Book 2: Chapter 52 (Patreon)

Twenty hours later, Orrin stood staring at his status in disbelief.

Orrin

Utility Warder Level 17 (5,286/8,000)

AP: 39

HP: 120/120

MP: 380/380

Strength: 9

Con: 12

Dex:11

Will: 28

Intelligence: 11

“Once you have recovered sufficiently, we will go to the next floor. The floor boss is much stronger than any of you, so please continue to only hit it from a range.” Arandir was sitting cross-legged on a small pillow he’d brought for the express purpose of resting between floors. They were in the in-between room after the nineteenth floor of the elven training dungeon: Falling Leaves.

Leanthun and Arandir had cajoled Daniel into joining together in a group and teleported the small entourage to a nondescript part of the eastern forest edge. The two elves took turns defeating floor by floor of the dungeon, aptly named Falling Leaves.

Orrin, Madi, and Daniel were sent into each room ahead of the two elves. As soon as they did any damage to a monster, Leanthun would cut the beast down or Arandir would make the creature simply explode with his magic. According to Leanthun, they were receiving a quarter of the experience they would receive doing the dungeon on their own. The first ten floors had given the three of them half a level of experience. Not much but still a nice boost on the way to completing their Reach Level Twenty Quest.

Floor eleven had been a puzzle room, with nothing to defeat. It was floor twelve where Orrin learned how much harder the second deca-set made a dungeon. There was a reason they’d only been allowed to go after a tier one dungeon before.

The monsters in Falling Leaves used mostly earth and life magic. Earth magic wasn’t anything too new but the life magic had some interesting quirks. Each monster they encountered had more health and could cause conditions with their attacks. It reminded Orrin of the aftereffects of using his [Utility Ward] on too high a level.

The trio hadn’t been in a single prolonged fight since they entered, with the two elves doing massive damage to anything nearby. Leanthun had even brought a plain bow for each of them in case they had no long-range spells or attacks. Daniel had played around with it for a while but still preferred to rush in with Gertrude. The first ten floors had contained nothing the three of them wouldn’t have been able to take down together and that included the defensive and very tanky tree that was the tenth-floor boss.

Yes, they had to cut down a tree to pass the tenth floor. It was the most ridiculous boss that Orrin had ever seen.

The twelfth floor spread out in front of them, looking almost the same as many floors before. A small forest that used some sort of spatial magic at the edges to make the entire room feel like it went on forever. In actuality, if one of the party members just walked in a straight line, they’d eventually run into the back of those who remained stationary. This floor looked no different.

Until the trees attacked.

The actual monsters were tiny deer no taller than Orrin’s knees but with serrated edges along their antlers.

As the beasts appeared, two swiftly became six, then dozens rushed into their line of sight. Daniel was grinning and laughing like an imbecile as he swept his sword back and forth, punting the small animals into the air.

Their life magic had two main properties. One, they could heal any damage made against them at an insanely high rate. Second, each attack the little beasts made had a chance to give them a condition that froze them in place. Orrin’s [Ward] seemed to block it on his friends but he had to keep it fully charged. The one time a deer hit Daniel with a completely empty [Ward], he froze in place for only two seconds but the number of attacks they got off on him kept Orrin healing for longer than he wanted to.

“From here until the end, attack the trees as well,” Leanthun said, standing behind Orrin who was spending his mana to keep his wards going on his friends. Daniel was back in the fray.

Orrin used his [Toxic Touch] on trees, while Madi and Daniel damaged the level twenty-two [Fear Fawns]. Leanthun finished each damaged fawn, while Arandir touched each tree behind Orrin. His poison hand melted the wood and whatever Arandir was doing left the stink of smoke drifting on the wind. Within minutes, the floor was deathly silent with the faint smell of burnt wood, each tree a dried husk.

They’d all received as much experience on that floor as the ten previous floors combined.

The next seven floors had seen good gains as well. Without Arandir casting spells that seemed to destroy things from within and Leanthun’s quick-moving attacks, Orrin would have turned back after the first fight. He’d ended up spending more time keeping his wards going on his friends in the last room than actually damaging things. Daniel’s gloating was proof.

“How are you only at seventeen? I hit that three floors ago.” Daniel bounced in place, ready to continue to run. “You’ve got to get in there more and attack. Could you imagine how much experience we’d get if we brought a regular group in?”

Orrin didn’t even try to explain why that would be a bad idea… again. Madi was sitting next to him, rolling her arm in circles. She’d taken a direct hit and been thrown to the side. While she hadn’t taken any direct damage, she had twinged her shoulder and was trying to work out the kink.

“It is time,” Arandir stood gracefully and handed his sitting pillow to Leanthun. The younger elf had a small backpack stuffed to the top with items, mostly for the elder. “Let us destroy this dungeon.”

Stepping through the last door, Orrin looked around. The trees still surrounded them but in the distance, a break in the tree line revealed a cave nestled against a hill. Orrin’s senses wouldn’t let him take his eyes off that location with a powerful aura emanating from it.

