Chapter 5: Second Round Running

When the team finished the dungeon run, they split up the dropped loot. In the end the only equipment given to Cold Bear were a shield that was far too small for Brick to want to use and a scythe inferior to the one Tea Time Taker was using.

Brick immediately messaged Cold Bear about making him a shield.

"I'm guessing big as possible?" Cold Bear asked. Igor smiled. "Time for a challenge."

"No. About as big as the one I'm using now." Brick said.

"I'll contact you in weeks and give you price. Just send me the name of your shield."

With these few sentences as quick agreement had been formed. As Cold Bear was about to leave, Tea Time Taker stopped him.

"Before everyone leaves. I have a proposal. I know most of you don't like running a dungeon more than once a day, but looking at the time we did it in, I'm sure we can go for a record."

"How do you suggest we cut down our time?"

"No loot distribution or performance evaluation in between. Just an outright rush through to the end, like a proper speed run."

"Will it be a problem if I first go change equipment?" Cold Bear asked.

"Will it affect your speed?"

"Bit, but I could not go all speedy, so I'll just trade in one or two to increase my damage."

"That will be beneficial. Do it. In fact everyone have your equipment repaired and get potions."

With that the group went about gathering potions and repairing equipment. Fifteen minutes later they met at the dungeon entrance again.

"Everyone ready?" Tea Time Taker asked.

They all sent a thumb up emoji.

Cold Bear stormed into the dungeon first. The rest followed into the dungeon and immediately took their places. As his equipment now allowed him to do more damage, when luring the enemies, his initial attack lower the enemies' health just a bit more, and mobs were cleared that little bit faster. Also as they already had an idea what to do, so coordination was swifter, though Tea Time Taker still gave a lot of commands.

Even the bosses seemed to fall faster.

When they walked out of the dungeon a system announcement rang out announcing that they had broken the prior record.

"Five seconds! Five fucking seconds! We beat the crap out a time set by experts!" The Paladin cheered when he compared the prior times. Even Cold Bear felt happy with himself. The record had remained unbeaten for some years now.

"Going try again?" Cold Bear asked. His blood was pumped and he felt ready to do it again, confident he could do even better.

The entire team turned to Tea Time Taker. She the realized that she had the final say.

"Everyone take a breather. We entre again in five minutes. Also we still have to give out the loot."

After the equipment from the last run and award for breaking the record was distributed, with Cold Bear getting a few orange pieces to use, they took a break. Some went to the bathroom, while others bragged to their friends.

In this moment Tea Time Taker received a message from the player that was supposed to dungeon with them earlier, One Less Tree.

"Shit. What kind of expert was I replaced with?" One Less Tree asked.

"A Striker. Thought he also plays Summoner from time to time." Tea Time Taker replied.

"Aaaggggg! I think Striker just became my least favourite class. The Guild has had us look all over the map for a Striker that stole some rare materials."

"What's his name?"

"No one knows. But he is fast and apparently very ugly."

"Deformed ugly or goblin ugly?"

"I'll asked." One Less Tree said and after a minute he replied, "Goblin Ugly. Pathetic, hu? They know how he looks, but not what the character's name is. You'll keep an eye out?"

"I think I can help." Tea Time Taker replied.

Geng Lei began laughing. She strongly suspected it was Cold Bear, so she sent him a message asking.

"What's so funny?" Tan Zexian asked when he heard the laugh.

"I think we're harbouring a criminal." Geng Lei said.

"What do you mean?"

"Tell you later."

With that she received a reply from the culprit, confirming it was him. This got another laugh from her.

"Why did you do it?"

"I was picking, and it was just perfect for taking."

"Why scrap pick?"

"Easiest way to get equipment without dungeon and still having fun."

Cold Bear's reply to some degree made sense to Tea Time Taker. For someone like him who made equipment but seemed to have tough luck getting into dungeon parties, scrap picking was a decent alternative. And he did not seem to mind the negative attention.

"Samsara is looking for you, you know?" Tea Time Taker told Cold Bear.

"Of course, but I don't have it on me anymore." Cold Bear said with a prideful emoji.

"Can I tell them?"

"Sure, you're in their Guild, your responsibility too."

With that the rest of their dungeon team was back and they began entering the dungeon.

"I found your Striker." Tea Time Taker told One Less Tree

"Where?" One Less Tree replied almost immediately.

"He just entered the dungeon with me." Tea time Taker told him. She was curious to see what would happen and, if possible, see a guild chase a single player. In some internet café, a loud shout of "Shameless Bastard!" rang out.

Their team completed the dungeon again, and manage to improve their time with only one second.

A second announcement rang out.

When the team left the dungeon, they were all in high spirits, and began discussing how they could improve their time further.

But Cold Bear immediately notice that a bunch of players were waiting at the dungeon entrance and several of them were Sharpshooters. At that moment he was glad he did not leave the speed improving equipment in his vault, but rather only picked up the other equipment. Equipping his other pieces, he said farewell to his team. At that moment a voice rang out from the players gathered.

"Cold Bear!"

"Eat my dust!" Cold Bear shouted, and at full speed streaked past the players.

"Stop Him!" One Less Tree shouted, and the players stormed after him.

Tea Time Taker had expected there to be people waiting, but she did not think that there Cold Bear's speed was that incredible. It made Assassins and Battle Mages look slow.

"What did he do?" the one of the Sharpshooters asked.

But no reply came from Tea Time Taker or Brick. Geng Lei and Tan Zexian were both laughing.