Lost in the Game

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The Rogue looked like someone had kicked him while he was down, as some of the group found it funny. "So how are we supposed to get to this office when we cannot even find the door to the fifth floor?" he demanded.

"Sorry, I gave you the wrong class. Priests require a little more brain power than what you seem to have available." Lucas said disdainfully.

"You could help us all you know. It isn't helpful-"

"Never assume I do not assist as I would be willing to help this party more than you would ever possibly guess. How many of you went to the Shoadows today?" he asked the Rogue as he saw the man was wearing two pieces of armor and atleast a dagger he had recently made and sold. Nearly three quarters of them raised thier hands, as it was one of the most popular stores there was in the first level. "How many of you got a discount on your gear? More so than the price that is already well below what monster drops are on the auction house?" he asked them as nearly all of them kept thier hands up, including Arthur.

"What does that have to do with you?" the kid demanded.

"How many of you bought gear or equipment made by Shadow Killer?" he asked them as all of them raised thier hand again. "How do you think the shopkeeper can do that alone? I was under the impression that the item crafter set the bottom price, not the shop keeper. Yet his prices are already below the Auction House Value, and he accepts discounted rates on excellent or better quality gear. Seems I helped this party out more than anyone else has this evening, and I haven't even officially been invited yet." he said as they looked at eachother before Arthis sent a raid party invite.

They watched as he accepted, and sure enough they all saw his name is bold letters, Shadow Killer, level 20 Assassin.

"When you are ready to actually do the work and learn how to be your class, let me know. Otherwise it is a waste of any time and energy to hold your hand through things you should already be doing." Lucas said glaring at him.

"All I want to know is where the door to level 5 is?" he asked as Lucas laughed.

"What kind of Rogue uses a door?" he asked rhetorically as the Barbarian Warrior started getting excited.

"Thiefs go through windows." he said jumping up and down.

"Look at that, Hulk knows more than smash." Lucas said walking off as the Rogue stood there with his mouth hanging open.

"Wait, the access point is through the window?" Arthur asked as Lucas nodded in confirmation.

"The door doesn't exist until you accept the quest. Piece of advise, don't go in there just asking for training. Masters don't accept every fool as thier apprentice, and I don't want your stupidity laid at my feet." Lucas said as they began planning the raid.

For over an hour they planned the strategy of Hiw it would go, and what tje loot rules would be for everyone going. They had finally agreed to all of it when Arthur went to just open the door.

"Excuse you, we are not ready to launch yet. Where are the priest, Paladin and Mage buffs? Who brought the feasts?" Lucas asked as the 3 classes used thier spells to buff the party as best as they could.

"Who can make the feast?" Arthur asked as a single player raised her hand.

"I don't have the materials yet though, the fish are difficult to find." she said as Lucas rolled his eyes.

"South shore of crystal lake, fishing skill 25 to access the waters." Lucas said as he pulled one out from his inventory for both the magic users, and physical users to chose from. As soon as everyone had eaten the food for the buffs, he smiled at the Paladin King Arthur and nodded. "Now we are ready, and just so you know Rogue, those are worth 5 gold each. Just so you cannot say I didn't help." he said as they launched the Dungeon.

Lucas was impressed with how populated it was now, as it was barely occupied when he soloed it yesterday for the minerals, herbs and rare loot he could disenchant. It wasn't the first time he had done it, and after this he would definitely have to consider joining a guild just so he could get access to runs like this.

They had finished killing the mobs leading up to the first boss when they came upon the first ores and herbs, and none of the others had anywhere near the skill to harvest them. He had been letting the miners up to this point have everything, as it was copper and tin which he had in abundance. He wanted just the Mithril, and after everyone had said they didn't have the skill, were amazed when he pulled out his pickax, and harvested all of them before he indicated the herbs. All of them again shook thier heads when one of the herbalists came over and watched as he harvested the rare herb.

"Can you tell me why you are doing that?" she asked him.

"Because it provides better quality herbs, and almost every part of it is useful." he said before giving her a detailed lesson that they were both amazed gave her a +10 bonus to her herbalism skill, and allowed her to start harvesting it with his instructions for care, despite not being skilled enough to do so beforehand.

