‘Should it feel this easy?’ Adam thought, wiping Lightaxe. They had sin the beastmen upon the floors with ease, sying the humanoid, a rabid, dogfolk and wolves, as well as the snakefolk and snakes. ‘They don’t seem much strohan the skeletoher. I should be careful, just in case it’s meant to keep uard down.’

  Ohey were doh their third rest, they made their way forward, ing across a giant python within the rge juhat existed within the floor. Adam wasn’t sure he each floor was, for even as they trekked miles within for the stairs leading down, the floors were far more massive, to the point they only spotted one or two adventuring parties within.

  “Is it strong?” Adam asked, staring at the giant python which hid among the trees, though the four and it had met eyes.

  “I will see,” Jurot said, stretg his neck, stepping forward in order to meet the creature. He had to be careful with his Rages, sihey were so limited. He could only dance four times each day, the limits of his body, though he had already felt it. His rage had beore powerful, and whenever he struck true, his axe dug deeper. Thankfully, uhey were in a spot of bother, Jurot did not dance, and the floors had yet to challehem so.

  “I will support,” Kitool said. She could feel it. She was slightly weaker than the day before, not just from losing some Defence from the tiara, but something else.

  The pair darted forward, engaging with the python, ready to tear it apart, while the python readied itself for the meal that decided to deliver itself into its fanged maw.

  “Adam,” Jaygak called, gng aside.

  Adam followed her gaze to find adventurers, two different groups. As they spotted one another, Adam narrowed his eyes, donning his shield as the groups readied themselves opposite, drawing their bows and crossbows, their warriors up ahead, each of them focused upon Adam and Jaygak.

  “Nid easy now,” one called out, readying herself, drawing her bde. “Just give us your things, and we’ll let you go.”

  “Adam, do you want to give them your things?”

  “Not particurly.”

  “Me her.” Jaygak flipped her bde over the back of her hand, gring at the figures in front of her.

  “Do you want us to gut you?” The adventurer swallowed, having waited for them to be distracted by the python. Even though Kitool and Jurot had noticed, they remained engaged with the python, so this was the best time for them to act.

  Battle OrderD20 + 1 = 16 (15)

  Mana: 21 -> 18Spell: Fireball8D6 = 31 (31)

  Onward Soar: 1 -> 0

  Mana: 18 -> 15Spell: Fireball8D6 = 28 (28)

  Unfortunately for the adventurers, Adam’s pool of Mana had increased enough that even if he did use his Mana as he had done so previously, he still possessed three Fireballs worth of extra Mana. As the Fireballs rained down upohe adventurers scrambled, gng around to see if it erhaps a trap, even as Adam had ted the words to the spell.

  ‘We’ll have to kill them,’ Jaygak thought, now that Adam had revealed his greater magical abilities. She on them like a beast, her bde cutting through those that had barely mao survive the Fireballs, her bde slig through each of them with ease.

  “No! P-please! I didn-,” the st cried aloud, before he was silenced forever.

  ‘Fuck,’ Adam thought, the chill taking root within him, his sweat seeping through his clothes. ‘I thought they’d be stronger… I didn’t expect them to die from just two Fireballs.’

  Victory!XP Gained: +300XP: 10 000 -> 10 300

  Victory!XP Gained: +700XP: 10 300 -> 11 000

  “We should skihon’s remains,” Jurot said, rubbing the side of his neck, while Adam and Jaygak looted the bodies, before Adam began to Identify each of the items.

  “Whoa!” Adam gasped. “Let’s go! Finally! A Cloak of Prote!”

  Once Adam was done Identiying, they split the items. Jaygak and Kitool traded the Circlet for the Cloak of Prote, for Kitool wao test out if the Circlet had granted her enough toughness, while Jaygak was happy to wear a much better Cloak than the Cloak of Bravery. She also accepted the sword, which, while a Basic sword, was still better than her mundane bde. Jurot dohe Bracers of Minor Defence, whicreased his Defence slightly.

  Jurot gnced back to the shallow graves they had buried the bodies within. ‘They were… only k?’

  The day, they came across aniant jungle, where they found a rger she small boss of the floor.

