Shadow Temple p1

"Shiro! That was amazing!" Lyrica ran over as Shiro smiled.

[I still lack an ignore defence attack. Without one, I doubt I'll be able to challenge those of a higher level too well.] Shiro shook her head.

If she had the stats, she wouldn't have needed to attack the teacher in so many ways to distract her from the main attack above her. And even then, she would have been able to shrug it off.

"Eh? But ignore defence skills are rare, and even then, you need to be a high level to get a natural skill." Lyrica replied. Defence ignore skills were on high demand as a single one may be the key to turning a battle around.

Shiro too knew this, but what she was counting on was her Nanomancer class. Each of the firearms come with a passive ignore defence as they dealt heavy damage. The main damage dealer being the sniper rifle.

When charged with mana, the sniper could even help her deal a few million damage to a monster's HP.

[Call Madison. We're going to have her fill her side of the bet from before. We're heading into a Dungeon.] Shiro smiled.

"Right now?" Lyrica asked surprised.

[The Faction recruitment will start in less than a months time. Do you want to still be in the first class while taking the recruitment?] Shiro asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well no but, like… your arm." Lyrica said pointing at Shiro's arm.

[Aiya. Do I have to explain every time? Don't worry about it too much. At the very least, I'll be assisting you from behind while you take vanguard.] Shiro shrugged.

The worry Lyrica showed for her was nice, but it was a little too excessive.

"I see… I know I'm asking a lot but since you're my first friend, I don't want you to be hurt so much." Lyrica said as Shiro paused.

She remembered that Lyrica was still just a 15-year-old girl. She wasn't a seasoned veteran like her, nor was she used to putting up a tough front. Lyrica was just showing simple care towards her wellbeing.

[Lyrica. Why are you so cute?] Shiro grinned patting her head. Seeing Lyrica like this just made Shiro want to pamper her like a child. If she was taller and had busts, maybe burying Lyrica in her breasts while spinning around a little would be fun.

"Ha? W-what brought that thought up!" Lyrica blushed.

[Ai, so cute. I just want to pamper you!] Shiro wanted to have a voice already as she'll be able to ignore the annoying typing and just talk to Lyrica.

"Who's pampering who? I'm older than you!" Lyrica called out.

Shiro only lazily waved her left hand as they went to the lunch hall.

After waiting for a little while, Madison arrived with her 2 friends.

"What do you want?" She asked, clearly not happy.

[We're challenging a Dungeon. And you should know the rest.] Shiro smiled.

"Which dungeon?" Madison sat down. They had to adhere to the rules of the bet they make, otherwise, they'll have to deal with the reinforcers that make sure the contract is followed.

[I'm thinking of challenging Shadow Temple level 15-20.]

"…"

"…"

Both Lyrica and Madison looked at Shiro like she was an asylum escapist.

Lyrica tapped Shiro's forehead as she frowned.

"Shiro, I know you hurt your arm but did you hurt your brain as well?" Lyrica asked as Shiro felt like coughing up blood.

Madison, on the other hand, was too shocked to even speak.

[No I'm not crazy. This is actually done after taking account of your fighting style.] Shiro shrugged.

[Yours as well Madison.]

"Huh? Wait what mine?" Madison replied shocked.

[Yes. While Lyrica is a more attack orientated fighter, you are more of a defence counter type attacker. Are you trying to advance into a Shield Swordswoman?]

"How- Nevermind. Yeah, I want to be a Shield Swordswoman." Madison replied. It wasn't too hard to figure out the direction a person wanted to proceed onto by looking at combat records.

So for Shiro to understand, it wasn't too surprising.

[We don't necessarily need your two friends there.] Shiro pointed at the two. It would work out if Madison helped them clear the Dungeon, but her two 'friends' weren't needed.

"What do you mean?" Madison asked.

[We're going to clear the Dungeon with you three filling in the numbers. However, to make the run faster, we're gonna have you play the part of the main tank, Lyrica as the offence and me as the offensive support.]

"What about us?" Madison's friends asked.

[I don't have a role for you. You can be meat shields if you want.] Shiro shrugged.

The two were offended but stopped remembering that she's a level 25 ice mage.

[So as I was typing, Madison you'll help tank the assassin's while Lyrica will kill them. I'll be reducing their reaction speed so it should be easier for you two.] She was initially going to do the Dungeon with just her and Lyrica, but knowing that she'll not always be around Lyrica, it would be good if she was able to get some experience working in a party.

What better way than to work up in member count. From three members and eventually extending into a full party.

[As for you two, join if you want. Just don't drag us down.]

"We're not going to drag you down. Just you wait for us to surpass her contributions." They frowned and pointed at Lyrica.

Shiro only shrugged as she stood up.

[In that case, we're going to the Shadow Temple straight away. Get your gear if you don't have it.] Shiro typed out as she stood up.

"What about potions? Don't we need to stock up?" Madison asked.

"I can answer this!" Lyrica cut in not wanting to be left out.

"Shiro said that low-quality potions in this city have bad effects later on in the line. The best thing to do is let your wounds heal naturally over time." Lyrica replied as Shiro nodded.

[As Lyrica said, the best thing is to let yourself heal overtime.]

"Lyrica may be able to regenerate since she's an Elf, and you hardly take damage. However, for us, we can't regenerate. Healing potions or a healer is our best option." Madison replied. Since Lyrica isn't holding them back, her initial anger with her decreased.

[If that's the case then you should try to drink as little as possible. Only drink when necessary.] Shiro replied seeing Madison being so cooperative.

