furred shug appeared and charged forth, dodging a snap of the guard drake’s jaw, and taking its back. A jolt of its two arms snapped the creature’s neck and it fell limp.
With the battle won, Shin unsummoned Kong and hopped around looking for more essences but finding none. He rejoined the others. Kamala healing the slight injuries the lightning had caused Donny as he stretched the spasms and twitches out.
“Lightning’s pretty rough… Should probably get resistance items for all elements.”
“Y. Full.” Shin’s casual words as he looked at the ground in front of him sent them all alert and careful not to look suspicious.
They held their positions as Shin drew something into the ground with an arrow and without warning he vanished, blurring next to an invisible woman with a bow. She darted back and drew an arrow, and a blue sword cut through her neck.
“Fuck!”
“Yelena!”
Nine more players ran out of one of the tunnels with hate and desperation in their eyes. Shin peppered them with arrows as the others got into position. Two people with shields guarded the caster types but a firebolt blasted them both apart and Shin’s arrows claimed the others through their mana shields.
“Leave two.” Shin said as he switched to red daggers.
“Bastard!” A blond young man rushed Shin wielding daggers in each hand as well. Shin darted back, switching his daggers backhand as he deflected the fierce attacks of the mid rank Shadowstriker. His red daggers slipped around his enemies, taking small slices from his hands and arms, but those wounds bled well turning the man more reckless.
The assassin’s speed doubled and he lunged low, his dagger passing through air as Shin’s own speed increased, predicting the man’s attack easily. He sliced deep into the armpit of the man’s outstretched hand and ducked under a swipe in retaliation, stabbing his estoc deep through his abdomen.
A palm thrust to the chin rattled the man’s senses and a kick breaking his leg at the knee snapped him back into focus. That focus once again overtaken by pain, as he pressed his foot down on his back and snapped both arms out of socket. Shin grabbed the screaming assassin by the back of his collar and threw him over to a thin middle aged man with a twisted mustache, bound by cuffs made of vines.
“Why did you attack us?”
“I’ll kill you… Bastard…” The shadowstriker cursed them incessantly through pain squirms.
Shin glanced at the two and appeared behind the rogue, pulling his head up by his hair and slitting his throat. The man gurgled and wreathed as he choked on his own blood. The middle aged man watched in horror as his comrade’s movements slowed from blood loss and shock and fall limp, dropped unceremoniously in a pool of his own blood.
‘Why did you attack us?”
“We- we needed the essences! I’m sorry, they made me! I couldn’t go against them!”
“You know what the essences are for?” Yen questioned.
“They open the door! To the boss. We heard from others.”
“What others? You didn’t come from Ladron, did you?”
“I-I don’t know what that is. All the first layer dungeons are connected. Everyone enters here.”
“Where’s the door?” Shin asked calmly.
“Past this section. Out of the caverns. It’s all random, you just have to keep going.”
“Which monsters drop essences. How many does the door need?”
“It… it’s random too. The stronger ones have a higher chance but it’s still small.”
“So you gang up on weaker parties and take theirs.” Donny commented. The thin mustached man averted his eyes.
“The door.” Shin repeated.
“A hundred… That’s what it says on the sign.”
“What element?”
“Any.”
“What element was your dungeon?” Yen inquired.
“F-frost.”
Shin snapped the man’s neck before the others realized. Shock and disbelief in his eyes faded away blank and he collapsed.
“Hey!”
“That’s all we need.” Shin stated as he started looting.
Donny looked around. “Alright, so get 100 orbs and look out for other teams. This much trouble means the boss is going to be mad.”
“Other players are the real problem.” Yen said. “If all starting dungeons are connected, we’ll run into high rank fucks like him.”
The three turned their attention to the boy casually shifting through the belongings of the slain as if he were on a stroll.
“We have the highest ranked fuck so we’re good.” Donny seemed more casual than the others, almost excited. “Just need 99 more.”
“93.” Shin corrected, tossing them each some items. “Frost resistance.”