บท 38: Chapter 38: One can't evade the Inevitable.

Days passed and the Clearing Team had pushed through more levels to reach the twenty-seventh floor. The major Guilds were already up and running, which meant good business for Frost and Dragon. They took on hunting and crafting missions from players and NPCs and had a stellar track record.

But very few people had contact with them, namely, some famous information brokers who did not dare divulge any information regarding them carelessly and the Guild Leaders who were the Main Customers.

A few idiots tried to PK them but were looted instead and then hung on the teleportation square with 'dolt' and dickhead' written on their faces with markers. Since the idiots were red players, they dropped each and every item when faced with Dragon who was 'the best rogue' in the game.

Everyone knew that if they wanted something to be found, look for Dragon and if something was to be made or repaired, look for Frost, and yes, only if you have enough cash in your pockets. They do jobs at a 20% discount for anyone on the Raiding Party, and that was it, otherwise, they were known as the black-bellied duo or in short the Black Duo, also for their dressing styles.

One fine evening, they teleported down to the lower floors to have a break from the front line fighting and all. They walked into a famous tavern on the 11th Floor, Taft, and they saw Players and NPCs eating, drinking, and enjoying themselves.

A look around the room made them find an acquaintance from the Raiding Party, it was none other than the Black Swordsman Kirito, the only one who dares to go solo in the Front Lines, this got him a fair share of fame as well.

Almost everyone was looking at the two who walked in, they were whispering among themselves until some genius spoke out, "you are Frost and Dragon. The legendary Black Duo?"

"Yes, but we won't take any jobs right now. We are on a vacation right now, maybe till tomorrow morning. So, just do your own thing and don't mind us at the corner." Dragon spoke and walked to the corner table where Frost was already saving him a seat.

"Get your sword to me by tomorrow morning, it needs repair. Same place, same price unless you get me something interesting." Frost spoke in his cold voice while his ice-blue eyes looked right at the person he was speaking to.

This caused another round of whispering since it was rare for them to take jobs from normal players, so the speculation was that there was someone they knew in the tavern. While they were busy looking around, Dragon and Frost ordered some ale and meat to enjoy in the corner.

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A few days later, Floor 28, Wolf Plains.

Furikazan was grinding the Jungle Boss while our boys walked on them. "Klein, come and get your package." Dragon hollered from a bit further from where the fight was going on.

Klein and the guys saw them standing there under the moonlight, with their get-ups, they looked no different from the PK Guild Members. Finished dealing with the Field Boss, Klein handed the fries to his friends and walked over to the duo waiting for him.

"That was quite fast, didn't you guys take a vacation or something?" Klein asked.

"Yes we did, but now we are here with your commissioned blade, do you have the money?" Frost asked.

"Sigh, why can't you be a little more civil and decide to do a little service for your friends?"Kein sighed handing the pouch of coins over.

"That's that and this is this. We need a lot to grind our levels and we don't have funding like the KoB< Knights of Blood> does. You should know how hard it gets to max out sub-professions, right?" Dragon said with a smile.

"That's true I guess..." sighed the deflated Klein.

"Kirito, why are you away from your girlfriend on a cold night like this?" Dragon teased with a mischievous tone of voice.

"Still sharp as ever, I'm here for the blade I gave to repair." Kirito came down to business, ignoring the teasing remark of Dragon, since this person had this unexpected mischievous side to him in private.

"Hmm, shy now are?" Dragon teased again while Frost was handing the sword over.

"Hey? When did you join a guild? and what girlfriend is he talking about?" asked the outraged Klein.

"Well, he joined a group of amateurs and is currently training them, and the reason behind this is a girl who looks a little timid but definitely a nice person." Dragon explained.

"Hah? You traitor! You ditched your bro for a hoe... Frost, charge him triple, we single folk should be united." Klein shouted with his finger pointed at Kirito.

"He has a point, anything in your defense?" Frost asked.

"First, she is not my girlfriend, and second, I just joined them on a whim. I will be back to the front lines in a few days." Kirito answered.

"Hmm, I trust you. No double charges for you." Frost gave the verdict in his same cold voice, but it lacked the aloofness in it.