  “I thought it would be a wolf or something,” Adam thought.

  Victory!XP Gained: +1 000XP: 11 200 -> 12 200

  To call it a sughter would be to uate just how easily the group defeated the small boss. It had dared to swallow Kitool, who stuhe creature from within, and it died swiftly thanks to the freat strength.

  Viper Fang (+1)Deals 1D6 sshing + 1D6 poison.Once per day, on a hit, you deal +4D6 poison. This ability recharges at dawn.

  “Will the scale give me more Defence?” Adam asked, holding up the magical scale armour which held a Basius.

  “You should stick with heavier armour since you’re a special Priest,” Jaygak replied.

  “What does that mean?”

  “Your Defe’s increased when you wear heavier armour.”

  Jaygak swung the sword in front of her. It was made of bone, curved, more a scimitar than a typical longsword. However, Adam had informed her of its abilities, and she was excited to use them ohey were doh this set of floors.

  The group tinued onward, resting right before the boss of the tweh floor. They readied themselves to face against the boss, that surely would have proved a challenge.

  “This may be more difficult,” Jurot said, feeling the air tig his skin.

  The snakekin shaman hissed towards the group as they prepared themselves as the edge of the path. She wore scale armour, and carried a rge staff, with snake skulls dangling from it. However, the snakekin royal guards, each taller than even Adam, and almost as wide as Jurot and Adam standing side by side, seemed far more imposing. Their rge greatswords were curved, like Jaygak’s sword, their scale armour thick, their shields, painting with skull, held the stench of death.

  The foliage around them hid the stoh, but the standing stones around were no doubt of sious significe, but Adam spent no time admiring the nd. He wasn’t here to admire the world, the people, or even to loot the pce.

  He was here because he wao farm XP.

  Battle OrderD20 + 1 = 8 (7)

  Mana: 34 -> 33Defence: 20 -> 25Health: 126 -> 111

  Kitool’s body burst forth, striking viciously at a royal guard, and while he was distracted with her, she ducked, allowing Jaygak’s bde to cut slice through his side, the royal guard falling.

  The four remaining guards blocked off each of them, allowing their shaman to cast her magiinterrupted. To allow their shaman to cast her magics, they would each grow more powerful, and all they had to do was keep the four at bay. They may have sin a single one of their guards, but it required the might of two of their warriors, who did not hold back.

  Even as Kitool panted for air, barely able to block the blow, and as Jaygak winced as the mighty gve struck her shield with so much force, she could feel it against her elbow, they had yet to feel the great magic of their shaman flow through them.

  Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2Health: 111 -> 116

  Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage)D20 + 11 = 20 (5)D20 + 11 = 23 (18)Hit!Mana: 34 -> 33Ability: Divine Smite2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 16 (4)(3)16 damage!

  Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage)D20 + 11 = 28 (17)D20 + 11 = 30 (19)Critical hit!Mana: 33 -> 29Ability: Divine Smite4D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 58 (18)(31)58 damage!

  Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage)D20 + 11 = 15 (4)D20 + 11 = 30 (19)Critical hit!Mana: 29 -> 25Ability: Divine Smite4D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 66 (15)(42)66 damage!

  Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage)D20 + 11 = 20 (1)D20 + 11 = 23 (14)Hit!Mana: 25 -> 24Ability: Divine Smite2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 27 (7)(11)27 damage!

  stitution SaveD20 + 8 = 21 (13)Success!Health: 116 -> 112

  Unfortunately for them, they were born as the boss monsters of the tweh floor, meant for the likes of k adventurers.

  A gve met a longsword, another a staff, and a third met ahat axe then carved through the royal guard as though it ainting a ndscape, but that ndscape was of death, for as the fve met the axe, it was a different axe.

  That axe was of death.

  “You hahe shaman,” Adam said, having siwo royal guards, resting his axe against his shoulder, blog off the retreat of the st two royal guards currently engaged with Kitool and Jaygak.

  “Okay,” Jurot replied, his violent axe g with the shaman, whose eyes grew wide. Even as the beams of light fell upon them all, including those of the royal guards, her oppos did not even flinch.

