[Asai Trichia: Lvl 73] [Robin: Lvl 68] [Clam: Lvl 60] [Gary: Lvl 61] [Chloe: Lvl 46]
"Robin, I'm going in alone, there's something I need to confirm. This is an order. No one is to enter before I come back out."
"Yes. Milord." Robin saluted. Currently, they were in front of their platoons, their knights and trainees stood at attention. Already having received the orders to defend the dungeon portal. Under the orders of a duke, the only people able to bypass his authority would have to either be royalty of another duke.
Clam looked nervous upon receiving his newest order. His mind flashed back to before, back when he had found Asai's collapsed body within the depths of this exact dungeon.
...
Asai entered without hesitation. He had a certain hunch that he was betting on.
"If the dungeon's difficulty is scaled according to the people who enter. As I am the highest level, what would happen if I entered alone?"
In [Hide] he stealthily traversed the large stone pathway deep into the dungeon. It was perhaps only after half an hour of walk did he encounter his first monster. And just like the previous dungeon, it appeared to be a variant.
The monster stood tall, its legs bulging with muscles like a body builder. Its feet consisted of long horse like hooves. Adorning a Cows face, however, unlike before, the beast now lacked its clothing and weaponry. It's skin entirely black, dry and grey. The tree like skin made the beast look more evil than before.
[Tainted Mollek: Lvl 70]
"Oh shit! I did it! The monsters of the dungeon are now scaled to my level. Which makes this the perfect grinding session."
...
Asai popped out of the portal, ordered the party to enter, and popped back in.
Now inside, The group unsheathed their weapons. Asai and Robin entered stealth and positioned themselves at the flanks. Clam and Gary took mid with their swords and tower shields. Chloe remained at the backline, as the weakest member. Asai had strictly forbidden her to entering melee range. He wasn't sure if she was crazy enough to pull out her little blade in an attempt to copy him like her predecessors.
"Mel and Robin moulded their own battle styles to imitate mine. I don't know whether it was because they were obsessed with me or they simply believed that my style was powerful. And copying the strong and successful makes sense. Two is enough, I don't need a third person copying me."
When the group encountered the same tainted mollek Asai had scouted prior. As instructed, Chloe took first-strike. Her arrow brimming with electricity impacted directly into the monster's torso. It spasmed for a second whilst the electrical discharged travelled through its limbs and grounded itself.
Clam and Gary roared as they charged forward, punching their shields into it, causing the mollek to fall backwards. With minimal distance, Robin vaulted, unleashing her arcane barrage. Multiple projectiles slammed into the mollek further adding into the pressure upon its body, causing it to fall.
Asai shot forward and delivered the final blow.
[ANNIHILATE]
Without a chance of even fighting back, the tainted mollek's torso erupted. It was simply overwhelmed by the sudden gang-bang. Asai had ensured that everyone managed to contribute to the fight to maximize the experience gain. The party continued to hunt a couple more of the [Tainted Mollek] variants before taking a breather.
...
Asai was already quite satisfied with the yields. Further motivated to boost his party members, he quickly spoke to Chloe.
[Chloe: Lvl 46->51]
[HP: 115 MP:140]
[Skills unlocked:]
"[Siege Shot] Caster rooted for 10s duration, gains 100% ranged attack"
After hearing the exact title of the skill and also its description word for word from the system. A sudden flood of profound intensity entered her mind, body and soul. Instantly teaching the dormant mana within her how to utilize the new skill. Now, all that was left was for the physical body itself to adapt and learn how to allow the mana to efficiently course through the correct mana-veins to their required destinations to utilize the skill.
"Chloe, try it. Aim down the hall and fire your skill. Don't worry about mana consumption, just do it."
Chloe nodded. As much as she wanted to ask the dozens of questions within her mind, she ultimately desired to witness the new skill more.
Her stance widened, seemingly planting herself into the ground to better stabilize herself. She suddenly felt like she was stuck to the ground, unable to lift her feet, but her torso still effortlessly moved.
Her bow aimed, primed and after a few seconds of aiming, the bowstring began to vibrate as mana empowered it along with the [Kael's arrow]. She released the shot, a turbulence of wind blasted everyone's face as the arrow shot down into the darkness.
Multiple screams of pain and roaring agony echoed. Chloe fired another two more shots before she felt exhausted. Exactly 10s after the skill was initiated, it ended. Her mobility regained, she staggered onto Asai's chest. Smiling with satisfaction that she somehow overcame her limits as an archer again and again.
"And, it was all thanks to this man and Robin..." She stared into his abyssal eyes, once again wondering as to what he saw.
[Chloe: Lvl 51->54]
"A level 51 archer just killed multiple level 70 dungeon monsters from a distance so great I can't even see them yet... Holy shit! What is up with her build? Is she some sort of glass-cannon-sniper?"
Just to be safe, Asai casted [Phantom Menace] and had the two escort her at all times.
She was a diamond in the rough, slowly being polished.
"Better safe than sorry."