The day quickly passed, and Ares and Fatty went home. Fatty had already booked two gaming pods as soon as the news came. One for himself and one for Ares. Ares could afford the pod himself with all the money he had been earning from the game.
After they reached home, they logged into the game. As soon as Ares logged in, he received a message from Frost. She told him to arrive at the Slumbering Forest of Frozen Citadel in three hours. He forwarded the same message to Fatty. Then, he opened up his interface and added Sejong as his friend. The friend request was accepted instantly, and he even received a message from Sejong asking, "Where are you right now?"
Ares replied, "I'm in Celestia City of Val'Shara Empire."
Sejong, who was hunting with his teammates, immediately stopped and bid goodbye to his friends. He made his way to the teleportation portal and directly teleported to Celestia City. The outer area of Celestia City was grand and majestic, and everyone was allowed to visit or stay there. However, the inner area of Celestia City had restrictions. Only those with permits, recognized by the royal family, or accompanied by someone with a permit could enter.
After reaching the city, Sejong asked Ares, "Where in Celestia City?"
Ares answered, "Near the imperial palace."
Sejong remained silent for a while and then replied embarrassedly, "I am not allowed to enter. Can you come to pick me up?"
Ares made his way to the outer area and stood by the gate of the inner area. Soon, he saw Park Sejong coming into view. Park Sejong's class was also a swordsman, and he was wearing purple-colored armor with a sword at his waist. He looked similar to his real form. Ares, too, had never customized his character, so he looked exactly like his real self. Mythology only allowed a limited customization of 5% to maintain real-time simulation.
Sejong followed Ares and entered the inner area of the city. He was surprised by what he saw. Afterwards, Ares asked if he wanted to visit the imperial palace, but Sejong refused, fearing it would be troublesome to explain and go through all the formalities. Instead, he closely observed the inner area near the imperial palace and found a suitable location. He asked Ares, "So, are you planning to establish a guild here? What's your noble rank?"
Ares replied, "Yes, right here. And my noble ranking is Duke."
Sejong was once again surprised. Duke was a very high ranking, and above Duke were Grand Duke, the King, Prime Minister, and the emperor himself. So, he asked, "Even if you are a Duke, you shouldn't be allowed to build a guild here."
Ares responded, "Oh, is that so? But when I asked Princess Vera, she said it's okay and to leave everything to her."
Sejong understood that Ares was on Princess Vera's good side, and that was why he was able to establish a guild in the inner city. It was something he had never heard of in his past life. Sejong fell into deep thoughts, contemplating the implications of this encounter.
Sejong understood that Ares was on Princess Vera's good side, and that was why he was able to establish a guild in the inner city. It was something he had never heard of in his past life. Sejong fell into deep thoughts, contemplating the implications of this encounter.
Sejong made up his mind to think about it afterward. This was a very strange anomaly for him, and he would make sure to keep up with the news regarding this guy. As he was about to leave, Ares asked him if he wanted to go to the dungeon with them. Park Sejong inquired which dungeon, and Ares checked the message and replied, "Frostbite Caverns."
Sejong immediately remembered the dungeon. It was indeed a hidden dungeon. He delved into his memories and recalled the strategies for the dungeon. He advised Ares, "Remember to take a fire-attribute weapon and bring an expert mage skilled in fire and water magic. Mix water with salt and make it hot and steaming to attack the frost-bitten monsters. This will cause extra damage and immobilize the creatures for a while. However, this won't be effective against the main boss. Also, bring fire locomotives to make the journey easier. If possible, obtain a solar radiation skill scroll to weaken the boss. When the boss's health reaches 10% and it goes berserk, make sure to be at least 100 meters away, as it will release an AOE skill that immobilizes all tanks, turning them into easy targets. To defeat the boss, you'll need attackers with fire and lightning affinities and rotate between fire, water, and lightning attacks. It has the greatest effect on the boss."
Ares looked at Sejong weirdly and asked, "Are you trying to scam me or something? Even though I'm a newbie, I know that undiscovered hidden dungeons mean they have never been cleared before, so how would you know the details of the dungeon?"
Park Sejong replied confidently, "Just trust me and listen well." He proceeded to describe all the levels, dungeon interiors, and the corresponding strategies for the entire dungeon.
Once Sejong finished narrating, he bid farewell and left. Ares headed to a nearby shop to buy all the required materials as informed by Sejong. Soon, he arrived at the Slumbering Forest of Frozen Citadel and saw Frost and her friends, who were also well prepared for the dungeon raid.
The team, consisting of Ares, Frost, Fatty, Noble Knight, Caffein Mage, Loot Goblin, Stealthy Slacker, Sword Fairy, and the mysterious newcomer Fiona, eagerly awaited Fatty's arrival. With two shield bearers, two swordsmen, one healer, two mages, and two assassins, they formed a formidable group. Ares requested to take the lead of the party, and Frost agreed. So, everyone acquiesced and followed his decision. However, when they noticed that Ares had selected the most challenging difficulty level, Hell, their expressions turned somber. Though there was no use in complaining at that point, they couldn't help but release a helpless sigh before venturing into the dungeon.
The initial level of the dungeon was known as "The Frostfall Path." It comprised a narrow trail that could accommodate a maximum of eight individuals at a time. The shield bearers positioned themselves at the forefront, followed by melee players at back, with mages and healers positioned in the middle. Meanwhile, the assassins took on the task of scouting the area ahead. The icy corridors and frozen platforms presented a daunting challenge.
So far, everything aligned with what Sejong had mentioned. The team encountered a group of ice imps and spiders, which they swiftly dealt with. Surprisingly, Ares didn't even have to attack. However, as they progressed, the number of spiders increased, and they found themselves surrounded from all sides. In a moment of disgust, the female members of the team unleashed their area-of-effect skills to swiftly burn through the spiders. Eventually, they reached the boss room, where they discovered numerous eggs laid by the Spider Queen alongside the imposing presence of the queen herself. Ares carefully inspected the boss and made the observation:
[Frost Spider Queen]
Level: 45
Rank: Diamond
HP: 5,000,000/5,000,000
Description:
The Frost Spider Queen, a formidable boss with a diamond rank, awaits challengers in her icy lair. She is a massive spider, with venomous fangs and a deadly bite. Her eight legs allow her to move swiftly and strike with precision. Her icy exoskeleton provides both defense and a chilling aura that can freeze her enemies in place.
The enormity of the boss's HP was discouraging, but Ares halted everyone's instinct to attack. He produced a large bucket, capable of holding 100 liters, and instructed the mage to fill it with water. Adding precise amounts of salt, he then directed the mage to boil the water. With determination, Ares ordered the team to attack using the boiled saltwater, despite the initial skepticism. To their astonishment, they received notifications:
[The spider queen is affected by the saltwater and burned. It will slow down the queen's movement and attack speed by 50% for 2 minutes.]
["The spider queen will lose 1,000 HP per second for 2 minutes."]
Inspired by this discovery, the team launched a fierce assault. The mages unleashed fire spells, Ares brandished his lightning sword, and the team's combined efforts rapidly depleted the boss's health. As it neared the 10% threshold, the boss unleashed a devastating skill, poised to turn the tide. In a split-second decision, Ares struck with impeccable timing, successfully breaking the skill cast and saving his teammates from impending doom.
With their momentary advantage, the assassins sprang into action, utilizing crowd control skills to immobilize the boss. Frost, harnessing her inferno skill, unleashed a torrent of fire, draining the boss's life force. Finally, the Frostbite Spider Queen succumbed to their onslaught, yielding a trove of bountiful loot. Among the spoils were the Ice Fang Leggings, the Frost Weaver's Shard, the Frostbite Fang (Dagger), and spider web silk.
The gold-rank leggings and shard were awarded to the mage, while the coveted diamond-rank Frostbite Fang dagger was contested by the assassins, ultimately won by Loot Goblin through a roll.