《DCO- Dungeon Core Online》 Dungeon Core Online: Remaster Edition Content Note Dungeon Core online is a story I''ve been working on for multiple years now, with all the rough draft chapters being uploaded on Royal Road as I write them. Recently, I''ve had the oppotrunity to finally begin going back through the story to edit it, make some much needed changes, and improve the tale. As such, on August 23rd, 2021f, the first 84 chapters of DCO will be publishing as DCO:RE (Dungeon Core Online: Remastered Edition Book 1), on Amazon. The story will be avaible as an ebook, for free on KU, and will have an audiobook in September done by Travis Baldree! I highly encourage fans of the series, as well as newcommers, to give it a read, as I did try hard to take reader comments and responses into consideration while editing and making the changes I felt needed to happen. I will continue to upload future content onto Royal Road and Patreon, but am also now in the process of editing the next big chunk, so we can publish book 2! Thank you all for your support, and for being there with me on my journey to become a full time author! Each and every one of you mean the world to me! This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Cheers, Glyax Dungeon Core Online:Remastered Edition official launch! The day is finally here!!! Tomorrow, August 23rd, DCO:RE releases on Amazon! This story contains a heavily edited and improved version of the first 84 chapters of DCO! For all of you who have been on this journey with me, thank you so much! All the comments, reviews, thoughts shared, etc have gone into consideration with the edits, to try and bring this story to life in an even better way! As you all know, the DCO I upload on Royal Road is a rough draft. I''m a pantser, and everything I upload here is unedited and completely raw. As the story builds and grows, I and all of you realize highs and lows of the story, and through that, a much more polished product, DCO:RE, can be born. For those of you whose enjoyed this story. Please, if you can, give DCO:RE some love! It''s a new series release, and I''m super nervous. All the extra love and support I can get, the better! LINK BELOW Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Also, I''m starting week 2 of my bladesmithing course tomorrow. I will see about attempting to write and add some fresh content here for everyone, but this course, and trying to spend time with people I haven''t seen in over 2 years while I''m back in Colorado, has been making it tough...plus, for those of you who are in discord or patreon...you''ve seen how beat up my hands are. So yeah. That''s all for now, and I hope to return to our regular updates soon! After DragonCon, my schedule goes back, finally, to a normal one, meaning I can focus once more fully on writing! So just bare with me a little longer!!! https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B09CPS82RL Epilogue, 4th Arc + Author note Epilogue The figure glanced about the different documents, his eyes scanning them rapidly as he checked, double checked, and triple checked what he was reading. He stood in a virtual space he¡¯d stylized off of the Sherlock Holmes films, disorganized and unruly to the onlooker, but perfectly logical and reasonable for him. All around him, different boards held a variety of names, locations, and organizations, with strings connecting them all in a spiderweb of conspiracy and misdeeds. He¡¯d finally gotten the information he¡¯d been searching for. He¡¯d finally gotten the last piece of the puzzle. And now, it was clear. Everything was clear. He knew what the government was planning, what they¡¯d been planning, for the past decade, more even. Their final end game was in sight, and the whole world, would be forever changed if they accomplished it. Honestly, he didn¡¯t really care. Their plans meant nothing to him. That being said, he knew, at the very least, he owed it to those who¡¯d come before him, and those who¡¯d helped him, to share what he¡¯d found. A glance at the desk, where a black and white mask in the visage of a smiling, mustached man, looked back at him. A relic from his youth, from a time when he, personally, would have done something about the situation. He¡¯d had more energy then. He was na?ve, back then. Now, he would no longer shoulder the burden of the world. He¡¯d tried, and failed, too many times to count. This wasn¡¯t his battle. This was the battle for a new generation. And he would do as he¡¯d always done. He would watch from the shadows, confined as he was, to the underworld. That was, after all, the responsibility he¡¯d taken, when he¡¯d given himself the nom, Hades. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! He prepared the message, selecting the recipient from his massive list of contacts. Most of the names on the list, were grey, showing they weren¡¯t online. That didn¡¯t phase him. Most of the names on the list, were dead or incarcerated. How many had given their lives, pointlessly, in their struggles? It was a bitter thought, and he pushed it aside. He lived with the guilt of their memories. He surrounded himself, with the visages of his friends. Friends whom he¡¯d soon join, once the world met its end. But before then, he¡¯d pass on this information. The world had one last chance at hope, and he would be the one to light that beacon. From there, well, he didn¡¯t really know. He was¡­so tired. Hades looked at the blank message header, as he filled in the message. It was short and simple. He couldn¡¯t risk saying what he needed to say, in the message. Instead, it would give the recipient the ability to join him, in a secret, highly secure digital space, where they could meet face to face, and have a discussion. What happened from then on, would be the young man¡¯s decision. Confirming he¡¯d encoded everything properly, he gave the message a proper header, and sent it off. Then, he sat down, let out a heavy sigh, and poured himself a drink. All that he could do now, was wait, and hope that James didn¡¯t keep him waiting too long. Time was, after all, of the utmost importance. After all, in the next two days, everything would change. Dungeon Core Online Remastered Edition 4 Release As I''m sure you''ve noticed by now, the content from chapters 375 till the epilogue have been removed from Royal Road. This is due to the impending launch of the completely edited, improved, and revised version of book 4. Dungeon Core Online: Remastered Edition Book 4 will go live Friday, June 23, 2023. It will be available on KU, as an ebook, and on Audible (with paperback coming as soon as we get and approve the proofs). If you''ve enjoyed the story this far, please check out this release. All of the published DCO novels have undergone extensive reworking, editing, and improvements, with new chapters, scenes, content, etc all taking place. Royal Road has always been where my rough drafts are posted, and a lot can change from rough draft pantsing nonsense, to actual published story. I''m currently in the process of working on a Wild West Cultivation novel on my Patreon, and once that''s finished up, I''ll begin diving into the 5th and final arc of DCO. I will upload those chapters once the writing process begins, but I cannot give an exact timeline for such things. As always, the best way to stay up to date with my writing, and support me if you want, is my Patreon. Otherwise, check out the link below for the official DCORE 4 Amazon page, complete with cover art. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Amazon.com: Dungeon Core Online: Remastered Edition - Book Four eBook : Smidt, Jonathan, Books, Portal: Kindle Store DCO Final Arc- Chapter 1 Chapter 1 James stifled a yawn and blinked lazily at the screens he¡¯d summoned before him. He tried to focus on the information, skimming past achievements he¡¯d gained as a Dungeon Core during the Siege Event, and double checking how his research tabs were going. Compared to the fast-paced life of an adventurer within the dungeon, and especially the final battle during the Siege, doing his dungeon duties again felt¡­ monotonous. Still, he wasn¡¯t one to shirk his duties. He took a long sip on his morning beverage, a chilled screwdriver, the tart orange flavor perfectly masking the shot or two of vodka that had been added in, a liquid breakfast if you would, and yawned again. Originally the amount of information and screens he was dealing with had overwhelmed him. Now, it barely phased him. It took only a few seconds, a minute tops, per screen to parse over everything, before he could switch to the others. ¡°Anything worth note?¡± Rue slid into the hot spring beside him, a pink drink that sparkled with glitter in her hand. She offered him a smile, and it made his heart beat a little faster. He immediately stifled his next yawn and smiled back at her. She had that effect on him. ¡°A few achievements, obviously some experience gain.¡± He shrugged. ¡°We made it Tier 6 Rank 2 and are close to Rank 3. There¡¯s a good possibility we may hit Tier 7 this immersion, if the experience gain keeps up at this rate.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s just a shrug worthy thing now?¡± Rue¡¯s face took on a pout. ¡°What happened to the enthusiastic little Glyax I met on day one?¡± ¡°You know damn well what happened.¡± James laughed. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t want to get my hopes up. Plus,¡± he motioned at his monitors, ¡°no one has even attempted the sixth floor yet. So it¡¯s not like I can do much to the mobs just yet.¡± With each Rank up, the mobs on the floor associated with the Tier increased in a level. Now that his Tier 6 Rank 2, that meant the mobs on his sixth floor, which originally were level 90, with the boss, Jormun-grander being level 100, would be 91 and 101 respectively. He¡¯d additionally gained upgrade points for the mobs. However, until he saw how the adventurers fared against them, he would hold off on upgrading them. After all, he didn¡¯t even know if he wanted to keep the spread of mobs on that labyrinth as they were, or if he¡¯d end up changing them. He needed adventurers to er, play test the layout first, so he could make such decisions. ¡°You used to be so much more excited about all these things.¡± Rue said with a sip. ¡°Now you look almost bored.¡± James took a drink of his own. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m bored,¡± he motioned to the screens, and then focused on Rue. ¡°It¡¯s that I¡¯d rather be doing you know, other things, than crunching numbers.¡± ¡°Like adventuring?¡± She said with a knowing smile. ¡°One siege event, and you¡¯re hooked.¡± ¡°Killing mobs is a helluva drug.¡± James said with a chuckle. ¡°Besides, as much as I love being a Dungeon Core, and really, I do¡­ I hadn¡¯t realized just how much I missed the actual adventuring side of things. Being there, in person, experiencing everything I¡¯d created through my own eyes, was invigorating.¡± He took another drink. ¡°Besides, you and I made a pretty good team out there.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°You were pretty hot out there,¡± a slight fang protruded past her lip as she smirked, showing she¡¯d shifted, at least part of herself, to her vampire visage. ¡°Especially when you fused with Ifrit.¡± She let out a sigh, ¡°so hot.¡± James splashed water at her and laughed, as he remembered the final battle. With Ifrit slain, he¡¯d been able to utilize the ultimate skill available to him as a level 77 Djinn Tamer. Well, technically his class was now Enlighted Djinn Tamer. Semantics aside, his skill had let him fuse his soul with Ifrit¡¯s, changing him from a support style pet class, to a full on dps. It had been invigorating, intoxicating. Different from his normal playstyle, the up close and personal, fast action of a close ranged melee dps, had quite literally made his blood boil. And apparently Rue¡¯s too. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be fusing with Ifrit all that often.¡± James said, ¡°so you¡¯ll have to cool yourself off in that regard.¡± Rue sighed, ¡°are you sure?¡± ¡°He has to be dead, in order for me to use that skill.¡± ¡°As the party¡¯s healer, I can make that happen.¡± Rue said with an evil smile. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be that difficult to forget to throw a heal or two out. And you could also you know¡­ forget to heal him.¡± She was joking of course. Or, at least, James was pretty sure she was joking. However, for good measure, he decided to move past the subject. Sure, in other games he¡¯d had no problem sacrificing his pets when the occasion called for it. But those hadn¡¯t been in DCO. Those hadn¡¯t felt like real, living, companions. And those he hadn¡¯t needed to build a relationship with, in order to work together optimally. ¡°Moving on,¡± James said as he cleared his throat. ¡°Was there anything in particular you wanted to do today?¡± It was the third day of the current immersion cycle, meaning the third hour of real-world time, in the current cycle. Considering it was the eighth day of release, that meant James had spent 66 days within DCO already thanks to the time dilution, which equated one hour of real-world time, to twenty-four hours of in game time. Just over two months. The best two months of his life, if he was being honest. ¡°Other than¡­¡± she played with the straw in her drink as she eyed him hungrily. He felt his face turn red, causing her to laugh. The sound was pure music to his ears, even if it was at his expense. ¡°I would like to adventure some more.¡± She said once her laughter faded. ¡°And we¡¯ll likely have to take part in some skirmishes.¡± She tapped the top of her straw thoughtfully. ¡°Oh, and a coliseum battle or two, to keep my Avatar skills sharp.¡± There was bloodlust in her eyes at that. A bloodlust James could now appreciate, thanks to his time fused with Ifrit. ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± James finished flitting through his screens, confirming there was nothing else pressing. ¡°Think the others are up yet?¡± By the time the Siege had ended, it was late into the second day of immersion. The players had invited James and Rue to a celebratory party back in town, but they¡¯d passed on the offer. With the thrill of the Siege over, the hard work James and Rue had been putting in those first two days of immersion, had caught up with them. And if there was one thing James never wanted to repeat, it was going without sleep for too long within immersion. Steve, of course, being the reckless developer he was, hadn¡¯t. That had been a good 10 hours ago. Assuming none of them had gotten so drunk as to incur an actual blackout penalty and be booted until their character sobered up enough to function, surely, they should be up and about. Before Rue could respond, a new screen popped up in front of James. One that made his lips curl upwards. New Message DCO Final Arc- Chapter 2 Chapter 2 From: Z Subject: Cabin in the Woods Nyx! Hope you and Rue got a good night¡¯s sleep. Bummer you couldn¡¯t join us for the party, but I get it man. Any ways, Steve let slip last night the location to the sixth-floor entrance. We¡¯re planning to head to it as soon as we push ourselves into our next levels, so we don¡¯t risk any xp during the exploration. You guys want to join? It¡¯ll probably be in about an hour. That Siege event was killer for XP, and we¡¯re all pretty close to our thresholds now. Either way, look forward to the next time we can all fight together. You, Rue, and Ifrit are always welcome. Cheers, Z ¡°Damnit Steve,¡± James said as he closed the message with a chuckle. ¡°Seriously,¡± Rue had moved closer to him when he opened the message, her bare shoulder pressed against his, her head near his own, so she could read at the same time. ¡°How can he be so secretive around us, but spill the beans at the first chance with Z?¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing there was a lot of alcohol involved.¡± James said. He knew Steve drank¡­ a lot. But Steve¡¯s love for partying, and his carefree nature, were a dangerous combination. If James had to guess, if there were anyone currently suffering a penalty for drinking too much, it would be Steve. And maybe Manly the Dwarf. Considering the latter had managed to incur that very penalty the first day of DCO. ¡°For the record.¡± A voice said from behind James, causing him to immediately flinch. ¡°I told them on purpose.¡± James didn¡¯t need to look to know who was speaking. It was a voice he¡¯d become extremely familiar with during his time in DCO. Steve. One of the lead developers of DCO, who¡¯d originally been fired by the game¡¯s creator, Xander. A lot had happened between then and now. Xander was gone, apparently in some government prison from what James had been told. A fitting end, considering Xander had put the game, which had the backing of the government, at a massive risk by leaking information to the mysterious hacker group known as Cyb3Ru5. Now Xander¡¯s adopted children, Rachel and Matt, otherwise known by their alias of BLANK, oversaw everything. And Steve, well, Steve was now the developer in charge of watching over James and his dungeon. ¡°Sure you did,¡± Rue¡¯s tone implied her eye roll. ¡°I did,¡± Steve plopped into the hot spring, the man¡¯s bald head already shimmering from the moist air. He was double fisting drinks. One of which fizzed from the bottom, while the other looked¡­ questionable. Steve downed the fizzing drink in one go. Then, with a grimace, began sipping from the other. The drink looked thick, sludge-like almost, and was a dark red. Once he got about halfway through, he sighed, and both drinks disappeared from his hand. ¡°For the record,¡± he said as he leaned back against the rocks, slipping lower into the water with a content sigh, ¡°you two missed one hell of a party.¡± ¡°Uh huh,¡± James was not convinced. ¡°Also¡­what did you just drink?¡± ¡°First was a seltzer,¡± Steve said. ¡°Getting old sucks. Helps with heartburn. The second,¡± he shuddered, ¡°an old pick-me up. Helps get rid of a hangover and boosts energy. Just, tastes like absolute ass.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t get a hangover¡­¡± James started. You could get drunk in immersion, sure. You could technically do any vice you wanted, in immersion, and it would ¡®effect¡¯ you. That is, the technology would mimic the effects, making it feel like you were under whatever influence you chose. However, nothing was permanent, nothing was lethal, and nothing had negative side effects. It was why people took up so many vices within immersion in the first place. All the fun, none of the downsides. Meaning, no hangovers. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Neither of those are in-game.¡± Steve said with a heavy sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve been running myself ragged out in the real-world man. May have, uh, pushed myself a bit too much. Damned feelings keep carrying over at inopportune times. And, while it¡¯s mental, consuming those things here at least helps push the feelings aside for a while. Mind over matter and whatnot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how that works either.¡± James countered. Everyone knew that. If you immersed while hungry, you¡¯d feel hungry the whole time in immersion. No matter how much you ate. Steve wasn¡¯t making any sense. ¡°For you, maybe,¡± Steve flashed his trademark smile. ¡°But for someone like me, trust me, it does. My mind is much stronger than my body. And I¡¯ve ¡®Pavlov¡¯d¡¯ it well enough to react to certain tastes, smells, and the likes. A skill honed from an age before immersion tech. Back when we had to use our ¡®imagination¡¯ and such.¡± ¡°Still not buying it.¡± James said with a shake of his head. ¡°He¡¯s probably trying to distract us from the fact he spilled the location of the sixth floor.¡± Rue added. ¡°Trying to use his bullshit and weird ways to divert you from your line of questioning.¡± Rue fixed a knowing look in Steve¡¯s direction. ¡°I¡¯m onto your ways old man.¡± Steve snorted, ¡°while I do usually do that, this time, I promise you, I¡¯m not. Though,¡± he glanced from Rue, back to James, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to be more creative with my tactics now that you¡¯ve let that cat out of the bag.¡± ¡°Steve,¡± James cut back in, ¡°focus.¡± ¡°Spoilsport,¡± before Steve could continue, the pitter patter of webbed feet on stone stopped him. A Painguin server appeared carrying a tray, atop which a steaming cup of coffee and breakfast, consisting of eggs, bacon, and toast. It waddled over to Steve, comically lowered itself in an almost bow-like fashion to set the tray down, and then turned promptly and left. Steve grabbed the a piece of bacon, crunched down on it, and began talking again as he chewed. ¡°As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted.¡± He was a master at taking his time to get to a topic he didn¡¯t want to actually talk about. ¡°After a good bit of partying and drinking, enough so to you know, make sure they thought I was completely drunk, I decided to tell them where the sixth-floor boss was.¡± He took another bite, ¡°for the record, Z and his buddies can drink. Seriously, if I¡¯d not toggled my own alcohol effects, I probably would have gotten black-out drunk.¡± ¡°Steve,¡± Rue was the one to pull him back on topic this time. James, at the same time, made a mental note to ask Steve about the alcohol toggling effect. Rue had gotten James black-out drunk once off grog, and he still had to pay her back for that little prank. But he knew full well he couldn¡¯t handle his liquor like his companion could. If Steve could toggle that effect though¡­ ¡°Right, right.¡± Steve grabbed his next piece of bacon. ¡°I figured you guys may be feeling a tad listless coming back to dungeon core duties after the fun of the siege. As such, I wanted to give you guys a little treat. A reminder of all the fun of being a Dungeon Core. Best way I could think of, was a show. And what better show, than our favorite adventuring group heading blindly to their own demise in a labyrinth filled with mobs we¡¯ve yet to test out?¡± He took a sip of his coffee, muttered under his breath, and grabbed a container of creamer that magically appeared beside the tray. He poured a bit into the drink, took another sip, and sighed contentedly. James thought about it for a moment. Steve had a good point there. If there was one thing that he had come to really look forward to, other than creating new mobs, leveling them up, and just all-around embarking on dungeon shenanigans¡­ it was watching his adventurers take on new challenges. And at the top of that particular list, watching Z and the rest of the Knights Who Go Ni battle it out against unknown foes, had to be the greatest form of entertainment he could think of. Other than, he supposed, the slowly growing collection of mimic related deaths and misfortunes that proved top tier comedy in his down time. ¡°I still don¡¯t buy it.¡± James said as he pushed his musings aside. Rue¡¯s early comments about Steves diversion tactics were still on his mind. ¡°It¡¯s all too convenient. Like some lame bit of a story. Too nice and neat. And we all know nice and neat are not how you act.¡± Steve smirked but said nothing. ¡°But,¡± James relented, ¡°if it means finally getting to see the sixth floor in action, I guess it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d come around,¡± Steve said with a clap of his hands. ¡°Now then, who wants breakfast. My treat.¡± He chuckled as two more Painguins appeared, each carrying platters similar to his towards Rue and James. James sighed, completely used to Steve¡¯s antics. And, while none of them were paying for any of this, a perk of James¡¯s status as the Dungeon Core, the fact Steve had at least put the order in with the little Painguin NPCs in advance for the whole charade, was somewhat endearing. If¡­just barely. Besides, now that he knew he¡¯d have a show in about an hour, the thought of relaxing and enjoying a nice breakfast, that wasn¡¯t just liquid calories in the form of orange juice and alcohol, seemed ideal. Plus, there was one rule James¡¯s father had drilled into him as a child. An all-important breakfast lesson. Only a fool would pass on the opportunity for free bacon. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 3 Chapter 3 ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a reason Nyx turned us down?¡± Oak asked hesitantly from within the shack that led to the sixth floor. James couldn¡¯t help but smile as the man spoke. Part of him felt bad for eavesdropping. The other part found it more than a little amusing to hear what the players had to say about his developer persona. ¡°Like, what if the next floor is really dangerous?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all really dangerous.¡± Faust said dryly. ¡°That¡¯s kind of the point of you know, a dungeon.¡± The group all laughed at that. Ever since the first day of DCO, the Knights Who Go Ni had been a favorite group of James and Rue. Their camaraderie spoke volumes, and their skills were without question. No matter the challenge they faced, if they had proven time and time again, they were up to the task. And if not, well, they always gave it their best effort and put on a good show. ¡°No matter how dangerous it is,¡± Z said patting Oak on the back, ¡°I believe in you. Besides, it gives you a good chance to test out your new shield.¡± As he said the final bit, James saw Z¡¯s hand tighten on Oak¡¯s shoulder. A look crossed the tank¡¯s face, showing that Z had clamped down hard enough not to cause pain, considering pain wasn¡¯t a thing in immersion unless you were a sadist and turned off the setting, but instead the tingling heat that denoted pain. ¡°Still salty about the shield, aren¡¯t you.¡± Oak said with a smirk as Z let his shoulder go. ¡°You know, you could be mad at Faust too. He got a Unique as well.¡± Oak¡¯s shield was in fact, a Unique Item. It was actually the first unique to drop within James¡¯s dungeon. Called the Predator¡¯s Shield, Oak had received it from Sergeant Jenkins, the fifth floor¡¯s boss, after a battle gone wrong against a¡­ er¡­ miniboss created from the corpse of Badgy the Badgerker. The shield was a part of the Predator Armament set, and while its initial stats and abilities were already crazy, gaining more pieces would increase the stats by an even greater chance. ¡°Yeah, but the headpiece is less noticeable and irksome than your shield.¡± Z countered. ¡°Besides, for some reason I can¡¯t quite put my finger on, you getting a unique before me bothers me more than Faust.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Who knows.¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± Oak looked over at Faust, who was smugly playing with the energy that sparked off his headpiece, then down at his own shield. The Predator¡¯s Shield was a grotesque piece of equipment, made from the head of the A.L.I.E.N. mini-boss, with its mouth open, occasionally dripping bright green acid. Faust¡¯s headpiece, the Harbinger¡¯s Headpiece, was a small set of horns, curved in a similar manner to the Pall Sheep from his fifth floor. They sparked lightly with electrical energy, which combined aesthetically quite nicely with Faust¡¯s own ambient crackling. ¡°After this little excursion,¡± Elm said as he glanced at the rest of his team members, ¡°I¡¯m all for farming Sergeant Jenkins and the A.L.I.E.N.s for more gear. I¡¯d be lying if I wasn¡¯t a bit jealous of the unique loot either.¡± Elm looked down at his own gear. ¡°Plus, you know, it¡¯d be nice to farm up a proper set of gear for once. Maybe get enough mats to craft everything so its nice and cohesive?¡± The others all took a moment, suddenly self-conscious, to look over their own gear as well. It was a hodgepodge of pirate-type gear from James¡¯s fourth floor, and cybernetic, artic gear gained from the fifth floor. With the outliers, of course, being the unique items of Faust and Oak. While both of those had been gained on the fifth floor, Oak¡¯s definitely stood out the most. James had to wonder what the rest of the Predator gear set would look like for Tank class players. He knew the drop rates were astronomically low, but still, he couldn¡¯t help but drool over the thought of seeing all of the players below him in full on unique gear. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°It would be nice to finally look good while adventuring,¡± Z said as he tugged at the Solar-Bear pelt cloak he was wearing. It¡¯s bright white clashed hard with the orange pirate leggings he wore. ¡°And now that leveling has slowed a bit, I figure it¡¯s about that time in a game where we can put in the effort for such things.¡± That was another part of games, MMOs especially, that James remembered from being on the player side. Early on, the gear was so quick to drop and come by, that you were constantly changing it out for better stuff. This meant, unless a game gave you a cosmetic option to transmogrify everything to a certain pattern, you ended up looking like a hot mess. It was also, comically, why so many of his players spent much of their lower levels running around looking like farmers, the first gear set they could unlock, and one with stat boosting properties that made it viable almost all the way to the third floor. DCO, James had noticed, provided a pretty steady level progression for the players. Outside of the penalty players acquired after completing a dive or fully wiping in the dungeon, they had extensive chances to level up. Add in siege events, skirmishes, dungeon wars, and the ability to go to other Dungeon Core instances and dive in their dungeons, and there hadn¡¯t actually been a stagnant portion of leveling that would slow the pace of players by any large degree. Still, with their party levels in the mid-eighties, with Med Ic and Faust both at 86, their growth was slow enough now, that perhaps, just maybe, they could farm a cohesive set and keep it for a while. James also wanted to point out that if there ever was a time for gear, grabbing a unique set from his fifth floor was a great choice. Not only was the gear crazy powerful if they did manage to get a full unique set, considering they had abilities that permanently increased stats for the players, but if he was being completely objective¡­ as objective as possible mind you, Cybernetic Arctic armor was just plain old badass. Compared to, er, whatever it was the ¡®Monster Mash¡¯ mobs were dropping on the sixth floor, from a purely aesthetic viewpoint, the fifth was the better option. Of course, none of that mattered right now. It was pure speculation. Oak had triggered the whole conversation, James knew, purely to stall. If there was one thing the tank liked to do, it was put off the inevitable. Oak made it clear, at every chance he got, that he didn¡¯t like tanking. And now, was no different. Tanking the unknown, even more so, was something he despised. After all, he was quite literally the test dummy for the rest of his party, and it had gotten him in some really, really, really crappy situations. Including the stomach of a toilet mimic disguised as an outhouse on the third floor. ¡°Enough stalling,¡± Z said with a clap of his hands. ¡°It¡¯s getting cramped in here, and I want to see what the sixth floor has.¡± Between his four friends, his three beast companions, and each of their pets, the cabin was, indeed, quite cramped. Though, to be fair, Z¡¯s largest pet, the new one he¡¯d gotten when he became a Beastking, was outside. There was no way the massive, antlered, humanoid chimera named Hornz would fit just yet. And, having fought alongside it in person, James knew it stunk something fierce. Z¡¯s party had called it a skunk ape more than a few times, which he found appropriate. ¡°Fine.¡± Oak said with a grumble. He moved towards the creepy ladder and began to descend it. ¡°Let¡¯s just all climb down a mysterious ladder in an abandoned cabin in the woods. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s absolutely nothing bad waiting for us at the other end.¡± He grumbled some more. ¡°Because this has never, ever, been the plot point in who knows how many horror movies.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a dungeon,¡± Z said with a smile. ¡°Of course, there¡¯s something bad at the end of the ladder.¡± He chuckled and motioned for Elm to begin following Oak. Elm, Oak¡¯s brother in real life if James remembered correctly, gently kicked down at Oak with a chuckle, causing the tank to lose his grip and slide a few feet down before he regained his composure and hold on the wooden ladder. ¡°But unlike in those movies,¡± Z continued, everyone, save Oak, now smiling and in good spirits, ¡°we¡¯ve got you to face tank the horror for us.¡± James couldn¡¯t help but smile at that as well. While he was still peeved at Steve for spilling the beans on the location of the sixth-floor entrance, he was excited. Excited to finally see a group explore his labyrinth. Excited that it was Z¡¯s group doing the first dive. And more than anything, extremely excited to finally see his brand-new mobs in action. A lot had happened since he hit Tier 6, and he¡¯d not been lacking for entertainment and new things. But hands down, the best, most exciting moment of being a Dungeon Core was always, always, watching his new floors be tested for the first time, and seeing how the newly created mobs acted. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Technically, the ladder down from the small shack in the fifth floor did indeed lead to the sixth. He¡¯d tweaked that from his previous design, purely for theatrical purposes. James had opted for a little more flare when it came to how adventurers would first experience the floor. Presentation, he¡¯d come to realize, was everything when it came to floor development. Just like he had his ¡®Welcome to Jurassic City¡¯ sign by where players were spawned on the second, he¡¯d wanted something special for this floor. That meant, the players climbing down the ladder shifted from the fifth floor to the sixth floor, just before they reached the base of the ladder. The path downwards was dark, meaning unless they had a torch or some sort of artificial light spell, they really wouldn¡¯t be able to visually tell. Instead, they¡¯d just experience the strange tingling as they passed through the portal, and then of course, if they were paying attention, they¡¯d have the new floor countdown trigger. As it was the sixth floor, they¡¯d have six hours to clear the floor, escape it, or die, before they were removed from the floor. Considering who the boss was, and its mechanic¡­ James highly doubted anyone would ever¡­ EVER¡­ spend six hours on the sixth floor. The ladder itself, now in the sixth floor for the players, reached downwards and ended in a stone room fifteen by fifteen feet. There were no windows. No furniture. Only four walls, a single stone doorway, and flickering torches. This room, was the room Z and his party now stood in. Even though the space was larger than the abandoned shack above, it still seemed extremely crowded thanks to their party size. Anyone heading down with a proper raiding party, would find themselves overflowing from the room before everyone arrived. Or, they¡¯d be stuck together like sardines, waiting to burst out into the sixth floor proper the moment someone managed to open the door. ¡°Any guesses on what¡¯s behind that door?