The party prepared themselves in their hearts as Silver Bde pushed open the first door. Immediately a terrifyi weled them as bck fmes daowards the ceiling.

  Cye gulped, speaking carefully:

  “Why don’t we try the other door?”

  “It’s pretty much the same.”

  Hearing Liam’s words, the party khey had no other choice. They preemptively turned dowions for pain simution as they waited for Silver Bde to take the lead.

  The young woman observed carefully. Through the bck fme, vents could vaguely be seen on the floor along the entire hallway.

  A few seds ter the fire in front of the party gradually died down, allowing them a clearer view.

  The hallway’s floor was separated into squares, alternatiween fire-spewis and stone fl.

  Silver Bde quickly waved her hand.

  “Go, go, go! Hurry up!”

  Everyourally uood, dashing across the vent before another burst of fmes could buro a crisp.

  But as soon as they reached the supposedly safe stone floor, the fire on both sides suddenly burned fiercely. Their path was cut off.

  “What is happening?”

  Suddenly holes opened in the ceiling.

  “Oh no, it’s a trap.”

  Silver Bde’s face turned grim as piles of bones dropped down, crashing onto the floor.

  It only took a moment for these boo begin moving, reassembling themselves and f skeleton soldiers.

  “So many!”

  The group was chaotic. Before they could get into formation, the skeleton soldiers already started attag.

  Balm anig, standing at the edge of the group. Two rusty swords aimed for her neck. She hastily turned away, but it wasn’t enough.

  [-198!]

  “Damn! Protect our healer!”

  Silver Bde noticed the predit as Balm was only a sirike from dying. She tried to push through the skeletons, even ign their attacks.

  But suddenly a spear tip enrged in front of her face. Silver Bde reacted instinctively, raising her shield.

  [Stance -14]

  “Ae! Careful!”

  Balm didn’t know how to get out of the situation, hastily casting a [Push].

  The skeletons around her were shoved away, one of them nding in the fmes, taking a lot of damage.

  But the others collided with their brethren, making the space even more cramped, their movements stopping briefly.

  Liam wasn’t sure if there was still a way to salvage the situatioacked left and right, but the oppos were too numerous.

  A sed ter a notification pooped up in the party chat.

  [Pyer Balm has died!]

  The party members took a hit to their motivation. They tried to hold on for a while, but eventually they were met with their first wipe.

  A few moments ter they revived at the beginning of the dungeon.

  Balm sat on the ground, back against the wall, her face looking disheartened.

  Cye sighed as she patted her friend’s shoulder.

  “Suys. I let you down.”

  The young ologized sadly. But Silver Bde shook her head. She looked unhappy as well, stating solemnly:

  “Don’t say this. It was my mistake. I led all of you into a trap.”

  “Don’t bme yourself young dy!”, said Watchful Eye.

  Fortune looked left and right, enting in a narrator’s voice:

  “Our heart fell victim to the fmes. the party recover from such a setback? Find out in the video!”

  Quickstep shoved her friend’s shoulder, clearly showing her disapproval. She khat this was one of the reasons why Fortune and other tent creators weren’t well received among pros.

  Liam watched his party members, surprised that a siderable number of them were sulking.

  Silent Acacia felt simir to Bleary Mirage, addressing the group nontly:

  “Guys, what’s with your faces? You didn’t really expect we would succeed at first try?”

  “Well…”, Cye smiled sheepishly.

  “Don’t kid yourself. Dungeons aren’t meant to be easy. We o learn their ws through trial and order.

  Do you know the record for the fastest clear of petitive dungeons in RR?”

  “Pray tell.”

  “It’s seven wipes. Me and Quickstep were part of the team, surrounded by seasoned veterans. Yet it still took us seven attempts.

  And the lo we ever struggled was 241 attempts! It took us months!”

  “So, don’t give up this easily. That’s not how the game is meant to be pyed.”

  “Acacia is right.”, agreed Quickstep with her boyfriend.

  The others mulled over those words. It took a few minutes, but they gradually mao recover their spirits.

  “My friends, we ’t falter like this! Let us prove our ce, advah brain and brawn, and quer this dungeon!”