She followed his instructions the first time she did it herself, and was surprised that even though it was red, it gave her 5 skill points for her profession, and excellent quality ingredients. "Holy shit." she said as she put them in her bags and the two others came over for the same lesson with the same results.

Lucas pointedly looked at the Rogue who said he needed to help more, and didn't say a word as they neared the first boss chamber itself. "Rogues, follow me. Arthur, when I give the signal, attack as you normally would." he said as he lead the other 4 Rogues with him into the rafters just inside the chamber. He lead them to a point that was just in front of the Throne and crouched in the tight space.

Most of them looked like they were uncomfortable in the space, and he smiled. "You should either get used to these types of places, or switch classes now." he said as he pulled out 4 different vials and handed one to each of them. "They are poisons, so only drink them if you have a death wish. Pull your daggers out, and pour the contents into the sheaths. Every third strike with each, it will need reapplied. Simply slide your dagger into your sheath and pull it out." he told them. "Now 2 of you on that beam, 2 of you on that one." he said as they all positioned themselves as instructed. "Once the boss moves to attack him, use your backstab skill as you jump." he directed them as he signaled the group they were ready and in position.

A few seconds later they watched as Chaos erupted, and Lucas was the first to use his skill to leap. It took him right to where he wanted to be, both poisons hitting the boss immediately as two others used thier daggers with different poisons to stop themselves from just hitting the floor before the final two did the same thing. They all watched in amazement as this boss was notorious for being a pain to defeat freeze, as the poisons quickly took its life. The unrelenting attack from the other players, and the Rogues transitioning into thier close range combat ensured the poisons remained effective. In less than 30 seconds they had downed the boss, and each raid member was given a bonus item at random for thier class as they had defeated it within the required initial time limit for what the system considered a perfect kill.

The members of the guild celebrated, as each piece was an Ultimate or Legendary piece of equipment, that was better than what most of them had or could even afford. Even Lucas had to admit this dagger was better than the one he had, and he equipped it without question as they made thier way into the next corridor.

It was 2 hours later when they killed what was believed to be the last boss, and Lucas knew trouble was coming when its body ignited into bright flames when it should have become lootable. They all watched as the flesh burnt away, and the skeleton was suddenly standing in front of them. Without warning it attacked, and Lucas knew it was going to be a fight, as his experience bar suddenly changed to show he was well rested.

The flaming blade barely missed him as he ducked, and than launched himself knocking the healer and the same Rogue out of the way, barely saving thier lives as he grabbed two potions and handed them to each of them. He took off the bag he had of them, and handed it to the healer. "Ensure everyone gets one, I will take Arthur his." he said as he took one last potion and ran to engage the boss next to the tank who had been more than enough as the other healers began working. "Drink quickly." he said blocking an attack and slipping it into the mans hand at the same time.

For 30 seconds the fight was nearly one sided, the healers having trouble keeping up until the rejuvenation potions kicked in. They were helping with the healing aspect, and the healers were even regaining a lot of mana because of it as they renewed thier focus on the boss.

Than the tables started to turn as the first life bar faded away, leaving it vulnerable to more attacks than it had been as they battled with everything they had. It was slow at first, as only a few of thier attacks landed, until the poisons finally took hold and began working thier magic on it. It was still an extreme challenge, and even Lucas managed to level his fitness and agility skills during the 5 minute fight. He used a Rogue teleport skill, and found himself on the creatures neck before he drove his first dagger into its eye, and the second into where its throat would have been when he was thrown off and all the party members were knocked back several yards.

The boss thrashed as it clawed at its neck, before it vanished and both daggers clattered to the floor as the Dungeon victory screen appeared and they all got to see thier personal loot, as well as what the boss had dropped.

"Everyone, we all know that without the help of one very rude Rogue, none of us would be standing here having successfully unlocked level 2 for everyone." Arthur said as he pulled a golden bag out of the chest. "As such, as p*****t for what he helped accomplish here, Inrecommend we give the Bottomless Bag to Shadow Killer." he finished as a poll popped up stating just that. He was more surprised that it passed by unanimous consent, and the 32 slot bag was awarded to him by the system. None of the other items were of interest to him, but he realized a good number of them were switching gear before they all headed to the new level.