  Victory!XP Gained: +2 000XP: 12 700 -> 14 700

  Adam whistled, having Identified many of the items, from the neckce, to the shields, to the special eye she possessed, not that he had noticed. Even the annoyance of finding several pearls didn’t overcast just how many magical items they had e across, from the daggers, to the scale, to the gves, and that didn’t include the various magical scrolls or potions.

  “Truesight too,” Adam said, holding up the eye. “Anyone want to give up their eye for it?”

  “It is a good trade,” Jurot said, reag for the eye.

  Adam quickly held it up. “You’re not going to take out your eye, are you?”

  “… I ot?”

  “You ’t! Damrot and Monarot would be so sad, and what would Pamarot say?”

  ‘Pamarot?’ Jurot thought. “Okay.”

  “Jaygak, you hold it, and you ’t give up your eye either,” Adam said, gng aside to Jaygak, who had her fingers dangerously close to her eye.

  “I ’t?”

  “Do you wao beat you up?”

  “Ah. You wao be the oo take it from me?”

  The twenty first floor was simir to the eleventh, except it was far mreen, and full of wooden buildings along the jungle like terrain. The guildhall articurly rge, with another A Rank adveaking the role of the Guildmaster, except she was much youhan Zephrine ee.

  “You killed nine adventurers?” Samantha asked, raising her brow.

  “Yes.”

  ‘Why did you tell me?’ Samantha thought, annoyed by the amount of paperwork she’ll o do. “Did they try to attack you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Expiuation.”

  After the party expined what happened, each allowing themselves to go under a spell to speak the truth, one by one sihey didirely trust the Guild, they paid the fee for killing the adventurers.

  “We should have over one of the scale armours,” Adam said, holding onto the shield.

  “We have too many shields.”

  “Yeah, but we actually use the shields. The armour?”

  “The amour is sidered among the best for armour that is not heavy.”

  “I guess…” Adam frowned. “What if we gave up a dagger instead? I mean, it’s only a plus one, I mean, Basic dagger.”

  “Okay.”

  The group traded their items, the scrolls and some of their coppers and silvers for various health potions, and the day, they tinued.

  “Orcs?” Adam asked, the floors once more ruione, but greyer than the first ten stone floors.

  The rapid orcs roared and charged them.

  “It is rare to see full blooded orcs,” Jurot said. “They are gone from our world.”

  “Oh?” Adam said, raising his shield. ‘Oh. Yeah. They’re all horcs, aren’t they?’

  The day, the group came upon the small boss, that of an orc warchief, who was surrounded by four warriors, each wielding mighty ons.

  Victory!XP Gained: +1 000XP: 16 100 -> 17 100

  “I mean…” Adam stared down at the greataxe. ‘I guess it’s an okay axe?’

  The loot from the warchief shamed them from beyond the grave.

  “The rings are worth more,” Jaygak said, noting the eight silver rings, and ten gs, with the gs being worth at least fifty gold each, sidering their intricate designs and small flecks of gem.

  The traps upon the floors proved a greater threat, some even bringing Adam below 100 Health, if he decided to push through without resting.

  They came upon a room full of panting adventurers, each who stared at the group in shock, grabbing their ons quickly as they stood. They were a B Rank party, but were heavily wounded, and easy pigs.

  “The floor is treating yh, eh?” Adam chuckled. “Be careful, guys. You only have one life. Good luck.”

  The adventurers watched the group leave, fusion filling the group. They waited. Waited. Waited. Yet, the four did not return, too busy enjoying their baths several rooms away.

  “The baths are helping, but I think you driving us so much during our adventures has helped us keep up this pace,” Jaygak joked. “We might reach the A Ranks if we keep this up.”

  “I’d rather not,” Adam admitted. “Let’s stick with B Ranks, since we easily deal with them if they want to attack us.”

  “Yes,” Jurot agreed.

  Finally, they came across the boss room. The group gnced between one another, with Adam stretg out his muscles, before they stepped within.

