Right now we're descending down the stairs, that leads to the second floor. I was feeling very excited that I kept smiling. I checked the status of everyone while descending down.

Status WindowName:RicardoRace:HumanGender:MaleAge:25Level:36Class:SwordsmanHealth:147/147Mana:40/40-Strength:59Vitality:49Agility:42Intelligence:20Skill List-Active SkillsSword Arts IIIPassive SkillsSword Mastery III, Toughness II, Evasion II, Acting II, Leadership II

Status WindowName:ChertRace:HumanGender:MaleAge:24Level:33Class:SwordsmanHealth:120/120Mana:42/42-Strength:43Vitality:40Agility:52Intelligence:21Skill List-Active SkillsSword Arts IIPassive SkillsSword Mastery III, Stealth II, Presence Detection I, Acting II, Evasion II

Status WindowName:CaraRace:HumanGender:FemaleAge:20Level:32Class:MageHealth:108/108Mana:135/150-Strength:25Vitality:36Agility:30Intelligence:75Skill List-Active SkillsEarth Magic III, Fire Magic IPassive SkillsActing III, Court Etiquette I, Charm II, Mana Perception

Wow... They all got Acting skills were they performers before?

All they're equipments seems to be suitable for their levels. Both Ricardo and Chert were wearing leather armors, Ricardo wielded a longsword, while Chert had a shortsword.

Due to Cara being a mage, she wore a robe that was enchanted with magic. She didn't have a staff or anything. Due to my curiosity I asked Cara.

"Cara, do you not have any weapons that amplifies your magic?"(Jeff)

"Well~, about that... you see magic weapons mostly cost a lot so I can't really afford it. But mostly C rank Mages has a magic item or two. Like my robe for example, it lowers the mana cost that my spell does."(Cara)

"I see."(Jeff)

"How about you Jeff? You're equipment surely looks high quality. A C rank would definitely not be able to afford that kind of equipment. C ranks' income are mostly around 1 gold and above. Did you perhaps had lot of money?"(Ricardo)

"Yeah! I raided a lot of bandits so I made a bit of fortune."(Jeff)

"Wow! How much did you got?"(Ricardo)

"Around 200 gold coins."(Jeff)

"200!"

The voice of Ricardo, Cara and even Chert who was mostly silent overlapped. They look quite surprised, they seem to be having conversation for a while we walk but I didn't bother to listen. It's better not to meddle in private things.

After a while we finally descended to the second floor. Like what the Information described, the second floor had stone structure with torches hanging on the wall and doors made of stones. It seems to be a hallway and had no other routes except for the doors that might have a lead to somewhere.

Before we proceed, we discussed about our plan and positions. Ricardo and Chert will be the vanguard, while I'll be in the middle in case that some monsters pass through the vanguard, I'll also protect our rearguard Cara by using Shadow Step in case she gets ambushed. Since we didn't have any healer, we decided that after every battle, we'll use our potions to regenerate our HP. Since I have Accelerated Regeneration, it's no problem for me. But I'll use my potion too, if needed.

The one who'll scout for us will be Chert by using his Stealth and Presence Detection, I could have done it but I didn't tell them all about my skills, just a few. Well I hid it so that I wouldn't steal the spotlight for the position, it's better to be humble.

We decided to check each doors, Chert would open the door then use his Presence Detection, he would then tell us how many the monsters are and if we can defeat them.

"12 goblins, there seems to be 7 armed with swords and 5 armed with bows."(Chert)

"Hmmm, this should be easy. You guys know what to do, be care with those arrows."(Ricardo)

"Alright."(Jeff)

"Got it~."(Cara)

Ricardo and Chert advanced first, each of them handled 2 goblins, 3 goblins pass through them.

"Jeff, step aside. >Stone Bullet

Receiving Cara's signal I stepped aside, a lump of stone materialized from her mana and was shooted to one of the goblins that got pass through.

"Gruag-"(Goblin)

One goblin fell down and the two kept charging. I confronted them immediately.

"Oyy! Arrows in coming!"(Ricardo)

Hearing Ricardo's warning the 5 goblins in the back prepared for their shot.

I kicked one of the goblins' foot making it lose it's balance, I grabbed it's body and used it as a shield.

">Stone Wall

Meanwhile Cara used her earth magic to materialize a wall of stone. She hid behind it, when the goblins released their shot.

Luckily, Ricardo and Chert Wasn't their target, it was us at the back.

The goblin that I used as a shield died when it got shot by the arrows. Cara was also safe thanks to her magic.

Ricardo and Chert was able to kill the goblins they confronted. I also finished mine. Cara casted Fireball to the remaining goblins.

"Phew.. That went well. Good guys!"(Ricardo)

Ricardo cheerfully praised us. Chert's expression didn't changed. Cara was smiling as ever.

"Let's go to the next one."(Ricardo)

Since none of us didn't get any injury we continued our exploring.

We continued our exploring for an hour by checking each door and killing all monster that we can. We were able to coordinate well in each fights. I couldn't help but feel happy with this experience.

I wish we can continue doing this.

We decided to take a brake, and ate some food. They ate the ration that they bought from the stalls outside the dungeon. I also got mine from the stalls too. I ate my food with joy.

Hehe, eating your food with some friends makes it more delicious.

Ricardo, Chert and Cara seems to be having a conversation but I didn't noticed it.

What I didn't also know was what going to happen next...

-

Meanwhile, Ricardo, Chert, and Cara are discussing silently without Jeff hearing it.

"Hey, we definitely hit the jackpot. Thanks to that guy our exploring went smooth."(Chert)

Chert who was always having a gloomy expression was smiling.

"Yeah, he is definitely strong, none of us would definitely be able to take him down."(Ricardo)

"But, he still doesn't know that we're gonna rob him. So it would be good to give him a surprise attack~"(Cara)

Cara was still talking in the same carefree tone but the content of her words were different than usual.

When they were killing all the monsters, they couldn't help if there's a strong one appears, but thanks to Jeff they didn't need to worry. He would take them all by himself, and finish it in a matter of seconds.

"You're right, it will give us advantage if he doesn't know."(Ricardo)

"Then when will we do it?"(Chert)

"We're going to the boss room next, right?"(Ricardo)

"Yeah."(Chert)

"Then will attack him while he fight with the boss."(Ricardo)

"Wouldn't that dangerous for us? I mean if we succeeded to immobilize him, then how will we deal with the boss?"(Cara)

"Then, we'll do it when the boss is finally weakened and we'll be the ones to take last hit on the boss."(Ricardo)

"Hmmm... not a bad idea."(Chert)

"Then when the boss weakens, I'll bind him with my earth magic."(Cara)

"Exactly."(Ricardo)

The three of them smiled as they prepare for their move. When they finally finished eating they called Jeff and went to the boss room.

-

"Hey, Jeff! We're ready to go now."(Ricardo)

Ricardo called as I finish my food. I quickly ate my food and regrouped with them.

"You ready?"(Cara)

"Yeah, let's go."(Jeff)

We walked through the hallway of the labyrinth. We didn't really find any pathways inside the doors they were just room with monsters on them, we occassionally find some chest but the content was not that great, they contain some silver coins and old rusty weapons.

We finally reached the boss room, what stand before us was a big door about 5 meters tall, it had some kind of skeletal decorations on it. We opened the door and readied ourselves.

Inside the boss rooms were several altars at the side, and a lone figure standing alone in the dark. it was wearing hood that hid it's face. Two red dots suddenly appeared in it's hood. It looked at us, then suddenly torches that was beside the altars began to lit one by one.

The scene was like some kind of an en grande boss battle with the special effects of the torches being litten.

The area began to appear bright thanks to the torches. We finally able to see the lone figure's true from.

It was a skeleton with red dots floating on it's eye socket. I used Inspect on it.

Monster Race:LichRank:B-Level:40Health:380/380Mana:310/310-Strength:20Vitality:60Agility:40Intelligence:105Skill[tr]Necromancy Magic III, Shadow Magic III, Earth Magic II, Casting Time Reduction II, Mana Cost Reduction II, Mana Regeneration, Leadership II

Haha, this is now interesting. Necromancy Magic, I never heard of that one, it looks like that there are more attributes of magic than I thought. I'll definitely do some research after this.

