Chapter 30: Dungeon (4)
Blake materialized in a white forest strikingly similar to the one he had conquered in his tutorial zone. Surrounded by an expanse of snowy terrain, he stood motionless, gazing at the five players lined up across from him—all of whom were staring back. Their wide eyes and parted lips looked almost comedic.
Five minutes passed, snow piling onto everyone except Blake, yet nobody spoke a word.
Finally, a man in the middle broke the silence, awkwardly extending his hand toward Blake. "Uh, you're a player, right? No way we got an NPC as a teammate… we can't be that weak…"
His armor, covering him from head to toe, made Blake stand out even more among the usual crowd of new players. With Sol perched on his head, he looked like an utterly unique player.
In contrast, the five teammates before him seemed more or less typical. They wore leather armor with fur linings for cold resistance—unremarkable at first glance.
Standing next to the man who had spoken was another wearing heavier iron gear, marking him as the tank of the group. On the opposite flank stood a man in blue robes holding a wooden wand, though he also wore a fur-lined leather vest for warmth. Next to the robed man was a girl in a white dress, while on the far side was another girl in full leather armor with a battle ax strapped to her back.
They seemed like friends or classmates who had decided to play together.
"I'm a player," Blake replied.
"I see! Then again, having an NPC teammate might not have been so bad, but I'm relieved you're a player! I'm Silver Dash," the middle man said, introducing himself and his class. "I'm a swordsman! We're a party of five who studied this dungeon online. How about you?"
"Same," Blake answered with a nod.
"Great! But before we go any further, I have a request…" Silver Dash trailed off, lowering his gaze as though embarrassed.
Blake tilted his head, caught off guard.
After a brief pause, Silver Dash pressed his palms together and met Blake's eyes. "I have a sick mother!"
'Huh?' Blake thought.
"I'm in this game to find a legendary item I can sell for enough money to pay for her operation!" Silver Dash explained, his friends nodding vigorously in agreement. They insisted it was the truth—he desperately needed the money.
"If we find any valuable loot, could you please let me have it?" Silver Dash asked, his face looking almost angelic as his companions backed him up, each affirming their commitment to helping him.
Blake could sense they were sincere. He saw no deception in them, and they clearly wanted to support their friend as much as possible.
Silver Dash continued. "I swear I'll repay you in the future!"
"…we'll see," Blake replied.
Although he felt a pang of envy at their camaraderie, he wasn't about to hand over precious items for free. He hadn't spent a miserable year in a low-paying job just to be everyone's savior. Still, he'd resolved to be a better person, so maybe this was his first real test?
Oblivious to Blake's internal struggle, Silver Dash smiled and thanked him for even considering it. He seemed content that Blake would think it over. Besides, it wasn't guaranteed they'd find anything legendary or epic in this dungeon anyway.
Having researched the dungeon online, the party moved forward like a well-organized platoon. Their tank led from the front, the healer and mage stayed in the center, while Silver Dash and the woman with a battle ax trailed behind them. Blake followed on the flank.
He ended up near the girl who peppered him with questions about his armor and Sol. She was keen to know how he had acquired the elemental and how he could possibly access the market from the tutorial zone, since forging such armor at a low level sounded impossible.
Her interrogation ceased when the first wave of enemies appeared.
"Ice Zombies are here!" the tank shouted.
A group of six ice zombies erupted from the snow in a crude, explosive manner—utterly unlike Beatrix's graceful emergence from Blake's shadow—then lunged at the party.
Three zombies fixated on the tank after he used his taunt skill, his shield releasing a bestial howl that held them in range. The other three attacked Blake, Silver Dash, and the berserker.
Blake gripped his katana in one hand, holding it at his right side in a stance he rarely displayed, even in his prime.