Bab 49: Skeleton dinner
Liam's party wasn't the only one moving through the dungeon. Naturally each group was within their own instance, not able to interact with each other.
But messages from outside could still reach them.
Fat Tiger stood stably, holding back monsters with a large shield when something popped up in front of him.
[Fighting Bear: Boss! We failed… others made it into the dungeon.]
[Fat Tiger: What? How? Did you mess up?]
[Fighting Bear: No! We perfectly adhered to the plan. But someone united the crowd, pushing us aside without attacking.]
[Fat Tiger: Who dared to do so?!]
[Fighting Bear: It was that streamer, Fortune.]
[Fat Tiger: Fortune? Why does she care for the dungeon?]
[Fighting Bear: She entered together with a party.]
[Fat Tiger: Really? Who is stupid enough to take a content creator in? Haven't all pros already banned her?]
[Fighting Bear: I was only able to check one name. A warrior called Bleary Mirage.]
Fat Tiger fell silent, veins popping on his forehead.
How could it be that guy again?
The chubby man looked towards the side, where his alley Glorious Sunshine wore a similar expression, also having received a report.
"Let's hurry up!"
"Yes!"
At the same time Liam's party moved with purpose, looting the zombies quickly. No copper was left behind.
At the end of the corridor was a spiraling staircase leading upwards. Silver Blade sent Silent Acacia to scout, carefully following behind.
The thief was highly vigilant, quick on his feet. His eyes scanned the wall, discovering quite a few traps. With dexterous hands he dismantled them, even picking up some poisonous arrows for himself.
But after a short while he returned to the group, reporting diligently:
"The path up ahead is blocked by a wall of black fire. I can't do anything."
"Then what should we do?"
"Before the blockade, a single door leads away. We might be able to find a lever or something similar."
"Good job. Let's go."
Silver Blade signaled the party to move on. Silent Acacia moved ahead again, using his [Stealth] to carefully open the door.
But he was stunned as he was met with complete darkness, nothing about the next room discernable.
He didn't dare to enter, waiting for the party to arrive.
Balm trembled faintly, subconsciously hiding behind Radiant Shield, speaking quietly:
"What is this? Why can't we see anything?"
Silver Blade frowned, gazing at Bleary Mirage, who nodded calmly.
"Let's just go in."
"Alright."
The party members braced themselves as they stepped into the darkness. They felt a wooden floor under their feet as they tried to discern anything about their surroundings.
"What might await us in this darkness? Will we come out alive? Will we be devoured?"
Fortune spoke a few ominous sentences, being the last to enter.
But as soon as she stepped in…
Boom!
Fortune flinched as the door closed behind her with a deafening sound.
But inwardly she grinned, knowing this was a great shot for her video.
"Ah! Guys are you still there?", asked Balm into the darkness.
"Get ready for a fight! Mages at the back!"
Liam spoke sternly. The others tried to orient themselves in the darkness, gathering in front of the door.
A moment later flames suddenly lit up in fire bowls at the side. They were black as the night, emitting an eerie coldness, their light barely enough to highlight bright surfaces.
The special atmosphere immediately directed one's attention to the white figures sitting around a table.
"Hehehe."
Eerie cackling echoed in the room as blue flames suddenly lit up within eye sockets, their shine outlining the skeleton heads around them.
"The undead are feasting here…", spoke Bloody Edge in a deep voice.
"Shut up! You're not making it better!", grumbled Cyclone.
"Careful guys! They are moving."
"Don't touch the black fire!"
Everyone kept Liam's warning in mind as they inspected the opponents.
[Skeleton soldier
Rank: Common
Level: 8
HP: 850/850]
[Skeleton archer
Rank: Common
Level: 8
HP: 660/660]
[Skeleton Guard
Rank: Elite
Level: 8
HP: 1600/1600]
"Two elites and ten common monsters. Stay alert."
"Let's focus the small mobs first!"
Orders were relayed as the group got ready for a fight.
[-86!]
A magical attack arrived immediately before the skeletons could even stand up. The archer stared at Cyclone as if blaming her for not playing by the rules.
"Hmm, my damage is not great. Seem like they have high magical defense."
"Let me try!", spoke Silent Acacia, sending out an arrow.
[-142!]
"Their bones are quite brittle!"