It's stat's are quite high, it would definitely be dangerous if the others attack him.

"Ricardo, it looks like it will be dangerous if you guys attack him, you guys deal with the minions he'll spawn."(Jeff)|

"So it has an Necromancy Magic, what will you do then?"(Ricardo)

"I'll be the one to confront him. Cara will help me also but if Ricardo and Chert get's into trouble, support them."(Jeff)

"Got it~"(Cara)

Heh, I took control on our position now. Well, it's for the sake of winning after all.

The Lich began to summon several skeleton with it's Necromancy Magic. The skeletons ran towards us, I also charged towards them.

">Shadow Step

Ignoring the skeletons, I teleported towards the Lich, some skeletons followed me when I got passed while the others still went towards Ricardo and Chert.

Ricardo and Chert clashed with skeletons, swinging their swords while dodging their attacks, Cara supported them by also attacking the skeleton with their magic.

The skeleton who followed me were only few, I strike each of them with my dagger like they were nothing. After finishing them all. The Lich looked at me. It summoned another horde of skeleton but this time it didn't attack me, it went towards Ricardo and the others.

The Lich seems to understand that those skeletons won't hold me much long. He confronted me, and began to cast magics.

The Lich used Stone Bullet on me but I dodged by using Shadow Step while also closing our distance, I swung my daggers sideways but the Lich also used Shadow Step.

I began to charge towards the Lich again. The Lich used Root Bind on me, plant roots started to spread on my feet making me stopped moving, when I looked at the Lich I saw two Shadow Balls going towards, before I could react I got hit by it.

Thanks to my strength I removed the plant roots on my feet. I began to attack again. The Lich used Root Bind again but I predicted it, I jumped to dodge it. I took a stance like one of the marathon runners and charged towards the Lich.

Before I could reach the Lich, he used Shadow Step to avoid me. I also used Shadow Step to, now his Shadow Step is on cool down. I used Shadow Ball on him, and striked his skull with my dagger. He casted a spell that spawned spikes on the ground, I'm guessing he used earth magic. I avoid the spell by stepping back. I checked the Lich's HP.

Health:191/380

I shaved 1/3 of it's HP. Ricardo and the others seems to be finished too.

The Lich didn't gave up, he summoned another horde of skeletons, some are equipped with bows. This sure is troublesome.

I dashed towards the horde and used Shadow Step to get to the middle of the horde, I casted Shadow Mist. The skeletons started to get confused. I used Stealth to hide my presence. I charged towards the Lich without him knowing. I used Assassinate in the Lich from behind. The Lich collapsed but it was still alive.

Health:23/380

The skeletons that it summoned collapsed on the ground, making the bones of the skeletons scatter around.

I was about to stab the Lich when roots started to bind my body.

"Okay, he's binded now~."(Cara)

I tried to struggle from the roots but it was not bulging even a little bit.

I saw Ricardo, Chert and Cara smiling mischievously. Cara seems to be the one binding, her hand was glowing with magic. A boosted binding magic by consuming mana overtime.

But why are they using it on me.

"Looks like it's a success. Oh~, look at him. He clearly doesn't know what's going on. Hahahaha!"(Ricardo)

Ricardo laughed, the others also did.

Ricardo stabbed the Lich with his sword. It's HP depleted immediately. It's body turned to ashes leaving only the items behind.

"Oh, I leveled up!"(Ricardo)

"Me, too!"(Cara)

Ricardo and Cara smiled as they look at their status. Chert didn't react a bit but he was smiling.

I see. So they used me, huh. I've been betrayed.

.....

.....

.....

And here I thought you guys were my friends....

Sorry, if I posted it quite late. I got busy....

I actually got lazy and read some novels...

I also changed something in the Status, instead of getting having 2 status points when you level up I made it 4. So yeah I also changed the status of some characters but it wouldn't get in the way of the story so don't worry. I also added some skills on Yris.

Peace!