Gamer Guild’s Dungeon (2nd Floor): Floor End

--- Maya ---

“Huh… Wasn’t expecting that.” The dungeon monster admitted, still standing despite the fact that she’d killed the floor boss.

“You’re… You’re still here…” She told him listlessly as she realized her last gambit had failed.

“Uh-huh.” The Huntslizard nodded before giving her a look. “Still… you technically beat the floor, so it’d be a bit of a cuss move if I was to take you out after you won.”

“You… hasn’t this whole floor been nothing but dick moves?” She asked him, a little too shell shocked to realize she shouldn’t be arguing with the monster for letting her win.

“Maybe.” The dungeon monster admitted. “But they were all moves allowed by the rules. Your objective on each floor is to defeat the floor boss, while every monster’s objective is to stop you from doing that. So by those rules you won this round of the game.”

“That’s…” At first that confused her, but eventually she remembered that this was ‘The Gamer Guild’s Dungeon’ at which point she realized, (This is all literally a game to them.)

It may not have made sense from reality's point of view, but it made perfect sense from their own. (That’s the entire point of their gang, to turn life into a video game.)

Part of her felt this revelation gave her a deep understanding of the Gamer Guild and its motives for everything it does. (Another part of her felt that this was ten different kinds of stupid.)

(It… it doesn’t matter.) She told herself, running a hand down her face before giving the Huntslizard a look. “So you’re not going to attack me?”

“Wouldn’t be very sporting of me.” The lizard pointed out.

“So what I-I can just rush the boss of each floor without fighting anyone else and you’ll all just… stop once I beat them?” She asked, trying to wrap her head around this.

The Huntslizard made a so-so gesture. “Some of the dungeon monsters might see the actual game as stopping you from beating the dungeon itself, but I’m more concerned with the kobold floor given how few people make it to the end of the dungeon.”

“Meaning if I tried to rush the next floor I’d just have a whole mob hunting me down until I finish the dungeon?” She frowned.

“Or until you get to a safe room, but they’d have the high ground until you make it to the bottom of the stairs and open the door.” The lizard explained. “But the goblins on the third floor are usually curse words I won’t use in front of a minor, so no telling if they’ll respect the truce. Then again they’re under new management for first time runs, so they’re kind of on thin ice.”

“New management?” She repeated.

“Well it’s old management but new.” The huntslizard seemed to consider something for a moment before shaking his head. “You non-dreams wouldn’t get it.”

(I’ll… I’ll just take his word for it…)

“So, um, what now?” She asked the dungeon monster, having been thrown off when it went from trying to violently murder her to being relatively nice all things considered.

“Hmm, well, the treasure room is right through there where you can get the floor treasure and after that is the stairs to the safe room. From there…” The lizard seemed to give her a once over. “I’d suggest tapping out of the dungeon.”

“Why?” She wondered, mildly offended. “The only reason this floor was so hard is because Decker gave me the unpatched version.”

“Maybe but you’re flagging pretty hard too.” The Huntslizard warned her. “If you keep going you’re liable to drop mid-floor, which would completely kill your score at this point.”

“So what?” She scoffed crossing her arms. “I’m mostly just here to try and gain some experience to become a better Mask. And it’s not like you dungeon guys kill anyone.”

“Okay, but…” The little lizard paused for a moment. “A prolonged loss isn’t going to do you any good if you know you can’t win, it’s just a waste of time and a source of stress. If you keep going you’re going to burn yourself out without any real gains.”

“What do you know?” She glared at the dungeon monster as she walked past it and started towards the treasure room.

“How to fight, play the game, and build traps. Honestly, that’s all I’m programmed to know how to do.” The lizard answered, keeping pace with her despite her efforts to put some distance between them. “Heck, I don’t think I even know how to read or write, and my vocabulary was kind of garbage until these last few level ups on my end and even then that might reset on my next instance.”

“That’s…” She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to respond to that, because the implications she got from it were not nice.

“Don’t worry about it, it’s a part of being a mortally-challenged creature.” The huntslizard continued, sensing her distress. “I die, I reset, I level up. Rinse and repeat for as long as the GM lives.”

“If you’re not going to leave me alone, can we change topics? You’re giving me a lot of existential dread here.” She told the dungeon monster.

“Fair enough.” The lizard shrugged before gesturing towards the trio of chests. “Which one are you going to take?”

Part of her was tempted to take a look at the contents of the armor chest, but in the end she felt it’d be better if she took, “The potions chest.”

“Uh, if you’re tapping out is that really a good idea?” The huntslizard asked, “I mean technically you can take the other chests out of the dungeon with you, you know?”

“Yeah, but I need a heal.” She reminded the dungeon monster as she opened the potions chest and found a couple of healing potions inside of it.

“But you still have these…”

Curious about what he meant she glanced over her shoulder and saw the lizard offering her a pair of healing potions. More specifically the potions he’d stolen from her a few minutes prior.

“But you… you’re just giving these back?” She frowned.

“Why wouldn’t I?” The huntslizard asked sounding genuinely confused.

“Because… you stole them?” She answered slowly.

“And you beat me so all stolen goods are returned.” The dungeon monster nodded. “Everyone knows that’s what happens when you kill a thief monster.”

“That’s…”

(He’s not necessarily wrong.) Her inner logic admitted after a moment.

Sighing to herself she glanced back at the chest and couldn’t help but sigh. “Well that was a waste of a floor chest…”

The huntslizard frowned at her disappointment before snapping his fingers and running out of the room. “Hold on a second!”

Shrugging, she went ahead and downed one of the health potions to bring herself to top physical condition once more. (Shame I can’t do the same with my COMP’s energy supply.)

“Alright, I got everything.” The huntslizard told her as he ran back into the room with a small brown pack.

“What’s this?” She asked as she accepted the pack.

“Well you sort of forgot to collect your loot from this floor so I went ahead and gathered everything up for you, mostly because the boss dropped this.” The dungeon monster explained before showing off a little ring.

Taking the ring, she gave it a once over before giving the lizard a look. “And this is?”

“The boss drop, it’s an elemental ring that’ll let you shoot an element.” The huntslizard answered, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Um, it’s probably not worth too much since you can already do that, but it’s the best consolation prize I can get you.”

“Oh, uh, thanks…” She nodded, understanding that the dungeon monster -(Kenny)- was trying to be nice.

“No problem.” Kenny nodded back cheerfully.

Not knowing what to say she gestured towards the floor exit and said, “Um, so I guess the safe room is next.”

“Let me get that for you.” The huntslizard told her, rushing forward before opening the door with a half bow. “Ladies first.”

“Uh, thanks.” She smiled awkwardly as she passed the dungeon monster before pausing as she heard the clack of steps behind her. “Um, can I help you?”

Kenny shook his head. “Not really. I’m mostly following you because you seem like the stubborn type and I want to be there in case I have to talk you out of going to the third floor.”

“Why is that such a big deal to you?” She frowned.

“Honestly?” The lizard asked before explaining that, “Each floor has this background score based on difficulty and how many players we stop, and as you are now you’d be an easy score for the goblins and well… screw those guys.”

“So you’re trying to keep me from going to the next floor, so that the ‘goblins’ -who you don’t like- won't get any points from beating me?” She summarized as best she could.

“Pretty much.” The dungeon monster nodded.

(I can respect that.)

“I figure if we can’t beat you with the violent physical option, I can maybe win this with the peaceful social option.” The huntslizard elaborated.

(And I can respect that.)

Eventually she just sighed. “Fine, if you’re so bent on this, I won’t continue to the third floor.”

“Wonderful.” Kenny told her as he continued to follow.