Ch 119

  "Before you launch into anything, tell me if it's foolish for us to want to rush towards the level 32 area," stated Matt, sensing Tempormr's presence nearby.

  "Very much so," replied Tempormr, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Your group wouldn't be the first to think they could speed through the levels, but the system never allows things to be so easy. Especially not for one that fate has marked for removal."

  "Then why did you warn me not to rush past C rank before?" Matt questioned, curious about the contradiction.

  "If you had taken Bob and Apricity with you and forced your way forward, you would have likely found yourself alone," Tempormr explained. "Even after Greg joined, that wouldn't have changed, as he would have probably perished too. That was actually what I expected to happen—you either learning some harsh lessons and growing from them or crumbling under the pressure. Yet, that wasn’t what you did. Instead, you waited and even returned to find Kal, which was beyond my wildest expectations when I decided to send you to where you are."

  "Look at me, ruining your plans just by trying to be a decent human," retorted Matt with a smirk. "I find it funny that you expected something different."

  "I expected you to push forward, trusting yourself to handle the monsters, much like when you ventured into the goblin's home alone. If you were on your own, facing five fights a day would suffice for you to make the same progress that you're currently achieving with around 25 battles. Not to mention, it would have allowed you to tap into those instincts that seem to transcend the usual limitations of the system."

  "Is that what you're really after, seeing me rely on them—"

  "Develop them," Tempormr interjected, cutting Matt off. "But no, that would have just been a side benefit. Do not misunderstand, I am not eager to watch you suffer, nor am I disappointed when you surprise me. Observing you would become monotonous if you only ever did what I expected. As for what I am truly after, that is simple, yet until you discover it on your own and have no doubts left, you'll never know."

  "Right, and even if you did tell me, why would I believe it?"

  "Perhaps that is for the best," Tempormr agreed thoughtfully. "Either way, that's not the main reason for my visit. What I wish to convey is that soon you will find yourself near others who are active in this dungeon. At the very least, you should familiarize yourself with the basic etiquette they live by..."

  What followed felt like a long list of dos and don'ts that Matt had to pause during as he called Emily, Greg, and Eleanor over. He mindlessly repeated the list as it was recited to him. However, one thing Matt did notice was that Tempormr seemed to be able to speak for longer than he had in their previous interactions. Matt found this peculiar until, after finishing the list, Tempormr shared one final piece of advice before his presence vanished.

  "You will soon reach the point where I can no longer speak to you like this," Tempormr said, his voice tinged with urgency. "I am pushing the limits of what the system will allow to tell you all of this. This will likely be the last time you hear from me until your world's integration is complete and its ranking is solidified by the actions of those who return to it. Do not focus on being the strongest when you return; focus on becoming the strongest once the integration is complete, as that is when it will truly matter. And I’m not simply talking about having the highest level."

  In an instant, Matt sensed Tempormr's presence departing from him, and he suddenly began to contemplate how he felt about being informed that he was on his own. Meanwhile, as the others started to debate the etiquette that had just been shared with them, Matt realized he needed to highlight another obvious fact.

  "We need to steer clear of any groups we encounter," he stated firmly. "We know too little about the world above, and I’m not eager to rush back to Sadao’s group for guidance. Besides, we’re likely to stand out without us all acquiring matching gear."

  "That’s why I suggest we go full bandit on the first few groups we come across," Greg interjected. "I know it’s not ideal, but at least we might score some decent gear from it."

  "No," Matt replied decisively. "If we have to fight, we will, but I refuse to kill anyone just because we happen to run into them."

  "Why do I get the feeling that the moment we start seeing people, it's going to become a constant problem?" Emily remarked with a sigh, her voice tinged with concern. "Part of me wonders if we’ll end up gaining more experience from battling people than monsters, given how I expect things to unfold."

  "And precisely how do you envision things unfolding?" asked Eleanor, worry evident in her tone.

  "We're going to be hunted," stated Emily, resignation heavy in her voice. "After reviewing all the various etiquette rules, it's clear that we have no chance of remaining undiscovered. The moment we're found out, we'll need to constantly be on the move. If it weren't for the fact that I'm confident Apricity can locate saferooms that are unoccupied for us, I'd say even contemplating staying where others are active would be akin to suicide."

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  "Only for me," Matt interjected. "The rest of you could be captured and forced to join Godfrey Enterprises. A part of me thinks that was the original plan at this stage, but we had to open that ominous door and start our own organization after surviving. Maybe we could have Kal be the face of our group and not belong to any organization."

  "No," Greg rebutted firmly. "We need to own who we are and face whatever danger it brings."

  "I'm not taking advice on how we should act from you after suggesting we turn to banditry," Matt commented, his skepticism clear. "Eleanor, do you have any thoughts on the matter?"

  "I actually agree that we should embrace who we are and let events unfold as they may in this situation," stated Eleanor with a resolute expression. "To do otherwise is only to invite more attacks in the long run. If that means leaving a trail of destruction behind us, so be it. We all knew that the day would come when we would interact with others, and now that it has, it seems like a kill-or-be-killed scenario might be inevitable."

  "There has to be a middle ground," argued Matt, his brow furrowed with concern. "Or have our experiences up to this point altered the values that life back on Earth should have instilled in us so drastically?"

  "You could find a way to determine if we can trust those we encounter to keep silent," suggested Greg thoughtfully. "Or at least see if a path exists that doesn't involve killing them. I mean, that's kind of what 'hope of hopeless' sounded like it could achieve."

  Matt frowned, but the conversation ended there as they shared the information with the others. Unfortunately, no plan was proposed other than attempting to use Apricity's abilities to steer clear of anything that wasn’t a monster. This uncertainty made it difficult for Matt to sleep, as he suddenly felt the weight of responsibility to devise a way to combine the essences he possessed into a workable skill to address the issue before them. As he lay there, hope, luck, selflessness, and determination all resonated within him while he pondered the skills he once had and what might be possible. Yet, all he could conclude was that it would have to be a skill developed spontaneously, requiring a valid target. With that thought lingering in his mind, Matt finally drifted off to sleep, hoping for the best.

  The following day, they ventured into a level 19 area, where they found themselves still able to fight with relative ease, though it wasn't as effortless as they had anticipated. Upon reaching a level 20 area, Matt recalled the warning Tempormr had given him upon his arrival, which was about needing to pass through a level 20 zone to reach the surface. This reminder made it clear to Matt that if they continued onward, it was likely only a matter of time before they encountered others in the area ahead. The real question was how many foes they would face and what their strategy would be if they stumbled upon a high-level group while delving deeper into the dungeon's perilous depths.

  It was such groups that most of the etiquette Tempormr had shared referred to. Thankfully, even speaking to such a group was considered rude, and upon spotting one, the correct action was to simply head away from them unless they called out to his group. In that case, Matt was certain they would be in real trouble. Fortunately, Apricity assured them that her abilities would help them avoid any danger that would surely spell their doom if a fight broke out. That assurance didn’t provide Matt much relief when, shortly after reaching level 19, he saw a group of three turn a corner and nearly collide with his group. There was no time to gauge their levels accurately, but like Sadao’s group, they were all beast-men. Etiquette dictated that both parties should back up, and Matt’s group did just that, but the other three merely frowned before one, with wolflike features, began to speak.

  “Why the hell is your group so large? Trying to carry weaklings to higher levels?” he sneered, his sharp eyes narrowing with suspicion.

  “Not at all, just fighting above our levels,” Matt responded, willing the skill he hoped would work to manifest. “It lets us rotate out those who need to rest and avoid taking constant breaks between fights,” he added, trying to sound confident and unbothered by the encounter.

  "Weaklings should stay on the floors they belong on and not clog up our space," retorted the wolflike man, his eyes gleaming with malice. "I’ll tell you what, hand over whatever spatial device you’re using to haul your loot, and we’ll ignore—"

  "Weaklings shouldn’t demand things from their superiors," interrupted Matt, adopting an arrogant stance with a confident smirk. "Perhaps I wasn’t clear. We don’t need this number to fight on this floor; we only need it to avoid slowing down."

  "Oh, what’s your level?" the wolflike man inquired, curiosity piqued.

  "Levels aren’t the only measure of power," Matt replied coolly, his gaze unwavering.

  Matt waited for the other side to make the first move, maintaining steady eye contact. His confidence, combined with their numbers, seemed to deter the wolflike man from taking a rash step. However, Matt could see the man searching for a way to navigate around the embarrassment he was causing him. It was something Matt could easily alleviate.

  "Three blows," declared Matt. "No weapons, no aiming for heads. Just the two of us taking turns exchanging blows until we have each made three attacks."

  "Is blocking allowed?" asked the wolflike man, clearly interested and leaning forward slightly.

  "What fool would let a claw rip their chest open when they could stop it?" retorted Matt with a slight chuckle. "I’ll even let you have the first move."

  "Alright, and how do we decide a winner?"

  "It’s about respect," stated Matt, his voice firm. "If either of us doesn’t respect the other afterward, then the one who hasn’t earned the other’s respect loses. If we walk away respecting each other, then we both win."

  The wolflike man appeared less enthusiastic, yet he concluded that the terms were fair enough and lunged forward without warning. Matt had enough time to block the attack, but instead, he smiled as he transformed his chest into a hard enamel surface and braced himself. When the wolflike man's strike hit, Matt simply grinned at the expression of pain and confusion that crossed the wolflike man's face as he injured his clawlike hand. However, Matt didn’t exploit the situation for an easy counterattack; instead, he responded with words.

  “Are you ready for my attack?” he asked, his voice calm and steady, as he smiled like he had already won.