¡± Oak grumbled as he looked at his party. He¡¯d already steeled himself once for going into the unknown. Now that they¡¯d reached the small room, and it had all been for nought, James was certain he was preparing himself once more. ¡°No idea,¡± Z said, his trademark grin evident to James in the flickering torch light. As the Dungeon Core, if he really wanted to, he could turn the brightness up on the feed he was streaming currently to Rue, Steve¡­and of course all of the other Dungeon Cores out there. Rue was running media relations real time, of course, and Steve, well, Steve was snacking on popcorn as they watched the inaugural run of the sixth floor. James couldn¡¯t help but wonder what The Knights Who Go Ni would think about their antics being streamed to so many people without their knowing. Ah well, it was Immersion, and they¡¯d said all the appropriate waivers and checked all the boxes when they agreed to play DCO, just like everyone else. ¡°Whatever it is,¡± Elm began, ¡°it¡¯s likely preferable to this small space. If we have to stay in here much longer,¡± his nose scrunched, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I may pass out from the smell of Hornz. Are you sure the stench doesn¡¯t cause a debuff Z?¡± Z looked from the aforementioned pet, back to Elm, and shrugged. ¡°Not my fault the devs decided to add the stench. And hey, look on the bright side. Being able to smell such strong scents is part of what makes DCO so top notch. Seriously, my senses are sharper here than they have been in the real world since before I deployed.¡± The others nodded in agreement. It was one of the most common claims everyone agreed was true about DCO. It felt ¡®real¡¯. More real than anything that had come before it. DCO was the closest thing to living, true living, within a virtual world that anyone had experienced to date in the era of full immersion. ¡°Let¡¯s get going Oak,¡± Z said, his bow drawn, an arrow nocked and at the ready. The arrow itself was tipped with skeletal bones, and a little bag of gunpowder. An arrow that many players had begun to craft from fourth floor drops, that not only had a heavy impact, but exploded and caused a bit of fire damage, with a potential to stun or blind the target. Because the fourth floor mobs were skeletons¡­ bones were a pretty common drop for players to craft with. And because they were high level mobs, the bones they dropped were usually of a pretty high quality, making these arrows a good go to. The explosive pouches, added to the arrows thanks to the gunpowder players could farm up from the pirate mob drops, and the Skull Fort itself, were also extremely effective against well, skeletons. It was pretty common now for archers to try and get their arrows into the skull of one of the mobs, as doing so had a chance to completely shatter the skull, and one-shot the creatures. His bow, on the other hand, glowed and hummed with energy. It came from the fifth floor, and was a special compound bow enhanced with cybernetic energy. From what James remembered of it, it had the ability to add a small bit of magical lightning damage to the arrows. The rest of his party, of course, was geared in similar ways. Nothing they had was basic, nothing they used didn¡¯t apply at least some sort of special damage or special effect. Which, was good, considering what the sixth-floor was about to throw at them. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Fine.¡± Oak stepped up to the door. His shield glowed slightly, as he activated a defensive skill. It was a basic skill, all things considered. One that barely used any of his MP, and just increased his block rate by a percentage, while also increasing the amount of damage a block could absorb before his health was damaged. Cosmetically, it made the dark shield glow, lightning slightly crackling over it. And, it may have been James¡¯s imagination, but it seemed to make the A.L.I.E.N. eyes on the shield blink in a disconcerting way, the pupils shifting too and fro. Which¡­was creepy as hell. Without further ado, Oak pushed the door open, the rest of his party members standing behind him, unable to really get into a proper formation due to the size of the door. The wood creaked outwards, showing nothing but darkness. The glow from the torches of the room only reached a few feet outwards, enough to illuminate only the stone path before Oak. The man stepped into the darkness, and as he did, a set of torches sprung to life on either side of him, a good ten feet in either direction. With each step forward, as the players stepped into the expanse behind Oak, the tank cautiously moving forward to grant them space, more torches sprang to life. This massive hallway, twenty feet in width, extended for a hundred feet, with torches every ten feet of the way. Above them, roughly thirty feet up, the walls met with the ceiling, encasing them in the tunnel. James had added that particular feature to the floor for the purpose of ensuring people with flying mounts or skills couldn¡¯t simply bypass the labyrinth itself. A maze, after all, was useless if people could just fly past it. Then, at the very end of the tunnel, an archway of stone waited for them. This, was the true start to James¡¯s sixth floor. This archway, ten feet wide, funneled adventurers into the start of the maze. This was the only entrance into the Labyrinth, and across the floor, all the way at the other side, over the massive, sprawling, twisting, turning, eccentric winding of the labyrinth, was an exit with a similar archway. James had let his artistic nature flair for this next bit. As Oak and the others made their way to the arch, torches of different lights began to flare to life along the stone. It depicted a massive, feathered, serpent. At the base of the arch the serpent was eating an orb made of sapphire. All along the arch, the serpents scales shimmered with colors, different hues caused by various metallic materials James had painstakingly added in, for pure gamer flair. ¡°That¡¯s, not ominous at all.¡± Faust said as he looked over the creature. ¡°Anyone else getting Aztec vibes?¡± Z asked as he looked at the serpent. ¡°You think Quetzalcoatl is on this floor?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he a winged serpent?¡± Faust countered. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine a flying serpent being on this floor.¡± He pointed at the ceiling above. ¡°Good point,¡± Z said with a nod. ¡°I swear to the gods,¡± Oak grumbled, a quiver in his voice. There was one thing the tank hated more than anything. Well, actually feared. A phobia that James had seen take hold of the tank on the third floor in fact. ¡°If it¡¯s a freaking snake, I¡¯m done.¡± His voice was high. ¡°I thought your exposure therapy was working quite well.¡± Elm said, slapping Oak on the back. ¡°How many Playthons have given you hugs so far? Aren¡¯t you used to them by now?¡± Oak pointed at the serpent on the archway. ¡°That doesn¡¯t look cuddly.¡± He said with a growl. ¡°And if you think it does, then be my guest and you take point this floor.¡± Elm stepped back laughing, ¡°I¡¯m not the tank,¡± he said, holding his bow up. ¡°I¡¯m a backliner.¡± ¡°IF there is a snake,¡± Z offered to Oak, ¡°I¡¯ll have Hornz cover for you while you steel yourself, yeah? And just remember,¡± Oak¡¯s eyes flashed with amusement, ¡°the snakes here are likely just as scared of you, as you are of them.¡± Oak flipped Z off, took a breath, and then another. ¡°I hate you guys,¡± he said, and then, he stepped forward, his foot crossing the threshold of the archway. James grinned, practically buzzing with excitement, as Oak did so. This was the final bit of theatrics he¡¯d managed to fit into the floor for now, in between all of the skirmishes, coliseum events, and siege buildup. Originally, the boss was supposed to trigger when players reached the floor. However, he¡¯d found he could tweak that feature, to instead activate its all consuming path, once a certain area was crossed. That area was the sone arch. The Labyrinth shuddered as Jormun-Grander came to life. The massive serpent, which resided in the very heart of the maze, opened its eyes. Then, its massive mouth slammed shut. The sound reverberated off the walls, echoing as it made its way to Z and the others. The signal that it was beginning its move. Its maw opened again, and it began to move, ever so slowly. ¡°What the hells was that?¡± Oak¡¯s voice was panicked. The sound, like a distant drumbeat, had caused him to jump slightly. The others were all tense, waiting, listening. For thirty seconds there was silence. Forty-five seconds, silence. ¡°Maybe it was nothing?¡± Z said with a shrug. The moment he spoke, right at the minute mark, the Jormun-Grander¡¯s maw snapped shut once more, the sound echoing again through the halls. Every minute, James knew that sound would spring forth from Jormun-Grander. A signal, he¡¯d realized, of where the creature was. But more than that, the steady, rhythmic heartbeat of James¡¯s Sixth Floor. ¡°I hate this,¡± Oak whispered, as he took a deep breath, and stepped further into the dungeon. ¡°I really, really, really, hate this.¡± DCO Final Arc- Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Part of being a Dungeon Core that James always enjoyed was keeping adventurers on their toes. He enjoyed surprising them, and forcing them to adapt. He knew from his experience playing VRMMOs that if you could predict things, a game could get stale quickly. Because of that, he¡¯d opted on his floors to assign patrol routes and roaming spaces for the mobs, instead of stagnant places. His sixth floor, having a more proper dungeon layout though, rather than the open expanses he''d been used to, forced his hand somewhat slightly when it came to mob placements. His Where-Wolfs, J-Kappa¡¯s, and Fogeymen were spread out, with pretty large roaming ranges, of course, to keep with his normal tradition. Of those mobs, the ones that made up the largest number on the floor were the When-Wolfs and the Fogeymen, with J-Kappa¡¯s coming in at third. The Solem¡¯s, given their generally immobile nature, had more stationary type of spawn locations. Rooms that James had enlarged to be 20feet by twenty, or to be spherical in nature, with the Solems taking place in the middle. To keep the variety up on those, he¡¯d used and advanced mob placement feature that let him denote how many would spawn, and then give a variety of locations for them. The game itself would randomly generate them, meaning while the rooms were in the same location, and they could serve as Solem spawns, they wouldn¡¯t necessarily always populate in the exact same ones every dive. Then, there were his Chem-Era¡¯s. The monstrous, three headed, balanced mobs of the floor. Given their size, as well as the healthy range of attacks they had, he¡¯d limited the number of these mobs. Almost all of them were given sections of the dungeon to roam, usually between packs of J-Kappas and the others, in an effort to, er, potentially deal with adventurers forming a massive band of J-Kappas through bribery. There was one exception though, for that particular mob. Because while James was eager for players to get lost in the labyrinth and wander about, he wanted them to be greeted¡­ properly, during their dive. Because of this, the very first mob players would face, in this case, the Knights Who Go Ni, was a Chem-Era. Technically, it could be the first three they faced, actually, because of how the dungeon was formed. After adventurers moved past the archway, the path split. Players could go to the right, go to the left, or keep going straight. Each path, which went on for another fifty feet, would lead to a room, fifteen by fifteen, where a Chem-Era would wait, to properly welcome players into the dungeon. The Knights Who Go Ni, following classic gamer logic when it came to Labyrinths, had opted for the leftmost tunnel. After all, when it came to exploring unknown dungeons, there was a tried-and-true method for not getting lost. Follow the left wall, and eventually, you¡¯ll find the exit. ¡°Well Oak,¡± Z whispered as the party peered into the massive room. They were eying the Chem-Era, which for the moment, was sleeping on the stone ground, its two front heads resting on its paws, while the third, its snake-tail, was coiled around its body. ¡°It¡¯s not just a snake.¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°It still counts.¡± Oak countered. ¡°And you said you¡¯d have Hornz tank it.¡± ¡°Technically it doesn¡¯t.¡± Z argued. ¡°That¡¯s obviously a Chimera. Er,¡± he paused as he focused at the mob. Being a ranger class, Z had an ability that would let him analyze a creature from further away than the normal players¡¯ distances. Meaning while the mob, which was still a good twenty-five feet away from them, and not aggroed, couldn¡¯t have its information analyzed by the others, Z, and probably Elm, could at least see its name and health pool. ¡°A Chem-Era.¡± Z corrected himself with a chuckle. ¡°And oh, it¡¯s a big boy.¡± ¡°I¡¯d say,¡± Elm commented with a low, barely audible whisper of appreciation. ¡°37,000 HP, and level 91.¡± ¡°What was the HP on Sergeant Jenkins last we fought him?¡± Med Ic asked softly. ¡°Forty K.¡± Z said, ¡°at level 85.¡± ¡°So, this is six levels higher, but still has less hp.¡± Med Ic nodded slowly. ¡°Should be doable.¡± He glanced at the heads. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a gamble and guess it¡¯s got some nasty debuff effects. If my mythology is up to date, that is.¡± ¡°Good thought,¡± Z said with a nod. ¡°We¡¯ll probably want to spread out then, and you¡¯ll need to stick back as far as possible.¡± ¡°If we¡¯re having to plan like this for a basic floor mob,¡± Faust added, ¡°I¡¯m loathe to think of how the boss fight will go.¡± ¡°We probably don¡¯t have to plan like this,¡± Z said, ¡°but I mean, when your target it sleeping, why not plan for it?¡± ¡°Says the guy who usually YOLO¡¯s right into the fray,¡± Faust said with a chuckle, ¡°I¡¯m not opposed to the planning, just pointing out that we are still under leveled for this floor.¡± ¡°Which is why we ensured we all leveled up before this dive.¡± Z grinned. ¡°I totally expect for us to wipe here. But all in the name of exploration.¡± ¡°And loot.¡± Elm added. ¡°And loot,¡± Z echoed, ¡°that¡¯s always a given.¡± James found himself grinning as the party prepared themselves. This was so like them. Their comments, their quips, everything. He yearned to be down there with them, adventuring alongside them. And yet, another part of him loved what he was currently doing. Sitting in a hot spring, enjoying the company of Rue, tolerating Steve, and watching his creation, his dungeon, be explored. It was a different thrill. One was an adrenaline rush, pure, fun, adventure. The other was that of an artist, watching as your work was finally unveiled to the world. Watching as people experienced and immersed themselves into what you¡¯d created. His heartbeat quickened as Z and the others finished their planning. They moved, slowly, silently, to get into position, as they prepared to take on the Chem-Era. Unfortunately for them, they¡¯d underestimated, or more appropriately, misjudged a single aspect of the boss. The Chem-Era wasn¡¯t asleep. At least, not all of the heads. The serpent, though its eyes were closed, was very much so awake. Its tongue flicked outwards, tasting the air, sensing the change in vibrations, as the adventurers moved into the room. Their voices, though soft, had drawn its attention. But the creature was smart, and had waited. It¡¯s setting dictated it couldn¡¯t leave the room. Dictated that it only attack players after they stepped into the threshold of the room. So, while it hadn¡¯t acted during their whole planning stage, while it hadn¡¯t shifted or given any sign that it knew they were there, it had been fully conscious. The players weren¡¯t the only ones capable of planning. This was, after all, the sixth floor. And these mobs were anything but stupid. Especially the Chem-Era. After all, it¡¯s trait, Multi-headed, specifically gave the mob increased intelligence for each of its heads. Z and his guild were playing checkers, the three headed level 91 mob, chess. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 6 Chapter 6 It started with a hiss. Like steam escaping a valve under pressure, the sound filled the room as The Knights Who Go Ni spread out, preparing themselves for the battle. Barely discernable in the flickering light of the room, a transparent, green tinged gas escaped from the serpent¡¯s mouth. The gas slithered and crept across the floor, dusting the adventurer¡¯s feet, climbing their legs, as it slowly, steadily, filled the room. And yet, the whole time, the snake head kept its eyes closed. The other two heads, now awakened, thanks to their slithering companion, also kept their eyes closed, waiting, carefully, for the perfect time to streak. ¡°The room¡¯s filling with poison.¡± Oak called out hesitantly as he crept nearer the boss. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a passive ability?¡± ¡°Could be,¡± Z said as he glanced about. The gas was thick, and it was now filing the room faster than it could escape down the hallways. ¡°Either way, we need a cleanse, and we need to clear that smoke fast.¡± ¡°Cleanse is coming.¡± Med Ic called. ¡°But I can¡¯t get rid of the gas.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Faust was already moving his hands in strange motions, preparing a spell of some sorts. ¡°The moment we clear the room, start in on the mob.¡± He continued. ¡°I was getting ready to start in on the mob anyways.¡± Oak grumbled. ¡°Before that gas started leaking from its body.¡± He hefted his glowing shield, once again applying a damage mitigating skill as he eyed the three-headed, ¡®sleeping¡¯, mob. ¡°Which head are we starting with again?¡± ¡°The ugly one.¡± Elm said with a laugh, that turned into a bitter cough in the poisonous cloud. ¡°They¡¯re all-¡° Before Oak could finish, a purplish light erupted from Med Ic, washing over the players, and instantly cleansing them of the poison stack that had been growing on them. As the purple light glowed faintly, lingering on them, Faust¡¯s voice echoed in the chamber. ¡°Air burst.¡± As the name implied, a concussive blast of air pushed away from his body, causing the clothes on his allies to ripple, strong enough even to make the lion¡¯s mane ripple. More importantly, it forced the gas out of the room, pushing the noxious fumes down the various hallways that were connected to the large room. This was Oak¡¯s cue. He looked quickly at the sleeping creature, made a thought, and then rushed forward, his shield held high, his axe at his side, bellowing. ¡°It¡¯s Goat Time.¡± He roared, as he angled the shield, aiming the venom dripping maw on the grotesque shield directly at the creature¡¯s forehead. His body glowed, the shield glowed. He was doing a shield bash. A high damaging attack that dealt damage based on his defense stat, and given his Indra class, applied lightning damage to the charge. It also carried with it a powerful taunt. The perfect opener for a tank to use in a battle. ¡°Did he really just?¡± Rue sighed as James nodded, the two of them experiencing more than a little second hand embarrassment for Oak¡¯s obvious attempt at a joke. Steve, on the other hand, was clapping his hands like a child, his face beaming. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°I told him puns make taunts more effective in DCO.¡± Steve said as he wheezed. ¡°Told him it was a hidden mechanic.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a troll.¡± James said, though he couldn¡¯t help but smile at Steve¡¯s statement. His grin increased as his focus returned to Oak. His charge, after all, hadn¡¯t gone quite as planned. Just before impact, the goat head opened an eye, and tilted it¡¯s head to the side. The motion, sudden and subtle, changed the target of Oak¡¯s oncoming charge. Instead of crashing into the center of the sleeping creature¡¯s forehead, which he had likely been thinking would cause additional damage given the creature was asleep in his mind, his shield, his force, smashed into one of the metallic, curling horns atop the goat¡¯s forehead. The force of the collision sent a shockwave outwards between the two. Lightning crackled as Oak¡¯s body withstood the impact. The goat¡¯s head was unmoving, two unmovable forces, colliding together, the sound ringing out like the starting bell of a boxing match. Then, the goat bleated, and ripped its head sideways. The motion pulled at Oak, pushing him off balance, as the giant Chem-Era rose. Oak fought to regain his balance, began to take a step backwards, preparing for the next attack from in front of him. What he should have been watching for, was the third head. The serpent. Because even though it was on the back of the Chem-Era, it didn¡¯t mean it couldn¡¯t reach him, couldn¡¯t attack him where he stood. As the party focused their fire on the Goat Head, arrows digging into its skin, spells crackling towards it, and Z¡¯s minions rushing the massive creature, its other heads acted as well. This wasn¡¯t a battle against a single foe. It was a battle against three mobs, that shared a single body. And all three heads, were able of acting independently of each other. The serpent head extended unnaturally as it darted under the massive, shared body, using its legs and belly to hide its approach as it shot towards Oak, gleaming fangs extended hungrily. As for the other head, the Lion head let out a massive roar of rage, its mane flickering flames, as it glared at the party, taking in the battlefield as it assessed the situation. And all the while, the goat¡¯s head, yelled. Only, unlike with the Scapegoats on James¡¯s fifth floor, this goat¡¯s scream wasn¡¯t purely for annoying or ¡®taunting¡¯ players. It had a purpose. A dangerous, terrifyingly so, purpose. For as it let out is loud bleating scream, the creature activated the second of its three breath weapons. Sulfuric Goat- The goat head releases a toxic, foul-smelling gas that is highly flammable. This gas can corrode armor, inflicting a 5% debuff to player armor per stack. This gas causes a choking effect while players are within it, causing them to lose 1% of their maximum HP every second they are within the gas cloud. James grinned as the yellows gas rushed outwards. While the serpents poisonous gas had been slow, this gas erupted, propelled with great force from the goat¡¯s mouth, and quickly covered the room in the thick, obscuring gas. ¡°I can¡¯t see shit,¡± Elm yelled. ¡°Cleanse,¡± Z coughed. ¡°Airburst has three more seconds,¡± Faust half yelled, half choked out. ¡°Another few seconds on my AOE cleanse,¡± Med Ic said. The gas was thicker than James had even expected. He could see the full battle, of course, thanks to the magic of being a dungeon core. But it was clear even to him, that the thick, yellow, sulfuric looking gas had robbed a good bit of visual clarity from the players. A fact that was about to become even more damning, as he also knew, the Chem-Era itself, was immune to blinding effects. ¡°This thing¡¯s got a-¡° Oak began, before his cries turned to a scream as the Serpent¡¯s head bit down on him. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 7 Chapter 7 The strike from the serpent head landed as a critical, the skill, Blinding Strike, enhancing both the chance of it landing as a critical, as well as increasing the damage. Even against Oak¡¯s formidable defenses, his life dropped by a good chunk. Even worse than the damage, was the effect of the strike on him. He screamed, the terror of the massive head emerging from the yellowish smoke to engulf him, throwing him sideways, did a number on his mental state. In a moment of panic, he activated a massive cooldown, entering immediately his Indra state to free himself. As lightning crackled and his form grew, the lion¡¯s head decided to further increase the chaos and confusion of the battle. It¡¯s mane flared again, the fiery glow dancing menacingly in the gas filled chamber. It looked at the growing, screaming, crackling Indra, and opened its mouth. A burst of flames roared towards Oak, burning the very air as they rushed towards him. The radioactive fire rushed over him, burning him, increasing his screams. However, Oak¡¯s screams couldn¡¯t be heard by his friends. For as the flames rushed from the lion head, the fiery wrath carried out its additional purpose. Both the serpents poisonous gas, and even more so, the goat¡¯s breath attack, were highly flammable. The flames from the lion head caused the sulfuric gas to alight, causing a massive fireball to erupt within the room. In a flash of light, a wave of heat, and a concussive burst from the sudden temperature change within the confined space, the Chem-Era executed its extremely dangerous, and powerful, combo attack. The Knights Who Go Ni, all but Oak, were sent flying backwards. They all crashed into different parts of the wall, their cries of confusion and panic echoing on deaf ears. Even through just watching, the sound had been immense, and James¡¯s own ears rang slightly. He could only imagine the perceived heat the players had to be feeling right now, both from the actual flames that buffeted them, but even more so from the warm pressure indicating pain. It wouldn¡¯t hurt, of course, but James had no doubt they were more than a little uncomfortable. ¡°New plan.¡± Z coughed as he stood. They could see the battlefield clearly. The combo had been executed in a brilliant manner, and yet now, not a single speck of gas remained. James knew too that those special breath attacks all had a minute long cooldown, meaning the Chem-Era wouldn¡¯t be pulling off that trick any time soon. Though, there was no doubt in James¡¯s mind the intelligent creature had used the trick to its full potential. A surprise attack, maximized in effectiveness, that caused confusion, spread multiple debuffs, and gave the mob ample time to assess its enemies, and focus its wrath down on the one taunting it. Unfortunately for the mob¡­ it was fighting the Knights Who Go Ni. And they weren¡¯t going to go down without a fight. No matter what. ¡°Beat it to a pulp?¡± Oak had grabbed hold of the goat¡¯s horns with two of his electrical arms in his multi-limbed Indra form. The other two arms were already jabbing spears of pure lightning into its neck, with reckless abandon. The lion head was trying to bite at him, but his form of pure, electrical power, was uncaring. In that cooldown, James knew Oak could tank a ridiculous amount of damage. And the power of the Indra form acted like a thorn enchantment, dishing back a percentage of damage received as lightning damage to the boss. ¡°Pretty much.¡± Z said with a laugh. Already the rest of the guild were back on their feet. James watched Med Ic point his staff into the air, and an orb of purplish light appeared near the ceiling above the Chem-Era. Strands of purple light rushed from it towards all of the members of his party, and an aura enveloped each and every one of them. The light pulsed, and James saw their health refill by a small amount. Another pulse, and another bit of life. Concurrently, Med Ic¡¯s MP was decreasing with each beat. ¡°I¡¯ll keep us topped off,¡± Med Ic said confidently. ¡°Since we¡¯re blowing cooldowns, I figured we¡¯d give this skill a try.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. James glanced at Steve for guidance. James knew Med Ic¡¯s current class was classified as a Bishop of the Void, but he didn¡¯t know what type of skills that class had. ¡°Figure it¡¯s the smart thing to do,¡± Elm commented as well, ¡°at least we know now what to expect surprise wise from this mob in the future.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Faust added, ¡°in short, negate the gas as quickly as possible, and keep the thing from burning us alive.¡± Lightning crackled. ¡°I¡¯m going to guess since it has mechanical parts, it¡¯s got a weakness to lightning.¡± The party went to town then on the mob, as Steve began his explanation. Considering the creature was just a mob, with the players burning cooldowns following Oak¡¯s panicked trigger, he knew they¡¯d manage to handle it. Even though its stats were impressive, strong enough to be equal to a floor boss on the fifth floor, the move set it had access to as a simple mob, hindered its flexibility. It was an all-around mob, with a decent range of attack options and patterns, but nothing that would put it on the same level as something like Sergeant Jenkins. That was fine by James. After all, if the Knights let the first mob they faced on the floor wipe their party, he¡¯d be extremely disappointed. There was so much left of the floor he wanted to see them explore. And the party, for now, was just getting started. ¡°A Bishop of the Void is what happens when someone on a purely healing specific path, opts for a debuff based class as well. In Med Ic¡¯s case, He went from Grand Bishop of Light in his sixties, down the path of the void when he reached 70. At 70, he picked the Cleric of Darkness class. That class, while a healing class, specifically involves transferring debuffs to enemies, and also draining the life of enemies and putting that life into the players. It¡¯s sort of like how Rue¡¯s Cleric of Blood works, but it doesn¡¯t need the life of teammates or the caster to heal, well, teammates or the caster.¡± ¡°Sounds broken.¡± Rue quipped. ¡°Eh, the heal rate is abysmal early on.¡± Steve said with a shrug. ¡°Sure it adds a little DPS overall to a fight, but the healing potential is severely limited as a result. Anyways, by selecting that, his class changed to an Ethereal Bishop, because it triggered a secret class change.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what he was during the Siege Event.¡± James commented. ¡°But when he was healing, I only saw his normal heal spell.¡± ¡°Probably playing it safe given the rest of you were all being extremely reckless.¡± Steve said with a grin. ¡°Don¡¯t think your shenanigans went unnoticed Mr. I¡¯m suddenly a raging fire dps.¡± Steve chuckled. ¡°Any ways, at level 80, his class progressed down the secret class progress tree, into Bishop of the Void. He can still heal by drawing life from enemies directly, but a few other unique skills and such too. That cooldown he popped, for instance, is called Heart of the Void. Every time it beats, it transfers health equal to a percentage of the amount of life the targeted enemy is missing, equally into all of his teammates. Once activated, it will last until cancelled, or he runs out of mana. Each beat of the heart, drains more mana from him to maintain.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ interesting.¡± James said, trying to comprehend the skill. ¡°Does it damage the enemy? And can it be transferred?¡± ¡°No, and no.¡± Steve said. ¡°It simply takes into account the missing percentage of health from the targeted enemy. Flavor wise the concept was that it was transferring the health that had escaped into the nothing, you know, like a spirit leaving a body, it¡¯s literal life force, into the others. If the enemy heals, the effectiveness of the healing is decreased. And if it dies, well, the spell sputters out as well. However,¡± Steve held up a finger, ¡°because it doesn¡¯t actively damage or effect the target, it can¡¯t be cleansed either. Which makes it a very powerful cooldown.¡± He sipped from his drink, ¡°which is also why it has a 30-minute cooldown timer,¡± he muttered softly. ¡°A what?¡± James choked on his own drink. Most of the massive cooldowns came with a 10 minute timer, or fifteen minute. Thirty minutes seemed steep for the ability, though, it wasn¡¯t completely unheard of. After all, Fel¡¯s Ultimate Cooldown, her bone dragon, had a 1-hour cooldown. But that¡­ was an Ultimate, from being on a pure path. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a doozy.¡± Steve said with a shrug. ¡°There was a lot of back and forth on it. Against a boss the potential of the skill is crazy, especially if the healer can keep up their mana reserves. But given the increasing cost per beat, we figured it wouldn¡¯t justify a full 1-hour cooldown. It¡¯s not a floor breaking effect after all. But also not a skill that should be freely spammed, especially when you have,¡± he motioned at the floating image of the battle below, ¡°powerful mobs on floors that are nearly equal to boss grandeur at higher tiers.¡± ¡°I suppose,¡± James said, as he turned his focus back to the fight as well. ¡°What else can he do? What can they all do now?¡± He added. Steve¡¯s grin stretched so wide it almost looked painful. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know.¡± DCO Final Arc- Chapter 8 Chapter 8 As expected, the five-man party was able to handle the basic floor mob with relative ease once they burned their cooldowns. The skills, most which were commonly used by gamers as trump cards or for burn phases of major boss fights, easily bridged the level gap between the players and the level 91 Chem-Era. Honestly, after overcoming its early barrage of breath attacks, all which had a minute long cooldown themselves, James would have been extremely disappointed in the pro gamers if they had lost to the mob. ¡°Any good loot?¡± Z asked the group as they finished sorting through their experience gain and loot drops from the creature. It¡¯s body lay on the ground, mechanical parts sparking. The serpent head was laying in a far corner of the room, having been completely severed and thrown aside by a powerful blow from Oak. The goat head was burned and blacked, and the lion head, well, it now had a mane of arrows instead of fur. ¡°No pets or anything on my end.¡± Elm said, followed by an agreeing nod from Oak and Med Ic. ¡°No gear either,¡± Faust said as his fingers flipped through hidden screens. ¡°Though all of the materials seemed to be of rare quality at least.¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± Z nodded, ¡°being the sixth floor, I¡¯d be surprised if anything dropped under rare quality when it came to materials. After all, these mobs are dangerously close to level 100.¡± ¡°Likely over it too,¡± Elm concurred, ¡°if the trend from the other floors continues. If this was a basic mob at level 91, I¡¯m willing to bet the boss is over 100.¡± They were, of course, right. Jormun-Grander was level 101 currently, and would max out a level 110, while the regular mobs would max out at level 100, once James hit Tier 7. ¡°I cannot wait to hit level 100.¡± Oak said, hungrily rubbing his gauntleted hands together. ¡°You think they¡¯ll have something special for that benchmark?¡± ¡°Who knows,¡± Z shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m guess they¡¯ll do something for it. It¡¯s a pretty common landmark to hit, but we can¡¯t know for sure till we get there.¡± He paused, ¡°ideally I¡¯d like for our group to hit 100 first. Though, in all honesty,¡± ¡°SoulDemon will likely do it before us.¡± Elm finished for him. ¡°That pretentious prick.¡± SoulDemon was the only player James knew of that was higher leveled than the Knights Who Go Ni. On top of that, when it came down to pure skill level, there was no denying his. However, he had all the personality of a rabid honey badger. He didn¡¯t work well with others, was extremely selfish, and didn¡¯t seem to give any thought to anything else. He¡¯d singlehandedly almost caused the Siege to fail, all because he was chasing a unique piece of gear for himself. ¡°He¡¯s definitely got some problems,¡± Z concurred, ¡°I hope his teammates can figure him out.¡± Z shook his head as his tone softened, ¡°there¡¯s a darkness in him, that I feel like I know.¡± ¡°Whatever he¡¯s dealing with doesn¡¯t justify how he treats everyone. Especially not those who help him,¡± Faust began, ¡°the others of the Candy Dungeon are all likeable enough. But that guy, I personally wish he¡¯d stop showing his face around here.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Z looked at Faust, and for a brief moment there was a shadow on Z¡¯s face. A look I recognized from his eyes. Z had a dark past himself. A weight he carried, blaming himself for the death of his daughter, his wife. If anyone had a right to be bitter and dark, it was Z, and yet, here he was, smiling with everyone. Z was the exact opposite of SoulDemon, in every manner of speaking. ¡°Maybe he just needs the right people to show him the light,¡± Z said softly, ¡°just like I did.¡± The room went silent then, both in the dungeon, and in the hot spring. So somber that Steve even set his drink down, his own eyes losing their trademark smile lines for just a moment. Everyone here, James figured, had some sort of skeleton in their closet. James felt guilty for a moment, realizing as much as he¡¯d lamented his own life over the past week of the real world, compared to everyone else, his life probably had been the easiest. Which just made him feel guilty, about everything. The silence was broken by a loud thrumming, heavier, deeper, than before. The Jormun-Grander¡¯s jaws had closed once more, marking another minute in the dungeon. With each passing minute, it grew slightly larger, and moved forward a little more. At this rate, it would find one of the three orbs within the next hour. Something that James was eager to see. What would happen when the boss consumed it? Would it¡¯s growth and appearance change to account for its massive gain in stats? Would the players get any type of warning or message? Currently, as far as James could tell, they had no idea that loud boom was the countdown to their own demise. ¡°Right, well,¡± Z slapped his cheeks as the sound echoed away from them. He looked towards the exit of the room, opposite of the side they¡¯d come in. ¡°We¡¯ve a sixth floor to explore, and this dungeon is creepy enough without all the doom and gloom.¡± ¡°Shall we continue exploring?¡± Faust said as he walked up beside Z, placing a reassuring hand on the leader¡¯s shoulder as he spoke. ¡°Is that what you¡¯re getting at?¡¯ ¡°Aye,¡± Z said with a nod. He looked back at everyone and paused. His party was watching him. They were ready, and yet, the air around them still seemed heavy, their eyes, their faces, still partially clouded by thoughts that were consumed by a darkness unique to themselves, secrets from their past that James had no way of knowing. ¡°Though,¡± Z took another breath, and using his right hand began flipping through his own hidden screens. ¡°How about a quick dicken break before we go further? The stat boosts are nice, and you can¡¯t argue those special herbs and spices have a cheery kick to them.¡± In his hand, a large bucket of fried dicken appeared. On the side of the bucket, the Dicken Shack logo. That is¡­ a fire breathing dicken with the words ¡®Our Dicken is Kickin.¡± Apparently, if you opened a shop within DCO, you gained the ability to customize the containers your product was sold in, including unique artwork and designs. And Alex¡¯s parents, who ran not only a restaurant in the real world, but also multiple chains now in DCO, apparently had quite the flair for branding. Everyone cheered and walked towards Z, grabbing various fried dicken bits from the container. In Elm¡¯s hand, a bottle of fireball whiskey appeared, the drink Alex himself had introduced to James¡¯s players, crafted from the infernal corn on James¡¯s first floor. Alex¡¯s parents had matched the flavor profile of the Fried Dicken to pair perfectly with the cinnamon notes of the fireball whiskey. Something James had personally made sure to experience firsthand while he was running around in his developer avatar. As the group shared in their food and drink, the mood around the party immediately lifted. Within the dungeon, lit only by flickering torches, there seemed to be a new light source. The smiles on the party¡¯s face, their good mood, all of it, lifted the shadows from their faces, their eyes, and all around them. The center of that light, the source of it, the man with the darkest shadows. Z was without a doubt the greatest adventurer James had ever met, and more than that, he was the very heart of the town¡¯s instance of DCO. As long as he was around, no matter what it was, no matter the threat, the situation, the players, James even, would either prevail, or die trying with a smile on their faces. That was just the type of man Z was. The type of man James hoped to someday be. DCO Final Arc - Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¡°Tell me I¡¯m not the only one that hears that?¡± Oak spoke as he paused, the group having finished their dicken and begun to dive the dungeon once more. They were nearing a bend in the labyrinth, and from around the corner, their vision of what lay before them hidden by the curve and darkness. ¡°You mean the oddly pop-like music?¡± Elm asked, tilting an ear towards the corner. ¡°Nope, definitely don¡¯t hear a thing.¡± ¡°Oop oop oop.¡± Z chuckled as he put his hands in front of him, acting like he was riding a horse? A splash in the hot spring pulled James¡¯s attention away from the weird display to Steve, who was imitating swinging a lasso around his head, a grin wide on his face. ¡°Uh,¡± James raised an eyebrow, and Steve sighed, and set back into the hot spring, muttering ¡°so young,¡± under his voice as he did. James disregarded that, and turned back to the adventuring party. ¡°So, I¡¯m not having a stroke.¡± Oak flipped Elm off, and looked at the rest of the group. ¡°Everyone can hear it.¡± ¡°Think they¡¯re music-based mobs like Funky Monkeys?¡± Faust offered up from his position towards the back of the group. ¡°If they are,¡± Med Ic began, ¡°I¡¯ve got a silence I can cast, and will be on the lookout for any debuffs they may try to apply to us.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Z said, finally stopping his dance, ¡°though, if they start playing anything by Babymetal, can you hold off?¡± His party simply shook their heads, and without another word, Oak began walking forward. With the party in consensus that there was definitely some sort of enemy ahead, their mood took on a cautious air. They¡¯d let the Chem-Era take them by surprise. This time, they were going to be prepared. On likely a mental command, Hornz was sent to walk besides Oak, though James noted the tank¡¯s nose wrinkled immediately at the smell of the massive tanky companion of Z. Above them, Turk the Golden Eagle kept pace, while Badgy sat atop its back, the badgerker holding the eagle¡¯s feathers with one paw, a sword in another, and his other blade held between his teeth. James had noticed that each time Z hit a benchmark level and his class evolved, the companions gained more intelligence and personality. Badgy, being the oldest of his pets, had progressed the most. The music continued to get louder as the group approached the bend, and James panned his view over, taking note of what awaited the adventurers. A group of five J-Kappa were indeed performing, randomly, in the dark dungeon. James looked over the three-foot tall creatures, pulling up their skill information to skim as he did to remember just what these creatures were like. J-Kappas, being the cheapest mob of the floor, had the lowest stats. They had less HP, ATK, and DEF when compared to every other mob on the floor, though their MP stat was higher. That was because their ¡®performances¡¯ were more a toggled skill, that had a constant MP drain, rather than skills to be activated. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. They did still have a few musical attacks they could do, but their strength lay in their ability to buff each other, and to debuff players. The unique aspect of that, of course, was that their buffs and debuffs changed depending on the type of ¡®persona¡¯ the J-Kappa¡¯s had. Which was randomly generated each time one was summoned. Looking over the five mobs, James noted four unique personas, with one duplicate. The first J-Kappa he looked over, had the ¡®Bad-boy¡¯ persona. The little humanoid-imp was wearing a leather jacket, and leather pants covered in various spikes and chains. He had blue-black hair, and the ornate Japanese bowl atop his head was covered in ornate dragons, and of course, filled with coins. That persona¡¯s buff would apply a damage increase, while it¡¯s debuff would decrease the physical defense of the players. Next, dressed in a stylish suit, with black hair slicked back, glasses, and pristine white gloves, was the ¡®Businessman¡¯ persona. The buff from its song would decrease the MP cost of their skills, while it¡¯s debuff for enemies would make their skills cost more. The third unique persona of the group of five was the ¡®Idol¡¯ persona. This persona was one of the female-presenting persona¡¯s the J-Kappa¡¯s had. It had long, light blue hair, and was dressed in a very anime inspired outfit. A headset on its ear brought a heart shaped microphone to its mouth, and the bowl on top of its head was decorated in moons and stars. The Idol persona buffed the agility of its allies and applied a slow debuff to enemies. Finally, there was the persona that actually duplicated this time around. The fourth and fifth members of the current¡­ J-Kappa band, had ended up with the ¡®Shy¡¯ persona. Another of the female persona¡¯s, of which there were four in total, these J-Kappa¡¯s looked like twins, albeit with different color schemes. Both were wearing hoodies with long sleeves that fell past their hands, obscuring their little clawed fingers. They held onto stuffed bears, and their hair covered one of their eyes. The one had a soft pink color scheme, while the other had a soft blue color scheme. Shy personas had a buff which could increase the dodge chance of their allies, while their debuff was a hit to their opponents¡¯ accuracy. Atop their heads, their bowls were partially covered by the floppy hoods of their hoodies, which had long bunny ears on them. The bowls themselves were faintly colored, as if the object itself wished to be hidden away. James found himself grinning as the adventurers made their way around the corner. The mobs were still far enough down the hallway that the players couldn¡¯t see them. However, the music picked up, the mobs harmonizing in a very elegant manner as they sang in a language James didn¡¯t understand. It was all performative for now, he knew, but the players didn¡¯t. Their pace slowed, and James saw Med Ic preparing his silence. They weren¡¯t strangers to music-based mobs. And honestly, even though the creatures would be throwing around a powerful array of buffs and debuffs, James didn¡¯t think on their own, they¡¯d pose that much of a threat to the players. They were support mobs through and through. Luckily for the mobs, and not so luckily for Z and the others¡­ the musical mobs, drawing the full attention of Z and his gang, weren¡¯t the only ones in that hallway. The shadows further down hid the J-Kappa¡¯s from them, but past that, within the shadows themselves, something else lurked. Or, more appropriately¡­ some things. James smiled in anticipation, and the chat from the other dungeons watching the stream brimmed with excitement. The Knights Who Go Ni had survived the first battle on the Sixth Floor. But could they survive the second? DCO Final Arc Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¡°If I hadn¡¯t met Steve already,¡± Oak said as Med Ic¡¯s silence went off, ¡°I would have sworn the developers of this game were on drugs.¡± ¡°And after meeting him,¡± Z offered, ¡°it¡¯s pretty clear they probably were.¡± Everyone laughed, even James and Rue. Steve, the brunt of the joke for once, just took a sip of his drink and shrugged. He¡¯d already spilled the secret on how a lot of the floor options had come about. A flip book, split in parts, that just had random descriptors and mob types on them. The developers would flip different sections on the book, and whichever combination was created, would go with it from there. ¡°Still,¡± Oak continued as he stomped hard onto the ground, sending a wave of electrical energy flowing from himself and his shield towards the J-Kappas. And AOE style taunt. ¡°The fact they created such¡­er¡­ detailed models is rather impressive.¡± The taunt flowed over the five mobs, lightning crackling around them, doing negligible damage to level 91 mobs. The damage wasn¡¯t the purpose of course, the taunt was. ¡°Five seconds left on the silence.¡± Med Ic called as the party advanced on the mobs. ¡°Then it¡¯s down to single target silences.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll focus¡­¡± Z trailed off, and then his bow twanged. An arrow soared past Oak¡¯s shoulder and planted deep into the blue-haired ¡®Idol¡¯ personal. ¡°The Miku wannabe.¡± Even though they were silenced, the J-Kappas were all still singing and performing. Their voices were just currently being sucked away into little purple orbs that hung over their heads. When the arrow hit the Idol Popstar, her mouth went from a smiling singing motion, to a frown. She placed her hands on her hips, and glared in Z¡¯s direction. His arrow had done enough damage to take off the threat from Oak¡¯s taunt. The tank was quick to remedy that. He rushed forward and smashed into her with a shield bash, just as the silence effect faded. She punched at him, her blow hitting the shield, which immediately sprayed acid in her face. The high-pitched scream echoed off the stone walls, as coins from the bowl atop her head clattered to the ground. ¡°They¡¯re probably a group mob.¡± Z was saying as her scream continued. The other J-Kappa¡¯s, all aggroed onto Oak from his taunt, were looking at the tank, their faces determined. ¡°Burn em down one at a time.¡± ¡°You got it boss,¡± Faust pointed a finger at the Idol J-Kappa, and released the spell he¡¯d been preparing. A storm cloud appeared over the poor mob, and lightning immediately struck her, causing another scream to echo out. Before the others could attack, the rest of the mobs entered the fray. While they were aggroed onto Oak, their skills were AOE based. That is, anything within a certain radius of them could be affected by the songs. With incredible harmony, and more than a little fanfare as the sound of various instruments including an up-tempo bass magically appeared, they began singing. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. James watched as the bodies of the J-Kappa¡¯s that were singing all began to glow, interestingly a different color depending on who was singing. The Bad Boy had an aura of blue flames envelop him. The Businessman, a rain of magical golden light, in the image of coins. The Idol still couldn¡¯t sing, as she¡¯d been hit by a silence from Elm. While the twin Shy personas had a whitish mist flowing around their bodies, and seeping outwards. As their performance intensified, the lights all reverberated with intensity, and shot towards every single person in the battle. Both friend and foe, alike. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll admit,¡± James said as he watched the mobs at work, ¡°I almost didn¡¯t put these guys in the dungeon.¡± ¡°You got something against catchy music?¡± Steve asked. ¡°No, just,¡± James motioned at the scene, ¡°they look ridiculous, and on paper read even crazier.¡± ¡°And yet,¡± Steve said, his grin growing. ¡°Here we are.¡± ¡°Yeah, their sellout skill was what tempted me to place them in.¡± James started, ¡°because what sane Dungeon Core would pass up the chance to earn a bit of extra coin off players who wanted to hire out the mobs.¡± James motioned at the battle, ¡°after seeing them in action though, I can honestly say, I definitely underestimated just how much I¡¯d enjoy this.¡± ¡°Their tunes are catchy aren¡¯t they.¡± Steve said as he bobbed along to the music. There was no doubt the performance of the mobs, well, the musical performance at least, was catchy. In a ¡®this is going to be stuck in my head later earworm¡¯ kind of way. But past that, as James watched all off the buffs instantly stack on the mobs as they empowered their band, while the debuffs randomly applied to the Knights Who Go Ni, based on their luck and resistances, it was, without a doubt, one of the more unique and random types of battles to happen in the dungeon. Purely depending on RNG and what types spawned, every battle against the J-Kappas would be different. As players figured out which applied what types of buffs and debuffs, they¡¯d be able to focus and adjust the fight depending on their own strengths and weaknesses. It was the perfect type of flexible, varied mob, to keep players on their toes, and keep them from predicting every situation. And variance was the spice of life for MMO players. ¡°Their debuffs look to be quite catchy too.¡± Rue added, and James noted that as the fighting continued, the debuff¡¯s seemed to have a chance to apply every 5 seconds that a performance was underway. And not only were the mobs just rocking out. No, they¡¯d all begun to dance around Oak, striking him with weapons that materialized in their glowing auras, weapons that, uh, took on the form of various musical instruments. The attacks wouldn¡¯t be too powerful, given the mob¡¯s lower attack stats, but the number of them, as well as the buffs they were getting from each other, made them enough to actually force the tank to apply more defensive skills, while Med Ic had to switch between healing and cleansing. And of course, with the battle roughly thirty seconds in, and the ¡®Idol¡¯ J-kappa still at roughly half its HP, the true fight was still to come. After all, if the players weren¡¯t so preoccupied with taking out the blue-haired idol, nor all the dashing and dazzling lights of the pop performance that would make any pyromaniac insanely proud, they¡¯d notice the two shadows rushing towards them, shadows that glowed now with blue, yellow, and white light from the buffs they were receiving. ¡°Looks like the adventurers are getting rowdy.¡± Steve commented, noting James¡¯s attention on the approaching mobs. ¡°So it¡¯s time for the bouncers to do their job.¡± DCO Final Arc Chapter 11 Chapter 11 James watched as two fedoras were thrown past the J-Kappa¡¯s, and past Oak, to soar en route to Med Ic. The hats landed on the ground before the surprised healer, who had the sense of mind to take a step back, just in time for the two Fogeymen to emerge from the hats. Two ties wrapped themselves around Med Ic¡¯s arms, one on each, and he was yanked towards the hungry fangs of the skeletal, sharply dressed bogeyman like mobs. ¡°Med Ic!¡± Z yelled as he turned his bow towards the newcomers. He shot towards one of the mobs, but missed. His arrow had targeted the creature¡¯s head, and yet, when it reached where the head would have been, the object in question had been missing. This was because the Fogeyman had quickly sunk its body back into its padded jacket, treating it exactly like a turtle shell, to avoid the attack. Before another attack could land, both creatures sunk their fangs into Med Ic. His casting was interrupted by the damage, and James watched his life tick down a bit. A debuff stack appeared on him, and James pulled it up, knowingly immediately what it would be. Sharply Dressed (2) ¨C Ten stacks of Sharply Dressed will cause a player to temporarily be charmed, unable to attack or act in a hostile manner towards any Fogeyman or uniquely dressed mob in the area. ¡°We need to free Med Ic.¡± Z called out as his minions pulled themselves away from the J-Kappa¡¯s to charge the two wannabe 1950s mob¡­.sters. ¡°No shit.¡± Elm commented, taking a shot at the clothes. He had a glowing white aura around him, showing he was debuffed currently from the Shy Persona J-Kappas. Meaning, his accuracy was down. The arrow missed its target. And he cursed. An accuracy debuff was always a bit of a pain in any game, but when combined with an increased dodge chance on your enemies, especially when they already had a skill that increased their dodge chance, it was pretty damning. ¡°Sooner rather than later.¡± Med Ic squirmed, trying to free himself from the grasp of the mobs. ¡°I can¡¯t break free.¡± He was glowing with purple light, a skill of his own active, and yet, they held him fast. ¡°He¡¯s not going to be able to break free by himself.¡± Steve commented as he struggled. ¡°Fogeymen are the perfect ambush mob. Once you¡¯re in their tie clasp, you¡¯re pretty much screwed if you¡¯re by yourself.¡± He chuckled, ¡°especially if you¡¯re a squishy caster type. The guy who came up with their design had a special hate for assassin type casters and cheeky healers, so he made the mobs specifically to be their bane.¡± ¡°Is that why they jumped on Med Ic?¡± James asked. He¡¯d been curious why the two mobs had completely ignored Oak. Sure, the tank¡¯s taunt hadn¡¯t reached them earlier, but he was still the most obvious target. And unlike the Philoso-Raptors on his second floor, these mobs didn¡¯t have enhance intelligence. ¡°Pretty much,¡± Steve said with a nod. ¡°They¡¯ve got a priority list built into them. It¡¯s uh, kind of a funny bit of coding design actually,¡± he chuckled, ¡°they target the least dressed party members¡­ which is almost always the mages and healers, since their armor generally consists of just robes and such.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. James glanced over at Rue, thinking particularly about her Avatar. ¡°What about scantily dressed barbarians and the likes?¡± ¡°Their armor still carries more weight, making them lower on the priority list. When I say least, I mean least, as in pure weight and material wise.¡± ¡°I can honestly say, I have no idea how you guys came up with these things.¡± James said to Steve. The developer smiled, taking it as a compliment. James, however, had meant it more as a ¡®I can¡¯t believe you guys were able to make anything work¡¯ statement. Then again, with how advanced AI was, coding was very different from how it used to be. He knew that much, from what he¡¯d learned over the years about the process. It didn¡¯t involve long lines of code and if-then statements and such. Now they could give intention statements to the AI tools, and the computers themselves would develop the systems. They could quite literally hatch the craziest of ideas into concepts that worked, which was part of what revolutionized the technological advances. After, that is, they put in hard-lined rules and regulations to stop AI from stealing work from creatives such as authors and artists. It was shaky at first, but eventually, AI was used for bettering the world, or at the very least, giving humans more time to themselves, and to do the things they wanted to and enjoyed. Med Ic¡¯s screams drew him back to the battle at hand. The Fogeymen had both bit down once more on the man, though this time only one applied a stack of the debuff. It seemed the creatures could launch that attack once per five seconds, draining a small portion of his life with each bite, but more importantly, gaining a chance to apply another damning stack. ¡°It¡¯d be really nice if we didn¡¯t have all these debuffs on us.¡± Faust grumbled as lightning flew past Med Ic to blast into one of the Fogeymen. It struck the one on Med Ic¡¯s left, and the lightning danced from it, into the other. The tie¡¯s crackled but hung fast. Their life pool dropped by a negligible margin. ¡°The increased spell cost is a new one, and I hate it.¡± He had the glowing golden light around him, and every time he cast a spell, a pile of coins sprung from his body, as if imitating the increased tax his skills had on them. ¡°High magic resist?¡± James asked without even glancing in Steve¡¯s direction. He couldn¡¯t remember what their special traits and passives were off the top of his head and didn¡¯t feel like pulling them up just yet in the middle of the battle. ¡°Yup. Increased magic resistance, but as a tradeoff they take a higher percentage of damage from slashing and piercing attacks.¡± ¡°Truly, mage killers.¡± James acknowledged. ¡°I told you.¡± Steve said mid sip. ¡°There are certain mobs that were designed with singular grudges in mind. The Fogeyman just so happens to be one.¡± A pause, another sip, and then Steve continued. ¡°The Candy Dungeon has a mob called the Everlasting Mob-Stopper that has a skill that makes it multiply anytime it takes damage from a non-player source. Solely created to punish pet class players.¡± Steve chuckled. ¡°I love that mob.¡± James resisted glancing at Steve, the crazy spectacle of the battle below thankfully captivating enough to make the effort extremely easy. With Med Ic¡¯s healing stopped at the moment thanks to the Fogeymen, Oak had to switch purely to turtling up. Which meant his attacks on the Idol persona, which was down to a fifth of her life, had slowed up enough to allow her to begin singing. Bright blue and pink flowers flowed around her as her buff and debuff spread out, increasing the agility of her allies, while trying to apply a slow debuff to the already debuff stacked players. More cursing and sputtering from the adventurers, as the adventuring party found itself overwhelmed by the sheer number of level 91 mobs, and more importantly, the musical troop worth of effects. Every good gamer knew, first and foremost, that status effects, buffs, and debuffs could instantly change the tide of a battle. With that being said, there was another important lesson every good gamer knew. And that was when to cut your losses and run. DCO Final Arc Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Five minutes. That was the death timer allotted to players who fell in the dungeon and couldn¡¯t get respawned. A timer that had been extremely damning on the first floor, considering players only had a maximum of 1-hour to explore it. On the sixth, the five-minute timer, at first, didn¡¯t seem all that painful. What was five minutes, after all, when you had a total of six hours to explore the floor? However, those five minutes were in fact even more vital, in James¡¯s humble opinion, on the sixth floor than the first. Every minute was a minute the Jormun-Grander advanced. Every minute, a moment in time for the boss to get larger, more powerful. And, more importantly, every minute was a minute that the boss drew closer to its greatest source of power, the Orbs. One of which the Jormun-Grander was extremely close to now. Earlier James had predicted an hour, now, he was pretty sure it was under 30minutes. Courtesy of a size boost the boss had gained by consuming a Solem while the Knights had been battling the J-Kappa¡¯s. ¡°The next time we see those mobs, we kill them from a distance.¡± Oak growled as he rejoined his teammates. The Knights Who Go NI, well, Elm, Z, and Faust, had all been waiting back at the entrance to the dungeon. Med Ic, who¡¯d died first, had just rejoined them. And now Oak, whose tanky nature had held out until the Fogeyman finished off Med Ic, had finally respawned as well. ¡°That¡¯s probably a better plan,¡± Z said with a nod, ¡°and we should ensure they don¡¯t have any allies hiding in the shadows. Either way, the battle was valuable for information,¡± he looked at Oak, grinning, ¡°and entertainment. You think we can request different songs from them in the future? Or, how about autographs?¡± He winked at Oak, ¡°the Idol you¡¯d been focusing on seemed especially interested in you.¡± An object appeared in Oak¡¯s hand, and the tank chucked something at Z¡¯s face. The laughing elf dodged the object, and it splattered harmlessly on the stone floor behind him. James looked at it and mentally pulled up the information on the item before he found himself chuckling. ¡°Spoiled Painguin Eggs?¡± He eyed Steve. ¡°Since when have the food drops been able to spoil?¡± Steven grinned, ¡°since the latest update. We snuck that one in. The higher ups wanted to add a bit more realism in. And we weren¡¯t opposed, since too many players had begun hoarding basic food items for buffs and healing. It¡­ gets a bit ridiculous when someone¡¯s running around with one hundred wheels of cheese to just hastily consume mid battle. And, if I¡¯m being honest,¡± he gagged slightly, ¡°it¡¯s really disturbing to watch happen. Even if it is all virtual, bleh.¡± ¡°So now the food items can spoil.¡± James shook his head, ¡°how do you think players are going to take that?¡± He pointed at the spoiled egg splatter, which likely smelled given how the Knights were looking at it, and wrinkling their nose. ¡°Well, it gives them a free item to throw at each other. And, harder to gather ingredients take longer to spoil. The players get warnings too, with countdowns, for the length of time an ingredient has before it goes bad. They can also store them in special units back in town in their houses, to prevent or slow the process.¡± Steve shrugged. ¡°Not to mention, some of the materials now can actually improve over time as they age, opening up a whole new realm of possibilities and flavors.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Still feels a bit unnecessary.¡± James commented as the Knights finished fooling around in the dungeon, preparing to begin their adventuring of his sixth floor once again. ¡°I¡¯m sure the reddit is going to be filled with people complaining.¡± ¡°With all the hype about the upcoming mass Dungeon Wars, we figured no one would complain. Everyone¡¯s too hyped and excited. By the time they finish their full, 48-hour dive, well,¡± Steve chuckled, ¡°I highly doubt anyone will complain. After all, that¡¯s like 48 days in game, they¡¯ll have forgotten all about their gripes with the slight change and will be chomping at the bits for even more content. Every good developer knows you slip possibly unfavorable updates into the game when you¡¯re dropping something massive, new, and exciting. That way, all the complaints get buried and forgotten.¡± James shook his head, wondering what other subtle updates and changes had been implemented since DCO¡¯s release that he¡¯d not noticed. They¡¯d had a few massive updates already. The Dungeon Wars, the introduction of the Coliseums, the Dungeon Gates, and of course, the Skirmishes. Each and every one of those had immediately become the talk of the forums. The rate of new content was honestly staggering, all things considered. And now Steve was saying those updates had the potential to have hidden other changes and features. James was again hit with the realization there was a lot that went on with regards to DCO that even he, as a Dungeon Core, didn¡¯t know. Considering how close he felt he was with Steve, and of course BLANK, aka Rachel and Matthew, the adopted children of the game¡¯s original creator, Xander, who were now in charge of the game, it made him wonder. Just what was DCO all about? And what else was going on? Why were his parents involved with the project? Why was Rue¡¯s father involved with it? Why did the government have so much interest in the game itself? And was it all connected with how many liberties and special permissions the game seemed to be getting? After all, the upcoming 48-hour immersion was going to be the very first event of its kind. And unheard of, never before granted right for everyone to stay immersed for longer than 9 hours. James shivered and pushed the growing unease from his mind. Those thoughts, which had plagued him ever since his encounter with the hacking group Cyberu5, never led him down any good paths. They just made his mind spin and worry. Not everything good in life needed a monster in the shadows waiting to ruin it. And DCO was arguably the best thing to ever happen in his life. After all, he thought as he looked at Rue, her smile making his heart flutter, DCO was where his heart truly belonged. Whatever was going on behind the scenes, it didn¡¯t matter to him, as long as DCO itself, this world, this life he was building, wasn¡¯t affected. He found himself smiling as he focused on those thoughts, pushing aside the creeping darkness, and turned his full attention back to his favorite guild, and their trek through his Sixth Floor. They¡¯d seemed to have been discussing a plan and had just finished making a decision. With renewed purpose, and a few more spoiled eggs thrown about, Z and his guild were once again heading into James¡¯s Sixth Floor. The dungeon dive was back on. And James was here for it. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 13 Chapter 13 The next twenty minutes of the dive was, while entertaining, not overly exciting. The Knights had decided to explore the passage in front of them first, rather than continuing with the ¡®follow the left wall¡¯ strategy. Once they came to the massive opening with another Chem-Era, they defeated the mob and backtracked to the entrance. From there, they went down the path on the right, and confirmed, after a bit of a walk, that the third path, just like the other two, led initially to a room with a Chem-Era. They dispatched the third mob with ease. As had always been a trait of the veteran adventurers, they learned quickly, and picked up on the attack patterns and skills of a mob. This let them work out the best strategy for a battle in a relatively quick time. Whereas the first battle against the Chem-Era had caused them to blow powerful cooldowns to overcome the mob, the third battle saw not a single cool down spent. Instead, they went with a more¡­ practical¡­ attack pattern. And by practical, James meant they¡¯d gone with cheese tactics. Since they¡¯d figured out focusing down a single head was the most effective way to defeat the boss, it came down to a matter of which head to focus. The answer, by all logic, was the serpent head that acted as the tail of the Chem-Era. When they focused on the lion or the goat head, all three heads, in turn, had the ability to strike at whoever held aggro. That strategy also allowed the snake head, with its agility and increased length, to make strikes and attacks from different angles, as well as lash out as needed at other adventurers. Combined with the lion paws of the creature, and its other available skills, taking the Chem-Era head on at the front, was the hardest possible path. So, they initiated battle by using Z¡¯s pets to initiate battle. Hornz was sent in to grab hold of the serpent head from the back of the mob, while Turk the Eagle dropped atop the creature¡¯s back, dispatching a feral Badgy to begin hacking at the base of the tail, while Turk did what he could as well. Then they¡¯d send in a very disgruntled Oak, to aid in pinning down the serpent tail, while Faust and Med Ic utilized snares to keep the Chem-Era from rotating around. They also kept spells at the ready to disperse the breath attacks of the mob, with Z and Elm focusing all of their precision damage and high penetrating strikes on the serpent neck. Once they finished off that particular head, the Chem-Era itself because a rather easy mob to take down. It became a¡­ somewhat embarrassing for the giant creature, game of ring-around-the rosy honestly. The players just kept striking at the back and body of the mob, staying behind it, while it bounced and bounded and tried to turn to strike. With Hornz and Oak each applying taunts from either side of the back end of the mob, they could essentially keep it immobile in such a way that made the battle painfully easy. James took notes. So many notes, of how the Knights embarrassed his mob. There was obviously nothing he could do right now. But he did have two upgrade points for the Chem-Era at the moment. And he had every intention of taking care of some of the more obvious weaknesses and flaws the mob had, a little later down the road. He was pretty sure there had been an upgrade path for the mob that involved¡­ missiles, which James figured could ensure the mob would be able to hit the pesky targets, even if they stuck to its flanks and rear. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Not that James was particularly vengeful, mind you, when it came to his mobs. Just that¡­ he was proud of making a dungeon that was challenging. And if his mobs got abused too easily, well, what type of Dungeon Core would he be, if he didn¡¯t shore up their weaknesses. Besides, doing just that, would force adventurers to figure out new strategies, and force them to adapt. Keeping the floor ever changing, and the difficulty continuing to increase, was what would keep it fresh. At least, that¡¯s what he told himself to justify the plans he was making. By the time they¡¯d finished off the third Chem-Era, and were taking a celebratory dicken break, James was all but certain he¡¯d also be adding in a troop of J-Kappa¡¯s, or maybe a hidden Fogeyman or two if other players and guilds treated his Chem-Era the same way. If the players wanted to resort to cheese tactics, well, James could do that too. He mentally looked around the dungeon as the Knights ate their fried Dicken, unconsciously licking his lips as his mouth watered for the spicy meat. James was curious which route the Knights would take next. Would they go all the way back, and start on the left path again? That would see them facing the J-Kappas and Fogeyman. But if they continued on their current path, the rightmost path from the entrance of the dungeon, they¡¯d be facing against his When-Wolfs. Beside that, past the When-Wolfs, there was a Solem, and then, more interestingly, one of the mysterious Orb Mini-bosses. In particular, the green orb, which was the Orb of Poison. Each of the three paths, by design, led to a different Orb. The left path led to the Orb of Flames. The middle, the Orb of Frost. And the right, the Orb of Poison. Though their location in the labrynth, past that, varied quite a bit. The Orb of Poison was the easiest and closest to the players as it stood. While the Orb of Frost, the furthest away. And not just distance wise technically. A loud crack echoed through the dungeon, as the Jormun-Grander bit down into the Orb of Frost. The labyrinth shuddered, as the boss instantly grew in size, the length of its body shooting forward a good fifteen feet, its enlarging head crashing through one of the labyrinth walls before it orientated itself to the left, following the path of least resistance. James¡¯s attention was immediately drawn to it, as he saw its scales shimmer, the feathers around its head shimmering with newfound light. A faint blue hue was applied to the scales, and the feathers sparkled, as every single one became coated in ice. At the base of the massive boss, tendrils of ice snaked outwards, climbing the walls, freezing everything around it. Its body heaved and shuddered, and then James watched as a good foot of ice encased it, covering it with protective armor. The sound it produced as it moved, was that of cracking ice. The impending doom of an avalanche, or an iceberg preparing to calve. He moved his attention away from the transformed boss, knowing full well that it¡¯s stats had been boosted by quite a bit thanks to its consumption of the Orb of Frost, and focused once again on the Knights. They were all white as, well, snow, and appeared to be reading a notification. Before he could ask Steve what notification they¡¯d received, Elm read the notification aloud, disbelief, surprise, and worry, in his voice. ¡°An Orb of Power has been consumed by the Jormun-Grander,¡± he said. James noticed frost in the air as he spoke and realized the temperature in the dungeon had dropped when the boss had consumed the Orb. ¡°Ragnar?k draws nearer, as the World-Gorger continues its feast.¡± The Knights all looked at each other silently. Everyone seemed to process the information, but it was Oak who broke the silence first. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m in hell.¡± He looked at the others, his face going, impossibly honestly, white. ¡°Of all the types of bosses,¡± he sighed. It was a defeated sound, ¡°this one had to be the freaking World Serpent.¡± Elm walked over to his brother, patting him gently on the shoulder. ¡°If it makes you feel any better,¡± Elm said softly, a small smile on his face. ¡°Considering what level the mobs are on this floor¡­ if we do come across it, well, we¡¯ll all die pretty quickly.¡± DCO Final Arc- Chapter 14 Chapter 14 New Message The sudden prompt pulled James away from his stream. The Knights Who Go Ni had just begun to leave the Chem-Era¡¯s room for the right-hand path. Meaning they were going to face off against the When-Wolfs. While he was keen to see how those time-manipulating mobs did, the message, or more importantly, who it was from, demanded his full attention. ¡°Uh,¡± he said, glancing from the message to Rue, and then Steve. ¡°Any idea why Hades would be sending me a message?¡± That was who the message was from. The notorious hacker. The original founder of Cyb3ru5. The mysterious man who¡¯d helped James defeat the hacking group. A man hunted by the government and secret agencies alike, and yet, a mystery. In short, not really the type of person James wanted messaging him. ¡°What¡¯s the message say?¡± Steve asked, his attention fully on James. Gone was his carefree attitude. The perpetual smirk in his eyes was gone, replaced with shadows. His face aged in mere seconds before James¡¯s eyes, the pure mention of Hades seeming to change the developer. ¡°That he misses James.¡± Rue offered, though she too was suddenly more serious. Forgotten was the stream of Dungeon Core chat. Her focus, just like Steve¡¯s, was fully on James. ¡°No idea yet,¡± James said honestly. He looked at the message, which was blinking, waiting for him to open it. From: Hades Subject: Underworld Dreams ¡°Well, what¡¯s the subject line?¡± Steve asked. ¡°Come on, details James.¡± James told him the subject line, wondering what exactly Hades had sent him. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ less than helpful.¡± Steve muttered. He furrowed his brow. ¡°Given he helped us previously¡­ it¡¯s probably safe to open the message.¡± Steve paused, thinking. ¡°But then again, this is Hades we are talking about¡­¡± ¡°He can¡¯t hurt James here, can he?¡± Rue asked, worry evident in her tone. ¡°Theoretically, no.¡± Steve shook his head, ¡°and he¡¯s not the type to go after people in that regard. What happened with Persephone was personal for him. That was the exception, not the norm, for how Hades works.¡± James shuddered as he remembered what had happened to Persephone. She¡¯d been the one running things when Cyb3ru5 came after James and the other Dungeon Cores. Tipped off to their existence as players by Xander, Persephone had aimed to use the Dungeon Cores as tools, spreading wealth and power to her followers. Because of how much the digital world and real world intersected now, controlling resources in DCO would allow for a gross transfer of wealth in the real world for those who could manipulate the system. Abusing the system, or revealing the truth, could completely throw all of DCO into chaos. Something that the government, James had learned, was extremely keen to prevent. To the point of mobilizing the Enforcers to eliminate the entire organization. ¡°Then, why would he be messaging James?¡± Rue pressed. ¡°Cyb3ru5 is gone right?¡± ¡°They are,¡± Steve said with a nod. ¡°Completely eliminated from what I¡¯ve been told, and the secrets they¡¯d learned were silenced with them.¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. A memory played through James¡¯s mind. The strange, mind-altering substance Persephone had tried to ply him with. The very same substance that then was turned against her. Turning her into putty at the hands of Fel, or more appropriately, Fel¡¯s scary alter ego, R. The image of Persephone, helpless, haunted him. He¡¯d left her there, given her over to R, and fled the room. It was something he knew he¡¯d needed to do, and yet, it left a bad taste in his mouth. ¡°So then,¡± James pushed the memories away, still looking at the blinking message. ¡°Why would Hades be messaging me?¡± More memories came to him as he tried to fathom why Hades was messaging him. He recalled the one time he¡¯d spoken with Hades, in person, if he could call it that. Hades had been there, the night he¡¯d been captured by Cyb3ru5. Hades had appeared in Persephone¡¯s special virtual space. He¡¯d told James, back then, that his purpose in life was gathering information. Everything he did was a means to an end. To learn something. He¡¯d left before telling James anything of note. The only bit of information James had gleaned from that, had come from Persephone¡¯s final words. Her musings. She¡¯d claimed he was a part of something deeper. Something past his parent¡¯s work even. Whatever that had meant. ¡°No use pondering what ifs.¡± Steve said, pulling James from his thoughts. The developer looked to have aged a good ten, no, maybe twenty, years. He looked exhausted. And even more chilling, he looked serious, and worried. James could count on one hand the number of times he¡¯d seen Steve look like that. It never boded well. ¡°Might as well open the message and tell us what it says.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think opening the message will cause us a problem?¡± James asked, hesitating. If there was one thing he knew for certain about Hades, it was that the man was a master at all things virtual. His hacking skills, coding skills, whatever you wanted to call them, were legendary. He¡¯d done the seemingly impossible and broken into Persephone¡¯s personal virtual space. His technological skills were why he was impossible to track down. For however long he¡¯d been on the run, he¡¯d somehow, to even this day, avoided getting caught by the government. A feat that, considering all the government had at their disposal, should be impossible in today¡¯s day and age. ¡°If he wanted to cause you problems, he¡¯d do so without sending you a message.¡± Steve stated. ¡°But Hades isn¡¯t the type to ¡®do¡¯ things. Not anymore. That version of him died a long time ago, with the remnants of Anonymous.¡± Steve shook his head, ¡°no, whatever his reason for contacting you, I think the message itself, should be safe.¡± He paused, before he continued. ¡°Though, what the message contains, the knowledge within¡­ that, could be dangerous, in a way we can¡¯t even process until we know what it is.¡± James shuddered at Steve¡¯s tone. He didn¡¯t like that. Not at all. Especially since everything was finally going smoothly for James. Hadn¡¯t he been through enough? Hadn¡¯t he suffered enough? Why did he have to keep getting pulled into things? Why couldn¡¯t he just enjoy life, enjoy DCO? ¡°We, could just ignore it.¡± He offered sheepishly, looking at Steve, and then Rue. ¡°Ignorance is bliss, right?¡± ¡°You know your curiosity would get to you eventually.¡± Rue said, trying her best to smile at him, attempting to hide her own anxiety about the message. Hades knew about her, about her father. Something that shouldn¡¯t be known. And that level of knowledge, and of course, how he¡¯d been involved with getting James kidnapped, even if it were part of a plan to capture Cyb3ru5, had made Rue wary of the individual. ¡°Might as well open it now, so we have more time to sort through whatever it is he¡¯s sent.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± Steve concurred, ¡°gotta treat it like a band-aid and rip it off. Whatever it says, we¡¯re here, and we¡¯ll figure it out, together.¡± James nodded, took a deep breath, and opened the message. Stare into the Void, until it stares back. ~H Beneath it, was a massive ink blot. James instinctively looked at it, his eyes drawn to the strange black mass. He¡¯d never seen something quite like it in a digital message before. It shimmered and shifted, like oil perhaps, but then at the same time, seemed to draw in all the light around it. It suddenly clicked, that there was more to it than he expected. That realization came a split second too late though. ¡°Oh shit,¡± was all he managed to say, before he felt his mind leave his body, the world turning dark, as he was pulled from DCO, across the virtual space, into darkness. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 15 Chapter 15 ¡°I should say I¡¯m surprised you arrived so promptly,¡± a voice said, the tone slightly amused, ¡°and yet, sadly, I¡¯m not.¡± A dark chuckle as James¡¯s eyes blinked, slowly focusing. Sensations rushed over him, feelings, scents. He was somewhere new, but with all the realism that had he not been immersed already, he¡¯d swear he was somewhere in the real world. ¡°Please make yourself comfortable James, we¡¯ve much to talk about.¡± His eyes adjusted to his surroundings as he processed the words. The speaker, of course, was Hades. He¡¯d only heard the man speak a few times, but he¡¯d never forget that tone. Cool and calculating, oozing with confidence. Not cocky or pompous, but merely, the voice of someone who knew exactly what they were talking about, and knew they were likely they smartest person in the room. ¡°Hades,¡± James said, taking note of the man. The figure was leaning against a window, the room they were in roughly the size of a studio apartment. All about, papers and objects were scattered. On the desk that stood between James and Hades was a strange white mask with a smiling, mustached face. The rest of the room, cluttered with various chalkboards, white boards, and weird cork boards, had strings, notes, pictures, everything James could possibly think of on them. It was a room that would make the most detailed detective jealous. And purely looking about made James uneasy. This was the room of someone with an intense obsession. ¡°Where am I?¡± James asked after a long silence. The man, dressed once again in the dark trench coat James had last seen him in, pushed off of the wall. The coat moved aside, revealing his gloved hands, and an ornate walking stick. He casually walked to the desk, swiveled the chair around, and sat. Then he leaned the stick against the wood, and produced a crystal bottle from somewhere underneath the desk. Two cups appeared then, and he motioned for James to sit in the chair opposite of him. ¡°You¡¯re in my personal space,¡± Hades said as he poured the amber colored liquid into the glasses. ¡°A space unreachable by any, save for those who have received a personal invitation from me.¡± He held the glass to James. James took it and sniffed. The scent was strong, definitely alcohol. Rich notes of oak and vanilla swam about as he gently rocked the glass about. Cinnamon as well perhaps? And was that honey? ¡°Was that what that was?¡± James asked as he took a hesitant sip. He had little reason to distrust Hades. But at the same time, he had little reason to actually trust the man. Still, considering he¡¯d been forcibly whisked to this space, if Hades did want to do anything to him, surely, he could do it at a whim, and not through trying to poison him or some sort. Could you poison someone with a drink in immersion? Persephone had used a sweet-smelling incense in her space, with her wine serving as the antidote¡­ ¡°My own personal style of invitation, yes,¡± Hades took a drink, closing his eyes for a moment as he savored the flavor. ¡°I¡¯ve found you can never be too safe nowadays. And through my life, I¡¯ve no shortage of tricks and tools learned through the years on how to ensure my invitations cannot be traced.¡± ¡°So,¡± James took a drink, marveling at the rich flavors that rushed across his tongue. Other than within DCO, he¡¯d never experienced such realism. Was this space somehow using the same type of coding as DCO was? Or, maybe, had Hades played a part in developing the code of DCO? ¡°Why have you invited me here?¡± He took another drink, trying to control his emotions. He didn¡¯t want to be here. He wanted to be back safe, in DCO, happy with Rue and Steve. Not in some dark, foreboding office like room. It stunk like the setup of a bad detective drama. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°A favor,¡± Hades took another drink, and then poured himself more of the liquor. ¡°Nothing more, nothing less.¡± He offered the bottle towards James, but James declined. He didn¡¯t know how far the realism went within Hades¡¯s personal space, and he¡¯d rather not get drunk, or even really buzzed, while talking with this man. If there was one thing he was certain about it Hades, it was the fact that Hades was not his friend. This man was dangerous, and he danced to his own tune. ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Hades said as he set the bottle back down. ¡°Though, a bit of free advice. When someone offers you a bourbon as fine as this, you don¡¯t turn down seconds.¡± He took a sip and made a show of reveling in the taste. He event went as far as to let out a heavy, content sigh, as he opened his eyes to regard James again. The man¡¯s eyes swirled strangely, the colors not really setting on a single tone. And the more James tried to focus on Hades¡¯s actual features, the more they shifted as well. Strange. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± James said, finding he had to stop trying to discern any physical features about Hades. It was like his very being, from the shape of his mouth to the color of his eyes, and even his hair, were shifting, constantly out of focus. Was that some strange bug, or a feature of Hades¡¯s own Avatar, to make himself impossible to identify? ¡°But I have a feeling I want as clear a head as possible, for whatever it is you have called me here for.¡± ¡°Fair point,¡± Hades set his glass down, ¡°and a practical way of viewing things. Many people may consider cynicism to be a negative trait, but trust me, it¡¯s the best way to ensure your survival. Though,¡± he shrugged, ¡°there are times when even that¡¯s not enough to keep you safe. Or, if it is, the cost itself is a deep one. A life of paranoia, looking over your shoulder, doubting and distrusting everyone.¡± He sighed, ¡°it¡¯s exhausting. And then,¡± he picked up the strange mask, twisting it this way and that as he looked into its eyes, ¡°when you finally learn the truth, you have to wonder, what was even the point?¡± He sat the mask down. ¡°But, alas, those musings are the type done alone, at night, with a bottle in one hand and a pipe in the other. As for why I¡¯ve called you here James, it¡¯s a matter of personal responsibility. You aided me, you see, in reaching my goals.¡± ¡°Your goals?¡± James remembered Hades had reached out with him to help stop Cyb3ru5 because the hacking groups¡¯ actions were a potential obstacle to his information gathering. He¡¯d been looking into DCO, and past that, the government itself. Did that mean he¡¯d found what he was looking for? ¡°Are you referring to what you were trying to uncover when you last contacted me?¡± ¡°You remembered, good.¡± Hades grinned at him, the look slightly unnerving as his lips seemed to shimmer and shift in place. ¡°That makes this a bit easier.¡± He leaned forward, both arms on the table, drawing closer to James. ¡°I did indeed find what I was looking for. And, having found the holy grail, I¡¯ve learned, in short, the darkest truth of the world.¡± ¡°And you thought you¡¯d tell me?¡± James was intrigued, but also, couldn¡¯t help but feel this whole situation seemed a bit¡­unorthodox? Impossible even? ¡°It involves you.¡± Hades said simply. ¡°And I owed you for helping me. It¡¯s only fair that in return I share that which I¡¯ve learned with you.¡± He sat back then, slumping slightly, and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°What you do with that knowledge, is entirely up to you.¡± He grabbed his glass, and in a single gulp downed the rest of the liquor. ¡°After all, it¡¯s your funeral.¡± DCO Final Arc- Chapter 16 Chapter 16 James felt his fingers tighten around the glass in his hand. Part of him worried he might break the glass. Was that possible in Hades¡¯ space? How real was the area? Either way, James felt his mouth go immediately dry, as a pit opened in his stomach. He regretted not taking the extra liquor that had been offered to him. ¡°What do you mean, my funeral?¡± James asked hesitantly. He didn¡¯t want the answer. But already his mind was swimming. Hades wasn¡¯t the kind to joke. He wasn¡¯t like Steve, he wasn¡¯t like Rue. The man was nothing but serious. And James had no doubt, that wasn¡¯t just a turn of phrase. From what little interaction he¡¯d had with Hades, he knew the man was careful about the words he said, and the way he said them. ¡°Exactly what I said.¡± Hades responded coolly. ¡°Though, technically it¡¯s not just your funeral. The world as we know it is coming to an end, and¡± he poured himself another drink, swirling the liquid about as he did, ¡°unless something is done to stop it, Ninety-nine percent, if not more, of the worlds population will die in the next two days.¡± ¡°How could that,¡± ¡°Though I suppose die in this manner isn¡¯t quite the proper term.¡± Hades said as he cut James off. ¡°Physically, their bodies will be dead. Their connection to their flesh and blood severed. But digitally they¡¯ll remain.¡± He took a drink. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s the silver lining; the justification for it all. It¡¯s not mass murder if you don¡¯t kill the conscious mind, is it? Giving everyone the opportunity to be seemingly immortal, after all, isn¡¯t a crime, is it? Even if the people are condemned to a virtual world against their choosing. In the end, the opportunity to end their consciousness, their being, will still remain on them and not those who destroyed their bodies. Their lives, their agency over themselves, as conscious, thinking creatures, will remain, in their hands¡­¡± He chuckled darkly, ¡°it¡¯s a moral grey area, isn¡¯t it? A dilemma, created by technology, in a world that by all means is much too advanced for its own good.¡± There was a ringing in James¡¯s ears as he tried to process what Hades was saying. His fingers were numb, the glass no longer present to the now bloodless digits. His vision had narrowed onto Hades, as his mind tried to comprehend what he¡¯d just been told. What was Hades saying? What was he rambling about? ¡°I can see this news isn¡¯t sitting well,¡± Hades stood then, leaning far over the table to fill James¡¯s glass once more. ¡°Go ahead and drink and take a few breaths. I¡¯m not done with what I¡¯ve got to tell you yet, and I believe you¡¯re going to want to listen to all I have to say.¡± He sat back down as James obediently lifted the drink stiffly to his quivering lips. The burn of the liquor sent a shock through his system and helped center him. ¡°Then again, no one says you have to do anything with what I tell you. Knowledge is purely that. It¡¯s information, short and simple. You can hold onto the secret; you can share it with those around you. And, in the end, it¡¯s a matter of if the struggle against the impending fate would even be worth it?¡± James took a few breaths, as Hades waited, watching him. Once he had calmed his heart, albeit only a little, he opened his mouth, trying to form a coherent sentence, and spoke. ¡°You¡¯re saying the entire world is going to be killed off in the next few days?¡± he asked slowly. ¡°How? Why? And how do you know that?¡± ¡°Good questions. Short answer, greed.¡± Hades sighed, ¡°it¡¯s always greed. Always has been, always will be. Those in power crave more of, well, everything. Sadly, the world we live on, the resources available to us, are all finite. And, for the longest time, that meant there would always be a struggle, some give and take, with regard to these very resources. ¡°Now though,¡± he smiled sadly at James, ¡°there¡¯s a way for those elite to finally have it all. To have their cake and eat it to.¡± He swirled his drink in his hand, ¡°thanks in part to your parents groundbreaking robotics skills, and of course, the brilliant mind who created the Sleeping Beauty pod, proving a mind could, successfully, be fully uploaded, that is.¡± James flinched at that. His parents were involved. He remembered his last message from his parents, the concerned look on his father¡¯s face. James was supposed to call them again soon, once this immersion session ended in fact. They told him to use Dagr to enter their workspace at his home, and then, he was supposed to call them. Was this what they were planning to tell him? He felt sick. They couldn¡¯t possibly be involved in a scheme to kill people. They weren¡¯t bad people. ¡°I can see on your face I¡¯ve struck a nerve,¡± Hades smiled at him, and it was a gentle, pained smile, even as his face continued to flicker, ¡°but no, your parents aren¡¯t actively engaged in this. Are they aiding in the plan?¡± He nodded his head as he continued, ¡°yes they are. But not as willing participants mind you. Their only crime is their passion. They wanted to see how far they could push the realm of robotics, and they did just that. The Government used them, much as it uses all such people, and before they realized it, they¡¯d gone too far. And, of course, they couldn¡¯t even back out if they wanted to. After all,¡± he tipped his glass in James¡¯s direction, ¡°they need to keep you safe. Same as Rue¡¯s father, and his own technology. If there is one skill those in power have mastered above all others, it¡¯s finding what a person cherishes most, and using it as a tool to control them.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. He sighed, heavily at that. ¡°Nothing is sacred, and no one is safe, in that regard.¡± He chuckled then, a dark, bitter laugh. ¡°Unless of course, a person purposefully makes sure they¡¯ve nothing to cherish. Nothing to hold sacred or dear. But then, what type of person would willingly live such a life? A sane one? Certainly not.¡± He looked at James, and for a split second, the face stopped wavering. It was a face of wrinkled skin, dark eyes, and white hair. Frail features, emaciated, sunken, hollow. Then, the shifting, ever changing appearance began once again. ¡°Only a madman, who¡¯d choose to live amongst the dead, would ever truly be able to escape the government and their designs.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my questions.¡± James began slowly. ¡°None of this makes sense.¡± ¡°In due time, all will make sense.¡± Hades flicked his wrist, and a holographic image of the Earth appeared above the desk. There were various landmarks easily visible, and James noticed it had been sectioned off into an incomprehensible number of grids. There were flickering lights here and there, and then larger markers, denoting the various countries that had a major stake in the world¡¯s government. ¡°You see all those grids, all those lights,¡± he said to James, ¡°those are the population centers. The areas they¡¯ve crammed the people into. The areas of land they are able to keep hospitable through extreme terraforming, while the rest of the world suffers from the last century or more of greed and power struggles.¡± He waved his hand again, and all of the lights disappeared. The lines glowed with different lights, each corresponding to one of the massive governing countries, and spread outwards. ¡°That space is what becomes immediately available if the terraforming isn¡¯t needed. If conditions, you understand, for life, aren¡¯t needed. If the government can eliminate the biological bodies of people, and say, transfer their own consciousness into hyper realistic, immortal, robotic bodies¡­ all of a sudden, they¡¯ve once again full access to the entire world. All, mind you, in their own hands.¡± ¡°So, what,¡± James tried to grasp the situation, ¡°they¡¯re going to kill everyone just so they can inhabit the world? Isn¡¯t that what the Zone was for? To give people access to worlds, feelings, events, everything that¡¯s not humanely possible in the real world. There¡¯s no need to eliminate the population. It makes no sense.¡± ¡°It makes every bit of sense, if you consider the effort, the work, the resources, that go into running not just the Zone, but the real world entirely. It¡¯s a hassle, it¡¯s work. It¡¯s a tightrope they must tread carefully, balancing between the carrot and the stick, to keep the people in line. The zone is the same. Too many avenues that can pose a risk to those in power. Especially with the rise of new hacking groups, of skilled operators who can navigate the immersed world with impossible skill. Keeping on top of all of these things, is a monumental level of work and managing. And if there is a single lesson, learned time and time again, that history has taught, it is one simple truth. No government, no matter how powerful, can rule forever. Eventually, something will give, something will change, and the people will rise up. Unless¡­¡± he snapped his finger, and the globe disappeared. ¡°You can eliminate all of the people. But, again,¡± he smiled at James, and it was twisted, crazed, ¡°until recently, such an action would be barbaric, monstrous. Inhumane and impossible to even consider, at least, if they wanted to keep their conscious somewhat clear. Not all of the good folk in the Government, after all, would condone widescale mass murder. But¡± he trailed off, looking at James expectantly. ¡°If they transferred everyone¡¯s consciousness,¡± he repeated what Hades had said earlier, ¡°and didn¡¯t kill their minds. Then¡­ they weren¡¯t murdering the people?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Hades said, clapping his hands together. The sound echoed dully around the room. ¡°If they can give everyone a virtual existence to replace their physical one, an existence in a world just as real as the one they¡¯re leaving behind, where they can exist for longer than they¡¯d ever be able to live in the real world, then they wouldn¡¯t be committing a sin. In fact, they¡¯d be able to argue, they¡¯d saved the world. Saved them from all the worries of the flesh. No more worry of food, water, housing. No sickness, no ailments. People would be, quite literally, freed from their mundane existence, in order to live, forever, as long as they wanted to that is, in a virtual, never ending, world.¡± He paused and looked at James, who was processing everything. This was, to say the least, a lot to take in. More than that, it sounded like pure fantasy. And yet, there was something about it. Some strange, sick, twisted reasoning to it. ¡°They¡¯ll do this action,¡± Hades said softly, ¡°and pat themselves on the backs, saying they¡¯ve saved the world. They¡¯ll kill everyone, and yet in their eyes, be able to justify it as freeing everyone from the worries, the struggles, the difficulties, of existence. They¡¯re going to murder everyone in two days¡¯ time and tell themselves that what they¡¯ve really done was save the entire world and planet. All so they, in the very end, can do what no others have done before them. Claim the entire world, as their own.¡± DCO Final Arc- Chapter 17 Chapter 17 It wasn¡¯t impossible. That though was the main driving factor to the cold numbness that once again threatened to overcome him. Sure, society as a whole seemed to be at the peak at the moment. Humans had been moved into city areas, with terraforming done by the government to create idealistic environments for everyone to live in. With most everything automated, people were able to go about their daily lives in perfect bliss and harmony. And then, at night, they could immerse themselves, and enjoy the virtual world, living their best lives. Humanity had peaked. But, there were shadows to that happiness. The surveillance, for one, that everyone merely accepted. Then of course, the existence of the enforcers, the bogeymen of the government, who stepped in when the normal, automated enforcement tools weren¡¯t enough to keep order. While the world seemed at its brightest, the shadows, without a doubt, housed the darkest of truths. And this, what Hades was saying, was the darkest of them all. ¡°How?¡± James managed to ask, after taking a slow drink. He hardly tasted the liquor now. ¡°How will they accomplish it? How long have they been planning something like this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s where your parents, as well as Rue¡¯s father, come in.¡± Hades said calmly. ¡°As is the nature of the world, those with brilliance, are oft abused. Their creations, their dreams, stolen or manipulated, to meet the needs, or wants, of the few. It¡¯s a tale as old as time. It happened to Tesla, it happened to Einstein, Oppenheimer, Galson, and so forth.¡± James recognized¡­two of those names. But it was still enough to drive home what Hades was getting at. His parents weren¡¯t evil. Neither was Rue¡¯s father. But their experiments, their brilliance, their passions, were being used in ways they never intended. It reminded him of what Z had said, about his own medical research. And how the government had burned his life, literally and metaphorically, to the ground to get its hands on it, and solely it. ¡°Are my parents alright?¡± James asked immediately. ¡°And Rue¡¯s father?¡± ¡°For now, they are.¡± Hades replied. ¡°They¡¯re smart. Smart enough to play along, smart enough to know the dangers of going against what they¡¯ve been asked to do. And, wise enough to know that to do so, would put not only themselves in danger, but the ones they love the most.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Part of why the Government actually took interest in protecting you from Cyb3ru5, it would seem, was to keep their leverage over your parents. It¡¯s a part of why the operation was mobilized so quickly, and why your friends, Matthew and Rachel, Xander¡¯s children, were able to get authorization to bring Agent R into the mix as your protector. The government needed your parents cooperation, and that gave your parents, a bit of leverage, albeit slight, to ensure your safety, and other such concessions.¡± ¡°That,¡± it clicked in James¡¯s mind then, ¡°that¡¯s why they were able to have me placed as a Dungeon Core, isn¡¯t it? Why they managed to set Rue up as my companion, when she wasn¡¯t truly an AI.¡± ¡°A proposal that was favorable for the government, and would see additional protection placed on yourself, and Ruby, yes.