I'll be honest it feels a little strange not seeing Clyde's party reach the boss first. They are after all the ones who usually playtest the stuff before other delvers reach it. In hindsight this was bound to happen eventually, humans don't live forever after all. Unlike dungeons who don't really have to worry about old age. For now, I decide to just watch the boss fight. I can worry about why Clyde's party hasn't delved in well over half a year at some other time.

  At first, they tried to just rush the boss. Probably thinking "how hard could a skeleton with a few extra arms be to take down". After all they had reached level 16 by this point. They were brought back to reality real quick when the skeleton boss blocked the shield bash with its own shield. It then brought two swords down in simultaneous vertical slashes, forcing the tank and party leader to defend. It then leaped forward narrowly escaping an earth spike that appeared where it just was. The sudden leap caused both ladies to dodge to the side to avoid getting knocked over.

  This unfortunately ended up with one of them on either side of the boss. A worst-case scenario for my boss. It apparently decided to focus on the tank trusting in the enchantment on the shield to protect his other side. The nonstop barrage from two different swords left no time for the tank to counterattack. Meanwhile the party leader kept hitting the shield thanks in large part to the enchantment on it. The problem was that while the shield was turned towards the party leader the mage was free from the enchantment. This meant that on top of attacking and defending from both sides my boss also had to constantly dodge incoming attacks.

  It was able to use the third sword to deflect the stone spears. The enhanced speed and reflexes I gave it were really starting to show their worth. Still one or two stone spears would occasionally get through. Over time this added up. Turn out broken bones are actually worse for creatures that are nothing but bones. Especially when the magic animating it is apparently concentrated in the skull as opposed to throughout the skeleton.

  Thanks to a flaw in its armor's creation, which was admittedly my own fault, there was a gap in the midsection. This gap is apparently wide enough for stone spears to get through, as a result the spine is snapped in half by repeated hits to roughly the same area. this brought its ability to dodge to effectively zero. Now it could have dropped the sword and shield in its bottom two hands and used them as makeshift feet. It could have except that it's not self-aware and I never thought to program that behavior so instead it stubbornly clung to its weapon and shield. I make a mental note to fix that little flaw as a carefully aimed earth spike takes off its head.

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  That's not to say the fight went smoothly for them either. The tank looks like she was hit by a freight truck. The leader is nearly out of stamina from trying to keep the boss between her and the tank to divide its attention. At the same time the mage is glad that they still had mana potions. As the healer begins treating the tank they quickly decide to at least check out the first few rooms of the fourth floor. Reasoning that the enemies in those rooms will at least not be obsidian rank and instead will be at or near their level.

  The next day, outside the dungeon; Lily POV

  It's been a rough six months. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't change it for the world, but this kid seems to be drawn to weapons like a bee to pollen. I'd say he takes after his father if it wasn't for everything else. Being fascinated by weapons wouldn't be so bad in itself, except he also seems to be a budding rogue. I swear no matter how I try to keep them from him he always finds a way to reach them. In a weird way it's almost become a sort of game where I hide them, and he finds them. All be it a game, I can't afford to lose.

  "So how is little Hector today" Chandra asks in way to bubbly of a mood for my liking, while letting herself in. My lack of sleep isn't her fault, so I try my best not to take it out on her as I motion towards Hector. Not really trusting myself to hold my tongue while speaking. He is currently on the floor examining some wooden training weapons which seems to have sated his curiosity, for now at least. I dread the day he's actually old enough to walk cause, I fear he'll always be running towards danger.

  "Clyde's waiting for you" she says drawing me back to reality. "I'll be along as soon as Luna comes to take over babysitting duty but Cole and Darrel both agree that you two really need some time to unwind by yourself." She winks as she says unwind which I'll admit caught me off guard. I can feel myself start to blush but before I can say anything I find myself being shooed out of my own house. I'd protest except she has a point; I have been couped up in this house to long. That's partly why I agreed to meet up with the rest of the party. The other part being to decide when to start delving again. Probably not for another few months at least but talking about it is still a pretty good excuse to get out of the house for a while.

  Walking along the street I can't help but notice the heat doesn't feel as oppressive as it once did. Whether that's my imagination or just a result of my being stone rank I'm not sure. Maybe I've just lived here long enough to get used to it. Either way I decide to let myself enjoy the walk. Making my way into the guild hall, I spot Clyde sitting at one of the reserved tables in a more secluded corner of the hall. I can't help but notice that he is alone. "Where are the others" I ask while sitting down across from him. "They won't be coming" he says with a half grin. Chandra's not so subtle wink comes flooding back into my mind as I suddenly realize that he planned this whole thing. Only now does it occur to me that her remark about Darrel and Cole agree to give us alone time should have been my first clue.

  This is the kind of surprise I enjoy. "Is that so" I say as nonchalantly as I can manage while doing my best to not leap across the table into his lap. I'm momentarily saved from doing anything to impulsive by the wait staff bringing our food.

  "I hope you don't mind" he says while motioning to my plate. "Apparently, someone actually made it to the fourth floor and brought back a new type of meat. Considering how slim the variety is around here I figured anything new would be a welcome change."