Chapter 99 - 99

They wave goodbye to today's guard stationed at the Dungeon entrance and step inside, the Wrath Bringers pushing the opponents near the entry back with their huge shields. Cain summons the rest of his compliment of defenders and Ohla lets out a sigh of relief, then a squeak of alarm.

The Witch Doctors have coiled their bodies around her creating a protective barrier of Lamia flesh chest high. Ohla doesn't seem to be good with snakes though. Call it exposure therapy, they'll never hurt a party member and nothing can hurt her in their nest. They must have assumed she was afraid of the dungeon, not the giant snake women.

Cain hopes the level 80 upgrade to his Supporters will let them talk, it would make life much easier. If it lets then use the non class skills of the forms he's recorded it will be even better. They're currently lacking, even the appearance is off. He cloned Kone, but the supporters have a more plain outfit, less expressive faces and of course they're silent. That suggests to Cain he's too low of level and they're incomplete.

A lot of things about his class are strange that way. Most advanced classes get a load of useful skills right away, with options for more beginning in the first few levels. Cain had to wait until level 60 to get his third class skill, and it still doesn't feel like it's complete.

The thought belatedly crossed his mind that perhaps it's waiting for him to be ready, bringing his status points up enough to actually use all of the skills the class should have. But that would only make sense if this is a class from the level 300 class change, when the basic classes would get to pick an upgraded class for a second time. The freshly arrived advanced class transfers also get to pick a new class at level 100, a reward of sorts for winning the gamble on the random class selection according to the Dwarves in Graska. But they have rumors that the classes available are limited because most don't meet the qualifications for some of the options at level 100, since they're upgrading so much earlier than usual.

The morning's work has been good to them all, and when they are about to leave for lunch Cain gets a long awaited notice.

[Level Up]

Cain checks his status screen quickly to verify what he remembered before allocating status points to reach another milestone.

[Name] Cain

[Level] 75

[Class] Puppet Master

[Race] Human

[Stats]+10 ->0

[STR] 125

[DEX] 90->100

[CON] 100

[INT] 75

[HP] 800

[MP] 375

[Notice: Beginning From DEX 100 Golems Gain Attack Speed and Movement Speed from DEX]

What? That's amazing. Now Cain feels a bit silly for adding the extra strength, he could have gotten this bonus earlier. Plus, does that mean they're going to gain mana and Spell Power once he gets to 100 INT? Only 5 more levels and he will find out.

[New Skill Available: Summon Lesser Bodyguard] Rogue Type <Golems> only.

Hey, a new Summon! A base of two Bodyguards, that must be Rogues, picked from his Golem Options. No hints as to whether they increase in numbers or just in quality with levels, or when.

He's found a great number of Rogues, but all the very best were Supporter Types. He could do Lamia or Naga Assassins. He has Golem type versions of both of them. Or maybe the Dread Spiders. They were a pain to fight with their webs and Poisoned Spears. Human upper bodies with the bodies of spiders. They're Greater Golems, but too squishy to be tanks, so he's never used them. Maybe they'll be decent as Lesser Bodyguards?

"I got a new skill for level 75. Bodyguards that have to be Rogue type Golems. Any preference ladies?" He asks Kone and Ohla.

"Please not more snakes." The cleric begs, still surrounded by Lamia bodies as she has been all morning.

"And none of those super creepy dolls either." Kone says, referring to the Clay Golems.

"Are we good with spiders? They'll be good for crowd control, and they might be cute." Cain shrugs.

"Let's see then first before I judge." Kone laughs and Cain summons them.

With his ability doubling their numbers, they're four Child sized versions of the ones they fought in the Forests of this dungeon. With the Spider bodies they still stand nearly Cain's height unless they crouch, but the humanoid torso is smaller than Kone's, wearing white silk vests that match their hair and carrying wicked looking barbed Spears.

As soon as they arrive they start firing webs at the attacking Beastkin and throwing their Poisoned Spears, that vanish after impact and return to their hands. It might be a skill, but it's a pretty cool trick.

With the black bodies and shockingly white hair framing almost Elven faces they are actually pretty cute in Cain's estimation. Cain hopes the others don't react too badly, he'd like to keep using these.

With the immediate area cleared and Nemu playing a pacify type song, they retreat out of the dungeon for the day and Cain releases all of the summons except Vala and Nemu.

"Well, what do you think of the new Bodyguards? Not bad, right?" he asks hopefully.

"Not bad at all. They aren't Fluffy, but they're a bit cute, and the webs are amazing. The bears don't get stuck in them at all, but they're hard for enemies to escape." Kone agrees.

"I once had a pet tarantula, they're a bit like that, but much bigger, and not so furry." Ohla smiles, clearly thinking of her pet.

It's settled then. The Bodyguards are going to be Dread Spiders. How close are you to level 70 Kone? We've been in the dungeons a lot, you should be almost there."

"A quarter of a level, I should get it in tomorrow morning's visit without any trouble. I got over a level today." She smiles and Ohla gets a vacant look as she examined her character sheet.

"I got just over two levels today. Experience in a high level dungeon is insane. If it's going to be like that, I can live with the plethora of snakes." The cleric says in awe.

"Lamia, they're Lamia. I helps if you think of them that way, they're just cuddly, not at all mean.." Kone giggles.