Ch 110
The remainder of the battle with the stone gorilla proceeded without any significant issues, as its only advantages were its incredible durability and power. Both of these attributes were squandered since it couldn't land a hit on anything. Although Matt felt that it was an excellent opportunity for them to gain stats, he also believed that repeating the encounter would yield diminishing returns. This sentiment was especially true after their next battle, where they faced seemingly insane metal monkeys. During this fight, Matt, Rose, and Eleanor were forced to take turns keeping one of the monkeys occupied while Greg recovered. Saying it was difficult would have been an understatement, as the monkeys attacked in completely random patterns and moved with erratic energy. The only saving grace was that this often resulted in just one out of every five attacks being on target, and even fewer of them were effective.
Despite this, the damage each Monkey was inflicting was so substantial that by the time the first one was dealt with, only Matt, Emily, Greg, and Eleanor had enough HP remaining to continue the fight. When the second Monkey was finally defeated, not even Matt wanted to imagine what a prolonged battle against them might have turned into. According to Emily, it appeared that dexterity and durability were the Monkeys' primary attributes, with their other stats being relatively low. Nonetheless, their metallic bodies were painful to confront, and their speed made them a formidable adversary for anyone lacking high durability and HP.
The remainder of that day unfolded with two additional battles against monsters, which Matt and the others agreed were less than ideal opponents. This pattern persisted into the following day and the day after that, as they gradually encountered and engaged one pair of monsters with unbalanced stats after another. During this period, they stumbled upon a few worthwhile battles that significantly boosted everyone's stats, compensating for the decelerated rate of experience. They could all see themselves nearing their maximum potential if they persisted. This also had the added benefit of making subsequent encounters easier, and by the fourth day of fighting in this manner, battles that would have previously been overwhelming for some became manageable.
Among everyone, Eleanor appeared to have experienced the most significant growth, as she even managed to overpower Matt in a physical altercation. However, she struggled when he allowed his instincts to take control, dictating his movements with an unpredictable flow. Nonetheless, by the end of the fifth day, they were only a few battles away from reaching level 17, and they were in high spirits as they settled down for the night. It was then that the unexpected occurred: a group of ten individuals came into view in the dimly lit hallway leading to the safe room. Had it not been for the necessity to battle the lurking monsters just a few hundred feet from the entrance, they might have reached the safe room unnoticed.
Emily quickly assessed the situation, and her face turned pale as she informed everyone that four of them were level 22, while the rest were only level 9. She also noted that the six weaker figures were all chained together, appearing to be in poor condition. They represented a wide variety of species, whereas all four of the level 22 figures shared a similar build, clad in full plate armor that completely covered their bodies. However, it was the final piece of information Emily discerned as they swiftly defeated the monsters that signaled they were in serious trouble.
"They are Godfrey enforcers, whatever that means," she said, her voice tinged with concern.
"I suspect that Godfrey is an organization, and 'enforcers' is a role that can eventually be unlocked," Greg stated confidently, his eyes scanning the area. "Which means they likely won't be pleased to find us here, given what we know about organizations."
"We can't be certain of that," Eleanor replied thoughtfully, considering the possibilities. "They might not even have anyone who can identify us as members of one."
"Regardless, we need to play dumb," Matt asserted, noticing the group approaching. "Damn, everyone should be ready for a fight, but wait for my signal to move. Eleanor, you and I should handle the talking if possible."
"Maybe you should just let—" Eleanor began, concern etched on her face.
"No, I'm the leader here," Matt interrupted firmly, his voice leaving no room for doubt. "Acting otherwise will only create problems when they put you on the spot, and you're unsure of what I would want."
By the time Matt finished speaking, the other group had already noticed his party's presence. This realization caused them to pause momentarily before one of their four level 22 members cautiously advanced. Observing their careful approach, Matt felt hopeful that they were uncertain about his group’s level and that a peaceful resolution might be possible. However, his optimism wavered as the man approaching them seemed to relax the closer he got without any incident occurring. Finally, he halted approximately ten feet from the entrance and called out to them in a firm voice, "State your permit number and party name."
"We have no idea what you're talking about," Matt answered defiantly. "We didn't enter this dungeon by choice; we were placed here due to chance circumstances."
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"Then you're trespassing on Godfrey territory and must submit to our protocols," the man declared with authority.
"That's not happening," Matt retorted with a determined glint in his eye. "I submit to nothing but the forces of nature, and even then, I try to use them to my advantage."
"If you refuse, then you will be forced to comply," the man warned, his voice steady. "Even if you kill us, others know where we are and what we're doing—"
"Just leave us be," Matt interrupted, his tone firm as Eleanor shook her head at him in silent disapproval. "We have our task, and we'll likely be forced somewhere else once we complete it. We have no interest in anything the Godfrey has to say about our presence here."