Liam nodded quietly as his party took his earlier words to heart, immediately gathering information.
"Gnaah!"
One of the skeleton soldiers let out a strange sound, as it stood up and angrily approached the group, a sword raised above its head.
Radiant Shield took the first blow.
[Stance -8]
"Eight points of stance, I should be able to block six attacks."
The fight began, with the party constantly talking. They designated a target, bringing it down in a short time before the two elites arrived.
Radiant Shield and Silver Blade took deep breaths, facing one elite each.
The skeleton guards were tall, with dominating, long spears.
[Stance -12]
"Twelve points. This won't be easy!"
"Quickly, kill the soldiers! Silent Acacia, Bloody Edge, can you take down the archers?"
"Of course."
"Easy."
There was little space to move in the dining room. Bloody Edge had to tread carefully, avoiding the black hellfire as he sneaked towards the archers.
Suddenly he lunged forwards, his dagger stabbing towards the opponent's knee.
[-136!]
The archer was already injured, now close to death. Silent Acacia quickly followed up with a [Flurry], sending it to the afterlife.
Cyclone watched from the back, Bloody Edge's actions giving her an idea. She slightly repositioned herself, aiming carefully, before casting [Push].
The skeleton soldiers were hit by her spell, tumbling backwards. Two of them came into contact with the fire bowls.
Instantly fierce flames climbed up their arms. The skeletons rattled their heads, shaking their arms as damage numbers plopped up above them.
[-30!]
[-30!]
[…]
"Good job Cy!"
"Hehe."
After a few seconds the skeletons got rid of the flames, having lost nearly half of their HP. But their ordeal wasn't over yet as it was now Balm's turn to do the same.
Only one skeleton was shoved into the fire this time. Not able to extinguish the fierce flames it was burned to ashes.
Meanwhile, the archers had already been dealt with, Bloody Edge now creeping up behind the elites.
"My stance has run out!"
Radiant Shield spoke calmly, but everyone concluded that they had to finish the fight soon.
Immediately after his announcement, a rusty blade cut at Radiant Shield's chest.
[-50!]
Radiant Shield looked at his HP, his face stern.
"I can endure 12 hits."
Balm nodded her head quickly, trying to keep up with the fight so she wouldn't miss any healing.
But a moment later, one of the elites moved swift like the wind, its spear stabbing at Radiant Shield.
[-96!]
"Damn. Forget what I said. A quarter of my HP are gone."
"Don't panic, guys. Use your combat instinct if necessary.", reminded Liam calmly.
He moved to the side, targeting two skeletons with his [Double Slash].
[-110!]
[-180!]
Liam sword directly severed the undead monsters' spines, both dropping to the ground, dead.
One by one the other soldiers fell as well, leaving only the elites behind.
Balm already had to use her first heal on Silver Blade, who was geared towards magical defense, with Radiant Shield following soon behind.
Cyclone was disappointed in her damage throughout the fight, using her skill on cooldown. A flash of bright light stroke one of the elites from above.
[-142!]
[-21!]
"Huh, what was that second damage?"
"Your holy strike's effect triggered and those skeletons are weak to holy damage."
"What? Really?"
Suddenly Cyclone's eyes lit up as she pulled out a small white sphere.
"Take this!"
The young woman smiled brightly as she threw it at the two elites.
Liam didn't react fast enough, staring in disbelief.
"A bomb with holy damage?! No! Don't waste it here!"
But it was already too late. The bomb shattered on the ground, emitting a bright light, burning the skeletons.
[-115!]
[-115!]
[-115!]
"Roaah!"
Even the skeleton guards let out pained groans as their HP kept dwindling.
"Hehe, take that!"
Cyclone smiled brightly, but Liam didn't find it funny.
"Why did you waste this here? We don't even know if we can clear the dungeon."
"Ah, don't worry I still have some left."
"What? How? Where did you get them?"
Possibilities played in Liam's mind, but none of those made sense at this point in the game.
"I fished them!"
Liam didn't know what to say, stunned by Cyclone's unbelievable luck.
"O… of course."
With Cyclone's bomb the elite skeletons were already not far from dying. With ten people attacking from all sides, they weren't able to hold on much longer, soon collapsing in a pile of bones.
As soon as the skeletons were gone, candles lit up in the room, driving away the cold, and creating a comfortable atmosphere.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone