Tiger Glades Dungeon (3)
Ethan and his newly created party halt their steps at the dungeon's entrance.
Because most of them are all level 5, they become quite an attraction.
This is not the first time that a team of level 5 players challenges the Tiger Glades but all of them failed to last for half an hour in normal difficulty.
Thus upon seeing Ethan's group, some people started to speculate, and others makes a bet on how much time they can last inside.
Ignoring the crowd behind him, Ethan steps forward then his gaze went down at the four monoliths in his front.
These four monoliths are all three feet tall. There are strange lines engraved on their surfaces but the patterns were varied from each other.
Ethan unhesitatingly taps the fourth monolith and it shines into dark red lines.
The members of his party were huddled behind him hence they are late to notice what was going on.
When they saw the monolith pulsing in red, they immediately thought that their party leader was really a lunatic person.
Before they can shout in panic, they were warped on the spot, leaving the stunned crowd behind.
***
"W-we are done fo-ughk!?"
A panicked voice of the man who has a pair of translucent wings on his back was interrupted as the Dragnil beside him delivered a punch to his head.
"Shut up alright. That's already the third time you said that!"
"Argg—it can't be helped! We saw it red! It's red right?! That means this is a lunatic mode! Who's in their right mind would challenge such difficulty with this group of people?"
"Our party leader?"
Instead of the Dragnil, the dwarf who was holding a heater shield on the sidelines nonchalantly answered him.
"Oi, oi, how is your face so carefree!? Are you a child, huh? Can't you see the problem here?"
Annoyed, the Cleric yelled causing the dwarf to frown but it seems for a different reason.
"I'm not a child though. I'm already fifteen!"
"Yes, you're not. So—eh? wait, you're fifteen?"
"Hnn. I am." As if proud of revealing his age, the dwarf thump his chest as he replied.
"What the heck? Then that means this is your first time playing a VR!"
This information caused the Cleric to be dumbfounded.
At present, there's a regulation that people below fifteen aren't permitted to play a full dive VR game.
It was according to the published research stating that microwaves usually sent by VR gears (especially VR cabins) that can create fake sensory have potential harm to human brains whose ages were 13 years and below.
Hence, saying that he was fifteen years old also means he was just a child when it comes to VR games.
"What's up with this super noob team!?"
The Cleric cried out not knowing what to do while the Dwarf protested after the man called him a noob.
On the other hand, Hateful Gaze, one of the warlocks in the group approaches Ethan who was currently busily looking at the area.
"D-dude...is this your way of committing suicide in the game? N-no way right? You have a plan, right?"
'Or you're just simply suicidal?'
Hateful Gaze can't help but ask in his mind. Challenging a
Of course, he wasn't hopeful that they will be able to clear the Normal or even the Medium mode of Tiger Glades dungeon.
But at least they had a chance to hunt one or two elite monsters and can obtain a few pieces of good equipment.
But forget dreaming about those equipments, their party leader had already thrown them into the tiger pit!
Ethan who was still looking ahead turns his back and replied,
"Yeah, I have. In fact, it was a plan to clear this mode!" he said so casually causing Hateful Gaze to doubt more.
'Maybe this person still thinks he chose the Normal mode?'
He saw players who mistakenly tap the wrong difficulty before, so he can't help but think that Ethan was one of them.
"Are you sure you have a plan to clear this mode? Even the people from the large guilds can't clear the Hard mode not to mention this is Lunatic."
Solemn Rain who was quiet the entire time spoke up to Ethan.
Though she had some doubt that this person is still sane, she also hope that Ethan would say yes to her.
Her previous party doesn't have enough courage to enter this mode so this is the first time she would challenge it.
Because of this, she can't help but be excited as well as expectant about the strategy that Ethan had thought of.
"Don't worry. I have a method to bring you guys out," Ethan nodded to her questions and make a clap to settle his party.
"Alright. We are starting now. But first...ah, Muscleguy, can you stop them?"
Ethan addressed the Dragnil of his party and then looks at the two who were still bickering in the back.
Muscleguy can only sigh about this and forcibly break the two.
Over three minutes later, the entire party began to calm down so Ethan started to relay his instructions.
"Lunatic is very different from the rest. Aside from its difficulty, this mode is entirely different in terrain."
Ethan pick up a small rock and began to roughly draw a map on the ground.
"This place is divided by three territories and the monsters guarding these areas are; the Mole Tiger, the Hunter Beast, and the Veil Tiger.
These monsters, although varied from each other, had similarities and it was the greatest reason why this mode is hard to beat.
All of them excel in stealth and deception."
The mole tiger can hide their body under the ground like a trapdoor spider to surprise its prey.
The Hunter Beast is a humanoid tiger that uses bows with poisonous arrows to hunt above the trees.
And the Veil Tiger, a monster that emits a shrouded mist from their breath to weaken the sight of their prey.
"All of them are difficult to deal with since these tigers preferred hunting stealthily than directly confronting their prey."
Ethan paused and looks at the rest of his party. They are listening to him quite seriously as if they already accepted their fate. Lunatic or what, they just wanted to end this quickly.
"Normally we need to traverse these three territories for us to reach the boss's location." Ethan continued.
"Um, but dude, seeing our group... We are too weak to fight those monsters."
Hateful Gaze interjected in a weak voice.
"I know right. I heard Silverfang Guild barely reached the second territory and they were wiped out after then. Comparing to us..."
Little Hands, the pixie cleric also exclaimed rather nervously.
"Of course, I am aware of that. But I know a secret to get to the boss's location without needing to traverse these territories."
"A secret!" "A different path?"
They all instantly reacted upon hearing Ethan's words.
Seeing this, Ethan's flashed a satisfied smile as he draw a line on the map.
"Here, on the left side of this area, there's a lake. Underneath this lake, there's a secret passage that passes through until the boss area."
While Ethan was explaining, Solemn Rain suddenly raised her hands and asked a question.
"There are no guilds who knows this secret path. How did you know them, party leader?"
"That's... because I come from the future."
Ethan hesitated but he decided to say the truth. No one would believe it anyway.
"I see. So that's why."
But contrary to what he'd imagine, Solemn Rain nodded her head instead and Ethan can't help but be surprised.
"Eh...? You're believing me?"
"Ah no. Just now, it's your way of telling me to stop asking for your secret, right? I shouldn't ask. Sorry."
Solemn Rain suddenly bows her head in apology.
"Oh...haha, it's alright." Ethan didn't know whether to accept her apology or not. He just said it jokingly though.
"But big brother, we can't breathe underwater plus its night time now. There's no way we can see in the dark!"
Patty Ham, the dwarf Shield Warrior raises a question. Confusion was displayed on his face.
Going to the dark lake is no different from traversing the territories full of monsters!
But Ethan only grins as a response.
"Don't worry, I have these things!" He exclaimed while showing the bunch of papers in his hands.
If one would take a closer look at them, one would immediately notice the strange lines written on each paper.
They were patterns of an unknown language.
These things are called runes.