"See, this is how a bro should be, take a page from his book you two..." Kirito waved as he left towards the town.

Despite knowing the fate that awaits him, they had no real way to change the plot without drastic measures. So, they planned a real excuse to walk in on them and get into that trap room before Kirito and his party does and prevent the damn tragedy from ever happening.

The next day Frost and Dragon started walking around the Dungeon on the 27th floor, looking for that Trap Room and suddenly they saw a glare of red and an alarm blaring, they rushed inside and saw Kirito and his party inside the room as the door closed behind them.

"Damn it! this is a trap room, told you we should not jump inside without looking!" Frost complained with mock anger.

"You were the one who was looking for that material and the broker said that it was in a hidden room. So, here we are.." Dragon explained as a gate opened and the monsters walked in while other monsters appeared.

"Oh, Kirito, what are you doing here in a place like this? Is this a date with those three as spectators? NYUHUHUHU~ Tell me, Don't be shy." Dragon still teased in his light-hearted voice.

"You bastard, you still have time to tease me when we are surrounded by monsters in a trap room, everyone use your teleportation crystals," Kirito shouted in desperation.

"Shit, they are not working!" screamed the brown-haired boy.

"Don't sweat the small stuff, Kirito, make a triangle formation with them in the middle. We can easily deal with them, but the ore that we get belongs to Frost, deal?" Dragon continued as they drew their weapons.

"Keep everything, just make sure everyone gets out alive," Kirito shouted with a desperate voice.

"Calm down Kirito, we take this nice and slow, we are above fifty and I guess you are somewhere around forty, right? We can handle this with no worries, just don't lose your composure." Dragon reminded, which seemed to visibly calm Kirito.

The trio then proceeded to slaughter the monsters left and right, Frost was not using his polearm, he switched it with the Kusarigama and started killing the monsters like reaping wheat. The time when the sickle is the most effective is when the place is crowded with hostiles.

After a few minutes of culling the monsters thinned and finally, the horde came to an end. Three panels prompted before them, congratulating them with the reward. Frost was checking the drops since the excuse they had made for being there was legit.

The hidden room was called the Miner's Den and it was the only known place where those ingots are found. "Sheesh, that was quite the chore, did you get the materials?" Dragon asked.

"I did, but what were you thinking when you decided to enter a room like this with noobs? This isn't like you Kirito." Frost spoke, looking at the panting and yet relieved countenance of Kirito.

"This was an accident, but I guess I should come clean and return to the front lines." Kirito nodded as he sent the materials that he got to Frost.

"If you break that sword, look for me, I will make you a better one with the materials, no charge," Frost spoke without the coldness in his voice.

"Come on guys, let's get out." Dragon spoke and lead the way while Kirito walked beside him and Frost walked behind while covering for the noobies.

They walked out and out of nowhere, a pitfall opened beneath their feet. Kirito and Dragon managed to jump towards safety but the others were not so fortunate. Frost took out his kusarigama and lodged them in the wall of the pitfall.

There was no time to think, much less act. They barely managed to save themselves with their instincts. But for the rest, the fall had metal spikes inside that took the lives of the unfortunate fellows from the moonlit cats.

Kirito and Dragon rushed to the pit and saw Frost barely hanging on the wall with his kusarigama, as the pit was slowly closing, they quickly dropped a rope to drag him up before the pit closed.

"Sorry, I could not save them." Frost bowed.

Kirito who was looking downcast managed a bleak smile and spoke, "it's not your fault, even you barely managed to survive with us pulling you out. It's just that it is so cruel..."

"Maybe, this was inevitable, maybe we were weak, but there is one thing certain, we need to grow stronger and end this game before any more people die like this." Dragon spoke as he dragged Kirito up to his feet.

"I heard that there would be a monster on Christmas, that will drop a revival item, let's check that out. I think that it's somewhere on the 43rd Floor, let me call the broker to get a fixed lead. Maybe we can get them back. Let's get back to the Frontlines, we need to clear the floors faster." Frost answered.

"Let's do that, and you can join us in the raids, that's the least we can do..." Dragon offered.