  “Oh, e on now. You’re the bosses but you ’t afford clot-,”

  The roars filled the air, though somehow, the four did not o make Wisdom Saves. Opposite them stood fhty figures, each t over the group, and each adorned in near identical attire, save oem apiece. Each orc was tall, rge, and their chiselled physiques caused even Adam to pause.

  One orc wore a tunic made of scale, with rge discs of silver and gold, eagraved with faces of all emotions, and he was slightly taller and wider thaher orcs.

  Another wore a rge gau upon their left arm, with the face of an angry ord his arms were certainly slightly wider and thicker thahers, save one.

  The other wore a gau on their right arm, with the face of an angry ord his arms were slightly rger too.

  The st wore a belt, with a buckle which held a wide grin, as though he was ready to fight, like a particur Mad Dog.

  Battle OrderD20 + 1 = 15 (14)

  Health: 126 -> 110

  Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2Health: 111 -> 116

  Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage)D20 + 11 = 20 (9)D20 + 11 = 29 (18)Hit!Mana: 34 -> 33Ability: Divine Smite2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 22 (8)(5)Damage resisted!14 damage!

  Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage)D20 + 11 = 14 (3)D20 + 11 = 30 (19)Critical hit!Mana: 33 -> 294D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 56 (14)(33)Damage resisted!45 damage!

  Onward Soar: 1 -> 0

  Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage)D20 + 11 = 15 (4)D20 + 11 = 24 (13)Critical hit!Mana: 33 -> 294D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 65 (15)(41)Damage resisted!54 damage!

  Adam and the barbarian cshed, and while his rge greataxe struck Adam’s magical shield, Adam focused. Though his blows were dampened by the rage of the orc, he was not a member of the Rot family. He khe orc down and readied the st blow, the fourth and final blow, but the orc, though having regained sciousness for a moment, remained k upon a knee.

  ‘Hmm?’ Adam thought.

  Kitool and her oppo were locked in a deadly csh, Kitool barely managing to duder a giant greataxe, before she jabbed the barbarian’s knee, sending in her inner energy, freezing him in pce. She struck him viciously, keeping him stunned for a long while, until his rage wore off, before it returned, and they tio fight. Eventually, the barbariao his knee.

  Jurot and his barbarian cshed violently, throwing caution to the wind. Unfortunately for the barbarian, Jurot was not just a spe of an Iyrman, and not only did he possess such great items, he had retly bee a Master. The barbariao a knee and remained upon it.

  Jaygak panted having burst through her limits, striking harshly against the barbarian’s axe. With each swing of her bde, with each raise of her shield, she could feel it. Her body grew heavier, her breath more boured, her muscles screaming at her. She had yet to use the bde’s ability, and even after taking a mighty blow, which threateo knock her unscious, she smmed her boot down and drove her bde through the barbarian’s gut, even then, she did not use the poison. She panted as the barbaria before her, and she fell onto her bottom, gasping for air. She gnced aside to her panions, Adam who hadn’t broken a sweat, to Kitool and Jurot, who had regaiheir breaths siheir fight. Her fight sted twice as long as the rest, but she had won.

  Victory!XP Gained: +1 000 XP: 17 400 -> 18 400

  The four barbarians remained k, but each removed their particur items, handing them to their victors. Adam smiled, taking the belt, while the barbarians tio strip out of their jewellery, their amulets, rings, and even their ons, them one by oo the party. They only gnced up after handing over their greatons, bowing their heads, before turning to dust.

  “I feel a little bad about looting the treasure chest now…” Adam whispered. ‘Damn. Those guys were so cool.’

  Adam decided against Identifying anything, ihey made their way to the thirty first floor, which housed a rge castle, where they made their way to inform the Guild of the bosses they fought, and to put away their items.

  “Ho!” Adam said, staring down at the ring. “Finally!”

  Interspatial Ste RingThis ring store up to 100KG, not exceeding a volume of 2 cubic metres. Retrieving an item from the bag requires an A.The ring ot be overloaded, pierced, or torn. If the ring is destroyed, its tents are scattered in random pnes. Creatures ot be stored into the ring. This ring be stored within other simir items, but all items will scatter before it is pced within su item.

  “Not one, but four?” Adam whistled. “robably keep most of old, and most of our items in it, other than the ons?”

  “Why are you so excited about this item?” Jaygak asked.

  “Foolish Junior, to ask this Venerable Senior of such a simple question, are you C Death?” Adam replied, using the same voice he used whenever he mimicked royalty, though it was now without the disrespect.

  “…”

  Adam smiled wider. “Damn. Only four? I would have loved to get one for all the children…” Adam stared at the ring, rubbing his thumb along it, feeling the cold, rough metal.

  “Should we party with anroup?” Jurot asked, noting the look on Adam’s face. If he didn’t say this now, he may not find aime. “We fight through to the boss, and gain the B Rank title. If we tio the boss after, we gain the A Rank title and work with greater nobles.”

  “We do that, but…” Adam exged a look with Jurot, who nodded, uanding his thoughts.

  “We should be generous in our offer, and ask the Guild.”

  “I’ll leave it to you.”

  Jurot and Jaygak made their way out, while Adam checked upon the rest of the items.

  “You should wear all those items,” Jurot said.

  “I have my pride,” Jaygak replied.

  “Your pride will n us home, but I will not force you.”

  “…”

  “Jirot and Jar-,”

  “I won’t,” Jaygak said. “We should split it in four ways.”

  ‘I should not have pushed,’ Jurot thought.

  The B Rank party, the Mighty Nine, joiared at the four which made up the Ptinum Fate Troop.

  “You’re only k?” the leader, a middle aged warrior, asked. He was rather handsome, adorned in full pte, and carried a finely made bde at his side.

  “Yes,” Kitool replied. “We are more powerful than our rank suggests.”

  “Right,” Kim said, scratg his short beard. “How strong?”

  “A Rank.”

  “Uhuh.” Kim eyed the rest of the group up.

  Adam stood up, stretg out his arms. “Alright. Let’s get this over with.”

  “What?”

  “Send your stroo test me out.” Adam held Kim’s gaze.

  The annoyance filled the man, but he remained calm. He had been in this game for too long to let his emotioo him.

  “No,” Jurot said. “We should allow Kitool and Jaygak a turn.”

  “A turn?”

  “We have already defeated A Ranks, but they have yet to.”

  “ht, but they’re B Rank.”

  “We should still share.”

  “You’re right. Kitool, Jaygak, do you want to fight.”

  “I’m still reeling from the orcs,” Jaygak admitted, feeling the ache in her body.

  “I fight,” Kitool said.

  “Alright.” Adam allowed her to step forward.

  “You don’t have to do this act.”

  “Just send your stro already,” Adam said, his eyes darting to Jurot.

  “Adam, are you okay?” Jaygak asked.

  “I’m fine. Let’s just get this over with. Once we fight, they’ll uand our strength. Also, we should take the leader position, and they won’t listen if they think we’re weaker, right?”

  Jaygak pced a hand on Adam’s shoulder, holding his gaze for a long moment. She remained focused upon his eyes, keeping their eyes locked together for a few seds, before slowly nodding her head.

  “What was that?”

  “You’ve bee short tempered.”

  Adam swallowed. “It’s all the fighting. Got me on edge. That’s all.”

  “If they were nobles, I’d uand, but they’re adventurers like you and I. They still fear death, so they won’t start fights, and you should keep fearih so you shouldn’t start fights either.”

  “I’m not starting a fight, it’s just, it’s always like this. What, you’re k? Brats, who do you think you are. Then we’ll beat up an A Rank and everyone will be shocked, again, for the third time, because for some reason the Guild doesn’t want to rank us up until we’ve reached floor forty, fifty, so on. I’m just a little tired of it all.”

  “We’ve earned a lot here, from old, to our experiences with fighting,” Jaygak said, gently patting Adam’s shoulder. “We should cherish the opportunity.”

  “…” Adam sighed. “You’re right. I should…” Adam tapped his chest lightly, feeling his hand striking his , before he gnced down. “I don’t even have my pte.”

  “We might find some pte armour as we tinue expl.”

  “Yeah, okay. Sorry, Jaygak. Jurot, Kitool. Kim.” Adam bowed his head lightly. “Though, it would be a good opportunity for us to prove ourselves to you.”

