Abandoned….

"Huh huh huh" – Zen as he holds his knees due to tiredness of the training

"Here water" – Ash

"Woah, thanks. You always surprise me" – Zen

"Hey Zen, as a parting gift can you spare with me one time" – Ash

"OK. Huh? Hhhhhhhhuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhh?" – Zen

"What, you want me to spare with me?" – Zen

"Yes, please, think this as a one-time favor from me" – Ash

"Ok, I also want to see the difference between our power levels" – Zen

Both of them stood in their respective positions.

Both of them were very focused.

Lucas takes up the position as the referee.

"I hereby commence the battle; Start!" – Lucas

Zen rushed to attack because he knows that he will not stand a chance if the fight prolongs.

Ash was just standing still as if she was giving him a chance to attack.

'It seems she is giving me a chance. Let me attack with full strength' – Zen

Zen attacks with all of his might. It was a strike from above.

Ash intercepts his attack with her sword. Both of their weapons made contact.

Ash lifts her sword from below.

Zen loses his balance as he starts to fall behind.

Ash noticed that as she quickly catches him like a prince catches a princess while falling behind during dance.

'Her face is too close. I can't focus. It's so embarrassing. But looking closely she is really pretty. (Blushes)'—Zen

'Woah. I caught him without thinking. But the situation turned into a love drama. It must be embarrassing for him. He will think me as brute force woman' – Ash

"Ahem" – Lucas

Ash was flustered, she lifts him up.

She was really embarrassed.

She had a crush on Zen from the very start.

She thought while sparring with him she will pretend to fall so that he can catch her like a prince. But the situation was reversed.

"Match was won by Ash. Both of you bow to show respect to your opponent" – Lucas

"Thanks for the match" – Zen and Ash while bowing

"Hey thank you for catching me while falling. You are really strong. I know I am not your opponent, but I thought I will stand for at least a few minutes. But it seems I need to work hard to catch up with you" – Zen

'He really is thinking of me as a brute force woman. It is so embarrassing' – Ash

"Umm. It's ok. Your physical strength is good. Don't be down, if you practice hard you will catch up with me in no time" – Ash

"Thank you for your advice and all the best on your raid" – Zen

"Thanks. After finishing the raid, Let's meet up here tomorrow evening" – Ash

"Ok, Bye" – Zen

"Bye, bye" – Everyone

The next day Zen was waiting in the training grounds hoping to get the good news.

Zen practiced his spear techniques while waiting.

A lot of time passed. Zen was starting to get nervous.

'Ahh, why are they so late? I hope everyone was fine. I hope Ash is safe. What? Why am I thinking of her? If this is normal, I should be worrying about my friend Lucas' – Zen

'Don't tell me is it Lo-? No, no, no. It seems I have a little bit of a crush on her. But don't worry it is just a little crush. It will disappear in no time' – Zen

When Zen was thinking that, a voice appeared from behind.

Ash whispers in Zen's ears.

"Zen, are you waiting for me?" – Ash

Zen turns behind and he saw all of them were fine.

He was so relieved to the point he hugged her tightly and started to cry.

"Thank God. You guys are fine. I am glad" – Zen

'He is hugging me! He is hugging me! I always dreamed of hugging him, but now it became real. Aww. No, no, no. It seems he is crying. But it is a little cute' – Ash

"Ahem" – Lucas

Then Zen realized he was hugging her. He was so embarrassed. Then he released her.

They both started to Blush. They started the scratch the floor with their legs as they blush.

"So, guys, What about the raid? How did it go?" – Zen

"We crushed it" – Ash

"Congrats guys. I guess it is time to celebrate" – Zen

"Yes. Let's go to the famous tavern. Nothing can stop us tonight" – Lucas

"Yeah, Let's go" – Lilly

Then they went and partied all night.

***The next day afternoon***

Team Lucas was ready to depart to the next town. They say their farewell to Zen.

"Zen, now that your weakness about talking to girls is somewhat reduced, why don't you join our party" – Lucas

"Yes Zen, we always welcome you" – Ash

"Yeah, no problem with me also" – Lilly

"Thank you, guys. But now is not the time. After I finished the dungeon lake pearl with my current team, I will join you guys" – Zen

"Ok, the decision is yours. We will be waiting for you" – Lucas

"Alright then, take care, bye, see you soon" – Zen

"Bye, bye" – Everyone

As they started to leave Zen starts to miss them.

Ash on other hand….