"You shouldn't overplay your hand," the man cautioned, disappointment seeping into his voice. "A single glance is enough to see that you're newly integrated, and the system is unfamiliar to you. Even if you have reached D rank, you're unaware of how the universe works and are little more than children playing at being powerful. You have no idea what—"
"Tempormr, that's who sent us here using the system and is watching as things play out," Matt cut in, a confident grin spreading across his face as he realized he needed to play his cards right at this point. "You think I'm worried about how the Godfrey will react to us killing you? Perhaps you should worry about what he will do to the Godfrey if you harm us."
"Truly, you're a fool who knows nothing about the power balances in the universe," the man scoffed, shaking his head. "If you did, you'd realize that at most, Tempormr would demand some scraps as compensation. That lazy excuse of a god never moves unless he has something to gain, and—"
The man never finished speaking because Matt moved before he even realized it. It wasn’t simply his instincts taking over; rather, it felt as if the bargain he had made with Tempormr had compelled him into action. If he were to guess, it likely had something to do with the fact that the fool had been insulting Tempormr, and Tempormr had already anticipated that a fight was inevitable. This didn’t guarantee that Matt would emerge victorious, as the man easily dodged Matt’s initial advance, only to be struck by a searing ball of magma directly in the face. This fiery distraction created an opening for Matt to attack. He swiftly drew his knives and lunged forward with determination, just as the other three level 22 enemies charged in to join the fray.
Without a second thought, Matt allowed his body to react instinctively. He seized the arm of the first man and hurled him into the three others who were charging forward. Their enhanced abilities, thanks to inflated stats, made such feats achievable, but they also facilitated the man's acrobatic flip and smooth landing. The armor, once awkward and unwieldy, now moved with ease, a testament to the system's augmentation of their capabilities. However, the burns on the man’s face, a result of a searing ball of magma, reminded Matt of his greatest advantage in the battle that was now undoubtedly in his favor.
When the man drew the short sword from his waist and charged back at him, Matt allowed the blade to pierce straight through his gut. The shock on the man's face was priceless when the dagger in Matt's hand slipped into the joint on the inside of his right groin. He reacted as most men would to a knife striking such a sensitive area, grabbing at his groin in pain. Matt then activated "give back to your enemy" and pulled the sword away, which had taken over a quarter of his 406 HP. Now in possession of a new weapon, Matt wasted no time in charging at the three men who were only ten feet away from him, their expressions quickly shifting from confidence to alarm.
Each of them had witnessed Matt get stabbed, yet he showed no sign of concern as he retaliated, stabbing their comrade in the groin as if it didn't trouble him in the slightest. Considering they were outnumbered, each opponent began to reassess their chances, reacting to Matt's bold attack. Initially, they appeared bewildered, and Matt suspected that his movements were slower than they anticipated, possibly due to their overestimation of his skill level. This perception shifted when the first man managed to speak, his voice trembling just before the rest of Matt's party began to arrive.
"He can return any wound you inflict on him," the man warned, casting a nervous glance at his comrades as they braced themselves for the unfolding confrontation.
Suddenly, all three of them backed away, staring at Matt in terror as they contemplated their next move. Matt, however, didn't relent; instead, he accelerated the confrontation by lunging at one of the men's necks with the stolen sword. The man easily deflected the strike, but Matt persisted, moving closer as the man reacted instinctively, plunging his blade into Matt's side. This time, Matt used both his luck and a cunning tactic known as "giving back to your enemy," as he momentarily disengaged, struggling for a second until his body regained composure. Despite this, his health points had plummeted to below a third from just those two attacks. The man who had stabbed him remarked incredulously, "He just doubled the injury I gave him."
Matt, with a wild grin spreading across his face, bluffed, "If you want to live, surrender now."
Regrettably, none of the men responded; instead, they charged forward, targeting him with calculated and precise strikes. It was evident that they had adapted their tactics, and even with the revitalizing sensation of Emily’s healing energy enveloping him, Matt realized he was in dire straits. He wasn’t prepared to use either of his precious escape cards just yet, but he was also too sluggish to evade the majority of the blows being unleashed by the two uninjured attackers. Thankfully, the two injured men struggled against the rest of his party, their movements hindered and clumsy, allowing Matt a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos.
The main issue was that their armor was preventing anyone from landing decisive blows during the fight, and Matt knew that his skills were the best chance at bypassing this formidable defense. Fortunately, Greg couldn't care less about finesse as he concentrated on manipulating magma, determined to heat the armor until it melted and fused at the joints. This tactic had already rendered the knees of the first man's armor completely immobile, as he failed to react in time to avoid a line of magma that surged over him. The second man was experiencing similar difficulties with one arm, but overall, he was in a much better position. Meanwhile, the final two men remained untouched, continuing to engage Matt in combat. Matt struggled to find an opening to attempt a counterattack, uncertain if he even had enough HP left to risk making a move, feeling as though he had already exerted more effort than should have been possible.
