“Are you sure you’re ready to do this?” Pamela; the older woman asked, staring at Lance and his companions. “We barely survived that wave.”

Around the group, the remaining survivors of the sharpshooter’s group lounged. They were looking the worse for wear, a single member of their group dead. The others were all injured, healing slowly as they waited for the magical bandages and items to take effect.

No immediate healing for them – those items and skills were too expensive in the Shop.

“Yes,” Lance said. “We can’t keep just killing those who come out. Once we finish Shopping, we’ll go in and finish this.”

“What makes you think that going in will be enough?”

“Stories.” Lance replied.

“I don’t think we should let you go…” One of the construction workers muttered, the middle aged man looking at the three. Lance could tell what he was thinking, the dismissive way he looked at them because they were at least fourty years younger. As though just because they had not spent decades drinking, whoring and drowning their lives in daily pleasures, they were not worth listening to.

“I wasn’t asking.” Lance stated simply, walking away from the group. He nodded to his own companions even as his rude words raised a minor altercation behind him. Thankfully the others were dealing with it. It would have been annoying dealing with the man.

“I don’t think I’ve got enough coins for anything useful,” Sarah was the first to speak. “I mean, I’d like a weapon skill or something; but…” she shook her head. “Everything’s so expensive.”

“What kind of skill?” Lance asked.

“Well, there’s these Martial Skills – Spear Arts listed. A lot of them. Seems like a good start. It’s not as though they taught spear use in phys ed, you know?” Sarah said.

“Mmmm…”

“What?” Neil asked, eyes narrowing.

“Have you not noticed?” Lance said. “You’re improving. Like, stupidly fast.” He raised his bow, waggling it side-to-side. “I used to teach people this. And let me tell you, teaching people how to do things like this? It’s hard. In a chaotic, dynamic environment like a fight?” He shook his head. “Forget it. But you guys, you’re improving. Actually learning techniques. Surviving. Neither of you actually got that injured either.”

“Tell that to my pants…” Sarah muttered, picking at the shredded pants. She had to rip them off, leaving her lower legs bare since they had begun to foul up her movements.

“So, focus on other things. We don’t know how much faster you’ll learn things, but maybe it’s possible for you all to learn whatever martial skill it is naturally,” Lance said. “But anything magical or is a long-term improvement is the way to go.”

“Like Flame Strike?” Neil said, muttering. “Or what about this Flawless Parry? Or should I get something like Sarah’s Accelerated Healing?”

“Maybe Reinforce Armour for you?” Sarah said. “I saw it in the Shop while browsing – it makes your armour stronger and even patches it together.”

“Maybe you should get it,” Neil said.

“I don’t wear as much as you!”

Lance listened to them bicker and throw options for a few seconds more before deciding to leave them to it. They seemed to have it in-hand, having an idea of their roles and what they needed. A Taunt skill might have been useful, but he doubted asking them to get it would get their approval. Even if they were willing to brave the dungeon and monsters, asking the monsters to pile on you might be a much.

Talking of the dungeon…

Lance could not help but stare at the giant rift in space, the opening that vomited monsters every once in a while. Both his friends and Matt’s girlfriend was there, killing anything that poked its head out. With the trio on overwatch and a pair of Keeley’s office mates playing worried front-liners with spears, the rush of monsters was on hold.

At least for the moment.

Turning his attention back to his own Shop, Lance scanned his own coin purse before sighing. He had just over seventy plus coins on hand after buying his Quiver and upgrading it. And the only reason he had so many was that monsters killed on this street seemed to be worth even more coins.

Which led to a theory Lance had, one that he wasn’t sharing till he was in the dungeon itself.

“Ready?” Lance called out, impatiently.

“I guess…” Neil trailed off, hefting his shield. Sarah gave a short nod afterwards.

“What’d you get?” Lance asked as the trio trotted forwards, heading for the rift. He waved at his friends as he passed them, having already said what he meant to the group. Yanesh, after a glance at Matt and receiving a nod, hurried over; bending down to scoop up a couple of fallen arrows as he caught up.

“Nothing.” Sarah said. “I’m going to wait till I have more coins.”

“Armor Proficiency (General) – Basic.” Neil replied. “It’s really cool. I think it actually made the armour fit me better and I’m moving easier and…”

“Does he talk this much all the time?” Yanesh semi-whispered to Lance as he joined the group. He still held a bow in one hand, but his other hand held a wand.

“Only when he’s nervous.” Lance nodded to the rift, waiting for them. “Alright, remember. We run when I say we run. Otherwise, we go in, we clear it, get the loot and get out. No one dies.”

“You’re not the one going in first…” Neil muttered, but he didn’t need Sarah’s glare to plunge into the rift, followed soon after by the girl.

Lance held still for just a second before he rushed in too, knowing that Yanesh would follow.

Four people to clear a dungeon. Rift. Opening. Whatever.