  “Alright. I’ll face your, Kitool, was it?”

  “Yes,” Kitool replied, bowing her head.

  “Your staff magical?”

  “Yes, but its effects will not assist in our battle.”

  “That’s fiher way. My bde is magical, pretty good ooo. I won’t use its effects though.”

  “Thank you.”

  The pair faced off against one another, with bets all around. Without missing a beat, the trio bet fifty gold ea Kitool. With how swiftly they made their bets, the roup of freed to their bets, with a pair going half with one another.

  As Kitool charged forward and struce, Kim’s Fate was sealed.

  “Thus begins the terror known as Kitool,” Adam whispered, as Kitool battered Kim without giving him a ce to fight back. The others watched in horror as their leader was beaten so brutally, before the young ulled back, and the leader, frozen in pce, fell to the earth, slumped.

  Victory!XP Gained: +400XP: 18 400 -> 18 800

  The four stared at the group, and Adam he shock within their eyes, and the group brag themselves.

  “I’ll go heal him,” Adam said, sloroag Kim.

  Lay on Hands: 45 -> 44

  “We should have sent Jaygak to fight you, siool is the scariest,” Adam admitted.

  Ohe group sigheir tract, with Adam writing in the cuse that though they might go in to fight the bosses first, they will hand over a tenth of their loot to the party anyway, they slept in for the night.

  The day they cleared the first few floors with ease, and they spent some time getting to know one another, before they tinued on the day after, getting to the small boss pretty quickly ter.

  “It’s just one blue dragon?” Adam asked.

  “A drake,” Jurot said. “It is not as intelligent.”

  Dexterity SaveD20 + 1 = 2 (1) Health: 126 -> 78

  They make their way through and hand over most of the loot they find. The group is happy they have help heading into the mini boss fight.

  Kim blinked as they stepped out of the room a moment ter, letting them enter.

  “We haven’t touched the loot,” Adam said, and sidering they had gone in, and then had opehe door less than a mier, Kim believed the half elf.

  XP: 20 400

  ‘Damn,’ Adam thought, having mao gain more XP thaarted with even after his Level Up.

  “We would like the sword,” Jaygak said. “We will hand you over all the ptinum, silver, copper, and ten gems.”

  Kim raised his brows at the offer. “We don’t even know if it’s magical.”

  Jurot shrugged. “I would like it for my brother.”

  “You’re overpaying us.”

  “We will sider that a yes,” Jaygak said, reag out her hand.

  “Does your leader think so?”

  “Eh,” Adam replied. “I’m not their leader. If Jaygak makes the offer, it’s good enough for me.”

  Kim slowly nodded his head, shaking Jaygak’s forearm. He wondered why Adam was the only ohat wasn’t tattooed, but hearing Jurot say they were brothers, he left it there. He noted just how much they each trusted one ao the point they didn’t even bother cheg the loot, splitting it out in a few moments, with oaking all the gold within their ring, the others not even aowledging it.

  ‘Who are they?’

  “I know we said you could have the gems, but would you mind taking the gold for them instead? I’d like the gems,” Adam offered.

  “Ah,” Jaygak said. “Right, I should have remembered.”

  Adam winked, fshing a smile. “If you don’t mind.”

  “We don’t,” Kim replied, noting the look from one of his own, but he shook his head at them. “Why are you so ied in gems?”

  “My twins, they love gems, and so do my eldest triplets.”

  “You have children?” Kim asked.

  “Yeah,” Adam replied, smiling, but saying no more.

  Thus, Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool, eaderstood just how lost Adam felt.

  Blue Drake Sword (+2)Deals 1D6 sshing + 1D6 lightningOnce per day, increase the damage to 2D6 sshing + 2D6 lightning for one minute. Recharges at dawn.

  “Nice,” Adam said, before letting Jaygak cim it.

  Kim stared at the tower, still not used to it. Right now, the group had spent most of their power, after fag the small boss, and after spending so much magi Identifying and f this tower. Yet, they seemed mostly at ease around Kim and the others, though irely letting down their guard.

  As they tihey approached the boss door of the fortieth floor.