  Silver Bde chuckled from Radiant Shield’s little speech:

  “Acacia and Radiant are right. Our expectatiooo lofty. Let’s tinue oep at a time.”

  Liam watched as the others heir heads, gradually getting up again. He didn’t expect them to his much time though. It ultimately goes to show the differeween pros and casual gamers.

  However, failures abacks weren’t necessarily a bad thing. They served to temper the team and offered opportuo learn. One just had to grasp them.

  Silver Bde obviously was of the same opinion as she raised her attentiveness as a leader, keeping a keen eye on the formation, allowing the party to make it through the dungeon swiftly.

  With knowledge of what to expect the party domihe fight i.

  Cye was disgruntled because of the poor loot from the elites. Liam’s expnation that dungeon monsters offered the best loot after their first defeat, didn’t help to cheer the , rather the trary.

  Still, when the party faced the wall of fmes for a sed time, even Cye focused her mind.

  Silver Bde stared at their pce of defeat, speaking to the party:

  “Let’s not make the same mistake again. We need a solid formation and stick to it. Warriors, let’s form a circle.

  The others will be protected in the middle. When those skeletons drop, focus on the circle’s inside.

  Balm, you will have to trate on healing.

  Uood?”

  “Got it.”

  “Yes, young dy.”

  “A tempt. Will Silver Bde lead the party to success this time? Are we destio take the first clear? Only time will tell!”

  Liam g Fortuhere wasn’t much to say. He could only praise her dedication.

  The party followed Silver Bde, staring ily at the wall of fmes. A few moments ter it died down.

  “Now!”

  Everyone moved orderly, adjusting their movement speed to the sles. They safely reached the other side.

  Instantly the fmes revived with a hiss, closing the escape route. The ceiling opened and the fight began.

  Three oppos nded within the formation. They were barely able to stand up before dozens of attacks focused on them.

  One skeleton fell immediately.

  “tinue!”

  Cye swung her wand, while watg the warriors proteg them. Suddenly her eyes nearly popped out.

  She observed as two swords aimed for Liam’s back. But the expert only swayed and with a smooth step he evaded both attacks.

  Quickstep did something simir, but she still had to look over her shoulder.

  Meanwhile, Silver Bde and Radiant Shield didn’t bother with dodging, letting the skeletons csh with their sturdy armors.

  [-110!]

  [-54!]

  The differeween a physical and magical tank began to show itself. Balm focused on the health of her teammates, ready to heal Silver Bde at any moment.

  However, the situation ged quickly.

  The elite skeleton guard had arrived, its spear aiming for Watchful Eye. The tall man was forced to dodge to the side. He didn’t sider it a big deal, his face remaining calm.

  But just as he was about to close the gap again, dark energy enveloped the skeleton guard.

  The party was caught off guard as the elite used its skill right at the start of the battle.

  “Che, che, che.”

  With an eerie cackle the skeleton guard suddenly began swinging its spear widely, affeg a rge area.

  Watchful Eye gritted his teeth, raising his sword to defend.

  “Careful!”

  Liam saw what was happening, issuing a warning. But it was too te. The skeleton’s skill hit. A pulse ran along the spear, erupting against Watchful Eye’s on and pushing him away.

  Caught off guard, the man lost his baumbling into the fire.

  Fmes tched onto his armor. Although they didn’t hurt, the fierce heat still made Watchful Eye sweat, as burn damage began to stack.

  Fortunately, Watchful Eye oered the fmes briefly, getting bato the stone. But the damage still tio tick.

  [-60!]

  [-60!]

  [-60!]

  Silver Bde noticed what happened, hastily reminding her bodyguard.

  “Use Tacaria!”

  Watchful Eye reacted instinctively, grabbing two herbs from his iory and shoving it into his mouth.

  The burn was ed, but his HP had dropped siderably.

  Meanwhile the elite skeleton didn’t stop its rampage.

  With Watchful Eye out of the way its sight was set on the frail mages.

  A spear swiped through the air.

  “Oh no, you don’t!”

  Silver Bde shouted angrily as she used [Brutal Strike]. The stun triggered, finally interrupting the skeleton’s skill.

  The oppos within the formation fell at the same time.

  “Keep it up! We got this!”