...…..
After arriving at the second floor.
"Hey." Suddenly, Riyu spoke to him.
"Y-yes?" Cliff, slightly surprised and also intimidated, started to stutter.
"I noticed your throwing technique earlier. It's a good thing that it pierced through the slime, but it might not work next time." Without any sugarcoating, the rogue judges his skills.
Cliff immediately listens. He didn't mind the harshness of how he put it because the person talking about it is a person whose specialty are daggers and knives. A class that only veterans and hardcore players would choose. The advice is worth a dime for a [ Ranger ] like Cliff.
"Hold your knife on the blade next time, it'll do a half spin instead. What you did earlier is so easy to predict, that it won't work on enemies with intelligence. Especially humans." It sounds ominous, however, it is considered basic self-defense for those who became a [ Rogue ].
"Massive movements waste time and increase predictability, is that what you're saying?" Despite having no experience in knife-throwing, he was able to understand what he was saying. Is it because both of their classes are so similar? Their synergy is immaculate, even if it's just from a conversation.
The two members behind them were just watching their scouts talking and not doing anything to progress.
"Don't they look like father and son from this distance?" Enrid whispers to the mage, covering his mouth with his hand so that Riyu won't be able to read his lips.
"Are you two gonna just stay there and talk or are we going through the maze? Depending on what y'all choose, I will shove an icicle up your throats." She glared her eyes towards their direction, sending chills on both of their spines before looking forward. Cliff lifted the map while Riyu started cautiously walking while trembling.
"I think you overdid it."
"Did I~?" She closed her eyes and faced the warrior's direction. Tilting her head and inquiring if she overdid it or not.
Safe to say, the warrior did not say anything else after she asked that question.
A few minutes passed by and they were able to navigate through the maze without getting lost thanks to the map. However, combat has never stopped. The Dire Rats have gotten aggressive.
"Red-head! I think you killing their king made them volatile, I didn't know you were an assassin! You got one over Riyu now!" Enrid laughs as he charges towards a huge rodent.
The Warrior performed a downward strike to a large Dire Rat, effectively killing it by splitting its head into two, while the Rogue silently stabbed and killed small yet agile Dire Rats without any problems in an enclosed place in a maze.
How is he doing that? He's not even getting bit or scratched!
"Out of the three of us, Riyu is the most experienced. I can't tell you why, but what I CAN tell you is that… he's the strongest." Esther stated, as she held a bag of rotten meat that stunk at the back while The Warrior and The Archer protected from back to front, while the Rogue led.
<—---------------------->
[ Rotten Bag ]
An item that releases a smell that attracts any type of rodent near it. (does not make the rodents aggressive, only hungry.)
<—---------------------->
The way he holds his daggers and slashes through the enemies' bodies like butter amazes Cliff. Not only that, Riyu has incorporated some sort of martial arts that goes well with dagger fighting. Full usage of his limbs, every part of him is a weapon. Despite being an archer, Cliff desires to become like him one day. Professional and Skilled.
"Cliff, come help me. I'll teach you as we fight." Both Esther and Enrid widened their eyes. For the first time in their lives, they've seen their old friend teaching somebody who he just met. Unbelievable!
"Huh–!? When did they become so close?"
Enrid started thinking about his choices in life, he was sure that he had gotten close to Cliff first since he saved him from the receptionist. Suddenly, a small rat lunged at him before being punched with the full strength of the warrior. The small rat got smashed into pieces upon impact, decorating the maze's stone wall with dirty red blood and organs of a dirty rat.
"I-is this real? Is he still the Riyu we know…?" Esther tries to remember all the time he spent with the Rogue, attempting to recollect previous memories if the person she knew is still the same person or just a mimic.
...
"First, don't hold your dagger in reverse grip. It's flashy but ineffective in a real fight." Riyu teaches as he cuts the Dire Rats into pieces before giving a few small ones for Cliff to handle by himself.
"Okay– But why do you do it–?" Cliff immediately kills the ones being given to him so that it won't overwhelm his other allies. However, his offensive technique could need some improvement based on Riyu's expression despite being covered by a hood and a mask.
"..."
You hypocrite!
"Alright, I won't ask-" Cliff intended to end the conversation right there until a giant rat suddenly broke through one of the walls of the maze. Fortunately, all of them were able to avoid getting hit by the rat and falling debris. However, they cannot return back to where they came from.
"Enrid, it's time for you to do your job!" Esther says before closing her eyes and starting to concentrate. The atmosphere becomes cold as she mutters something under her breath.
"Cliff, protect our mage and support us with your arrows. Do. Not. Hit. Us." Riyu made his point. The moment he fails, he'll get scolded and possibly reported to the receptionist. Esther and Enrid would've probably spared him but Riyu? He's a tough lad.
"Aye aye!" Cliff fell back to the rear position, becoming the long-ranged combatant to protect the mage from being hurt. It looks like she's getting ready to cast a powerful spell.
Enrid leaped into the air once again with his axe lifted upwards. Performing another downward strike? Wait no… he's spinning… vertically!
"𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗲!!"
𝗦𝗪𝗢𝗢𝗦𝗪𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗛𝗜𝗪𝗜𝗦𝗛!!
Without any wasted movement, the warrior began spinning vertically to generate momentum and force to kill the giant rat with one hit. It is an advanced skill that warrior-class individuals can learn.
Suddenly, the giant rat lifted its body upwards and attempted to slash the air, trying to claw the warrior away before it hit its body. It would've worked, unfortunately, the warrior wasn't alone.
"𝗩𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗿…!"
𝗦𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵…!
With a single swift motion, the [ Rogue ] managed to pass through the rat's gigantic body and went behind it. Only to slash every single tendon on its legs, paralyzing the rodent and making it fall to the ground.
Once it fell, the [ Warrior ] landed its attack. Crushing the spine of the giant rodent to permanently stop it from moving with the use of his giant, sharp axe. The ground shook for a while before coming to a halt.
Riyu made a signal to Enrid to fall back, they ran behind the [ Mage ]. They knew what was going to happen, which is why they went to the safest place to avoid getting hit by the spell she was currently casting.
"Great job, guys… It's time for me to show off!" Esther opened her eyes and smiled, pointing the staff to the Giant Rodent's body. Suddenly, a magical circle appeared below the rodent's body. The runes were different, especially the color. It glowed the color cyan brightly.
"𝗕𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝘆, 𝗥𝗶𝗺𝗲!"
In an instant, the rodent turned into crystal ice. Its body, shape and form are crystallized. No sign of movement whatsoever.
"Cliff, may you do the honors~?" Enrid offered.
"Aim for the head," Riyu commanded.
"Wouldn't it be lackluster if you didn't end it with an awesome skill?" Esther asked.
"...you sure like putting your rookies on a pedestal," Cliff complained.
With a single arrow, the [ Archer ] pulls the bowstring farther than usual. He aims the arrowhead towards the skull of the crystallized rodent.
He took a deep breath before letting go of the string. The arrow pierced through the air without any resistance, it went through the air without losing any momentum.
"𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘁!"
It was a blur.
𝗦𝘄𝗶𝗶𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗵𝗵𝗵…. 𝗧𝗵𝘄𝗮𝗽! 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀…! 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀!
It pierced the skull, and the entire structure of the rodent shattered into pieces of ice. The battle against the Dire Rats has ended, and floor 2 is cleaned!
.....
A lone flower sits on a bed of soil. Surrounded by countless blades of grass the soil shakes.
𝗧-𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵…