The first hallway (III)

The party once more built a tight formation, crossing the dangerous vent quickly.

A moment later piles of bones dropped form the ceiling, the flames burning high.

Silver Blade didn't wait for the enemies to confront them. Waving at the party she ordered without hesitation.

"Turn around, we go back!"

The party members braced themselves as they dived into the wall of flames.

"Keep an eye on your status! Use your Tacaria quickly!"

Liam ignored the heat invading his skin. He had dealt with similar situations too often, allowing him to focus on his status.

Suddenly a symbol of flames appeared, signifying the change in his status. His HP began to reduce.

[-30!]

The second his health bar moved, Liam reacted, crushing the red herb in his hand. The burn status vanished immediately.

"So hot…"

The others felt the pressure, their actions slightly delayed. Most of Liam's friends endured two ticks of burn before getting rid of it.

The rotation repeated itself two more times before the party jumped out of the flames on the other side.

"Everyone alright?"

"I'm a bit low on HP!", announced Balm.

"You can use a [Heal]."

The redhead nodded, waving her wand, trading mana for HP.

"Quick, let us gather at the statue!", suggested Radiant Shield.

"Great idea!"

Everyone's eyes lit up as they distanced themselves from the flaming wall.

At this moment the fire moved, revealing skeleton soldiers. Small flames clung to their bony bodies, continuously scorching them.

Silver Blade squinted her eyes, inspecting the opponents.

[Skeleton soldier

Rank: Common

Level: 8

HP: 550/850

Status: Burn x4]

[-120!]

[-120!]

"It worked! They are losing so much HP!"

Cyclone couldn't help but laugh, taunting the skeletons:

"Haha, catch me, catch me! You won't even make it here!"

"Your strategy worked, Acacia!"

And indeed, the skeletons chased after the group, one by one succumbing to the damage.

Only the elite arrived, half of its HP left. It couldn't pose any danger, quickly taken out by the group like a pile of trash.

"Ha! We've done it!"

"We broke our personal record."

"What a joyous feeling, my friends!"

Fortune smiled, letting her invisible cam – a feature of the game – circle around the party.

"Brains before brawns! Dear audience, this is how our party overcame our difficulties, bravely advancing through the dungeon!"

Liam was infected by the mood as well, complimenting his friends with a smile:

"Well done everyone. That's how a dungeon should be conquered. With strategy!"

The party reveled in this feeling for a brief minute before they got ready to move on.

Silver Blade looked at the hallway, finding the first two walls of flames dying down, revealing another patch of stone.

"Let's try the same strategy again!"

"Yes!"

Everyone refocused, eyes on the price. They repeated their actions. As soon as they reached the next area of solid ground, they didn't wait for the skeletons falling from the ceiling to stand up, diving into the flames behind them.

However, although the plan worked just as well as last time, now two elites were mixed among the skeletons.

With their HP reduced by the black fire those were still easily dispatched, but Silver Blade felt a foreboding feeling.

Meanwhile Cyclone didn't think too much, pouting because the elite didn't drop anything significant.

The same spiel repeated again, this time with four elites.

After another short fight, the party stood in front of another wall of fire, their faces stern.

"There might be eight elites behind this one."

"Right. It's getting tricky."

"Do we need a change in strategy?"

"I suggest not engaging in a fight until the burn status is over."

"I agree."

The party quickly came to a decision while the flickering flame died down.

As soon as the players made it to the other side, skeletons fell from the ceiling again. No one had time to take a closer look yet, repeating the same old strategy of returning to the statue.

A few seconds later everyone's chest tightened.

"Unfair!"

"I think the devs failed at math!"

Grim comments were made, as not eight but ten elite skeletons walked out of the flames, their bony faces looking ferocious with black and blue fire burning on them.

"Draw back, let them burn first!"

Silver Blade felt the mounting pressure as she directed the party. She didn't dare to engage the elites, drawing out the fight, letting the flames do the work for her.

But the burn status didn't last forever. Eventually the flames clinging to the skeleton guards died out, leaving them with about five hundred HP each.

"Can we… win this?", asked Balm carefully.

Silver Blade nodded reassuringly.

"Don't panic guys. We will fight them calmly one by one. Don't let them encircle us!"

But at this moment Liam interjected.

"Let our ranged classes attack. I will make the first move."

"Sure."

The party readied themselves, staring at the incoming skeletons with steady eyes.

Quickly, the opponents came into range, a rain of attacks welcoming them.

[-70!]

[-79!]

[-62!]

Liam watched as one of the elites lost another half of its remaining HP. He fell into a quick jog, a grin on his face. His feet were agile like a cat's as he approached the skeletons.

The veteran focused his mind, his eyes on the enemies' chests.

A moment later he was in attack distance. Suddenly all the skeletons cackled eerily. The blue flames in their eyes danced as if searching for souls to burn.

Dark energy gathered, engulfing the skeleton's bodies.

Instantly multiple spears flashed through the air like vicious snakes.

Liam felt his chest tighten, an invisible pressure compelling him to stay in place and just take the attacks obediently.

Shaking his body, the veteran moved to the side with a [Sidestep], a spear missing him by a hair's breadth.

Immediately after, Liam put strength in his legs, jumping backwards as far as possible.

Spears thundered down on his former position, leaving cracks in the floor.

Liam felt weak on his legs. The game counted his action just now as disengaging the fight, costing him almost all of his stance.

Silver Blade watched the entire sequence, feeling a drop of sweat run down her neck. She imagined herself in Liam's position just now, knowing that the elites might have killed her on the spot.

She hadn't thought that the skeletons, triggered by their low health, would all use their skills at the same time.

"Don't just stand there! End them!"

Liam turned around, waking up the party with a shout.

Radiant Shield and Silver Blade nodded their heads, ready to do their jobs. The two tanks quickly clashed with the elites, engaging from the side.

"Try not to fight all of them at the same time! Eliminate them one by one!"

Silver Blade quickly gave orders as spears clashed against her shield.

Attacks fell on her opponent, quickly taking its last bit of HP.

"One down!"

The opponents eyed the party greedily, slowly trying to encircle them. A spear stabbed out, almost unseen, aiming for Quickstep's side.

"What?"

Even the pro was slow to react, taking a direct hit.

[135!]

"Damn! That damage!"

"My bad."

Radiant Shield apologized as he positioned himself further to the side, ready to block incoming attacks.

"Stupid bones!"

Quickstep growled angrily. She flourished her sword, performing a [Double Slash]. Over the last few days she had observed Liam, attempting to replicate his feat of hitting two enemies at once.

But the female warrior didn't have the same control over her movements, which Liam honed in real life. Her sword flashed, hitting one elite but missing the second.

The others didn't stop attacking as well, soon downing another two skeletons.

"Seven to go! We got this!"

"I'm out of stance!"

Both the tanks reported, their faces still calm. But a moment later Radiant Shield frowned as the elite before him gathered dark energy again.

"I won't let you!"

With a shout the burly man used [Brutal Strike] to try and interrupt the skill.

"F*ck, my stun failed!"

Quickstep noticed Radiant Shield's predicament, wanting to help him. But it was already too late.

The spear engulfed in darkness swirled, hitting Radiant Shield squarely in the chest, even pushing him away. A pulse of dark magic shot through his body.

[-84!]

[-10!]

Even as a tank Radiant Shield nearly lost 100HP. But this wasn't the worst, as the way towards the backline was opened up.

The elite in its skill rampaged blindly, ignoring the aggro system. It set its sight on Quickstep nearby, the tip of its spear aiming for her heart.

The valiant woman felt the hairs on her neck rise. She stabilized her legs, leaning her upper body to the side.

A spear tip barely passed her chest, Quickstep's eyes frozen on its cold end.

"Oh no!"

"Watch out!"

Disteressed shouts came from nearby. One of the elites managed to reach the mages, its face almost grinning as it swung its spear at Fortune.

The content creator was flustered. Although she was an experienced gamer, this was the first time that the party allowed an opponent to get close to her.

A spear tip enlarged in her eyes.