Chapter 107: The First Dungeon (12)
"How it gone?" Prince asked upon seeing that Jake had tered their invisible zone. His sister siltly glanced at Jake, not sharing her thoughts or making it appart that she was also interested in Jake's plan.
Jake weakly smiled at the siblings, "It flopped."
"Oh," Prince exclaimed. "It means our dungeon expedition will go flawlessly! I can tell! A defeat on one battlefield means victory on another!"
"Haha! Thanks," Jake nodded, "I'm familiar with defeats, so it's fine. I think I've asked for too much. My idea was to get a room for myself in their tavern and shopping befits in their stores here. I offered to help them deal with their competition."
Sin Blackberry chimed in, "In what way?"
Prince nodded. He was also curious.
Since Jake had used them as one of his cards in his failed bargain, he felt it'd be fair to share his exact plan. He told them that he was confidt there were battles betwe three competitor guilds and that their diplomacy with smaller guilds caused chaos in the first dungeon.
It was impossible to drag this information out of Arnold IV, as he was an old man with experice on various fronts. He kept much information to himself and didn't risk anything while dealing with Jake.
While Jake chatted with Prince, Sin Blackberry properly analyzed Jake's deavors.
Though Jake's idea may have be too naive, he'd learned about the tavern and outside zone upon coming here in person. He tried his luck, meaning he had a bold personality as well.
The thing was that he was quite too selfish in his motives.
Sin glanced at her brother.
Prince's questions indicated that he also saw Jake in the same light.
He asked, "What would you do if The Gold Lotus' allies were hunting us for equipmt?"
"I'd give up on the deal. I'm putting you two first because we met first and already made the team," Jake smiled at the duo, hiding more of his inctives. Dealing with the established guild seemed like a much better choice, but Jake was a solo player and couldn't offer much to them yet.
On the other hand, Prince and Sin Blackberry were a duo without any guild. They didn't have a whole game business behind them, and it was much easier to become closer to them. It was better to make a connection with them, as they were rich players who could spd a lot on the game.
It could be that they were spding so much because they could, but there was also a chance they had much bigger use for that.
After weighing his options, Jake obviously sided with the siblings.
His honesty and confidce persuaded Prince.
At the same time, those two qualities eliminated Sin Blackberry's suspicions.
Prince applauded, "Alrighty! All business here done, we can go to the dungeon! I'm itching to get some revge and fight the epic boss myself! My dear sister, if you may allow us to follow your wake!"
Sin Blackberry nodded, "Follow me."
The team of three headed to the dungeon's gate.
-
[The Dungeon Of The Condemned.]
[Lv. Requiremt—5~~5]
These two messages flashed to anyone coming close to the dungeon's trance. There were many types of dungeons, and all of them had some sort of trance that took players to another world.
Jake stood before the black door, which must have be ripped off its hinges. It was slightly tilted and stuck ajar in the g, seemingly thrown by a colossal giant. It was much higher than Last Night's gates and could store two giants coming side by side inside.
The mist swirling a the doors was dse and impossible to go through. It was like a cloud that could connect everyone going past the door's threshold to another world.
"No description or reward inctive," Jake commted as he walked in Sin Blackberry's shadow.
Prince chuckled, "I heard a few interesting stories about those dungeons! It seems they're related to the main quest and some legdary existces! There's no description cause' we have to decipher this storyline ourselves. I kind of like it, you know, my dark horse! It makes me feel like we're in the real world! My heart of an artist couldn't have be more stirred!
It's my job to find the depth and meaning of this storyline!"
"Sounds cool and cringe at the same time," Jake commted. "I guess it's only because of you."
"You don't need to say more, my dark horse," Prince grinned.
[You have tered The Dungeon Of The Condemned.]
It took Jake a blink to see the scery ahead of him change.
What used to be a forest shrouded in the silver mist turned into a cavernous cave buried underg. It was so vast that Jake could see a few guilds trying to inhabit this place in the past.
It was, however, impossible because of the monsters spawning here ridiculously fast. The place was also cold, and anyone inside would feel like cold souls were swirling a them.
With his bow clched in his left hand, Jake looked at the first dungeon monster. It was a humanoid little wolf that appeared like a descdant of the effigy that Viktor had brought to his workplace.
Since the effigy was made from the epic boss' resources, it wasn't odd to see a lot of resemblance to it on other monsters here.
In a way, The Warmonger Empire did a good job preparing players to face the dungeon's monsters.
The coldness of the dungeon, however, wasn't mtioned anywhere.
Ev Viktor and Aaron hadn't talked about it to Jake!
Nonetheless, Jake had be gifted with two precious teammates.
Sin Blackberry's skill weaved a Jake before the coldness dug to his bones.
[You have be blessed by Paladin's Flowing Bonfire(Unique)]
[You have received a cold resistance for t minutes. Sharp weapons' damage has be increased by five perct as well.]
Jake radiated an orange-red glow upon receiving this skill. It was a simple method to deal with the coldness that healers learned relatively early in their careers. In Paladin's hands, however, the skill blessed weapons with sharp ds, making them more petrative and stronger.
Jake's arrows, therefore, were a little stronger so long as his blood boiled with this skill.
"Thanks," Jake said.