Ch 94
Over the next few days, Matt found himself increasingly troubled as they continued their search for a level 12 area. Rose’s words echoed in his mind, taunting him. Was she the only one ready to throw herself at him if he ever entertained the idea of having multiple partners? He would be lying if he said the thought hadn’t crossed his mind more than once, but he believed nothing could be more foolish than to act on it. Yet, he also couldn’t deny, without lying, that a part of him smiled at such possibilities. It was that same mischievous part that convinced him it was worth indulging in ice cream as a child, despite knowing that his parents would inevitably find out and his rear would pay the price. He could still remember the thrill of sneaking a scoop after dinner, only to face the consequences later.
Like most adults, Matt had long since gained control over this part of his mind, but like every adult, he would also indulge that part when it made sense. What baffled him was not knowing what made sense to indulge in with the changes happening in the world around him. Thankfully, his apprehension about dealing with any additional drama was enough for Matt to know what his answer would be in the long run. The only question was what the journey there would look like. In the end, he couldn’t lie to himself and say there was no interest; it was just a matter of determining if it was truly who he was.
Eventually, such concerns faded from his mind as the days began to blur together, and he started identifying the days of the week by whose turn it was to talk with him. After all, while Greg had declined to participate in the rotation most of the time, that simply gave Matt a day to himself, and thus a seven-day rotation was established. Before they knew it, they had reached level 14 and were battling in level 16 areas as they continued to push forward. They had also survived three more encounters similar to the one with the centipede, where they were forced to confront monsters far stronger than any they had faced before, testing their growth and resilience.
These three levels had unlocked access to a status menu they could keep active in the corner of their vision at will. Initially, it only displayed their own HP, MP, and any status effects, but soon it allowed them to share their status with each other. Eventually, they gained the ability to configure this information to appear only when certain parameters were met. For Matt, he had set it to show his own HP only when it dropped below half, and for anyone else if theirs fell under 25%, except for Bob, whose status he would see if it ever fell below 75%. Emily, however, was set to make the most use of this new tool. Constantly focusing on whom to heal, her analytical approach to her path had granted her extra functions. These included seeing enemy health and calculating damage overtime numbers for both sides, which had finally convinced Greg to relinquish combat command to her.
However, when they stood before a massive door, unsure of how to proceed, they all instinctively turned to Matt for guidance. He wished they wouldn't, as Greg, Emily, and Eleanor all had significant leadership roles within the group. Yet, in the end, it was always Matt who made the final decisions. This door was unlike anything they had encountered before. It was, indeed, an actual door, crafted from stone like everything else they had come across. Still, nothing else had appeared to be made by intelligent hands. Furthermore, the sheer size of the door—towering over 50 feet tall—and the ominous aura it emitted, which was setting off Apricity’s danger sense like crazy, put them all on edge.
"Alright, before we simply note it and move on, does anyone have something to say?" asked Matt.
"I think it might be a true boss room, or it could be the entrance to a rank D area," suggested Greg. "Either of those possibilities make sense to me."
"I have to agree," added Emily. "That means we will likely need to get through it, but we should be prepared for anything when we do. After all, we've all noticed how quickly our stats have been rising since reaching rank E; rank D could bring an even more drastic change."
"Understood, so we can return after reaching level 17," stated Matt decisively. "Now let's—"
"I think we should take the risk," interrupted Eleanor. "Not immediately, but when we are well-rested. Alternatively, we could open the door and use Apricity's skills to find a safe escape path."
Matt wanted to immediately dismiss Eleanor's suggestion, but he could sense that she wasn't alone in her desire to leave their current location, which felt more irritating than anything else. This irritation only intensified when Zara asked a question before Matt could reply to Eleanor.
“Do you think that if we move to a different area, the environment might change as well?”
“Like into an underground jungle?” Rose chimed in, responding to Zara's question. “I mean, we are underground, right? From what Matt has been able to gather, this isn’t a pocket dimension or anything.”
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“Who can say for sure,” Emily replied thoughtfully. “I could easily imagine plants surviving with the amount of light in the safe rooms. The real question is how much the rules we're accustomed to might shift if it's a different section of the dungeon.”
"We should at least open the doors to have a look," commented Yumiko, her curiosity piqued by the mystery that lay beyond. "Surely, whatever dangers there are won't strike until we enter, or at least not so fast that we can't even close the door."
"Such assumptions are how we get killed," stated Greg with a hint of caution in his voice. "No, if we open the door, it will mean accepting the danger of the unknown. Still, I think we have to, either now or when we reach level 17. I would say even leaving to rest is a bad idea."