  “Damn it!” Kim frowned. “I thought this was going to happen, but I didn’t realise it was going to…”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s two drakes.”

  “Two drakes?”

  “Probably bigger drakes too…” Kim scratched his beard. “It’s going to be hard.”

  “Do we know which kind ons?” Adam asked.

  “White,” Kim said, motioning to the symbol, though Adam wasn’t sure what to look at specifically, so just let it go. “I brought a couple of Potions of Frost Resistance, but we’ll probably o use the others too.”

  “Hootions do you have?”

  “Ten.”

  “Mind if we borrow three? We’ll pay you back by killing them quickly.”

  “Better to use it than for us to die because you all got yourselves killed.” Kim handed over three, with Adam, Kitool, and Jaygak taking them from him. “You want ooo?”

  “I do not ,” Jurot replied, his arms crossed, the Iyrman closing his eyes.

  ‘What?’ Kim thought.

  Meanwhile, Jurot could feel Adam’s gaze upon the back of his head, while the pair shared the same thought.

  ‘How cool!’

  “We should split roups slightly,” Adam said. ‘I’d like to fight one myself, but I don’t want to ce it.’ “Kim, mind if I join you?”

  “No?”

  “Would you send two of yours to help ours?”

  “Two?”

  “You send o’s just, Jaygak doesn’t really like the cold,” Adam half joked.

  Jaygak grumbled quietly, saying nothing in particur, but they all uood she didn’t want to admit that Adam was right.

  “Sure…”

  Adam checked his Omens, just in case.

  Omen: 8, 16

  ‘Not bad.’

  The doors opened up to reveal the white room of snow and frost within, with icy pilrs everywhere, while the two shadows stalked through the mist.

  “We should hide behind the pilrs, and ohey step forward, we ehem,” Kim whispered, leading his group forward, Adam following behind.

  “That’s a good idea,” Adam whispered back, fnked by two others.

  Jurot stalked within the snow, feeling the chill of the air against him. They didn’t have the right clothing for this area, feeling the chill already invading them, but as long as they didn’t spend more than a few mihey would be fine.

  ‘Are they already fighting?’ Kim thought, filling with shock as he peeked to the side, seeing the blurry forms of the three as they rushed to one of the drakes, which roared, and bsted snow and ice at them. ‘What are they doing?’

  “It’s too damn cold!” came a shout from nearby, the chatterih only silenced by a roar, and a bst of cold air and snow.

  Battle OrderD20 + 1 = 16 (15)

  stitution SaveD20 + 8 = 9 (1)Omen: 8, 16 -> 816 + 8 = 24Success!

  Health: 126 -> 110

  Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2Health: 110 -> 115

  Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage)D20 + 11 = 17 (6)D20 + 11 = 30 (19)Critical hit!Mana: 34 -> 30Ability: Divine Smite4D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 60 (13)(38)60 damage!

  Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage)D20 + 11 = 26 (15)D20 + 11 = 31 (20)Critical hit!Mana: 30 -> 264D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 72 (19)(44)72 damage!

  Onward Soar: 2 -> 1

  Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage)D20 + 11 = 26 (10)D20 + 11 = 31 (15)Hit!Mana: 26 -> 252D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 14 (3)(2)14 damage!

  Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage)D20 + 11 = 17 (6)D20 + 11 = 20 (9)Hit!Mana: 25 -> 242D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 26 (10)(7)26 damage!

  Victory!XP Gained: +700XP: 21 000 -> 21 700

  ‘What?’ Kim thought, staring at the half elf. He had gone on ahead, without the rest of them, and within the span of moments, while Kim and his panions were readying themselves to assist, the white drake fell to the earth, still. ‘What?’

  “Alright,” Adam said, wiping the frost of himself. “Let’s split the loot real quid make our way. You have all the copper for free, but let’s split everything else half and half.”

  “Okay,” Kim said, noting that his panions had barely attacked the dragons from either group. ‘Who are these kids?’

  “Jaygak,” Jurot called, allowio check the gems, while Kitool unfolded a handkerchief, that tio unfold until it covered the floor like a b. She stared at it for a moment, before pg a atop it, which sunk into the bess, disappearing.