“Stay behind us,” Leanthun directed moving in front of the party. “We didn’t come this far just for one of you to die.”

Five minutes later, Daniel was rolling on the ground.

“A bunny. A cute, white, little bunny with pointy fangs and you made us sit back. I can’t believe it got an attack off on you, Leanthun. That was so much fun to watch.”

The elf glowered at Daniel until Arandir chuckled.

“It did get a solid blow on you, nephew.”

Experience Gained: 850   XP

The before-mentioned beast was dead and Orrin could feel the dungeon core present itself inside the small cave. A core in a cave in a dungeon. How original.

“Daniel, if you would not mind, I would like to attempt to absorb the core,” Arandir said, leaning on his staff. “If I cannot do so, I will call you in. Would that be acceptable?”

Daniel waved his hand. “While you try, the four of us can start cooking something. I’m starving.”

Orrin tried to catch Daniel’s eye but his friend was looking everywhere but at him. How am I supposed to absorb the core? Stop giving me useless tasks.

Arandir left, walking into the darkness of the cave.

Orrin pulled out some food and equipment, including a few chairs from the elven prison villa.

“These… look familiar.”

Orrin smiled innocently at Leanthun.

“Hey, O,” Daniel said nonchalantly. “Why don’t you go and check the perimeter for anything else?”

“We already killed the floor boss.”

“Yeah, but you never know what could happen in a dungeon. Just a quick check.”

“Daniel, did you hit your hea—”

“Orrin, I’ll come with you,” Madi said, standing up.

Orrin figured it out a second later and just shrugged.

“There is no need for that,” Leanthun started but Daniel pulled him into a conversation about his fighting techniques and the two were able to slip away.

“You almost blew it,” Madi ribbed him as they walked in the opposite direction of the cave. “How thick can you be?”

Orrin rolled his eyes. “I didn’t think he’d want me to go in while Arandir is trying to absorb the core.”

“That would be stupid. We’ll wait until he leaves and then have you go in. I’ll be your alibi after you sneak in and absorb it.”

“My alibi?”

Madi turned away. “You don’t think Leanthun really believes we’re checking the perimeter, do you?”

A beat later, Orrin blushed. “But… then they’ll both think.”

“We’ll get the points and keep your secret,” Madi stated. “That’s what’s important.”

Orrin wisely kept his mouth shut.

They walked a large circle and ended up to the northeast of the cave. Orrin pulled up his [Map] and waited. As soon as Arandir walked out in a huff, Orrin activated [Camouflage] and dashed inside.

The core hung in the air in the back of the dank cave. The dungeon had generated bones of multiple races that had fallen to the bunny and Orrin stepped carefully around them until he reached the dark orb.

Welcome Administrator

Would you like to absorb this core for twenty (20) Administrator Points?

Not yet.

Orrin waited until Daniel walked into the cave, with Arandir close behind.

“You didn’t even get the option?” Daniel’s voice echoed loudly in the cave. “I told you.”

“I am thankful you let me try first but as long as you can gain more Administrator Points, this will all have been worth it.”

Daniel stopped a few feet away from the core. “Stay back while I absorb the dungeon core. We might need to get out of here quick after.”

Arandir stood still, watching the [Hero] move the last few steps.

“I sure hope this works,” Daniel muttered to nobody in particular.

Orrin reached from the darkness, concealed with his [Camouflage] and triggered the core absorption.

The notifications came in fast.

Congratulations!   You have defeated the Falling Leaves!

You   have been rewarded two (2) Constitution points!

You have been awarded 20 Administrator Points.

Orrin sighed in relief and backed into the corner of the cave. I have thirty points now. I can create relics or pick a few of the cheaper skills outright.

He had talked with Madi and Daniel about the possible skills he could get as an Administrator. Daniel wanted him to unlock more Quests so they could power-level their way to the top. Madi had told him they could basically retire if he took Create Relic but was more interested in the Edit Stats skills. Of course, she wanted to ask Arandir more questions about those skills before he actually took one. Neither cared about Assign or Reset Class and the other skills were too vague to fully understand what they could do.

Orrin was more interested in Unlock Ability or Assign Class. He could fulfill Amir’s dream of becoming a [Healer] or just give him the spells he needed in the first place. He could give out the [Hero] class and let them deal with the impending Demon Lord attack. Instead of waiting for higher levels and more ability points, he could unlock any spell he wanted.

Arandir was pestering Daniel with questions as they headed out. They knew the dungeon was defeated, having received the constitution points. Orrin waited before sneaking out and joining Madi. They made their way south and approached the party from the opposite direction of the cave. Daniel was about to pull his hair out.

“Arandir, please stop. I’ve told you over and over I don’t know how it works, just that it does.”

The older elf frowned but didn’t push again.

Leanthun gave the slightest smile to Orrin as they rejoined the group and nodded his head in his direction.

Great, now he thinks something is going on between me and Madi. How many lies can I keep straight before I fuck one up?