¡± ¡°Ruby? You mean¡­¡± James paused; he¡¯d heard that name before. And then it hit. She¡¯d said Rue was short for Ruby, when she¡¯d introduced herself to Z. James had thought she¡¯d just been playing the part of her Cleric of Blood Vampire character¡­but was Ruby truly her first name, with Rue merely being her chosen nickname? Another mental note for James to bring up, if he could remember, once all this was done. ¡°Yes, Ruby Zephire, the girl you know as Rue.¡± The man across the desk took a sip, ¡°the one who proved the Sleeping-Beauty pod technology would work. And has continued to work. Dr. Zephire, Rue¡¯s father, wanted his daughter to be a part of DCO. It was a integral part in keeping her safe. He, nor your parents, knew the full extent of things, but they could see the writing on the walls. DCO, was the best way to keep you kids safe. Only, ironically,¡± Hades let out a dark laugh, ¡°they didn¡¯t realize how important DCO truly was. It is, after all, meant to be the endgame. The final piece of the puzzle.¡± James raised an eyebrow as he leaned forward, listening intently. He was trying his hardest to not interrupt, trying not to get off topic. But there was so much he wanted to ask. So much he wanted to know. Was everything Hades was telling him true? How did this man, by himself, uncover so much? What resources did he have at his disposal. ¡°The beginning of the plan started with Dr. Zephire¡¯s work. The ability, the proof to the hypothesis, of being able to successfully, permanently, upload a conscious being to the virtual world. Before, such efforts had¡­met with mixed success. A shattering of the mind, fragmentation, and of course, the inability to prove if it were truly the same person, or merely a copy. Rue is the proof of concept, the ¡®living¡¯ evidence that his process worked, with a singular flaw.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. James felt his stomach drop. There was a flaw? Was Rue in danger? His mouth went dry as he inadvertently spoke up. ¡°What flaw?¡± ¡°The need for the body to remain alive, of course.¡± Hades answered calmly. ¡°Even if its existing in a stasis of sorts, supported through various applications of cryogenics and nanotherapy, the body itself, is still needed as the failsafe. And, considering how, well, fragile such things can be, it was seen as a potentially devastating flaw.¡± It only took James a moment to figure out the next piece in the puzzle. If the human body was the flaw, obviously, given what he knew, given who was involved, the logical step was to replace the need for a human body. And what better way than with a robot. And, a fact he¡¯d always been proud of, was the fact that now, he realized, had embroiled him in this whole situation. His parents were the best in their field, the greatest minds in robotics to ever exist. ¡°I see you put it together. It seems you inherited a bit of your parents¡¯ gifts, though you¡¯ve had much less time to truly come into them.¡± Hades chuckled and took a drink. ¡°In order to truly execute their plan, to ensure they were truly immortal, those in power would need a perfect, surefire, way to keep themselves going. They didn¡¯t wish to be confined to a virtual world while their bodies slept in a pod. It left them vulnerable. But, if Dr. Zephire¡¯s technology could be used, to transfer their minds permanently not into a virtual world, but into an artificial mind¡­within a perfect, robotic body, then, truly, they could have their wishes. Of course, it would take time for such a thing. And funding. Though, considering the gift your parents recently gave to you, I¡¯m sure you know they have reached that point, and they¡¯ve served their purpose.¡± ¡°You know about Dagger?¡± James asked incredulously. ¡°I know everything.¡± Hades replied mysteriously. ¡°I¡¯ve told you time and time again, my business is information. And when it comes to knowledge, mine reigns supreme.¡± He chuckled, ¡°and of course, I¡¯ve done no small bit of investigating you, even after your aid with Cyb3ru5. Considering I¡¯m sharing this information with you, I needed to make sure I could trust you, or more importantly, ensure I didn¡¯t trip any of the government¡¯s traps when I contacted you. I¡¯ve survived this long, as I¡¯ve stated, by being extremely paranoid, and thorough.¡± James felt violated. There was no other way to put it. This man had just revealed he¡¯d been spying on James, and considering how much information he had, James didn¡¯t like how much access into his life Hades somehow had. ¡°Personal space aside,¡± Hades waved a hand, ¡°your parents have created bodies capable of acting as surrogate bodies for the human mind. These robots, through their efforts, not only look human, but they can taste, they can feel. They are the ideal vessels, un-aging and extremely durable, perfect for the wants and needs of those in power.¡± ¡°Why not put everyone in such bodies? They gave everyone immersion pods. Why not give everyone such bodies?¡± James interrupted. The moment he spoke though, he felt stupid. Even more than that, as he said the words, everything clicked into place. ¡°Why would they give humanity bodies with which they could rise up against the powers that be? After all, much of the Government¡¯s power remains due to their ability to threaten, and control, the masses. If the people don¡¯t need you for resources, don¡¯t need you to survive, well, you quickly lose your power. And I think you¡¯ve realized it yourself now, the pods, were all a part of this plan.¡± Ice clinked in Hade¡¯s glass as he took a final drink, emptying it of the amber liquor. ¡°The government sent out pods to all of humanity, to ensure when the time came, they could trap all of humanity within the virtual world. Within, more importantly, a single virtual world. And then, they waited until your parents¡¯ research, and their projects, were complete. At which point in time, obviously, they¡¯d be able to set things in motion, and signal the end of all of mankind.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­why they¡¯ve authorized the 48-hour immersion.¡± James said slowly. ¡°Why they¡¯ve initiated the special Dungeon Wars event. It¡¯s to ensure everyone is logged in, everyone is immersed, so they can trap everyone all at once.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Hades said, a sad smile on his face. ¡°Which means, if you wish to do anything with this knowledge, if you wish to attempt to stop this, well, the clock is quite literally, ticking away.¡± Hades folded his hands together on the desk, and looked deeply into James¡¯s eyes. ¡°So, James. If there were a slim chance, to save mankind from this plan, would you take it? Would you take a risk, to save the many? Or would you rather do nothing, and spend an eternity in the world of DCO, safe and sound?¡± James was quiet for a long moment. That was honestly his dream. To spend all of his life within DCO. To spend it, uninterrupted, unmolested, merely having fun and living his best life alongside Rue, Steve, and all the others. The real world, well, it wasn¡¯t really life to him anymore. All he cared about, save his parents honestly, existed within DCO. And yet, there was a part of him that knew full well, now that Hades had told him all of this, that he didn¡¯t really have a choice. What type of monster would he be, if he held onto this information, and did nothing with it. He wouldn¡¯t be able to live with himself, if he did nothing. Especially if, as he felt Hades was implying, there was a small chance he could save the others. Save the world. James sighed, hating himself for what he was about to say. All he wanted, damnit, was to live a normal, happy life. Not to act like some storybook hero. ¡°As much as I feel I¡¯m going to regret saying this,¡± James said, the words slow, spoken through gritted teeth. ¡°If you¡¯re saying there is a chance to stop this, to save the world,¡± he sighed, heavily, ¡°I want to hear it.¡± DCO Final Arc- Chapter 18 Chapter 18 A small smile formed on Hades face, the mysterious man leaning back slowly in his chair. As he did, he grabbed the white mask once more, holding it up to his face, looking through the eyeholes towards James. It was, disturbing, to say the least. ¡°So young,¡± Hades said from behind the mask, ¡°and yet, already willing to carry such a burden.¡± He laughed then; the sound distorted as it passed through the mask. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ll be able to accomplish that which I couldn¡¯t at your age.¡± He lowered the mask back on the desk with a shrug, ¡°or, at the very least, find fulfillment in knowing that you at least tried.¡± James didn¡¯t know what Hades was referencing, and at the moment, he didn¡¯t care. There were more pressing matters at hand. ¡°Because of who you are, or, more accurately, who you are connected with, and your location, you are the only one who has any hope of stopping this plan, for a few reasons.¡± Hades held up a single gloved finger. ¡°First, your connections. When it comes to connections, you young man, have more in the right places than anyone else at this moment. Not only do you have personal access to both Rue, and Steve, but you¡¯ve powerful allies including Xander¡¯s children, and that dangerously brilliant spitfire Felecia.¡± James couldn¡¯t help but wince at the last part. He¡¯d made the mistake of calling Fel, Felecia, once. And it hadn¡¯t gone over well. ¡°Not to mention,¡± Hades continued, ¡°your parents. All of whom, are in positions to aid you, and by working together, maybe, just maybe, you can devise a strategy to at, the very least, postpone this mass extinction event.¡± ¡°What about Xander?¡± James dared to ask. ¡°He¡¯s the head developer on DCO. Wouldn¡¯t he have the most connections in this matter? He even told me once he¡¯d been pretty close to my father, at some distant point in the pass.¡± A small flicker crossed Hades¡¯ face, impossible to read due to his constantly changing features. Then, he sighed. ¡°Xander cannot help anyone, anymore. Even if he wished it.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± James pressed. He knew the developer was reportedly locked away, but if Hades could get to James, surely the mysterious man had a way to get to Xander? Or was that just James being hopeful, looking for an out. Xander had been nothing but a nightmare to James, and yet, from all he¡¯d learned about the former pro-gamer turned developer, Xander had ultimately loved DCO more than anyone. His rage, his actions, had been a result of his passion, fueled by a feeling his precious project had been taken away from him, and that he was no longer the one with the final say for his baby. ¡°Ask Steve,¡± Hades said softly, ¡°he knows.¡± His voice dropped even lower, ¡°he was there, after all.¡± Before James could press that line of questioning, Hades held up a second finger. ¡°The second factor that has put you in this unique position, is your physical location.¡± James raised an eyebrow, ¡°my physical location?¡± ¡°Indeed. As you know, you were moved to your current location so your parents could be closer to their work.¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Yeah. They¡¯d gotten their dream position; with all the funding and freedom they could need¡­¡± His parents had told him as much when they¡¯d mentioned the move. Even still, they¡¯d told him they didn¡¯t need to move, if he didn¡¯t want to. Even with their dream before them, they¡¯d offered to put James first. He¡¯d of course told them to take the job, and they¡¯d moved. Now that he had an inkling of what the dream job entailed, he had to wonder if they regretted that move as much as he was beginning to. ¡°Exactly. Your parents work, their factory, the location where so many critical parts to this nefarious plan exist within the mountains you see daily. An old military complex, built during the Cold War, now turned into an extremely secure facility for use by the Government and the elite. It¡¯s there that the infrastructure linked to their robotic bodies exists, the capsules that will be used to transfer the consciousness of the Elite to their eternal bodies. Additionally, Ruby Zephire¡¯s body is there, displayed as proof of concept. And finally, the infrastructure that maintains the server for DCO on this continent.¡± That¡­was a lot. ¡°All of that is in a single place? Doesn¡¯t that seem a bit¡­shortsighted?¡± ¡°It¡¯s easier to protect fewer locations,¡± Hades said, ¡°especially with the levels of surveillance and information gathering at the hands of the government. Furthermore, the location was built to withstand the crude nuclear weapons of the mid-1900s. They expanded it deeper into the mountain, of course, making it even more secure and durable. And, obviously, keeping it all safe within a mountain, protected from outside attacks, as well as things like the weather and climate changes, makes it the perfect location. Not to mention¡­ considering it exists within the mountain itself, it¡¯s impossible for outside surveillance efforts to glimpse even a fraction of what exists within that facility.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± James said. Part of him believed Hades. Hell, such things were pretty commonplace in some of the more conspiracy prone locations of the internet. But that was what also made him a bit concerned. Surely, if it were all as hush hush as Hades put it, the Government wouldn¡¯t let the information exist out for public dissemination. Even as conspiracy theories, would they? ¡°I can provide you with schematics, maps, and detailed information after our conversation,¡± Hades said with a shrug, ¡°or you can ask your parents during your call with them in the morning that you¡¯ve got planned.¡± The way Hades said it so casually, confirming again just how much he¡¯d been spying on James, made James¡¯s skin crawl. This man¡¯s information gathering skills were beyond creepy. ¡°Do I want to ask how you have that information?¡± ¡°The information on the facility I gathered when I managed to finally crack their defenses and accessed the heart of all of their data. The very system that gave me the final pieces needed to unravel the full extent of their plans. The latter part, which I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re really referencing¡­¡± Hades shrugged, ¡°nothing is secret to the eyes of the Government. Just consider yourself lucky I¡¯ve been surveilling you through their back doors and scrubbing some of the more damning things you¡¯ve let slip.¡± ¡°Enough about that though,¡± Hades held up his third finger. ¡°The final reason you are the only one capable of handling this situation,¡± he said ominously, ¡°is due to your status as the top Dungeon Core. It gives you unprecedented access to the other players of the game. Furthermore, with all of the attention on you, especially during the upcoming event, it will give you the perfect smokescreen, in order to put things into motion. If you pull it off, you¡¯ll be able to move forward fast enough that the government cannot stop you. If you fail though,¡± Hades shrugged again, in a very uncaring way. ¡°You¡¯ll likely cease to exist, as will those who worked with you, but¡­ at least you¡¯ll have gone out trying to change the world to the very end.¡± ¡°While I¡¯m sure that¡¯s meant to sound noble,¡± James said, fighting the panic within, ¡°I think I¡¯d much rather succeed, if at all possible.¡± ¡°A wise choice.¡± Hades said, ¡°though, that¡¯s also the sentiment I believe most have, when they attempt to stop evil. And who knows how many have failed, and had their existences erased from the history books. Afterall, only the victors are ever around, to tell the truth of any given conflict. Let¡¯s hope your truth will be the one that gets recorded.¡± DCO Final Arc- Chapter 19 Chapter 19 James blinked a few times as his world came back into focus. He was back in his dungeon, in the hot springs, surrounded once more by Rue and Steve. His mind took longer to return to the present, as the warmth of the hot spring caressed his body. He shivered as he pulled his mind to the task at hand. ¡°Where the¡ª¡± ¡°Are you¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªWe need to talk,¡± James said, cutting both Rue and Steve off. The two closed their mouths, sensing the urgency in his voice, and waited. James wasn¡¯t forceful. He never had been. Of the three, he was definitely the most passive. So the urgency in his voice spoke volumes. ¡°Steve,¡± James looked at the developer, who looked ridiculous in his pineapple themed swimming trunks, fruity drink in hand, ¡°can you create a private space for us? An extremely secure one?¡± ¡°Can dickens fly?¡± Steve asked with a chuckle, ¡°I thought you were about to ask me something hard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± James said, his mood still too dark for the humor. There was so much at stake. The entire world¡­ How he wished, with all of his heart and soul, that he could have just been a regular player in DCO. But no, then he wouldn¡¯t have met Rue. And even everything piled onto him was worth it, if in the end, he and Rue were together. Steve took a long, slow sip from his drink, his eyes watching James carefully as he did. When he finished he let out a sigh. ¡°I can make a room that¡¯s more secure than probably 99 percent of all digital spaces out there.¡± ¡°Not a hundred percent?¡± James pressed. ¡°The security of the room is vital.¡± He said hurriedly. ¡°If you¡¯re not confident, I don¡¯t think¡ª¡± ¡°I say ninety-nine percent,¡± Steve said, stopping James, ¡°but it is damn near a hundred. Only Hades himself could probably crack into it. Within DCO, after all, what I can and cannot do, are practically godlike.¡± James nodded, ¡°good then. We need a room, the sooner the better.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get to it,¡± Steve set his drink down and stood, the water rippling around him. ¡°I¡¯ll double check everything as well, to ensure it¡¯s as secure as possible. Entry will be limited to unique encryption, so be on the lookout from a message from me.¡± He glanced from James, to Rue, and back to James. ¡°I¡¯m assuming this is all related to whatever Hades summoned you for?¡± James didn¡¯t dare say anything else out loud. Instead he just nodded once, quick and sharp, to Steve. The developer sighed. ¡°I was afraid of that.¡± He muttered to himself. His hands were already out, typing furiously, as he disappeared, leaving James and Rue alone. ¡°How bad is it?¡± Rue asked as she slid close to James, draping her arms supportively over his shoulders as she scooted behind him. Her mouth was close to his left ear, her breath warm on him as she pulled him close. He knew this was all a virtual world, but the realism, the feeling of the body heat from her, mingling with the heat of the hot springs, and the moisture in the air, felt perfectly real to him. When he took in a breath, he caught a mixture of cinnamon and roses, a pleasant, invigorating scent that he could only assume was a perfume Rue was wearing. ¡°It¡¯s bad,¡± James whispered, not fully trusting himself to accidentally spill anything. Hades had implied James had let important information slip already out and about. With how dire everything was, he knew he needed to be extra cautious. With everything on the line, there was no room for error. No room for a lapse in judgement. Meaning, James was probably not going to be drinking anymore until everything was finished. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Rue leaned her chin against his shoulder, and he felt the pressure from the sharp bone, the weight of her, as she rested on him. This was a real as anything he¡¯d ever experienced outside of immersion. Did he really want to stop the government? If he did nothing, then what? So what if he and the others couldn¡¯t return to the real world. Dungeon Core Online was perfect. ¡°And it involves us.¡± She let out a heavy sigh as she said the words. It wasn¡¯t a question. Rue was smart enough to know when something was amiss. And James knew she could tell immediately based on how he was acting, just how serious it was. That was why she was comforting him now, in her own ways, rather than poking and prodding and goofing around. ¡°It does,¡± James said. He looked at the reflection of the two of them in the hot spring. His eyes looked worn, and there were visible bags under his eyes. It looked like he hadn¡¯t slept all night, like he¡¯d just woken from a traumatic nightmare. Behind him, Rue¡¯s face held a look of concern as well. Her normal smile was gone, her lips pressed in a thin line, her eyes deep in thought. She was beautiful. Even with the entire world at stake, in that moment, Rue was still the main thing on his mind. He reached up and touched one of her hands gently, threading his fingers between hers, and leaned his head back into her. ¡°No matter what happens,¡± he said slowly. With his head tilted backwards, he could just barely look into her eyes. She¡¯d tilted her head, chin still on his shoulder, to better look at him as well, and they held the look for a long moment. ¡°I want you to know, nothing changes.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Her eyes searched his, then she smiled. A small, slight smile. Barely noticeable really. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± James felt his voice crack, his throat clenching as he fought emotions. He took a deep breath, losing himself in Rue¡¯s eyes, as he spoke again. They¡¯d grown so close, over such a small amount of time. And yet he¡¯d never been so certain. Never been so sure, about anything as he was about Rue. She and he were meant to be together, forever. ¡°No matter what,¡± James began again, ¡°all that matters to me, is you.¡± He watched her lips twitch upwards a little more. ¡°In the end,¡± James continued, before his courage abandoned him, ¡°I love you, and everything I¡¯m doing, I¡¯m doing for you.¡± Her smile crept upwards a little more, and yet, in her eyes, there was a sorrow. She gently lifted their entwined hands towards her lips, and kissed his knuckles, gingerly. As she did, she whispered softly, her face now hidden from him, as she spoke. ¡°I love you too, James,¡± she said, barely audible. Her fingers tightened around his, as she kissed his knuckles again. ¡°You saved me,¡± she began, and he felt like he could hear her voice crack with emotion, though it was impossible to be certain with how quietly she was speaking. ¡°You saved me in more ways than you¡¯ll ever know.¡± He felt moisture on his knuckles. Was it from her tears? Or simply the humid air of the hot springs? ¡°But you need to live your life, make your decisions for yourself, silly,¡± her voice cracked again, ¡°otherwise, somewhere along the line, you¡¯ll come to resent me.¡± He returned the pressure as she squeezed his fingers. All that existed in the moment was James and Rue. No one else. Nothing else. ¡°I would never,¡± James said. ¡°How can you be certain?¡± Rue asked. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he laughed, ¡°and yet I¡¯ll gladly spend an eternity, proving that I won¡¯t.¡± Rue laughed at that, and he felt her shake her head from side to side. He was pretty sure she was wiping her teary eyes on their knuckles with the motion. ¡°Eternity is a long time,¡± she said. ¡°And yet,¡± James began, ¡°it still won¡¯t feel like enough time.¡± His words hung in the air, lingering far longer than he felt they reasonable should, as the two sat there. They said nothing else. He didn¡¯t mind. James knew as he waited that once Steve had the room set up, there wouldn¡¯t be time for moments like this anymore. This was the calm before the storm. The last truly peaceful moment he would have before everything would begin moving forward. He could tell Rue could sense it too, and knew she was savoring it, just as he was. And they remained that way, taking comfort in the proximity of each other, until eventually, Steve¡¯s message came through. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 20 Chapter 20 The whole time James spoke, Rue and Steve remained silent. They sat in an office-sized room that Steve had summoned them to. Its walls were dark, featureless, and the only furniture was a handful of chairs and couches set up in a circle around a table. It was clear he¡¯d thrown it together quickly, to serve as a meeting area. Steve sat in a leather armchair, while James and Rue sat on a dark, cloth-covered couch. Technically James had been standing the whole time he¡¯d been speaking, but now that he¡¯d finally finished, he collapsed onto the couch. Rue¡¯s hand rested on his leg, as he leaned back onto the couch, fighting back tears. Tears of frustration, tears of fear, tears of anger. It was all so unfair. ¡°You don¡¯t seem too surprised,¡± Rue said to Steve. The old man was looking at them, and the man did seem rather unaffected by everything. Or at least, he was reacting with a lot less emotion than James had expected. ¡°When you¡¯ve seen all I¡¯ve seen,¡± Steve began slowly, rubbing his temples with his hands as he spoke, ¡°it¡¯s really not a question of how terrible man can be, but more, when will the greatest catastrophe come to pass.¡± He sighed, his shoulders slumping, ¡°I¡¯d really hoped we had more time.¡± ¡°So, you knew this was going to happen?¡± James leaned towards Steve. ¡°You knew the government would do this?¡± ¡°This exact scenario?¡± Steve shook his head, ¡°hardly. But it wasn¡¯t outside of the realm of possibility. With every technological step forward, I ran countless doomsday scenarios through my mind. Being a developer, it¡¯s my job to brainstorm, to think, to imagine what CAN be. And that particular trait of my mind likes to do the same with everything in the world. The moment the governments of the world came together into a singular entity, well,¡± he shrugged, ¡°it was only a matter of time.¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve brainstormed the possibility,¡± Rue said as James processed what Steve was saying, ¡°then you should have solutions? Contingencies yourself? Can you shut DCO down? Wouldn¡¯t that ensure this plan can¡¯t work?¡± Steve laughed, and it was a dark laugh. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± he shook his head, ¡°Hades told James the truth about everything. Hell, he told James things I didn¡¯t know, things I hadn¡¯t even speculated. And yet, I can assure you, everything he said, as far as I know, is the absolute truth. And that includes the fact that short of tampering with the physical servers in the old mountain, there¡¯s shit all we can really do from our end.¡± ¡°You¡¯re one of the lead developers,¡± Rue pressed, ¡°you wrote backdoors into the game for yourself, and yet you can¡¯t bring the server down from the inside?¡± Steve shrugged, ¡°I wish I could.¡± Rue paused for a moment, and glanced from James, to Steve, her lips pursed. ¡°What about Xander?¡± She asked. ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, surely he could.¡± A pained expression crossed Steve¡¯s face. James hadn¡¯t mentioned what Hades had said about Xander. It had actually slipped from his mind. But Rue¡¯s statement had pulled it right back to the front. ¡°Hades said Xander can¡¯t help anyone, at all.¡± James looked accusingly at Steve, ¡°he said you know why. That you were there?¡± ¡°Of course he did,¡± Steve muttered. He sighed and stood, and turned his back to James and Rue before he continued speaking. ¡°Xander is no more.¡± He said, his voice devoid of all emotion. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°What do you mean, he is no more?¡± James asked hesitantly. The way Steve was acting was so unlike the developer. He was being evasive, cryptic. ¡°It means exactly what it sounds like. Xander doesn¡¯t exist anymore. He¡¯s gone,¡± Steve¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper, and there was a crack of emotion to it, ¡°forever.¡± ¡°The government killed him?¡± Rue asked hesitantly. ¡°They killed Xander?¡± ¡°I thought he was supposed to be confined to a cell.¡± James added, ¡°solitary confinement or whatnot. You told us something along those lines.¡± ¡°It was a lie,¡± Steve¡¯s voice cracked again, ¡°what happened to him, is crueler than death.¡± ¡°What do you¡­¡± James trailed off as his mind worked to figure it out. ¡°Truth Serum.¡± The terrifying liquid that forever stole someone¡¯s free will. They¡¯d become a puppet, a shade of their former self. Numb, incapable of free will, incapable of free thought. Simple living, breathing, recording of everything they had been, that could answer questions and give information to whoever had access to them. And it was permanent. Steve¡¯s body flinched at the words, his shoulders stiffening. He turned around then, and his tears were falling freely. He looked broken. Like he was reliving a nightmare. ¡°They made me do it.¡± He said softly, ¡°they made me inject him. It was the only way they¡¯d let me see him. I needed to see him, one last time.¡± He collapsed back into his chair. ¡°He was my best friend once; did you know that.¡± More sobbing, as he put his face in his hands. ¡°I¡¯m Rachel and Matthew¡¯s Godfather.¡± ¡°And yet you did it.¡± Rue said with venom. ¡°You claim he was your best friend. And yet you injected him with the very thing that would imprison him, forever, in his own mind. A liquid lobotomy from which there is no escape.¡± She started to rise, her anger nearly visible. James reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her back down. Steve was broken before him. And he couldn¡¯t afford that right now. He knew that. He also knew, in his heart, that if Steve had done it, he¡¯d done it for a good reason. There had to be a reason. Steve was a lot of things, but he wasn¡¯t a monster. ¡°It was to ensure Rachel and Matthew were safe,¡± Steve said, not looking at Rue as he spoke. ¡°In his final moments, he confirmed in his own words that killing him would leak the information he had. Something we knew. But he also proved, in that moment, to the government more than anything, that he¡¯d been acting alone. That no one else could be held accountable for his actions, his crimes. I was there on not only my best friend¡¯s behalf, but to ensure I could protect the people he cared about the most. So yes, I stole his very being from him, by injecting him with the truth serum, but I also, saved the ones he cherished the most, in the process.¡± He laughed, a bitter, dry laugh. ¡°It also needed to happen, to clear my name as well.¡± ¡°Even though he¡¯d fired you?¡± James asked, ¡°they still believed you¡¯d been a part of his plan with Cyb3ru5?¡± ¡°The government doesn¡¯t like to leave any stone unturned. You don¡¯t become as powerful as they are, without being thorough, and paranoid. By injecting him with the Truth Serum, I cleared my name. And they were able to question him, and confirm additionally, that Rachel and Matthew weren¡¯t at fault.¡± ¡°Surely if you hadn¡¯t agreed, they still could have learned that by questioning him.¡± Rue muttered. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that, to your so called best friend.¡± ¡°If he¡¯d asked me to, if he¡¯d made it seem either of them was in danger in that moment,¡± Steve responded bitterly, ¡°I intended to kill him when I injected the Truth Serum. It would have forfeited my life, sure, but his secrets would have died with him, and the government would have been too busy dealing with his leaked secrets, to pursue Rachel and Matthew without any evidence.¡± Steve took a deep breath, and wiped his eyes. He looked at Rue and James, the most raw, vulnerable form of the developer that either had ever seen. He took another breath, and then another, each one stuttering a little less. Once he¡¯d calmed himself, once he¡¯d prepared himself, he spoke again. ¡°Hades plan is a solid one,¡± he said slowly, ¡°and if we¡¯re going to make it work, we need to begin right away. Which means,¡± he waved his hand, his eyes shifting to the side at some screen as he worked quickly with his virtual keyboard. ¡°We need to get the others in here, now, so that we can begin our efforts.¡± He paused typing at his keyboard, to stare at James and Rue. ¡°One mistake, one misstep, from here on out, could spell the end of everything. You know that, right?¡± ¡°I do,¡± James said, and his hand, which still held Rue¡¯s, threaded their fingers, ¡°we do.¡± he said again, firmly. ¡°Well then,¡± Steve offered them a smile, though it was a shadow of his normal shit eating grin, ¡°let¡¯s gather the rest of our little chaos party, shall we?¡± Chapter 21 Chapter 21 ¡°I swear to everything this better really be a life-or-death matter,¡± Fel¡¯s words were out in the air before her body even fully finished appearing within the room. The fiery redhead was wearing tight black shorts, and an even tighter shirt, both of which left little to the imagination. James glanced away, not wanting to stare at Alex¡¯s girlfriend, only to notice Rue was staring. ¡°I can assure you it is,¡± Steve said, the developer motioning for her to take a seat. ¡°It better be,¡± she huffed. She glanced at Rue and smiled, before she waved her hand and changed her clothing, ¡°I¡¯m going to have a hard time explaining to Alex why I had to leave our latest session with his class trainer early. It¡¯s hard enough living life as a secret badass agent, without you three all pulling me into more shit.¡± She crossed her legs, which were now covered in black leather pants, with studs running along the side. ¡°So, out with it.¡± James felt heat rising to his face as his mind imagined what she and Alex had been doing. He¡¯d looked into the Devilkin Summoner Class trainer. A particular NPC named Lillith, and he knew that, well, Alex and Fel had a rather¡­intimate relationship with that AI. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one we summoned,¡± Steve responded, ¡°you¡¯re just the first to arrive.¡± ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t have said it was a dire emergency then,¡± she countered, ¡°if I¡¯d known I could take my sweet ass time, I would have.¡± She looked back towards James. ¡°So, what did he get himself involved in this time? Who¡¯s fuck up are we trying to fix now?¡± ¡°Er,¡± James cleared his throat, but before he could say anything, Rue cut in. ¡°What makes you think James fucked up?¡± she said heatedly. ¡°And are you implying he caused Cyb3ru5 to go after him? That he¡¯s the one who made Xander have it out for him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying, Rue, your boyfriend has a natural talent for finding himself in danger that is far above what a normal kid his age should be in. Either he¡¯s causing it himself, or he¡¯s just the unluckiest person I¡¯ve ever come across.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I think it¡¯s the latter,¡± James muttered with a bit of angst. ¡°Seriously, I can assure you all of this bullshit, I would much rather do without. All I wanted to do was play DCO. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Well as the saying goes, if not for bad luck, you wouldn¡¯t have any luck, eh?¡± Fel sighed and crossed her arms, turning away from James and Rue to Steve. ¡°Who else did you call then?¡± She made a few motions with her fingers, and then frowned. She did it again and frowned even deeper. ¡°And what the hell is with the permissions in this room? Can¡¯t a girl get a drink?