'I miss him. It seems like I fell in love with him. I want to confess my feelings; I want to be with him and I want to make him mine' – Ash

'No, no, no. If I confess to him, I will start to spoil him and it will affect his growth' – Ash

'Yosh, Let's wait for him to come back and join our squad officially. After that, I will make my move' – Ash

Then they left. The day Zen officially joined their squad will be the greatest incident that may affect the whole world.

After that Zen and his team continued their raid on the dungeon.

They started to clear floors with ease because they know the levels of the monsters.

They defeated the Arachne Queen Boss on floor 75 on day 10.

As time passed, they became strong.

They completed the levels of the dungeon slowly but surely.

The commotion about homeless people returning to Level 1 continued to increase.

***One month later***

***Lake pearl Dungeon final floor***

"Hey Zen, before entering the boss room, I'd like to ask you a question" – Mike

"Yes captain, feel free to ask" – Zen

"What happened to your friend Lucas and his Party? where were they? I didn't see them in the past month" – Mike

"They completed this dungeon before one month, so they went to the next dungeon" – Zen

"What? it saddens me to hear that" – Mike

"Anyway, let's enter the dungeon" – Mike

Mike pushed the gate then they entered the Boss room.

"Hey Zen, watch our fight from the sidelines and do not interfere with the battle" – Mike

"What? Do you expect me to follow that" – Zen

"It seems you didn't understand what I am saying. Hey Zen, it is not a favor; it is an Order! "– Mike said that with increasing his tone from mild to loud.

"Ok" – Zen

Zen didn't expect Mike to behave like that.

Mike and the other party members started their battle.

Stephen acts as a substitute for Zen and plays the role of strategist.

The battle was going so smoothly that the need for Zen was nowhere to be found.

Zen observed the battle with frustration because they no longer need Zen's help in any way.

The battle ended in 30 minutes.

The boss was slain and they cleared the Lake pearl dungeon.

But unlike the previous battles, there were no celebrations.

Stephen's strategy was very perfect to the point Zen's strategy in previous boss battles was like a child's play.

Zen didn't do anything in the boss battle where he looked forward so much.

As Zen lost his will, Mike came near Zen.

"Hey Zen, what do you think about your role in our team?" – Mike

"My role, it is, it is" – Zen

Zen cannot bring up the word 'Strategist' after witnessing such a battle.

"Do you mean to say 'Strategist'? Ha ha ha. Very funny. Even you cannot say that word from your mouth then how do you expect me to believe that" – Mike

"That is, that is" – Zen

"Skill: Absolute wind" – Phill

Phill shot an arrow that hit Zen's leg. It made a hole in his right thigh.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah" – Zen

Zen screamed in agony as he fell down.

"Ha ha ha. Good shot Phill" –Kevin

"Ha ha ha. It was very funny when he fell down as he screamed like a pig" – Stephen

"Yeah, yeah, it totally sounded like a pig" – Kevin

"He he he" – Phill laughs at Zen as he looked down on him.

"Ha ha ha. It looks your role is suited for a pig more than a 'Strategist'. Ha ha ha. Ok, enough jokes. Zen, tell me what is the most important thing in this world?" – Mike

"It is, it is Information" – Zen

"Ha ha ha ha" – Everyone started to laugh as soon as they heard that

"You really believed that, ha ha ha, you fool" – Mike

"For people who don't want to go home, the information is basically trash, you imbecile" – Stephen

"It seems you are an absolute idiot" – Kevin

"Then tell me, Mike. What is the most important thing in this world?" – Zen

"The most important thing. That is obviously Strength, you idiot" – Mike

"It seems you did not understand, right? The Skills we use with Magic type is the most powerful thing which helps us to dominate over weak" – Phill

"Yeah, Magic type is very good Zen. Having no magic type is like trash. Even a beggar in the street has a magic type. You are an absolute Trash Zen" – Stephen

"Yeah, you are weak to the point even a beggar can defeat you, hahaha" – Kevin

"Yes, you are an absolute definition of the word trash Zen" – Phill

"Ha ha ha, that is harsh coming from the mouth of a man who speaks few words Phill" – Mike

"He deserves it. He is very weak but he thinks of himself as a hero" – Phill

"If you think I am weak then why did you recruit me, Mike?" – Zen

"Oh that. It is because you know Lucas who is on Ash's team. Our original target is Ash" – Mike

"What? Ash? Why is she your target and what are you going to do after capturing her" – Zen