  “Is that a…”

  “Mobile Sheet,” Kitool firmed.

  ‘Oh. Is it the same thing?’ Adam thought. “The swords they left behind are beautiful.” The pair were white, and were identical, save the designed were slightly mirrored. Both were katanas, white as snow.

  “We will give you all the and gems, we would like the items,” Jaygak offered.

  “Do you want some of the gems too?”

  “We will offer you two of ical greataxes for the gems.”

  Kim go his allies, and they nodded, allowing them to take the items and the gems, while leaving them the gold.

  Adam leaned in to whisper into Jurot’s ear. “Let’s give them the Cloak of Bravery and the Boaff, and the other spell scrolls we had.”

  “Okay.”

  “What about the drake scales?” Gin asked.

  “We’ll split them half and half like we did with the blue drake.”

  Sihey had sin the white drakes, the snow was not quite so fierce, the chill kept at bay.

  Thus, upoering the forty first floor, and to the rge fields full of hope, the entire area more like a series of vilges than a rge town, the group took in a breath of fresh air of crisp air.

  The A Rank adventurer, an old man who wore a rapier at his side, eyed them up. He had a long beard, covered in tattoos all across his hands, snaking into his shirt, where the rest of his tattoos remained hidden.

  “You want to rank up, but you do not?” Sir Radun asked, gng between the youngsters and the middle aged adventurers.

  “We’re not ready yet,” Kim admitted.

  “Even though you’d made it to the fortieth floors for the first time?”

  “The youngsters did most of the work.”

  Sir Radun looked towards Jurot and the others, with Adam smiling ily towards the old man. “Alright.”

  Whatever it was that had happened, Sir Radun didn’t get paid enough to deal with it. Even when he found out that the group had bee A Rank adventurers withiter of months.

  Adam he amount of silver used within the pque. Adam looked towards the open sky, almost purple from the evening. ‘Hmm.’

  “Now we travel more freely,” Jurot said. “It is the start of noonval, and lenty of time to do as we please.”

  “Alright. Let’s stick around, trade some items, and make out way out.”

  “Okay.”

  Somehow, their fortunes picked up further, for they were able to find a great many number of magical items that suited their partieeds, from the bzing sword that Adam found cool, to the gaus which set one’s Strength to 16.

  Adam held onto the gaus, a small smile upon his face. It had been easy, too easy, to gather these gaus, but he uood why they were not wanted by the adventurers. Adam pressed his forehead against the gaus, thinking of the child’s smile.

  ‘Yeah. It’s all worth it.’

  Jurot thought of his brother’s smile upon them colleg those gaus. He had guesses as to why Adam smiled so much at the thought, and he was certain they were all correct.

  ‘Cousin Jurot!’ Nirot had cried back then, ing her arms around Jurot, tears p down her cheeks.

  ‘Cousin Nirot, what is wrong?’

  ‘Huu! Mother! Mother is to?’

  ‘Good.’

  ‘How! How I be stronger if mother is to?’

  ‘You will grow strong.’ Jurot ruffled her hair. ‘You are o, but one day… you will grow strong too.’

  ‘It is mloves!’

  ‘What?’

  ‘They are to!’

  ‘They are not gaus.’

  ‘They are not?’

  ‘No.’

  Nirot eyed Jurot up incredulously, but her tears stopped flowing as she fell into thought. ‘Mother is strong because she is strong?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Why is father so weak if mother is s?’

  ‘He has not fought in so long.’

  ‘I will fight. I will find them, the gaus, and I will fight mother.’

  Jurot recalled it was one of the st times she had cried while wanting to hug him. Is that what it meant to grow up? To st and to stop hugging? To ehe world so that you could find gauo gift to a child, who knew not the worth of the gaus, for they were surrounded by insah, a, doing so anyway?

  Jurot thought of his father. There oint in time Jurot had thought about gaining such gaus, for he wao help his father.

  Kitool y in her bed. She stared at the ceiling. ‘There is such little loot for me to gift.’

  Don't worry, Kitool.

  Adam casually soloing a drake because there's no Iyr in this world. You love to see it!