"Really, and why is that?" asked Eleanor, looking insulted by Greg's suggestion.
"Simple, it will give time for doubt to creep in," replied Greg, his tone steady and resolute. "We aren't even a quarter of the way into our day, and even if we head right to a safe room from here, we can't say that it will be closer than we were today. We also don't know if this is the only door like this in this area, and we could very easily find several of them."
"I don't think we should assume that," commented Matt, pondering the implications. "There are too many unknowns, and the real question is: do we play it safe or take risks?"
Matt sighed deeply as he reflected on Tempormr’s advice about taking risks, especially while the others continued to fervently debate their next move. After several minutes of discussion, Matt raised his hand to regain their attention and spoke decisively.
“All of you entrusted me with the responsibility to make the final call on matters, and this time, I’m going to say that we must take a risk or resign ourselves to hiding in fear forever. So unless anyone is absolutely opposed to moving forward and prefers to remain hidden in these tunnels until we’re sent back to Earth, I propose we go now.”
“Why the change of heart?” Eleanor inquired, confusion evident in her tone. “You seemed inclined to postpone this decision at first.”
“I remembered I was advised to take risks because if I let the opportunities that come with them slip by, I can’t hope to reach my full potential. That said, I was also cautioned that such opportunities might endanger the lives of those who stand beside me, as well as my own.”
As Matt finished speaking, a heavy silence settled over the group, each member exchanging anxious glances until Greg broke the tension before it could take root.
“Then I say we have to go,” Greg declared firmly.
“What?” Apricity blurted out in disbelief. “What kind of logic is that?”
“You weren’t with us when we first entered the crypt dungeon,” Greg explained. “All of us would be dead if Matt hadn’t been with us then. So, in my view, everyone here except you and Bob has no right to follow him and avoid a risk he’s willing to take. At least not if we ever want to be allowed to stand beside him again.”
"Yeah, if you want to give up on being the one, then feel free to stay in a safe room," commented Zara with a slight smirk. "I'll even vote to help you stockpile enough dried meat to last a while. After all, there has always been water available close to each safe room, so you should be fine with just food. Though now that I mention it, I wonder if our stats affect how long we can go without eating."
"They do," stated Greg confidently. "Though I'm not exactly sure how it all breaks down, as I've only ever tested going without food for a day at a time. But I was never hungry and haven't felt hunger since reaching level nine."
"Let's not change the subject," retorted Apricity, crossing her arms defiantly. "And I'm not going anywhere. I just didn't understand the logic Greg was using, and I don't know if I can agree with it even after hearing his reasoning."
"What about the fact that the rest of us likely follow the same logic?" commented Rose, raising an eyebrow. "Will that be enough for you to concede that this conversation is over?"
Apricity glanced around the group and noticed that everyone seemed to agree with Rose. She realized she was alone in her opinion as she turned to Matt and spoke to him directly.
“Fine, give me one good reason that isn’t about gaining power faster, and I will stop trying to dissuade you.”
“My spatial storage,” Matt replied confidently. “It was the biggest advantage I gained last time we faced challenges beyond our abilities. I won't claim that this will result in the same outcome, but without that skill, everything we're currently doing would be much more difficult. Not to mention the other important things I'm storing in there.”
“Alright, let’s go,” conceded Apricity with a sigh.
“No, let’s make a plan,” Greg interjected thoughtfully. “Matt, are you okay with Emily and me discussing things for a moment?”
“Just don’t have me hiding in the rear,” Matt responded with a smirk, his determination evident in his eyes.
Greg nodded thoughtfully as he and Emily engaged in a detailed discussion before he agreed with a final nod and joined the group to share the plan. In the formation, Matt was positioned right at the front, poised to open the door and take the greatest risk, with Eleanor and Greg following closely behind him. The strategy was for Matt to absorb any incoming attacks, allowing Eleanor to shield Greg as he prepared to unleash a powerful magic wave containing every element he could muster. They had only ever attempted this once before, as it consumed over 5,000 MP, but it had proven to be incredibly effective. So much so that Greg had declared it one of his trump cards.
With the rest of the group lagging a few steps behind Greg, and Emily bringing up the rear, Matt tugged on the handle before realizing it needed to be pushed instead. He let out a short laugh at his mistake, then pushed it open, revealing what felt like an entirely new world. This world was blanketed in ice, and even with their enhanced stats, the cold seeped into their bones, chilling them just by standing nearby. What worried Matt the most, however, was the sudden appearance of an ice dome encircling them, indicating they could only move forward. Determined to confront whatever new threat lay ahead, Matt steeled himself and took his first cautious step beyond the door.