"To absorb her level and make her my personal slave. She got a nice body you know. He he he" – Mike

"What? absorbing level! Don't tell me the commotion about the homeless people is also you're doing" – Zen

"Oh, to think you guessed it correctly. It seems you are not that much of an Idiot after all, ha ha ha" – Mike

"Yes, it was caused by us, to be specific it was done by me, it is all thanks to my Skill" – Stephen

"A skill that steals level from a person when they feel gratitude towards us. Skill: Debt collection of Grace" – Stephen

"Now you see how much Magic skills are significant in this world. Without Magic skill you can't even decide how you are going to die" – Mike

"Our plan was to capture Ash and absorb her levels then make her as my slave. For that, I thought you will bring her to us because of your friendship with Lucas. But now they fled the town and I am stuck with a piece of trash like you. Damn it" – Mike

As Mike spoke those words Zen was reminded of the moment when Mike said he was the pearl in the vast sea.

'It was all lie' – Zen

'I trusted my party members so much but they see me as a piece of trash' – Zen

'It seems it is over for me' – Zen

"Guys let's cripple him and leave him here. He will die painfully when the boss respawns" – Mike

"Ok, Hey Phill, you already took a shot, so it is our turn now. Thankfully he has three limbs left for three of us" – Kevin

"Let me take care of his left hand. Skill: Reverse heal" – Stephen

As Stephen uses his skill Zen's left started to decay and became like a Zombie's hand.

"Left leg is for me. Skill: Bone crusher" – Kevin

Kevin's skill was a strike from his axe which shattered the bones of his Left leg.

"Finally let me. Skill: Freeze" – Mike

It froze Zen's hand like an Ice sculpture.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh" – Zen screams in pain

"Let's go guys. There is no need to waste our time more than this on this Trash" – Mike

"Aww. I'd like to torture him more but it is just a waste of time" – Stephen

"I also like to crush his bone one after another but by doing that only dirty my hands by touching this trash" – Kevin

They started to exit the boss's door. Phill smirks at him for the last time as the door closes and he fired a last shot through the gap.

"Skill: Wind cutter" – Phill

It hits Zen's body and started to shred his skin.

Zen was barely alive after taking that shot. His skin was heavily damaged. That skill was the most inhuman skill that leaves Zen with an unbearable amount of pain comparable to burning a person alive.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaahahhhhhhhh" – Zen

'It hurts. It hurts. It is like my whole body is burning' – Zen

'Phill that bastard. He looked at me as if he was seeing a piece of shit' – Zen

'It hurts. But I can't die like this' – Zen

'I should kill those bastards with my own two hands' – Zen

'For that, I should get stronger' – Zen

'I will kill everyone in the most inhuman way possible' – Zen

Zen was in absolute anger that he started to forget his pain.

Zen thought of 1000 ideas to get his revenge but none of those ideas solve his current situation.

'Aaaah. I can't move my body a single inch' – Zen

'If only I can move again, I will promise to become stronger and I promise to kill those bastards' – Zen

As Zen lost himself in thoughts a day passed.

It was the time for respawning of the boss.

The Boss respawned.

'It seems the boss was respawned. I should survive this disaster somehow. But I cannot move my body' – Zen

The Minotaur king spots Zen as he lies on the floor. It slowly approaches him.

It swings back its hammer. It was ready to attack.

'If I survive this, I will promise to become stronger than anyone in this world. So please somebody help me, help me!' – Zen

'No! No one will help me. I should survive this on my own' – Zen

The boss swings its giant hammer. It was only a meter up till the attack connects.

Zen muster his full strength and pushed himself with his right hand.

He dodges the attack at the last second and he rolls towards the center of the room.

The boss didn't give Zen a chance to escape as it started its next attack right away.

'Dammit! Dammittttttttttt!' – Zen

He was so frustrated to the point he started to hit the ground with his frozen right hand repeatedly.

The freeze starts to break and the hand was free.

But he didn't care about that and hit the ground with his bare hand.

He started to bleed. The blood from his right hand fell on the ground.

As he repeatedly hits the ground, he didn't notice that there was a small circle on the ground where he was hitting.

The circle started to shine in crimson red color.

The Boss attack touches his hair.

Then suddenly he was teleported.

Zen stops the hitting and he raises his Head.

There he saw an old woman who looked like a witch sitting on a chair.

"Welcome to 200th floor, young boy" – Marshal