Chapter 47: New Party

[00 Months: 01 Days: 3 Hours]

"My name is Byron. I used to be a bodyguard before all of this stuff happened. I'm also acting as the leader of this Adventuring Party!"

We were all currently doing introductions right beside the entrance of the Dungeon, and the bushy-bearded muscular man started off with his.

Byron had an all-round positive vibe, and it seemed he was one of those stand-up guys. He also seemed to have gained the trust of his party members, or at the very least, their cooperation.

'He seems like the most reliable of the bunch. He also appears strong...'

Byron had some armor covering him, clearly indicating the value he placed on defense. He also had a chain-like necklace that most likely served as a boost on his physique.

He had a blade in the hilt on his waste, and judging by the size of it, I had to assume.he was a very heavy hitter.

I could already see why he would be considered the leader.

"I'm Daniel." The slanty-eyed man responded next.

He had a very sly look, and his slightly hunched lanky frame wasn't doing him any good.

His smile was also quite warped, and I could feel myself getting suspicious of him the more I looked at his face.

Unlike Byron, he had light armor that mostly covered his chest, back, stomach region, and other parts that had vital organs.

I could see he was more considerate of his speed than anything else.

'A fast hitter perhaps?'

He also had two daggers, so he was most likely someone who used his speed to slash and hack down enemies.

'He has a lot of enchanted wears too. His boots also look like something from the <Shop>.'

"I'm Jesus. I was a comics store owner before I saw that System Window. I was sort of hoping for some excitement in my life at an old age, but I never expected something like this to happen."

'Jesus? Isn't that the name of—' I pushed aside those thoughts and decided to simply observe the man.

His robe looked expensive, even by <Shop>'s standards. He also had a bracelet that dropped down his neck, and a staff he firmly gripped—all seeming enchanted.

'Is he a Mage, perhaps?' I thought to myself.

I predicted that people would develop their 'Build' based on the kind of abilities they possessed.

'That means Byron has a Melee oriented Authority, most likely Daniel too. As for this old man, perhaps he's more suited for long range stuff...'

Since my abilities and Skillsets revolved around long-range attacks and careful planning, I would consider myself more attuned to the 'Archer' category...

I heard someone mention something like that on the internet once. About stuff like Saber, Caster, Archer, and the likes.

'I'm more suited for projectiles than anything else...'

Being a Mage/Caster would have been cool, but having so many Skills like that would simply consume too much Energy.

And Energy was my most limited resource at the moment.

"My name is Jeff. Sorry I took too long with my piss. Nice to meet you." This man had a clean-cut chin, and he had a more civilized appearance compared to everyone else.

His hairstyle seemed polished, and he was putting in a suit, with a watch, and even had a briefcase in his clutches.

He stretched out his hand to shake me, and while I hesitated at first, because of the whole 'piss' issue...

"Don't worry. I washed my hands properly."

... I decided to indulge him and shook his hand.

"I was actually an office worker, what you would call a salaryman before all this happened."

'I suppose he's still not let go of that identity, considering he's still dressed as one.' I thought to myself, noticing his distinctly modern outfit.

It was possible that these were all enchanted items he had bought from <Shop>, but he clearly had a very strong link to society since he chose to dress like this.

'I guess he must miss everyone from back then...' I smiled softly.

"I suppose it's my turn. You can call me Lu, and I was just an unemployed shut-in before any of this happened. Haha!"

'Lu, huh? That's most certainly a nickname!'

Was she hiding her real name? Or was it an actual name?

I actually couldn't tell at this point. Sёarᴄh the NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"My name is Mikey. I was a remote worker before all of this happened."

"Remote worker? What does that mean?" Lu suddenly popped up with a question.

Seeing her eyes focus solely on my eyes made me feel somewhat nervous, as if she was burrowing deep into my soul.

"It means I work from home..." I finally blurted out.

"Oh? So you're a shut in like me?"

"Um, no. Not really. I actually used to go to the Gym, and I liked taking walks too. I had a lot of outdoor activities."

"A-ah..."

"Yeah..."

Lu slowly looked away from me, her expression much less enthusiastic compared to before.

It almost felt like she was dejected due to how different we turned out to be compared to her earlier assertion.

'Should I have lied about all of that?' I found myself asking.

"Well, looks like we have all introduced ourselves! That's good." Byron broke the awkward silence with his powerful voice.

He placed both muscular hands on his hips, and grinned.

According to the explanation I was given, the Party formed that very day after they had all individually converged to conquer the Dungeon.

It sounded improbable to me, considering how very chummy they seemed, and also based on what I heard from one of them earlier about Jeff being a 'slow pisser'.

They were clearly familiar with one another.

'I'll just have to be careful around them while also satiating my curiosity.'

The atmosphere felt peaceful and warm, and it seemed like everyone was already prepared for the mission.

"Alright fellas! Let's begin our Dungeon Exploration!"

*********

Dungeon of Stone...

As the name implied, it was a stone-cave, and it's entrance alone showed that much.

With a gaping hole wide enough to allow a group of six to enter at the same time, the Dungeon already had a massive entrance.

It's interior didn't disappoint as well.

The wide expanse it provided was suitable for multiple individuals to challenge this place at the same time.

It was also perfect for coordinated group assaults.

Free movements were allowed, and the terrain was smooth enough to encourage easy movements.

Then, how about the Dungeon's inhabitants?

Stone Golems, creatures formed by the natural formation of rocks mutating due to the surge of Energy in order to gain some level of sentience.

Now Demons, creatures whose only purpose was to defend their territory and eliminate any intruders, the Stone Golems were the residents of the Dungeon of Stone.

Sturdy and strong, but slow and predictable. The Demons offered a balance.

Of course, their levels of difficulty varied, and deep within this Dungeon, there existed a Boss Monster.

This made it a standard Dungeon, the best for anyone to test their mettle.

... At least, that was what I concluded after experiencing it.

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[A/N]

What do you think about the current arrangement?

Thanks for reading.

Cheers!