[We'll meet up at the Dungeon in 30 minutes.] Shiro typed out as Madison agreed and left with her friends.

"I thought we're supposed to be enemies with her?" Lyrica asked tilting her head slightly.

[We were, but that doesn't mean we should antagonise each other at every moment. Unless they actively go against me continuously or do something unforgivable. I won't seek out their destruction.]

"Hehh~ Shiro's kinda like a saint then." Lyrica said.

[Oh please, I'm no saint. I will kill them in the cruellest way possible if they truly anger me.]

'Just ask those scientists.' Shiro thought as she remembers the sight of the head scientists after she was done with him. The hero killed the other scientists, but she had the honour of torturing him.

Opening him up, keeping him alive, a little 'Red Carpet' of his organs, using the nanobots to eat him from the inside out and making sure he felt everything.

"What are you smiling about?" Lyrica asked seeing Shiro smile so happily.

[I just thought of a really good memory.]

"Heh~ Is that so. Are you able to tell me?" Lyrica asked curiously.

[Maybe next time.]

###

When it was time to enter the Dungeon, Shiro arrived along with Lyrica.

[Have you prepared everything?]

"Yeah, I just hope you won't take this too far. The Dungeon is roughly 3 to 7 levels higher than us after all." Madison said.

[Don't worry, the main goal of this Dungeon run is to level up.] Shiro typed out as Madison nodded.

[Shiro LVL 25 – Ice Mage]

[Lyrica LVL 12 – Elven Swordswoman]

[Madison LVL 15 – Swordswoman]

[July LVL 13 – Mage]

[Karol LVL 14 – Swordswoman]

Seeing everyone in the party, Shiro keyed them into the Shadow Temple and entered without any problems.

When their vision cleared, they saw that they were in a dark forest. The tree's had no leaves, the ground was bare and the skies were clouded. There was a long distance till the actual temple as this was the first test.

They had to survive the assassin's onslaughts while they walked towards the temple.

[I won't talk this time so either you or Madison take charge.] Shiro said Lyrica as her goal for this expedition was to see how Lyrica developed. Either as a strong teammate or a reliable leader.

"Then I volunteer to be leader." Madison said as Lyrica nodded.

"Sure. But we'll change roles depending on the situation." Lyrica replied.

"No problems with me. What about you girls?" Madison asked her friends.

"No problem."

"I don't mind."

"Ok, in that case then, I want to get our formation down. Me and Lyrica are in front with July and Shiro behind us. Karol, you cover our backs in case an assassin targets the mages." Madison said.

Karol nodded and walked behind the group.

"Now let's go." Madison said.

Shiro could have made a blizzard around them and dulled the assassin's movements. But seen as though Madison didn't even ask her what her basic abilities were, Shiro decided to hold back on it or now.

That being said, her blizzard was a double-sided blade that would have affected her entire party as well.

*Clang clang!

Lyrica blocked two daggers with her blade as the party perked up.

"Let's rush through. The assassins don't enter the temple." Madison said as the party rushed forwards.

Madison and Lyrica were the main tankers as they would block the assassins while Shiro and July were the ones to clear them up.

"Fire ball." July would mutter every time she used the skill.

For junior mages, they had to visualise their attack skills. Saying out the name would help them get a better picture.

This was due to the fact that the skills they get are more conceptual compared to swordsman skills.

They had skills such a Sword Cross, Sword Rush and Killing Cut. While mages had Tier 1 ice magic, Tier 1 Fire magic and so on.

While the mages had wider selections, they needed to visualise the attack or the power decreases.

Shiro only shook her head before flicking her hands and killed an assassin in one go.

Due to her needing to memorise the myriad of blueprints for her Nanomancer class, she was used to remembering a lot of things. Simple ice magic and the such were an easy task for her.

July gazed at her with her competitive spirit ignited.

Feeling the gaze, Shiro only smiled as a little competitive spirit amongst children were good.

Trying to rush through the first trial quickly seemed good at first, but with the amount of assassin's increasing, it became harder to progress.

The pressure on Lyrica was exceptionally huge as she had to block several assassins at once.

This pressure was both good and bad. Good because it was pushing her attack domain closer to maturity. Bad because this was straining her heavily.

Shiro could see the sweat drip from her forehead as she was trying her best to protect the party.

Madison also knew this as the rush approach wasn't a good option since their speed wasn't high enough.

They were fine in other departments but they just needed speed.

Shiro shook her head as the temperature started to drop.

Madison paused seeing a snowflake drop in front of her. Her arms were getting goosebumps as it was getting colder and colder.

The snow increased at a visible pace as they soon realised it was Shiro causing all of this.

Raising up her hand, Shiro increased the snow before clutching her fist.

The storm expanded as the blizzard howled in their ears.

Their body shivered as frost could be seen forming on their skins.

"Hey! Shiro! Stop it! You're going to kill us!" Madison shouted.

"Madison, look outside." Lyrica said pointing outside.

The storm was raging as they could barely see past it. There were ice statues for which they could recognise to be the assassin's earlier.

The only reason why they were freezing up as well was due to the unavoidable side effect of using Shiro's ice and snow magic.

She was fine, but they weren't. Even when she did try to let the blizzard avoid their location, the temperature was still dropping significantly.

[Madison, let Lyrica be leader.] Shiro typed out as Madison nodded. Rushing into the fry was an overestimate on her part.

She had just assumed that Shiro will help them clear everything but that wasn't the case. She only helped as much as needed and never more. Just the bare minimum to keep them alive.