¡¯ ¡°Sorry Felecia,¡± Steve said, and James flinched again as he looked at Fel. He half expected her to explode at the developer for using her full name, but she didn¡¯t react at all. So, Steve could use her full name, but James couldn¡¯t? ¡°Because of what we¡¯re going to discuss, this room has the maximum-security features I could implemented on it. That means all visitors, no matter how skilled, can only adjust their physical appearances and clothing, but cannot bring any other such objects into the space. And¡± he sighed, ¡°when you hear what we have to say, you¡¯ll see why there¡¯s no liquor allowed. Clear minds are an absolute must right now.¡± Stolen story; please report. ¡°If you wanted my mind completely clear,¡± Fel responded with a wry smile, ¡°you really should have let me finish what I was doing before I came here.¡± She laughed at that, and then let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Why do I get the feeling I¡¯m going to regret involving myself with James?¡± She looked at James. ¡°Seriously, you¡¯ve caused me nothing but grief, you know that?¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± James offered with a shrug. ¡°But to be fair, I didn¡¯t specifically try and bring you in. That had been Matt and Rachel. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s a secret badass agent, as you said so yourself. So, things like this kind of come with the job title, don¡¯t they?¡± Fel prepared to say something but closed her mouth as two more figures appeared in the room. She glanced at them, as their forms began to materialize, and smirked. ¡°Speak of the devils, eh?¡± Sure enough, Matt and Rachel were arriving in the secret space. The twin siblings glanced about, first taking note of Steve, then Fel, and then James and Rue. Matt looked like he¡¯d aged by a few years since James had last seen him. Rachel, on the other hand, seemed to still be the same, bright eyed, brilliant version of herself. If he had to guess, Matthew was taking on more of the role as head developer for DCO, than Rachel was. Or maybe one was dealing with the developer side of things, and the other the business side of things? He didn¡¯t really know what all their new responsibilities, since they¡¯d inherited the position following Xander¡¯s arrest, were. ¡°Considering everyone in the room,¡± Matthew said slowly, as he walked towards one of the available couches. Rachel followed, her eyes glancing from James and Rue to the space on their couch, before she settled beside her brother, ¡°I¡¯m going to assume this really is dire?¡± ¡°It would explain the security on the room,¡± Rachel said with a nod, her own hand having just been hovering in mid-air as she, possibly, had been attempting to summon a drink like Fel had. ¡°You would assume correctly,¡± Steve said somberly. ¡°But before we go into the full details of everything,¡± he faltered, his voice cracking, ¡°there¡¯s something else I need to tell the two of you. Something that needs to be said, so you two understand the true severity of what¡¯s going on.¡± He looked away from them, and then at Fel, as he continued, ¡°and I¡¯m sure what I¡¯m about to say next, will also drive home the point to you as well, that being summoned here, right now, this quickly, was indeed a matter of life or death. ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Fel said, waving for Steve to continue, ¡°go on.¡± He looked back to Matt and Rachel, who were watching their godfather intently. There was obvious concern and worry on their faces. James knew the three of them were close. Rachel and Matthew, who originally had run the Candy dungeon under the alias of BLANK, had actually worked with Steve on an elaborate plot to remove Xander from his position in DCO, and to get Steve his own position within the game. The first domino, now that James thought about, that led to Xander¡¯s path that ultimately led to his eternal, drug induced, lobotomy. ¡°Your father will never return,¡± Steve said solemnly, holding the gaze of Rachel and Matthew as he spoke, ¡°Xander ¡®X-Ray¡¯ Raymondson is gone forever.¡± ¡°How,¡± Matthew asked, somewhat stoic, ¡°do you know that?¡± ¡°The government authorized the use of Truth Serum,¡± Steve said, ¡°and I was the one to administer it to him.¡± He looked like he wanted to look away, and yet, he steadied himself, as he held their gaze. ¡°His final words, his final moments, were spent asking me to tell you that he loved you, and that he was sorry.¡± DCO Final Arc - Chapter 22 Chapter 22 ¡°Serves him right,¡± Fel said coolly, as the words settled in the room. Matt and Rachel said nothing, their faces unreadable masks. ¡°He pushed the government too far. His arrogance was his own downfall.¡± She picked at her fingers, ¡°and you won¡¯t see me feeling sorry for him after all the problems he created.¡± ¡°Fel,¡± James said, surprised by her callous nature. ¡°Read the room.¡± She looked around and shrugged. ¡°In my line of work, things like this happen. We don¡¯t have the luxury of happy fantasies. And¡± she nodded towards the siblings, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they had already figured it was a possible outcome. Unlike you James, they¡¯re not na?ve.¡± He turned to look at Matt. Sure enough, the older boy nodded, though his face was still an unreadable mask. Rachel seemed to be a little more animated, her eyes shining ever so slightly. But beyond that, she didn¡¯t let any emotion show. ¡°Thank you for telling us,¡± Matt said as he looked back at Steve. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine that was easy on you.¡± ¡°It,¡± Steve¡¯s voice cracked, ¡°thank you Matt.¡± He heaved a heavy sigh. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Our father¡¯s fate aside,¡± Matt cleared his throat, ¡°why have we been called here? Not to understate the gravity of that news,¡± he lightly touched Rachel¡¯s hand, and the two siblings shared a comforting moment, ¡°I cannot assume that was the only reason we were called here.¡± He looked towards Fel, ¡°especially since Fel¡¯s here as well.¡± She offered him a smile, ¡°sorry to hear about your dad Matt,¡± she said with a small shrug, ¡°it sucks.¡± Matt¡¯s lip curled up slightly at that, ¡°you always sucked at dealing with people¡¯s emotions you know.¡± ¡°Guess that¡¯s why our fling didn¡¯t last long.¡± Fel said with a chuckle. ¡°Uh huh,¡± Matt left it at that, and James couldn¡¯t help but do a double take. The two of them had been together. He knew the siblings had known Fel personally. They were the ones who¡¯d hired her to protect James during the Cyb3ru5 situation after all. But he hadn¡¯t realized they¡¯d actually been a ¡®thing.¡¯ How would Alex take it, if he knew his current girlfriend had once been with the guy who was currently running DCO? ¡°Don¡¯t even think of mentioning it to him,¡± Fel said, as if she could read James¡¯s mind. ¡°It was just two kids having fun in the past.¡± ¡°Really,¡± Rachel cut in, before Matt or Fel could add more, ¡°now isn¡¯t the time.¡± She shot Fel a look, and then her own brother. ¡°Even if it¡¯s helping cope with the news.¡± Her tone was gentler this time. ¡°But really, we can¡¯t stay away for too long.¡± She looked back at Steve. ¡°So, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not my story to tell,¡± Steve directed everyone¡¯s attention, immediately to James. The weight of their gazes made him squirm. He¡¯d enjoyed not being the center of attention for once. Especially given who all he was around. It was hard to feel like the most important person in the room, hell, to even feel like you mattered, when you were surrounded by people of their caliber. The literal wonder kids of the developer of DCO, who now ran it. One of, if not the, best developers of DCO itself. A secret agent whose skills would make a movie spy jealous. And of course, Rue. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Get to it then James,¡± Fel said, making a motion with her hand as if encouraging him to start talking, ¡°like I said, it better be good for what you¡¯re making me miss.¡± James cleared his throat, immediately seeking eye contact elsewhere. He focused on Rachel, who smiled gently at him, and offered him a small nod. ¡°Whatever it is, James,¡± she said softly, ¡°we¡¯re ready to hear it.¡± James took a deep breath and grabbed hold of Rue¡¯s hand for comfort. She squeezed it gently, a simple reminder that he wasn¡¯t alone. They were in this together. From now, until whatever the outcome was that they reached, she¡¯d be by his side. ¡°As everyone here knows,¡± James began slowly, ¡°Dungeon Core Online is a project that has large ties with the government.¡± Fel snorted, ¡°understatement of the year,¡± she said under her breath. James ignored her, and continued, ¡°however, I have learned the reasons for the governments involvement in the project, and, what¡¯s more, that their endgame is well, upon us.¡± He looked at Fel this time, speaking slowly. ¡°Hades has informed me that the government intends to trap everyone¡¯s minds within DCO, while simultaneously killing their bodies.¡± Fel¡¯s mood immediately changed, and she sat straight up in her chair. Her complexion paled as she looked at him. ¡°Say what now?¡± James looked at Rachel and Matthew, both of whom were looking at him intently. ¡°How,¡± Rachel began, before Matthew cut her off. ¡°The Sleeping Beauty Pod tech?¡± The male portion of BLANK asked. James nodded in confirmation. ¡°Apparently, everything is in place for their plan. They intend to trap all of the players within DCO and are using the upcoming 48 hour Dungeon War event as a way to ensure everyone is immersed to put their plan into motion. Meaning we have less than three days, before the real world is no more for us. If we do nothing,¡± James looked at everyone, pausing to take in their serious expressions, one by one, before he continued, ¡°then we will be forever trapped within DCO, our minds digitally uploaded, without bodies to return to.¡± ¡°Are you certain about this?¡± Matthew asked. ¡°Considering his source is Hades, I hate to say it¡¯s probably all true.¡± Fel responded on behalf of James. ¡°Anyone else, I¡¯d question. But Hades¡­¡± ¡°It makes sense too,¡± Steve said to add to the argument. ¡°With everything going on in the background, everything I know from a developer standpoint, and all I¡¯ve seen of their facilities. All the pieces paint a pretty damning picture, once you know what the end goal is.¡± ¡°And if I had to guess,¡± Fel added, looking at James, ¡°knowing your parents are involved in this as well, means the rich fucks are going to make themselves immortal bodies, aren¡¯t they?¡± She let out a low whistle, ¡°that robo dog of yours is impressive, I can only imagine what the human bodies your parents have created are like.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Hades said,¡± James confirmed. ¡°The end state of the government, apparently, is to confine most of the world to the DCO servers, while the members of the government inhabit immortal bodies and get free reign of the Earth.¡± ¡°And that means,¡± Rachel was looking around now, her eyes thoughtful, ¡°with everyone gathered here, there¡¯s a plan, at the very least, to try and stop the government¡¯s goal from becoming a reality?¡± ¡°Well,¡± James shifted slightly on the couch, ¡°that¡¯s why everyone¡¯s been called here. Hades has given me some details, but I need everyone¡¯s thoughts, and their plans, if we are going to make this a reality.¡± He paused, and took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. ¡°You¡¯re the only ones I can trust. And if we can¡¯t do it,¡± he shrugged, ¡°then I don¡¯t think anyone could.¡± ¡°And to think,¡± Steve said with a forced chuckle, keeping the weight of James¡¯s words from settling in the room, ¡°this was supposed to be my swan song before retirement.¡± James felt himself grin, ever so slightly, at the dark humor. Damnit Steve. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 23 Chapter 23 The discussion ran for hours, and by the time they ended, James was exhausted. His mind hurt. His heart hurt. This was more than he¡¯d ever wanted to have to deal with. More than anyone should have to deal with. How did someone carry the weight of the world on their shoulders? How was it fair that anyone, or any small group of people, should have to decide the fate of the masses? In the stories it made sense. But in real life, it was just bullshit. ¡°Shall we head back to the dungeon then?¡± Rue asked softly. Everyone else had parted ways. The mood was still heavy, and no one had felt much like joking by the end. Each and every one of them had tasks they needed to see to, in preparation for what would come. And time, even extended as it was thanks to immersion and time dilation, was not their friend. ¡°I, I suppose.¡± James said with a heavy sigh. He didn¡¯t want to head back. He wanted to stay here, to just ignore his problems, ignore the world¡¯s problems, and just spend more time with Rue. But he couldn¡¯t. ¡°No matter what,¡± Rue offered him a small smile as she spoke, ¡°in the end, we¡¯ll all still be together.¡± James looked at Steve. The developer shrugged. That was one of the last topics they¡¯d discussed. What would failure look like? If they did nothing, the government, the powers that be, would win. Everyone would be trapped, forever, within DCO. And if James and his friends were successful, well, DCO may no longer exist, but at the very least, no one would be trapped in immersion¡­ other than Rue of course. But what happened if they put their plan in action, and failed? Death was a very real possibility. They were going up against the government. They would be facing down the unknown. Sure, Hades had provided him with a layout of the secret facility, and details of the expected guards and security measures. But would they all truly be listed? Even if they were, that still meant dozens of enforcers, various security bots, and of course, anti-personnel traps and measures in place. Death was a very real threat. But death wasn¡¯t the only threat. Failure could mean much, much worse, than death itself. If they failed. If they were captured, thwarted, stopped. There was no reason for the government to show them mercy. To put them forcibly in an immersion pod and allow them to serve out their sentence within DCO alongside the rest of mankind. No, if they failed, and weren¡¯t killed outright, there was another fate that James and the others had envisioned. They could receive the same punishment that had been so coldly dealt to Xander. A chemical induced lobotomy, trapping them forever within their minds, leaving them at the mercy, at the control, forever, of the very ones they were seeking to stop. Death would be a mercy. Death, the preferred punishment, if they did fail. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Rue knew that as well. Hell, she was in a worse position than James and any of the others. He didn¡¯t know what controls existed to deal with her, but he knew there were options. Xander had once forcibly pushed Rue into a ¡®time out¡¯, meaning outside powers had the ability to apply punishments to Rue, if they figured she was a part of this uprising. That was one of Steve¡¯s current tasks. Rachel and Steve were going to do some digging, and work to ensure Rue¡¯s very being, her conscious self, confined as she was already to immersion, was protected. After all, her body itself, in the first, the proof of concept sleeping beauty pods, was sitting within the very heart of the facility they were planning to assault. Meaning, she was quite literally in the hands of the very people they were working to thwart. ¡°Whatever happens, we¡¯ll be together,¡± James said as he clutched Rue¡¯s hand in his own. If not physically, if not virtually, then in spirit. By some chance of fate, or perhaps the power of a god, if one existed, James and Rue had found each other. The stars had aligned to bring the two of them together, and no matter what, James vowed to never be without her. In this life, or the next, if there was one, he and Rue, belonged together. Of that much, he was certain. ¡°Well then,¡± Steve cleared his throat, and James saw a wetness in the old man¡¯s eyes as he looked at the two of them. ¡°We really should get the two of you back to the dungeon. Lots to do, and well, as we all know, less time than ideal to get it all done.¡± ¡°Do you really think we make it happen?¡± James dared to ask the developer. Sure, they¡¯d planned, sure Hades had given them all the vital information the mysterious hacker had managed to acquire, and yet still, the task felt too monumental, too impossible. ¡°We¡¯ve as good a shot as any.¡± Steve said, forcing his smile to his face. ¡°Hell, compared to some of the hair brained things I¡¯ve seen throughout my life, and history in general, our odds aren¡¯t all that bad. Afterall, if the government could get away with convincing people for over 50 years that they¡¯d landed on the moon, why can¡¯t a group a highly skilled individuals, with vast technological resources at their disposal, take down a single government facility?¡± His smile widened a bit more, as he filled himself with the confidence of insanity. ¡°If Somalian Pirates with basic weapons and wooden boats can capture miliary vessels, then I¡¯m pretty sure we¡¯ve got this in the bag, actually. After all,¡± the grin widened, and now he did look insane. ¡°You¡¯re the Random Dungeon. Your whole existence, your position at the top, is a ridiculous impossibility. We exist to make the crazy, the weird, the wacky, happen. And if I know your parents,¡± he winked, ¡°which I do, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll have even more to tip the odds in our favor, once this current immersion cycle ends.¡± James opened his mouth to ask Steve what he meant. However, the man waved his hand, dismissing James. A moment later, the world shifted, and James and Rue were suddenly back in the hot springs of his fifth floor, gone from Steve¡¯s secret space. And the developer, well, he was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Alrighty then,¡± James stood from the hot springs, letting the sudden chill of the fifth floor bring his senses back to focus, mustering what courage he could, momentarily emboldened by Steve¡¯s infectious confidence, to act before he got cold feet. ¡°It¡¯s time we see a certain guild about organizing the greatest experience train in existence,¡± his grin widened, and he was sure if he had a mirror, it would almost be as wide as Steve¡¯s, ¡°for the dungeon, that is.¡± DCO Final Arc- Chapter 24 Chapter 24 By the time they made it to their destination, James¡¯s mood had, to a small degree, improved. With the extra time to process everything, his mind, for better or worse, had compartmentalized everything, in an effort to make it feel less¡­ overwhelming. There was a ton to do, but James couldn¡¯t do it all on his own, nor did he need to. Everyone had tasks, and once those tasks were complete, only then, could they take additional steps forward. For now, his and Rue¡¯s task was simple. Level up their dungeon and reach Tier 7. Everything else didn¡¯t matter, until that goal was accomplished. The cheers from adventurers and friendly greetings, as James and Rue walked through the Random Dungeon¡¯s dungeon town, also didn¡¯t hurt. The kind words, smiles, and eager attempts to get them to join in adventuring parties, helped fuel his desire to protect these people, and remind him that his decision was the right one. ¡°Nyx!¡± a loud voice called out his Avatar¡¯s name as James and Rue stepped into the tavern. Called ¡®Dicken¡¯s Roost¡¯, it was one of the most popular taverns in the dungeon town. It was also where The Knights Who Go Ni were currently relaxing. ¡°Rue!¡± the voice continued to call out. It was Z, of course. ¡°Come join us!¡± The elf lifted a tankard in their direction, and the rest of his party did likewise, all smiling and friendly. Even though James knew they¡¯d just experienced a party wipe on his sixth floor, courtesy, according to Steve, of a When-Wolf ambush. James smiled back at them, the motion still feeling somewhat strange in his current form. His ¡®developer¡¯ persona was in the body of an Archon. It came with a twisted, monstrous face, similar to a gargoyle. He¡¯d been hoping, when he hit level 30, that he¡¯d get wings through the race¡¯s Primordial Manipulation aspect, part of why he¡¯d picked the class. Instead, that bonus had triggered a delayed mutation. Promising at least 3 aspects to trigger at level 80. He and Rue were both currently level 79, the extra experience from the Siege battle on the fifth floor having pushed them close, yet not fully, to that mark. ¡°Don¡¯t mind if we do.¡± Rue said allowed as she walked into the tavern, already motioning towards the barkeep for a drink. James watched her go for a moment, admiring her ¡®developer¡¯ Avatar. She¡¯d picked Vampire as her race and was a Cleric of Blood. She wore robes crafted from Cyrus skin and Solar-Bear fur, that glowed with a strange energy, all courtesy of the fifth floor¡¯s gear set. Atop her head, the Unique item drop she¡¯d received during the Siege event, the sparking, crackling, Harbingers headpiece. ¡°We didn¡¯t think we¡¯d get to see the two of you again so soon,¡± Z stood and offered Rue a seat, speaking to the two of them as the reached the table. The other players were all glancing their way and chatting. Being ¡®developers¡¯ James and Rue¡¯s names, visible above their avatars if someone focused, glowed differently. Of course, even without that, they¡¯d made enough of a name for themselves that everyone knew who they were. Making fast friend with the Knights Who Go Ni, arguably the most famous adventuring group in all of DCO, had also improved James and Rue¡¯s own notoriety. ¡°We¡¯ve got a new dungeon feature we want to test out first hand,¡± James started, using the lie he and Rue had already discussed. ¡°And we were actually hoping to run into you guys here. Steve mentioned this was one of your favorite spots to unwind.¡± ¡°Where is that spanker?¡± Oak asked, looking around the room for the ¡®spanker¡¯ that was Steve¡¯s strange taunt utilizing tank class. The halfling developer avatar of course, was nowhere to be found. ¡°I¡¯d be more than happy to have him around again. It was nice not having to tank everything by myself. And I¡¯m sure you guys already know all about the sixth floor.¡± He shuddered slightly, likely thinking about the swarming he¡¯d gotten by the J-Kappa¡¯s. ¡°I would love to watch Steve tank that floor.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°He¡¯s busy sadly,¡± James said as he sat down at the table. Everyone was sitting now, the game¡¯s magic system having immediately summoned extra chairs for the newcomers. Arguably it made Z¡¯s act of chivalry a moment ago pointless, as there was no need for him to give up his seat for Rue. Still, James knew Z, and he was just that good of a man. ¡°But he sent his wishes.¡± ¡°He said he¡¯d try to swing by before the end of this immersion cycle,¡± Rue added, as she sipped from a wooden mug. James watched for a moment, smiling slightly to himself as Rue¡¯s fangs dripped the frothy liquid down her chin. She caught his gaze and licked the liquid away quickly. ¡°Well,¡± Z brought the attention back to him as he sat back, looking at the rest of his party, ¡°you said you were looking for us right?¡± He smiled, and James couldn¡¯t help but smile back, feeling the warmth of that look. If they were in one of the tabletop type immersion games, he¡¯d swear Z had a 20 Charisma. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± James opened the menu option that existed at the tavern table, and quickly ordered a bit of food and a drink for himself, finding himself suddenly thirsty and famished. ¡°We¡¯re looking to do another run into the dungeon and could use some help if you¡¯re all willing.¡± ¡°A chance to dive with Nyx the Inferno and Scarlet Ruby?¡± Z clapped his hands together, ¡°we¡¯d never pass up that offer.¡± ¡°Scarlet Ruby?¡± Rue asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Nyx the Inferno?¡± James said almost simultaneously. ¡°Those are the nicknames players have started assigning the two of you. Not sure who started them, but they¡¯ve taken off pretty quickly.¡± Z looked around, ¡°you two are minor celebrities after how well you two performed during the Siege.¡± James shared a knowing look with Rue. ¡°Steve,¡± he said with a heavy sigh. Those names were definitely Steve names. Damnit Steve. ¡°Any way,¡± James cleared his throat as an adventurer dressed in tavern clothes brought him a steaming bowl of soup, a loaf of fresh bread, and a pint of¡­ ice cold milk. Stress made for weird food choices, okay. ¡°Have you guys heard about the new floor options for the first floor?¡± ¡°Git Gud Mode?¡± Z smiled, ¡°Steve mentioned it to us when he was diving with us. Said there would be new variations of the floors soon. Told us they¡¯d be listed as ¡®hardcore¡¯ floor variants.¡± Z looked at the others, ¡°we glanced at them. Seems only the first floor is live. When you choose to dive into the dungeon it shows the two instances you can join for the first floor. The first is normal, the second has a glowing skull on it.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it.¡± James internally heavy sighed. Of course, Steve had mentioned that as well. The developer hadn¡¯t liked being vetoed by his colleagues with regards to what to name the increased difficulty option. So, of course he¡¯d spread the unofficial name amongst adventurers already. And if he could get the Knights to call it that, then the other players would follow along, and his name for it would become the ¡®official¡¯ name for the difficulty. If there was one thing Steve was good at, it was getting his way in the end, no matter how long it took. ¡°We wanted to check it out, to see how it differs, and make sure everything runs smoothly connecting it to the other floors.¡± James looked at Rue. ¡°If you guys aren¡¯t doing anything else, we¡¯d appreciate your company for the dive, and then maybe we could keep climbing the Tower and push some levels,¡± for a moment, James¡¯s excitement at the thought of diving the dungeon again as a player pushed his worries aside. The gamer in him wanted level 80, and even if he couldn¡¯t purely focus on playing the game, hitting that level while putting in place the plan to get his dungeon to Tier 7, wasn¡¯t something he¡¯d complain about. ¡°Pretty sure we can do that,¡± Z looked at his guildmates, and they all offered him supporting nods. He looked back at James¡¯s bowl and mug. ¡°After you finish your¡­¡± he raised an eyebrow as he glanced from the red soup to the milk, ¡°comfort food?¡± The Knights Who Go Ni, and Rue, started laughing at that. James thanked all the gods in DCO that his gargoyle like face couldn¡¯t blush, else he was certain he¡¯d be as red as the tomato soup. Without saying anything else, he pulled apart his bread, perhaps a bit aggressively, and dunked it into the soup. ¡°Thanks,¡± he mumbled as he took a bite, ¡°it¡¯s been a day.¡± DCO Final Arc- Chapter 25 Chapter 25 ¡°Any chance you can tell us what to expect?¡± Z asked as the group stood in the now very cramped tunnel that led to the entrance of the Random Dungeon. In hindsight, making it such a small tunnel probably wasn¡¯t the best idea. It had fit with the concept of a dungeon when Jamse had first started DCO, but now, he couldn¡¯t help but admit it felt a bit¡­ unnecessary. Then again, more and more of his players simply entered the dungeon from the Safe Zone town on the fifth floor, meaning this tunnel got less and less use. For a party of five, it wasn¡¯t terrible either, but if players were adventuring in larger groups, especially if say, they were taking on git gud mode with a raid party, well, it left a lot to wish for. ¡°Dickens?¡± James offered up with a grin. Rue snorted at that, and most of the Knights laughed as well. ¡°Any details at all?¡± Z asked hopefully. ¡°Like, how many, or levels, or anything?¡± James shook his head. ¡°IF I did have that type of information,¡± he stressed the if, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to share it.¡± ¡°Steve would have.¡± Oak coughed under his breath. ¡°Steve¡¯s got a bad habit of not keeping secrets,¡± Rue said in response, ¡°and we¡¯re not in the same position as Steve.¡± It was true. Steve could get away with practically anything it seemed. While James and Rue had very strict rules they had to follow. Even with the government plans revealed, they still had to tiptoe best they could, lest they trigger some sort of disciplinary action. That was part of why James had asked Z and the others to this dive. Within the dungeon, within the chaos of his masterpiece, he¡¯d be able to speak with them. ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped then,¡± Z looked at Oak. The party¡¯s tank was standing closest to the door that led into the dungeon. James and Rue had temporarily joined the party as well, allowing James to see, if he glanced up and to the side, everyone¡¯s health and stats. The Knights Who Go Ni, in the mid-80s for their levels, and with proper gear acquired from being the top tiered adventurers, had stats that made James drool. How he wished he could adventure with them full time. Meanwhile, he and Rue, were level 79, with a bit of experience to go. Meaning, they needed to not die, and arguably, this plan was probably not ideal for well¡­ living. ¡°We¡¯ve done plenty of dives into the unknown before,¡± Z continued, ¡°and this time around, we¡¯ve got two healers to keep the party topped off, and Nyx should add a good bit of additional dps for us. Not to mention we know Ifrit can serve as an off tank if needed. We¡¯ve got a baby raid party, so I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be fine.¡± Ifrit was James¡¯s summon. A fiery Djinn that dual wielded massive swords. Because the Djinn had died during the Siege War, in an epic duel to the death against an empowered Sergeant Jenkins, the Djinn¡¯s stats weren¡¯t going to be as impressive as they had been. Still, Ifrit was indeed a formidable summon, and with James¡¯s buffs, was a titanic force to be reckoned with. Against this floor though¡­ James was hesitant to even summon the creature. Though, he wasn¡¯t going to mention that just yet. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°At least I know there won¡¯t be snakes this time.¡± Oak said, his eyes seeking out James¡¯s, as if he was searching for confirmation. ¡°It¡¯s bad enough I¡¯m pretty positive the sixth floor boss is a snake. And then you know, there¡¯s the blasted playthons on the third. I would lose my mind if this floor suddenly had snakes too.¡± ¡°I can promise you there aren¡¯t any snakes, at the very least.¡± James said, offering the tank a small bone. Oak went through a lot for the party. And he took most of it in stride. James figured, at the very least, he could give him a small bit of solace. ¡°Well there you go,¡± Z slapped Oak¡¯s back, the party leader being the next in line for their formation. Behind him was Elm, with Faust, Med Ic, Rue, and James behind them. Physical classes in the front, magic classes in the back, a standard raid formation. And necessary, since the dungeon door entrance forced them to file out into the floor one at a time. ¡°Watch out for traps though,¡± Z continued as he gave Oak a gentle nudge towards the door. ¡°Don¡¯t need you falling into a pit with a Sacrificial Lamb again.¡± The party laughed, and before he could catch himself, James found himself laughing as well. That was still one of his favorite memories of the party. Z looked at him with a questioning gaze for a just a moment, before he turned back towards the door, ready for the start of their dive. They¡¯d already technically entered the instance, the party leader selecting Hard Mode for the floor. The mobs were only level fifty, meaning their party should, in theory, be extremely over leveled for these creatures. However, levels were only one factor in what made a monster dangerous. Skills and upgrades could greatly shift the danger a mob presents to players. On top of that, Old Man Jenkins, the normal first floor boss, was level 65 this time around. Then there was the World Boss, Charles the Dicken, who had the possibility to appear as a level 70 World Boss. And finally, the special hard mode boss, the level 75¡­ Hokey Pokey. The upgraded mobs, the new and unique boss, and just the sheer craziness that was the floor James had designed, waited for the Knights Who Go Ni to enter. And while James knew full well what to expect, from a design standpoint, he couldn¡¯t help but feel his breath catch in his chest, as his heart rate increased, and he could swear he could feel and hear the blood rushing through him, spurred by the heightened state of anticipation. The thrill of a new dive, a new adventure. And an eagerness to see his horror show finally in action. Oak opened the door, and in the next moment, all the party knew was chaos. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 26 Chapter 26 James had a new favorite memory for his dungeon. His only regret was that they didn¡¯t record it. Even still, he had no doubt in his mind that he¡¯d never forget it for as long as he lived. The area around the door into the dungeon had been clear of mobs. However, that didn¡¯t mean it was safe from their aggro range. The moment Oak stepped out on the slightly grassy expanse that served as the Demonic Farm of the first floor, the red glow from the lights above causing him to gain a scarlet tint, he aggroed multiple mobs. The poor tank had no chance to react, to realize what had even happened, before events were set in motion. The players were no strangers to long range attacks from the gun wielding mobs on the fifth floor. But against demonic animals¡­ well, logically there was no way in hell they should have to worry about mobs over thirty yards away. Logic though, never really applied to the Random Dungeon. A loud bawk was the only warning anyone got. Oak was three feet out of the door, Z just behind him, in the process of summoning his animal companions. A shadow appeared over Oak, and the tank looked up just in time to watch a six foot dicken come crashing down, its raptor like claws tearing a glowing red line across his arm before he could get his shield up. Then, as the dicken hit the ground, a red and black wave of crackling energy erupted outwards. James grinned to himself as he remembered just what the skill, called Demonic Leap, could do. Demonic Leap (Max) ¡ª Infernal energy radiates from a Dicken¡¯s claws, seeping into the ground around them. When this skill is activated, it emits a burst of demonic energy around the Dicken, empowering any Dicken within 1+lvl yards. Empowered Dickens will immediately activate Demonic Leap, attacking the same target as the initial Dicken. On impact, demonic energy will ripple outward dealing decreasing amounts of damage, based on distance from impact, to all non-demonic entities. This damage has a 5% + 0.1xlvl chance of applying Infernal Bird Flu* to players. *Infernal Bird Flu ¡ª Decrease player¡¯s stats by 1%, per 2 seconds, until cleansed. More loud bawks as six more dickens took temporary flight, leaping and targeting Oak. The tank had his shield up now, and was attempting to activate his skills. Z was dashing away, Med Ic was casting heals from the other side of the door, and Elm was shooting the first dicken as fast as he could. Unfortunately for all, the dickens themselves, with their passive Birds of a Feather skill, were tough. Much tougher than a level 50 mob should be, considering their stats were doubled when five or more of the creatures were within a certain proximity of one another. To his credit, Oak survived the next incoming attack. His massive Indra Form crackled to life as he grew in size, a visage of a Hindu god essentially cloaking him as he wielded weapons in four arms made of pure lightning. The attacks crackled with power, and the Knights Who Go Ni worked rapidly to shift the ambush against them into a battle they could win. Then came the next attacks, that pushed the tide of the battle back in the favor of the farm animals for the moment. Seven white-hot beams of power blasted into Oak¡¯s glowing form from different angles, as more of James¡¯s dickens joined the fray. These dickens, which had been outside of the range of the initial demonic leap, opted to use their long range breath weapon granted by the Yakitori skill, rather than demonic leap. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. The weapon, with an attack range of 51 yards, did 101 damage per second, and ignored 50 percent of all armor. The dickens could channel it for a total of five seconds, which increased the overall damage by 10percent per second channeled and increased the armor pen by an additional 1percent per second channeled. Between the, er, dicken pile that had crashed down on Oak, the birds literally pecking, scratching, flapping, and all sorts around his massive form, looking like he¡¯d been tarred and feathered, and the beams of energy burning into him, cooking him from all angles, Oak fell. Screaming in rage and horror, while also laughing at the sheer absurdity of it all, the party found itself without a tank within the first minute of stepping onto the floor. Luckily, with Oak serving as the point of interest for all of the mobs near enough the entrance to aggro the area, Z had managed to summon his three animal companions. Elm had also left the entryway and moved out, opening up his angle of shots, and making room more importantly, for the true start of the party when it came to clearing out masses of mobs quickly. The dicken ambush had won contact. But the Knights Who Go Ni, would win the war. Power crackled as Faust finished channeling his AOE cooldown. A massive storm cloud appeared in the sky above the dickens, and Oak¡¯s fallen body, which was now a death orb. Bolts of energy struck down, causing the very ground to shake with the force of the attacks, as one dicken after another found itself the target of Faust¡¯s elemental fury. James, still standing with Faust, Med Ic, and Rue on the other side of the doorway, marveled at the sheer feeling of the energy in the air. His skin prickled from the electricity, and Rue¡¯s hair was rising slightly from the static charge. A nice touch, really, that the developers had placed into the game for realism. If that realism hadn¡¯t been all part of creating a world to trap the players in forever, James would have appreciated it even more. He pushed that thought from his mind though, as the dickens fell, one by one. They were strong, their stats doubled, and yet, he knew, just as the Knights did, that magic attacks were extremely effective on early floor mobs. Even in the hard mode, that still rang true. At least¡­ for some of the mobs. That being said, these dickens still had a trick or two up their non-existent sleeves. With each death blow dealt by Faust¡¯s cooldown, the dicken would burst into fiery death flames, causing an AOE burst of damage around their body. It left behind a fiery core, that, James noticed as the AOE attack continued, wasn¡¯t targeted by the spell. After all, the core itself wasn¡¯t an enemy, it was simply a passive, floating object, very similar to the death orb of dead adventurers. If James had to guess, that had been an effort by the developers to ensure such rebirth skills were actually viable, and not easily thwarted by large area DoT skills. ¡°Should we tell them?¡± Rue whispered from behind James, as the lightning strikes slowed, the bodies nearly all turned to floating cores, while Med Ic cast a resurrection on Oak. James nodded, preparing to open his mouth, but stopped. These were the Knights Who Go Ni. If he had to warn them about something as common as a rebirth skill, well, that just seemed silly. He turned his focus back to the fight, and sure enough, his faith in the Knights held true. Already, Z and Elm were going to town on the orbs, with Turk and Badgey joining the orb slaughtering fest, while Hornz stood guard, prepared to tank any incoming attacks. The Knights had been caught off guard, but if there was one thing James knew about them, it was showcased by this very moment. You could knock them off balance, but you could never knock them down. That resilience, that resourcefulness. That coolheaded, calculating nature of the Knights, amongst all their other amazing qualities, was what made him confident they were the only ones he could rely on, to help him get his dungeon to Tier 7 before the night of immersion ended. But first, it was time to see the rest of his new and improved, hard-mode floor, in action. DCO final Arc- Chapter 27 Chapter 27 It only took a few minutes for Z and the Knights to finish clearing the entry to the dungeon of the remaining Dickens. Despite being overcome by a swarm of dickens, Oak was actually in a relatively good mood. Everyone had smiles on their faces, actually, and laughter could be felt in the somewhat stale air of the first floor. Being situated in an underground cave, the farm-based floor had always had a strange mixture of what James figured was a farm-like, animal smell, combined with strange spices and sulfur. ¡°Are we sure those were only level 50?¡± the tank asked as they finished looting the corpses. With the coast clear, James and the others, all of the squishy magic type members of the party, made their way into the dungeon properly. Once they¡¯d all stepped foot onto the grassy terrain, the door behind them closed, floating strangely in midair to signal the exit to the floor. The path to the second floor was further in the dungeon, situated in the big red barn. ¡°That¡¯s what their tags claim.¡± Z said as he gave badgey¡¯s head a scratch. The intelligent, fiercely dressed pet leaned into it, while at the same time it growled like a rabid beast, eying everyone with dangerous intent, daring them to say anything. Badgers, James had learned, gave zero fucks. ¡°They do double their stats when they¡¯re in flocks,¡± James offered up, ¡°and if I had to guess, this ¡®git gud¡¯ mode as Steve called it probably gives them additional skills and whatnot.¡± Totally not a guess. ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± Z looked at the others, ¡°which means we need to be on our guard for the rest of the floor. Looks like the Dickens have been upgraded with whatever that crazy long distance leap was, and a fire breath,¡± he looked at Oak, grinning a bit. ¡°Never thought you¡¯d be cooked to death by a white hot stream of fire from a dicken, did you?¡± Oak threw the piece of dicken meat he was eating at Z. Before the projectile could hit the man, Badgey¡¯s sword shot up, the flat end intercepting the meat, causing it to drop into the creature¡¯s waiting mouth. Badgey let out a burp, and flashed all his teeth in a wicked smile towards Oak. ¡°It¡¯s no doubt those Swiner¡¯s are likely plague engines of some sort.¡± Z pointed at the very obvious, fifteen foot, bloated, bipedal pigs. ¡°Not sure about the Sacrificial Lambs.¡± There was a flock of the black and red wooled creatures lazily munching on the grass a good hundred or so yards away. Past that, James could see the obsidian skinned Mad Cows, their fiery horns giving them extra cool factor even at a distance. ¡°And I bet you those damned goats are even more annoying,¡± Elm added, pointing with his bow to where two Scape Goats were in the process of head butting each other. They were surrounded by another flock of dickens, with a Swiner towering over them, and a sleeping Mad Cow. The floor was more densely populated than previously, as James had been given double the number of mob points to use for hard mode. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Back when DCO had first started, and he was a Tier 1 Rank 1 dungeon, he¡¯d had 100 mob points for his first floor. The moment he¡¯d become Tier 2, his first floor had a total of 200 mob points. Now, his hard version of the floor had 400 mob points. When your highest costing mob was only 5 points¡­ 400 points went a long, long way. And that wasn¡¯t even adding in the fact that the system was programmed to ensure for every adventurer on the floor, each creature would gain an additional respawn opportunity. ¡°It¡¯s safe to assume they¡¯ve all got new skills,¡± Z reiterated, ¡°meaning we should try to use ranged attacks to aggro them in small groups, so we can figure out how they¡¯ve been upgraded.¡± He looked over everyone, ¡°past that, I¡¯m sure Old Man Jenkins has some new tricks too, and is likely an even higher level.¡± The elf turned his focus back to James and Rue, who¡¯d been listening quietly. James had smile on his face, though the grotesque gargoyle features of his Archon class likely hid what it truly was. Rue, on the other hand, had both her fangs showing by how wide her smile was. ¡°Now that we¡¯re here, anything else to share with the class?¡± Z asked with a raised eyebrow, his tone amused. ¡°Or do you plan to stand back and watch us get dicken piled again?¡± ¡°You know we can¡¯t share any secrets,¡± Rue replied, her tone a mixture of sweet and sultry, ¡°and you have to admit, that battle was enjoyable.¡± She pointed at Z then, ¡°besides, you¡¯re all over 30 levels higher than these mobs. Telling you anything extra would really just be overkill, wouldn¡¯t it? Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± Z smiled, and James saw the look in his eyes. The look the leader was famous for. The look that said he was about to throw caution to the wind, in the name of chasing a fun challenge. ¡°She¡¯s right, you know,¡± Z said, causing his teammates to grown. ¡°Sure that was a hectic battle, but we are extremely high leveled for this floor.¡± He looked down at badgey, and then up towards Turk, the giant eagle circling in lazy loops above them, scanning the floor. ¡°Do you guys want to play it safe and slow, or take this on with reckless abandon like the good ol days?¡± ¡°Are you really wanting to YOLO it against these demonic farm animals?¡± Faust asked, being a sort of voice of reason. ¡°After all we¡¯ve seen of this game and its monster types, do you really want to give the dungeon the chance to unleash even more chaos on us?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Z said with a chuckle. ¡°We took to the sixth floor in a cautious manner. We¡¯ve already died since then, and don¡¯t have any experience worth worrying over losing. And I¡¯m sure Nyx and Rue would prefer we take this floor on face first, rather than play it slow and safe. After all, they¡¯re looking to level, and we can¡¯t do that quickly, till we¡¯re facing some higher-level foes.¡± James looked at Rue, mentally trying to send her his approval for her words. She¡¯d been gentle, but her nudge had been all that was needed to move the group to a faster clearing plan. One that would ensure not only the most chaotic, ridiculous encounters possible, but also, a faster clear rate to get them moving along to later floors, where James would be able to discuss what he needed to with Z in a more discreet manner. ¡°If we¡¯re going the reckless route,¡± James cut Z and the others off. The Knight¡¯s weren¡¯t arguing over being safe or not now. They were discussing who should tank, Hornz or Oak, and also, which group to fight first. ¡°I think its time we bring back the final member of our party.¡± Oak looked immediately at James, pure joy on his face, ¡°Steve is¡­¡± he trailed off, his excitement still there, but faded slightly, as he noticed James¡¯s finger pointing towards the ground, where a massive, swirling summoning sigil had appeared. ¡°It¡¯s time to bring Ifrit out to play.¡± DCO Final Arc- Chapter 28 Chapter 28 The fiery Djinn roared to life in what James felt was a bit more dramatic than the normal summoning ritual. Fire erupted outwards from the circle, swirling in reds and yellows, to blues and even purples and greens, climbing higher and higher in a tornado of color. From within, the twenty foot frame of the might Djinn took form. His obsidian armor glow with an inner fire, while flames wreathed his ankles and wrists, flickering in spurts here and there elsewhere across his body as well. At his waist, his two ornate scimitars waited patiently, though his hands were already resting on their obsidian pommels, the djinn eager for battle. His las conflict had been on the snow covered fifth floor, a duel to the death against Sergeant Jenkins. Compared to that epic confrontation, what he was being thrown into now likely seemed¡­ anticlimactic. ¡°It¡¯s about time you called forth my might again,¡± Ifrit said in his deep, bellowing voice. He moved his hands off his blades and crossed his arms as he looked down at the party. First at James, then Rue, whose gaze he held for but a second, before he looked over the others. Ever since Rue had rudely doused him with sour goat¡¯s milk, Ifrit had been somewhat intimidated by her. Which would be funny, when you considered the twenty-foot giant was afraid of Rue¡¯s five-foot whatever thin frame. Anyone foolish enough to think that, had never truly seen Rue¡¯s angry side. ¡°Are we working to farm easy kills for my next ascension?¡± Ifrit asked as he then looked over the battlefield. An almost bored look crossed his face. The way the Djinn evolved usually included not only acquiring a set amount of kills, but also landing a certain amount of critical hits, gaining experience, and other secret factors. The Djinn had a set evolution path it wanted, and it only occasionally told James what those parameters were. Their relationship, though it was closer than before, was still being worked on. ¡°Amongst other things,¡± James said to the Djinn. ¡°This is a harder, improved version of the first floor. The base mobs are level 50, instead of level 10, and they¡¯ve a new array of dangerous skills.¡± ¡°Which is why you¡¯ve called forth my awesome might.¡± The Djinn punched his right fist into his left palm, the force sending a blast of air and flames around him. ¡°And I once again get to fight beside the mighty Knights?¡± He grinned at Oak, who waved up at him. Oak had been looking forward to Steve, because the developer was a tank class. But even still, that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t excited about Ifrit joining the fight. The Djinn was an off tank, meaning he drew aggro at a similar rate to Oak. However, instead of relying on a high defense stat and health pool to survive the damage, Ifrit relied on life steal and heal buffs that James could apply to him, as well as speed buffs and an array of flashy, rapid movements, that increased the creatures dodge ability. Oak was a bulwark on the battlefield. Ifrit was a storm of blades and fury. ¡°We figured you¡¯d want to join in on the fun.¡± Rue spoke up, ¡°and after your brave sacrifice against Sergeant Jenkins, you¡¯ve more than earned that much. Everyone here witnessed your final stand, and it was nothing short of inspiring.¡± If Djinn could blush, James was pretty sure Ifrit was. ¡°Point me towards our foes,¡± he said, pointedly looking away from Rue, ¡°and let my blades consume their spirit for battle.¡± James nodded towards Rue, and she triggered her sanguine bond on James. The skill linked her to him, allowing her to use his health pool, when needed, to empower spells. James in turn, used his own skills to apply a basic stack of buffs to Ifrit, getting his party of three prepared to aid the Knights Who Go Ni for what was to come. The mobs weren¡¯t of a level that would make them a legitimate threat. They all knew that. But still, it wasn¡¯t their levels that would be the problem. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. What made the new first floor dangerous, was the skills. The debuffs from the Swiners were nasty, and could quickly sap a player¡¯s stats, as well as drain their hp if not cleansed. Then there were the scapegoats, that now had a wide array of taunts that all applied different debuffs of their own. While dealing with those, there were of course the dickens, armed with long range attacks and gap closers that could easily take out a back line player, such as a healer or powerful magic dps, if they weren¡¯t careful. All off those mobs though, weren¡¯t the ones James was most worried about when it came to the basic mobs on this floor. They could all be dealt with, even in a chaotic matter, without presenting a danger that the mighty Knights Who Go Ni couldn¡¯t handle. What he was really worried about, and by worried, he meant eager to see in play, were the Sacrificial Lambs. Never had he thought the term wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing fit quite as well, as those cult loving sheep. ¡°Any preference on which group we go after first?¡± James asked Z, nodding to the open expanse of farmland that spread out before them, teeming with threats for the group to take on. There was no sign of Old Man Jenkins yet, nor the special hay pile that housed Hokey Pokey. The latter, James knew, was right next to the big red barn, though it was too far away to see properly. As for Old Man Jenkins, James wasn¡¯t quite sure. The boss had the ability to roam on the entire floor, but often liked to hide within the twenty-foot-tall fields of infernal corn. The crop that was always in high demand, as it served as the basis for Fireball whiskey. James was pretty sure the AI for his first-floor boss had noticed players always rushed towards the field, seeking to earn extra coin through gathering quests for the valuable crop, and he enjoyed ambushing them. Which, of course, increased the danger of harvesting the crop, and therefore, increased the reward and incentive for players to get it. ¡°Flip a coin?¡± Z said with a shrug, as he pulled out a gold coin. The coins, technically, didn¡¯t have a heads or tails side. He fixed that in a moment, offering the coin out to Badgey, and likely offering him a mental command at the same time. The badger scratched one side of the coin, marking it. ¡°Scratched or smooth.¡± Z said as he tossed the coin deftly in the air. ¡°Smooth,¡± Rue said immediately, before James could even open his mouth. When it came to games of chance¡­ Rue had a problem. The coin hit the ground, and true to her self-proclaimed assignment as the Goddess of Luck, the coin¡¯s smooth side faced them. She grinned, as if she could read James¡¯s mind, and pointed to a group of mobs in the distance. ¡°How about we start with the sheep?¡± It would see the sheep weren¡¯t the only wolves disguised amongst them. ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Z said, oblivious to the fate Rue had just sent them towards. ¡°Let¡¯s go take care of Mary¡¯s little lambs, shall we?¡± And with that, Z and the Knights made towards the sheep, singing, at the top of their lungs, a song about black sheep and wool, as they went. ¡°You¡¯re evil,¡± James whispered to Rue, as they followed the group. Ifrit had moved to the frontline and was cheerily singing along with the Knights. How the AI knew the song, James had no idea. ¡°We both know why I did it,¡± she flashed her devilish, sanguine smile towards him, her red eyes sparkling with mischief. ¡°And we both want to see all we can of the floor while we¡¯re here, before we get down to business.¡± James¡¯s excitement tempered, for just a moment. She had a point. There was a good chance this could be their last time running through the dungeon. And if that was the case, well, he wanted to see firsthand as much as he could. And worst case scenario, even if the party wiped, it wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem. Because, he and Rue both knew, failing in git gud mode, only applied a penalty to when you could join in the hard mode again. Even if they wiped, they wouldn¡¯t be locked out of the dungeon, and they¡¯d be able to dive right into the higher floors, as planned. This run right now, really, was about blowing off steam, and getting prepared for what came next. ¡°Sacrificial lambs aside,¡± James felt his own devilish smile grow, ¡°I¡¯m really hoping Old Man Jenkins will grab Hokey Pokey.¡± Rue punched him playfully as they followed the group. ¡°And you say I¡¯m the evil one.¡± ¡°Where do you think I learned it from?¡± He countered, and their laughter fell on deaf ears, drowned out by the Knight¡¯s singing, as they marched, very likely, to their own doom. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 29 Chapter 29 James felt for Oak, he really did. Not only had the man been roped into being the party¡¯s tank way back when because he¡¯d gone with a warrior class, but he¡¯d been put in one awkward situation, after another, as a result. James had personally watched the man be eaten by a giant steampunk T-Rex, smothered to death by a giant stuff snake, eaten¡­ a few times, by zombie sharks, and once by an Undead Kraken, and of course, rudely slain in a multitude of ways not counting those memorable moments. Then there were the mimic deaths, the fact he had an obvious phobia of snakes that James, both intentionally and un kept triggering. In short, Oak went through a lot. And yet he still continued on with a smile¡­ after his bitching and grumbling was done, willing to fulfill the role he¡¯d been given, to keep his adventuring party alive, and support his friends. It was admirable. Inspiring. Which made the fact he was doomed, no matter what he did, all the more painful to watch. And James, well, James was the main reason for Oak¡¯s most current, dire, predicament. ¡°It¡¯s not stopping,¡± Oak growled as Med Ic¡¯s light washed over him. All of his other debuffs were cleansed, except for one. A flashing red and black debuff on his status bar, that had the number 16 on it now. ¡°I¡¯ve used my strongest spells,¡± Med Ic replied, a bit of frustration in his voice. He really had. So had Rue, even though she of course knew it was pointless. The least they could do, in this situation, was go along with the farce. Even if James and Rue knew full well that the particular debuff wasn¡¯t going anywhere, anytime soon. Afflicted The debuff was the result of James upgrading the Cult¡¯s Wool-Aid skill to the max on his sacrificial lambs. A debuff that couldn¡¯t be cleansed. While on a target, it would sap their life and mana by a percentage every second, as well as decrease their damage output at the same rate. Gaining an additional stack of Afflicted would reset that timer, keeping those nasty effects from taking hold. Though, gaining new stacks of Afflicted was also a catastrophic fate as well, though more of a ¡®problem for later¡¯ versus ¡®problem for now¡¯ situation. The Afflicted stacks themselves would increase by 1 for every sacrificial lamb killed by the party. Or, conversely, for every 15 seconds they went without attacking a mob. That second option though, didn¡¯t reset the debuff timer, meaning their best bet, based on the knowledge the party had, was to keep killing mobs. And, given the floor was filled with creatures, that wasn¡¯t really much of a problem. Especially when Elm, Z, and Faust all had extremely long-range skills and spells to keep aggroing additional mobs towards them. ¡°Surely you guys know about this skill,¡± Med Ic said as he stood beside Rua and James. He glanced first at Rue, before he shook his head, and focused his efforts on James. ¡°Can¡¯t you give us at least some sort of hint.¡± James couldn¡¯t help but feel Med Ic had just decided James was the easier one to persuade. A fact that would have hurt, had Med Ic not been spot on. Compared to Rue, James was a pushover. But right now, as he was, with everything that had just been placed on him, he wasn¡¯t going to give in. ¡°Sorry man,¡± James said with a shake of his head. He was actively keeping track of a secondary screen of information, monitoring his buffs on Ifrit, ensuring he kept his summon in tip top shape. He had a feeling the massive Djinn would be needed in the next oh, minute or so, at the rate the adventurers were slaying sacrificial lambs. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Even if I knew, and could tell you,¡± James looked Med Ic in the eyes, his mouth spreading into it¡¯s grotesque smile, the tusk like appendages making his lips stretch, ¡°I doubt you¡¯d truly want me to tell you. It¡¯d take the fun of discovery away from you, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Med Ic pursed his lips, glanced at Oak, and then back at James. Even as he spoke, Med Ic cast a healing spell, without looking back at Oak, on the Tank. Even with the stacks ever growing, the tank himself, at the very least, stayed topped off on health. ¡°Can you at least tell me what the trigger point is?¡± Oak countered. ¡°Is this a 25 stack sort of debuff, 50, hundred? Thousand?¡± He shook his head, his tone going to a whisper, ¡°I¡¯ve no doubt when it hits its max something terrible is going to happen to Oak,¡± he chuckled, ¡°I just need to know when and how, so I can best prepare for it for the rest of the party.¡± He looked at James, pleadingly. And James cursed. Alright, he¡¯d been premature. He was still a soft sucker. ¡°Fifty.¡± James said, the words escaping his mouth before he could even process he¡¯d said them. How could he hold such information back from them? And it was harmless for the healer to know, right? There was nothing they could do to stop the stacks from gaining, unless they left the floor. And it had already been decided they were on a ride or die run, meaning they either cleared the floor, or died trying. Oak¡¯s fate had been sealed the moment that first sacrificial lamb had rolled rapidly into his crotch, erupting in a localized explosion with impossible speed, and triggering the Afflicted status on him. In the exact opposite of popular knowledge, these sacrificial lambs did not shun non-believers¡­ They flocked to them. And with every slain sacrificial lamb, they got one step closer to summoning their deity. ¡°Before you ask,¡± James added, noting Med Ic¡¯s look of victory at James¡¯s previous slip of information, ¡°I don¡¯t know what will happen when it hits fifty.¡± A partial lie, of course. He knew the person with 50 afflicted stats would instantly die. He also knew that something called The Demonic Lamb would be summoned and would exist for 0.5s per the level of the afflicted individual, as well as an additional 0.5s per sacrificial lamb still alive on the floor. Oak was level 84, meaning through levels alone that was 42 seconds in existence. James also knew there was a grand total of 75 Sacrificial Lambs on the floor, having dumped 150 of his 400 mob points into the 2-point mobs. Assuming half remained, whatever was summoned would last for a minute, maybe a little more, when it did come forth. Past that though, James really had no idea. He had no idea what level it would be, what it would look like, nor what its skills would be. He also didn¡¯t know what it would do once it was summoned. Would they survive it¡¯s arrival? Maybe? Hopefully. If any group could survive such a sudden thing, it would be Z and his group. After that, well, James could only let his imagination run wild. Though¡­ he checked Oak¡¯s status, noting his affliction rate had reached 20, they wouldn¡¯t be waiting much longer. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll save my cooldowns,¡± Med Ic said as he turned away from Rue and James, back to his party that was battling the level 50 mobs all around them, ¡°for whatever is to come. Assuming we don¡¯t all mass wipe instantly,¡± he chuckled again, and glanced back at them, a full smile on his face, ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to be a moment to put my skills as a healer to the test.¡± James shared a look with Rue, and the two of them shared a wide smile. Dealing with the unknown, fighting as a party against a unique foe. Those were the moments that gamers lived for. Those were the moments that the Knights Who Go Ni, that James and Rue lived for. Moments that made James question, deep in his mind, if he really wanted to even stop the government¡¯s plan. Because from his current viewpoint, with his adrenaline pumping in anticipation, excitement rushing through him, life in DCO, at least for him, was so much better than the real world. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 30 Chapter 30 The first true warning sign that something was amiss happened at 25 stacks. Oak¡¯s skin became covered in red runes, similar to the markings that were a cosmetic feature on devilkin. At 35 stacks, the runes began to pulsate, and a crimson glow began to emanate from them. At 40 stacks, the pulsing increased, and the sound of drums began to reverberate, as if echoing around everyone on the floor. At 45, sigils spread out beneath his feet, sinister tendrils of power that encompassed a ten-foot diameter around the tank. ¡°Fifty.¡± James said breathlessly as he watched the final stack hit. At the appearance of the sigil beneath him, everyone had pretty much determined whatever was coming, was going to be centered on the tank. Logically, that meant everyone had now distanced themselves as far back from him as possible. The nearest individual to him was Ifrit, the mighty Djinn serving to act as a tank for whatever may come. Oak, on the other hand, had activated all his remaining cooldowns, blown all his taunts, and was attempting to drag as many sacrificial lambs and other mobs with him as possible. In the short time since the stacks had begun appearing on him, they¡¯d killed easily thirty of the creatures, maybe more. An impressive effort, truly, though one that James knew was futile. A wave of absolute darkness rushed across the floor, blocking out all forms of light. James let out a startled cry, echoed by the others, as his vision was completely removed. Loud crashing sounds and roars echoed across the whole floor, demonic, guttural cries and screams. The farm animals released a cacophony of their own calls, adding to the demonic, otherworldly sounds that had suddenly appeared. The darkness was absolute. James couldn¡¯t even see his own healthbar, nor could he move. If he had to guess, it was a stasis type of effect. Games had them, though they were often frowned upon within immersion. Losing control of everything, even if for a split second, could be triggering when you were full immersed. There were too many science fiction stories in existence over people being trapped permanently within immersion, for anyone to feel comfortable with such effects. Of course, some developers simply used that phobia to invoke an extra air of stress amongst players within their games. If only they knew what was coming. James thought bitterly to himself as his mind raced. He didn¡¯t know how long his senses, save for his hearing, were robbed from him. A second? A minute? After an uncomfortable eternity, his vision cleared. Part of him wished it hadn¡¯t. Oak was gone. That much was a given. Even though James couldn¡¯t see a death orb for the tank, it was pretty clear from the molten lava that bubbled in the massive crater where he¡¯d been, that he hadn¡¯t survived. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. As if that wasn¡¯t a dead giveaway of his fate, the object standing in the middle of that lava¡­ well, floating above the lava, was. It was roughly three feet in height, a bipedal lamb, with deep voids for eyes. Around its form crimson energy crackled, intermixed with a rippling haze effect, and bursts of darkness. In each hand it held a dagger, the weapons crooked and vicious looking. Around its head, a red piece of cloth, with an eye on the center, which pulsated its own sinister light. James pulled his gaze away from it for a moment to glance at their surroundings, and noticed just as the skill had detailed, all of the sacrificial lambs on the floor were dead. If he had to guess, the swirling mass of crimson that circled the creature, was the blood of those very creatures. Part of him couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it would carry the same debuffs as the normal sacrificial lambs had. His new versions on this upgraded floor didn¡¯t have the Blood for the Blood God Damage over Time effect, as he¡¯d not chosen that path for the creatures, but did it really matter? Was this the Blood God? Could it apply all of the nasty debuffs and other effects that James had drooled over when upgrading his mobs, hating his limited amount of skill points? James shook his head, ridding himself of his curiosity, pulling himself back to the moment. Everyone else was just as stunned as he was, and he could tell they were all taking in the moment. He focused his gaze back on the creature floating above the lava. The red light pulsated again, and the flames beneath it began to part as it lowered itself into the crater. Faster and faster the power pulsed as the molten rock touched it, joining the swirling power around the creature, the light around it glowing bright and brighter. Then, as is its cloven feet touched the ground, the lave now fully circling around it, intermingled with the blood, the crackling power, and the darkness, a name appeared above the creature, along with a level. The Demonic Lamb Level: 85 At the same time, James received a notification. He flinched at the sudden notification, and noticed the others do the same. It was clear they¡¯d all received the same, but now wasn¡¯t the time. He dismissed it before he could read its title and looked to his side. Med Ic¡¯s hands glowed, and James could tell the healer was already in the process of reviving Oak. The plus side of pretty much any insta kill effect was that it didn¡¯t prevent a player from being resurrected. And James also knew, from watching it happen in person, their were even ways to completely cheat death, with items or skills, that would result in special achievements, if done properly. Med Ic¡¯s class didn¡¯t have a skill like that, though James figured, thanks to what James had told him, the healer had already planned to revive Oak once the stacks hit fifty. To the veteran healer, it was a no brainer, really. The healer wasn¡¯t the only one already acting. Z¡¯s voice barked orders, and James stopped admiring the guild, as he prepared for what he was certain would be a glorious battle. His blood boiled with excitement, as he, and everyone else, began to act in tandem with Z¡¯s, seemingly unnecessary, commands. ¡°Burn it,¡± Z yelled, his bow already unleashing arrows. His pets were rushing towards the creature, Hornz at the lead. ¡°Burn it for the glory and items that I¡¯m sure it will give us.¡± He was laughing as his guild jumped into action. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 31 Chapter 31 The question about the blood around the Demonic Lamb was answered almost immediately. Ifrit, with his massive stride and 20foot size, was the first to get within range of the creature. As he did, the red swirling liquid lashed out, striking like snakes, and bit his form in multiple areas. The damage inflicted on the summon was minimal, but he was instantly hit with max stacks of Blood for the Blood god, which threatened to deal over 400 damage if it wasn¡¯t cleansed in the next 5 seconds. James quickly cleansed his summon, and channeled a haste buff into him a moment later, increasing his attack speed and granting him increased dodge chance. The Djinn, likewise, activated its own skills, its form becoming a spinning blur as it worked to strike at the lamb from various angles, constantly moving in an effort to avoid the strikes. The skill itself, James knew, gave Ifrit an increased dodge chance, which would stack with the buff he gave him. Immediately after, James activated his Greater Seal of Solomon cooldown. It increased the Djinn¡¯s size from twenty feet to thirty feet, and lasted a base of 25 seconds, with an additional 0.4 seconds per James¡¯s level. With James at level 79, that meant the skill would be active for 56.4 seconds. While active, not including the increased size of Ifrit, the skill would enhance Ifrit¡¯s stats and abilities by a base of 25%, with an additional 0.8% per level. That meant an increase of 85.2% to Ifrit for the next nearly minute, and also, per the skill, ensured Ifrit¡¯s health couldn¡¯t hit 0. Essentially, it eliminated the need for James or anyone to focus healing on the off-tank, and allowed James to focus purely on increasing Ifrit¡¯s damage output. The perfect skill for a burn fest. James wasn¡¯t the only one burning his cooldowns. Given the timer that was counting down from above the Demonic Lamb¡¯s head, which showed a minute and thirteen seconds, they had a limited amount of time to try and kill the boss. Normally, if it were any other group, the plan would likely be to play it safe and jus try to survive for that length of time. Common gamer sense implied that type of a countdown, after an insta-kill summoning, usually meant the creature had a limited duration. But not the Knights. Not James, and not Rue. Simply surviving wouldn¡¯t be good enough. James smiled as he thought that. As he saw that very mentality playing out around him. It pushed his concerns aside and helped him solidify in his mind his plan moving forward was the right one. He couldn¡¯t just sit back and let the government decide his, and everyone else¡¯s fate. Even if their chance of success was unknown, it was better to try, to go down fighting, than just accept what was coming. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Resolve grew in James¡¯s chest, and he felt a weight lift off his shoulders, one he hadn¡¯t realized had settled so heavily on his heart and mind. He looked at Rue, his love, who was grinning from ear to ear, blood swirling around her as she cycled her own skills between healing, protection skills, cleanses, and DoT effects. Her talents really were wasted being stuck as purely a Dungeon Fairy. Rue belonged out here, with the adventurers. Perhaps after everything was said and done, they could spend more time adventuring with everyone. Turk swooped down, dropping Badgy atop the Demonic Lamb. Ifrit¡¯s increased attack speed and DPS meant he was solidly holding aggro, and the blood serpents around the special creature didn¡¯t strike at Z¡¯s animal companion. Badgy roared and became a ferocious blur of his own, muscles sprouting around his form as he activated his own special skills. Badgy the Badgerker entered a blood rage, a cooldown that would ensure he too, for the duration of the skill, couldn¡¯t die. It increased his attack speed, and gave him life steal for his attacks, as well as increased armor penetration. The skill didn¡¯t last as long as James¡¯s Seal of Solomon, but still, the fact Z¡¯s companion could use such a powerful skill on its own, was impressive all the same. Hornz, meanwhile, had surrounded itself with a putrid cloud of insects, and was standing near the Demonic Lamb, attempting to inflict a multitude of debuffs to the creature. It was a cooldown the tank mob had, and explained why the strange, towering humanoid creature with the antlers smelled so¡­ foul. Arrows rained down on the Demonic Lamb from Elm and Z, Elm¡¯s flashing with brilliant lights and colors as his Cosmic Sniper class enhance and empowered every shot, cycling through elemental affinities and effects. Z¡¯s, on the other hand, had the ability to apply a debuff to their target, increasing the damage his pets did to that target, with each consecutive hit. Faust, meanwhile, was in the process of unleashing the extremely impressive, and destructive, power of nature. Winds swirled around the Demonic Lamb, ripping rock and stone with every twist, launching shrapnel at the creature, while lightning crackled and struck the creature from above. And then, last, but certainly not least, was Oak. The freshly revived tank joined the fray immediately, leading with his Unique shield, keen on dishing out as much suffering as he could to the creature that had consumed his life to be pulled into the world. The might of seven adventurers, along with four summoned companions, equaled that of a small raid party. With two proper tanks, an off tank, two healers, and a healthy range of both physical and magical DPS, it was a party that could, and should, strike fear in damn near everything close to their level. At least¡­ that was the theory. As the Demonic Lamb¡¯s health inched down, it suddenly flashed red at the fifty percent mark, before it greyed out. That, was the only warning they got, before the second stage of the fight, began. Despite their levels. Despite their skills. Despite all of their preparation. They were¡­ wool-fully unprepared for what the Demonic Lamb did next. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 32 Chapter 32 When people think of cults, they usually, almost inevitably, think of some sort of mass Kool-Aid induced event. It was just how things went throughout history. James had read plenty about different cults, and either they ended in lots of murder, suicide, or in some cases, death by law enforcement, when the cult would have a stand off with various government organizations. Of course, during his lifetime, he couldn¡¯t remember hearing about any notable cults. At least, not ones in the real world. Because if they existed in immersion, which they did, no one really cared, since, well, it was immersion. All of that aside, the one thing that generally didn¡¯t happen with cults, because it was well, impossible, was mass revival situations. Obviously, that was a big part of the cult mindset. Serve the leader, make the sacrifice, and then bam, your soul is on a spaceship behind some comet. Whoever made the Demonic Lamb, which James figured had been Steve, had decided that was exactly what should happen. Not the spaceship part¡­ but the mass revival part. When the Demonic Lamb¡¯s health flashed red, it sent out a massive pulse of light before its health greyed out. And then, to everyone¡¯s surprise, rising from the ground like some sort of old school zombie horror film, came all of the sacrificial lambs on the floor. All of them. All 150 of them. Well, James couldn¡¯t be certain about the exact number. But it definitely seemed that way. The ground shook and rumbled, and strange moans, that seemed like the bleating of a punctured bagpipe, filled the floor. Thematically, the creatures that were raising out of the ground were, for all intents and purposes, demonic¡­zombified sheep. They still had the blackish red wool, and horns, but they oozed blood and pus, and their bodies seemed to be in various states of decay. Their movements, a small blessing, also seemed staggered and uncertain. However, there were clear signs that what was happening, was going to be a problem. The health on the Demonic Lamb resumed the normal color, implying we could damage it again, but at the same time, another timer appeared near its name. This one, was counting up, instead of down. Meaning while it had a limited amount of time left on the floor, something, for some reason, was counting upwards now. What the max was, what it meant, James had no idea. He glanced around, reapplying his buffs and stacks on Ifrit, considering they could once again resume their DPS of the Demonic Lamb, while glancing frantically around. Everyone had taken note of the new zombified sheep, but there was little they could do right now. The Demonic Lamb, with its swirling blood that stacked debuffs, and it¡¯s unknown nature in general, was something they had to deal with first and foremost. A fact that James didn¡¯t like. Moans and bleats continued as the sounds of battle raged on the floor. With every second, a little more of the Demonic Lamb¡¯s health sapped away, while it fought, with its daggers, its blood tendrils, and random flashes of what appeared to be black, crimson tinged lightning. Ifrit¡¯s health wasn¡¯t a concern. Nor was Hornz or Badgy¡¯s, but James saw Oak¡¯s health rapidly dropping, only to jump back up almost as quickly, as the two healers focused their efforts on keeping him alive. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. More moans, more bleating. James glanced at their surroundings. The zombified sheep, slow moving as they were, were drawing nearer. They¡¯d been lucky, somehow, in the fact none had sprung up directly around them. However, just as he had that thought, the timer above the Demonic Lamb, the one that was counting upwards, hit ten seconds. It flashed, the creature at about 30 percent of its health, and another pulse of power ripped out from it. The creature floated a little higher into the air, as it eyes glowed brightly. And then, from the ground, black tendrils grasped hold of everyone. Players, and mobs that weren¡¯t zombified sacrificial lambs alike. The tendrils pulsed, and James noticed a snared debuff appear. The healers were already working on cleansing it, but that was only going to help them. The bigger problem, he realized¡­ was what he saw happening all around them. Demonic farm animals struggled, fruitlessly, against the tendrils. They were, after all, summoned by a special, level 85 boss. The poor level 50 mobs couldn¡¯t free themselves. Hell, James was pretty sure he heard Old Man Jenkins screaming about the tendrils as well. And as the struggled, the tendrils pulsed with dark power. And the demonic, zombified sheep, drew towards those pulses like moths to a flame. The Demonic Lamb¡¯s time on the floor was limited by its mechanics. But apparently, even as it neared death, it was going to ensure its cult grew¡­ James new full well the dangers of zombified creatures. Everyone in the instance knew full well how dangerous they were. They¡¯d used zombies, in fact, as a way to turn the tide of a battle during the first ever Siege War, where he¡¯d faced off against BLANK. Before, of course, they were friends. Back when Xander was still in control and had tried to manipulate his children into removing James from the game. A pang of sadness for Xander, or maybe for BLANK over the loss of their father, hit him, but it was washed away a moment later. This wasn¡¯t the time. Right now, they had a new threat to worry about, on top of the Demonic Lamb. Because there was no way James, or the others, were going to let the Demonic Farm become overrun by zombies. Not when they still had the boss, and special boss, to contend with. ¡°As much as I¡¯m enjoying the very Evil Dead vibe,¡± Z was calling out as James turned his focus back to the Demonic Lamb. It was still floating higher and higher, it¡¯s cloven hooves now roughly five feet off the ground. Badgy¡¯s short three foot frame was having a hard time reaching him now. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure we don¡¯t want to let this thing keep unleashing those pulses.¡± He had a point. The timer was still counting upwards. Now at fifteen seconds. Meanwhile, it still had a good forty seconds to go before it unsummoned. So much was happening, in such a short amount of time. Had it¡¯s timer stopped counting down when it¡¯s health had greyed out? Or was there a way it was extending its time on the floor? James really hadn¡¯t been paying as much attention to the creature as he should be. There was too much happening all around them. It was pure chaos. ¡°Well I don¡¯t think we can kill it any faster,¡± Elm called as he released another shot into the Demonic Lamb. ¡°It¡¯s not like we aren¡¯t trying to kill it as fast as possible.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve used all my mass single target damage spells,¡± Faust added, ¡°and I¡¯m pretty sure my DPS numbers are the highest in the party right now.¡± ¡°Only because it doesn¡¯t count my summons,¡± Z countered with a laugh. He unleashed another set of shots into the Demonic Lamb. The creature¡¯s timer hit 20, and James felt everyone in the area instinctively wince. On cue, another pulse, another wave of energy. Tendrils didn¡¯t appear this time. At least¡­ not from the ground. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 33 Chapter 33 ¡°We really should have come here with the Boss Slayerz,¡± Elm called as the Demonic Lamb¡¯s health continued its descent to 0. The timer was nearly thirty seconds, both ways. And judging by the carnage taking place all around the floor. They didn¡¯t want to let it keep counting upwards. ¡°How was I supposed to know the git gud mood would really want us to git gud?¡± Z was laughing. They all were, even as they called out complaints. Even as the zombie sheep used the dark appendages, which had ripped free from their backs during the last pulse, to apparently suck the very life from the poor, bound mobs on the floor. ¡°Like come on, I figured bringing them along would have been overkill.¡± ¡°We better get some kick ass loot for this,¡± Oak growled. Beside James, Rue and Med Ic wore intense looks of concentration. Keeping the tank alive, especially over the last ten or so seconds, had become an intense task. With the last pulse, that had empowered the zombie sheep, it had risen even higher into the air. And when it did, a massive pool of dark, inky nothingness had appeared beneath it. From which, more tendrils had sprung, lashing out at anything and everything that moved around them. Even Ifrit, with his increased movement speed and dodge chance, as well as evasion skills, had begun taking more and more damage. Badgy, meanwhile, was in the process of being dragged down into that very same inky darkness, while Turk tried, in a strange tug of war, to keep the creature from being consumed by the void-like maw. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll all be fine,¡± Z said as he tossed an item behind him. It was a consumable item, something that players had begun crafting recently from the fifth floor. A cybernetic stasis field, a single use item that deployed a static field of energy in a five-by-five circle. Anything that walked into the field, had their movement speed slowed by 80percent for two seconds. Apparently, they¡¯d gained the ability to craft the traps, and others, following interactions with Sergeant Jenkins, the acquisition of cybernetic parts from the mobs on the fifth floor, and players finally getting their crafting skills to high enough levels to create such things. From what James knew of the items, they weren¡¯t cheap, and only players who spent a lot of time on the fifth floor to farm materials or had a lot of gold to spend on such things, actually used them. And this was honestly the first time James had seen one in action. He¡¯d only read about them being used on the Reddit thread for his dungeon. ¡°Not as good as Crikey¡¯s,¡± Z said, noting James¡¯s gaze, ¡°but it¡¯s better than nothing right now. Picked em up for the sixth floor, figured they¡¯d work well against the Fogeyman or Kappa¡¯s, but hey,¡± he shrugged, shooting multiple arrows into the Demonic Lamb, while the stasis field crackled, stopping the zombified sacrificial lamb that had been walking towards him, ¡°might as well test it out here just in case, yeah?¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. He winked at James, unleashed another shot at the Demonic Lamb, and then spun around. He took aim for all of a breath, before his bow pulsed with power. An arrow, about five times too large, erupted from the weapon. It punched into the zombified sheep, and the creature¡¯s body blew apart in a gooey mass. Z was immediately covered by the carnage, which caused the grin on his face to falter. James, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t help but laugh. And the others, taking quick note of Z¡¯s misfortune, all joined in. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for trying to be cool,¡± Faust had an electrical field of his own active now. His wasn¡¯t an item, but a skill. The DPS storm covered a radius of thirty feet behind him and shot bolts of lightning down at any creatures that came too close. Z wiped his mouth, before his face twisted, a puzzled look on his face. ¡°Why does it taste like sour cherry Kool-Aid?¡± He asked, looking directly towards James and Rue. They both shrugged. ¡°No idea,¡± James said. ¡°Though I¡¯d venture to guess Steve had a hand in it.¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Z turned back to the Demonic lamb, his grin turning to a grimace. The creature had about three percent of its health left¡­ and the timer counting up had just hit 30 seconds. Further into the sky it rose. Its eyes glowed like miniature suns. Power pulsed from it, and this time, a deafening bleat echoed outwards from the Demonic Lamb. It was a powerful, ominous, low sound. Like a thousand different bleats, all released at once, all in perfect unison. Then, a combination of attacks blasted into it, and its health hit 0. Immediately, James got an achievement notification, as the creature¡¯s body erupted, a bloody geyser spraying forth from the inky darkness that had appeared below it. Badgy was flung outwards as the tendrils retracted, the spray of blood shooting a good thirty feet into the air, raining down on everyone. They didn¡¯t have time to cheer, as they were covered in the crimson shower. The Demonic Lamb was dead, but the final bleat had, most definitely, empowered the zombified sheep even more. More tendrils had sprung from their backs, their eyes had taken on a red glow, and their horns had twisted¡­ and turned into identical replica¡¯s of the culty-looking daggers the Demonic Lamb had been wielding. Oh, and not to be missed, was the fact they no longer walked on the ground. Instead, they floated, a few inches above the ground, which also appeared to have increased their movement speed. The Demonic Lamb had returned to its realm, but not, without, leaving one final gift for its faithful flock. A parting gift for the creatures to become, just that much more, of a threat for James and his companions. And yet, all James could think of, as they turned to face the undead threat, was that the damned liquid really did taste like Kool-Aid. Damnit Steve. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 34 Chapter 34 ¡°A pitchfork?¡± Oak turned back to the party, motioning at the massive, obsidian pitchfork. ¡°The final boss on this floor is a pitchfork?¡± The object in question was sitting atop a pile of hay, like some discount pulp fiction version of Excalibur. It¡¯s golden runes glowed along the shaft, while crimson pulsed all around it. The fist sized skull gazed at the party, and even though its sockets were empty, James could feel the intensity of that gaze. ¡°A platinum coin says grabbing it does something.¡± Z offered, looked back towards James and Rue as he spoke. ¡°Anyone want to give it a go?¡± James eyed Ifrit, really tempted to make his summon grab it. Technically the Unique Floor Boss that was Hokey Pokey could only be drawn by boss tiered creatures, aka Old Man Jenkins, or adventurers. Ifrit, wasn¡¯t either, but considering the Djinn was a unique summon for a special adventurer class, James was curious if the Djinn could pick it up. Old Man Jenkins¡­ sadly, had succumbed to the zombified sheep horde before they could clear a path to him, meaning that route was no longer an option. ¡°Anyone at all?¡± Z scanned around the party. It was clear there was power radiating from the pitchfork. But as it stood, it couldn¡¯t do anything just yet. Unless it was freed by someone grabbing it, or it took damage, it had to sit there, waiting patiently, for something to happen. To that degree, James and the others could easily just walk out of the dungeon, without having to face the creature. But where was the fun in that? ¡°You want to pick it up?¡± James asked Ifrit. The Djinn glanced at the object, and then back at James, a thoughtful expression on his face. Then, he shook his head. ¡°I can sense powerful magic coming from it,¡± he said, his normally boisterous nature subdued, ¡°I¡¯d rather not pointlessly waste the kill stacks I¡¯ve been gaining during this run. Already I have sacrificed my own progress for the good of the adventurers. This time, I¡¯ll not risk my life so pointlessly.¡± His blades flashed with fire, as he grinned at James. ¡°Besides, I wield proper blades. A pitchfork, is not the weapon of a warrior.¡± ¡°Technically,¡± Z countered, ¡°pitchforks were commonly used in combat during the medieval ages.¡± Everyone looked at the elf, and he just shrugged and grinned. ¡°Sorry, couldn¡¯t resist. Any who,¡± he looked back at the pitchfork. Above it, its name, and level, glowed for all to see. ¡°Should we just attack the thing and see what happens? I¡¯ve a feeling it¡¯s waiting for us, either intentionally or not, to make the first move.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°If you really want someone to grab the damned thing,¡± Rue interrupted then, walking cockily towards the gleaming pitchfork. She had a mischievous glint to her eyes. ¡°I can sacrifice myself as tribute.¡± James looked at her, and she shot him a smile and wink. The description had been¡­ less than specific about what would happen if an adventurer grabbed it. It was pretty much a given that it would unleash the power of the sealed demon, Olmac Con¡¯ald, but how, and in what way, hadn¡¯t been specified. James was willing to sacrifice any of the actual adventurers in that regard. They were players, through and through. Other than being awesome gamers, there weren¡¯t any strange secrets or settings applied to their forms within DCO. Meaning, James figured the mechanic would work just fine. For him, and especially Rue though¡­ that wasn¡¯t the case. These new ¡®developer avatars¡¯ were newly introduced to the game. There was a chance something could go wrong with the coding. James wasn¡¯t a computer expert, but he knew well enough that a single bit of code, the slightest tweak or unforeseen change, could cause catastrophic problems. Past that, was the fact that Rue was the only being in existence who was fully, one hundred percent, a part of the digital world. If something went wrong, there were no safety procedures. Her mind couldn¡¯t be immediately extracted from the game and returned to her body. While slight, perhaps even an impossibility, there was a chance the unknown surrounding Hokey Pokey could cause her actual harm. Or¡­ more likely, if James was being honest with himself, he just didn¡¯t want Rue putting herself in pointless danger. ¡°One of the party¡¯s healers probably shouldn¡¯t put herself at risk pointlessly.¡± James said, trying his best to keep his emotions in check. Rue scowled at him, and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in playing it perfectly safe?¡± She asked, cocking her head to the side as she looked at him. ¡°There¡¯s a thrill in taking risks.¡± She winked at him, ¡°you should know that.¡± Whistling and chuckles from the Knights Who Go Ni made James blush. Or at least, if he¡¯d been in his real body it would have. He still wasn¡¯t sure if his Archon race could blush, with its bestial face. ¡°She¡¯s got you there,¡± Z said once he was finished laughing, ¡°though Rue, I have to side with Nyx on this one. Healers shouldn¡¯t be doing reckless things. At least, not when it comes to boss encounters. Against normal mobs and whatever else, I have absolute no care how you play, as long as you¡¯re having fun.¡± He looked back at the gleaming pitchfork, ¡°but considering all of the unknowns this floor has already thrown our way, I¡¯d feel much safer knowing you¡¯re not in danger.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Rue said with a huff, marching back towards James and Med Ic. ¡°Be a buzzkill why don¡¯t you.¡± Z chuckled, looked at the rest of the party, and I saw the famous twinkle in his eyes that told me he was about to do something completely reckless, and stupid. ¡°Don¡¯t hate me Rue,¡± he said as he turned his back to the party and sized up the pitchfork. Then, with a laugh on his lips, he dashed forward, his bow disappearing into his inventory as he raced up the hay, his hand reaching for the pitchfork. ¡°But if anyone¡¯s going to do something reckless and stupid right about now,¡± his hand wrapped around the black, glowing shaft. He turned, triumphed, and looked down at the party. ¡°It¡¯s going to be me.¡± And then. Just like that. Z was gone. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 35 Chapter 35 James wasn¡¯t sure what was more terrifying. Z completely disappearing, along with all of his pets, as if he¡¯d never been there¡­ or a giant pitchfork, which had caused the aforementioned disappearance, flying around, randomly stabbing at everyone it could. No sooner had Z disappeared, than the pitchfork, magically floating in midair, had lunged at the next closest thing. Oak managed to block the jab from the spikes, catching the blow with his shield, but the force had pushed him back. James had seen his health take a bit of damage as well and figured the level 75 unique floor boss had a built-in pierce mechanic. ¡°I don¡¯t see a revive orb.¡± Med Ic said, as he turned his gaze towards James and Rue, a look of both judgmental accusation, and questioning, crossing his face. ¡°What happened to him?¡± James shrugged, honestly uncertain. His prompts hadn¡¯t told him what would happen if an adventurer tried to wield Hokey Pokey. He knew if Old Man Jenkins had picked the weapon up, then a powerful demonic presence would have taken over the boss, and they¡¯d be fighting that. But as for Z, James honestly had no idea. ¡°He¡¯s not dead,¡± Rue answered, ¡°if I had to guess, he¡¯s been teleported to a different location. Look at his information in the party window.¡± Med Ic¡¯s eyes glanced to the side as he scanned the information. It was likely the healer had just intended for James and Rue to give him a quick answer, and was treating them as a go to wiki, rather than investigating anything too much. James couldn¡¯t blame him for that. It was an easy thing to do. Who better to ask, than someone who worked on the game, after all? Only, James and Rue weren¡¯t actual developers. And they barely had any extra information regarding what was going on, compared to the adventurers. For now, Med Ic, and the others, didn¡¯t know that. They would though. Soon. ¡°It¡¯s greyed out.¡± Med Ic said, his face taking on a puzzled look. He glanced at Oak, who was continuing to dodge the swinging pitchfork, and attempting to strike it with his axe in between blocks. Faust was casting spells at it, and Ifrit was currently swinging his own blades at the object. It reminded James of someone trying to swat a fly. If a person was of course, close to thirty feet in height¡­ and it was a seven-foot-long fly with dangerously pointed teeth¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t feel like it¡¯s maneuvering appropriately,¡± James muttered as he watched the fight. Since he was a pet class, all he had to do was keep himself out of danger and keep his buffs up on Ifrit. Meaning, he had a lot of time to sit back, and try to figure things out. While figuring out what had happened to Z was the biggest concern, of course, watching the pitchfork he couldn¡¯t help but question what the developers were thinking. It was clearly crafted out of obsidian. And yet, it was bending and twisting midair, more like a Japanese dragon, or perhaps a snake from the ancient retro games, than anything else. James didn¡¯t have to be a scientist to know Obsidian wasn¡¯t fluid. If he had to guess, that fluid state was how they justified giving the unique boss its passive 25% chance to dodge incoming damage. Between that, it protection from nonmagical sources, and its defense stat of 1,666, the Unique Floor Boss was proving quite tanky. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°If he¡¯s not here, where is he?¡± Med Ic said after a moment. He¡¯d paused to cast a heal on Oak. Elm, with Z gone, had taken command, and was calling out battle plans for the party. Technically Z was just a DPS for the party, with the addition of his pets being able to fill in roles as needed. With him gone, they were only down damage, nothing more, nothing less. It was less of a serious concern, from a safety point of view, than if a party¡¯s tank or healer was suddenly removed from the premises. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, honest.¡± James answered. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Hokey Pokey could make a person disappear like that.¡± ¡°Yet you were quick to question Rue grabbing it.¡± Med Ic countered. ¡°That¡¯s because he¡¯s got a crush on me.¡± Rue countered, before James could come up with an excuse to justify his actions. From the way Med Ic saw it, James had been protecting Rue. And it made him seem guilty. ¡°Rue,¡± James started, but she giggled and cut him off. ¡°Nyx here doesn¡¯t like the idea of me putting myself in any danger. Whatsoever. Honestly,¡± she heaved a fake sigh, ¡°it¡¯s so exhausting. And yet,¡± she shot James a wink, ¡°what can I say. I¡¯m a sucker for that kind of chivalry.¡± James could feel his neck heating up. He was pretty sure Rue was just lying on her feet to get Med Ic off his back, but he had to admit, her words rang true. James didn¡¯t want Rue getting hurt. He¡¯d do everything in his power to protect her. And he hated the idea of her taking pointless risks. Call it chivalry, or whatever, but he cared about her. And there was nothing wrong with that. The lie worked. Med Ic grinned, and a chuckle bubbled out. ¡°Ah, to be young again.¡± he said, shaking his head. He turned his attention back to the party that was fighting the boss. Hokey Pokey still had A LOT of his health pool remaining. ¡°Still, we need to figure out what happened to Z,¡± he nodded up and to the left, implying they should check the party screen Rue had mentioned. ¡°Wherever he is, he¡¯s taking damage. And I know he¡¯s got a crazy amount of potions, healing items, and other tricks up his sleeve. But he¡¯s not invincible. Even with his menagerie to keep him safe.¡± Sure enough, Z¡¯s greyed out information, health bar included, was still active. They couldn¡¯t see any buffs or debuffs on him, but his health was noticeably dropping slowly. The way it inched downwards made James think that wherever he was, he was under the effect of a DoT ability. Either from a skill, or perhaps the area he¡¯d been teleported to was just passively damaging to adventurers. Either way, without a healer with him, sooner or later, he¡¯d die. Would his revived orb appear back on the floor when that happened? Would something happen to empower Hokey Pokey, if that happened? Even more concerning, when James focused on Z¡¯s information, pulling up the party chat skill, he noticed a block on the message feature. Wherever Z was, they couldn¡¯t send him information, either. ¡°Any ideas then?¡± James asked. The benefit of the Demon Lamb and the zombie sheep earlier, was that all of the other mobs on the floor were now dead. All they had to worry about was the flying pitchfork. No stray dicken blasts, nor random exploding sheep, and no Old Man Jenkins. There was still the off chance that Charles the Dicken appeared, but past that, they could focus solely on Hokey Pokey. Which meant, they had enough breathing room to try and sort out the fight. Even more so, thanks to their level difference. Hokey Pokey may be a Unique Floor Boss, but the Knights Who Go Ni were still almost 10 levels higher than him a piece. Combined with their gear, and all of their various class boosts, they had the stats to handle this fight without a constant feeling of panic or imminent death. ¡°I¡¯ve got a few,¡± Med Ic said, and the healer held up a hand to rub his chin. He looked from James, to Rue, and then back to the pitchfork. ¡°Probably not the most brilliant plan, but a plan, nonetheless.¡± ¡°Well, if it gets this fight over with, and gets Z back,¡± James said, applying another stack of buffs to Ifrit as he spoke, ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡± Med Ic¡¯s grin practically reached his eyes. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan.¡± DCO Final Arc- Chapter 36 Chapter 36 James was pretty sure everyone in The Knights Who Go Ni was crazy. Well, maybe not crazy. After all, this was just a video game, and they didn¡¯t have any real stakes against them. And they were, without a doubt, the most experienced and cohesive group of gamers he¡¯d ever had the pleasure of meeting. But even still, the reckless abandon with which they¡¯d throw themselves into the unknown, especially to help each other, and attempt to seize victory, inspired James. It also cemented in him his decision to bring them into the fold, once they were somewhere a little more¡­ private. ¡°Snare the pitchfork,¡± Med Ic called out to Oak as he prepared to put his plan into action. The tank glanced back at the healer, then shrugged, and activated a snare effect. Lightning erupted from around him, creating a massive cage of pulsating power. The Unique Boss lashed against its electric confines, like a dog placed in a too small cage. The snare was effective, but it¡¯d be short lived. Most effects were, after all. Especially against bosses. ¡°If this works,¡± Med Ic was already running towards Oak and the others. He nodded in passing to Elm, ¡°follow me.¡± Elm nodded back, a wild grin on his face. ¡°What about me?¡± Oak grumbled. He wasn¡¯t even bothering to ask what Med Ic was up to. ¡°Stay here and tank. We¡¯re splitting for a zone fight.¡± And with that, Med Ic reached the caged Unique Boss. He reached his hand out and grabbed hold of the obsidian handle. Just like before, the skull at its base flared with power, and then, Med Ic was gone. James checked and confirmed that just like Z, the healer¡¯s name had greyed out. ¡°Here goes nothing,¡± Elm had begun moving even as Med Ic raced towards the pitchfork. The electrical cage around it cleared, and it shot upwards, but Elm was just as fast. An arrow shot towards it, crackling with power, and smashed into it. It wasn¡¯t a snare, but a slow. The pitrchfork¡¯s movement speed decreased by about half, giving Elm the time he needed to grab hold of it. And then, just like that, they were down three members. ¡°Guess I¡¯m supposed to just sit here and keep tanking it.¡± Oak grumbled, his shield already interrupting another blow. James looked at the poor tank. Oak did his job well, but it usually meant he was stuck with the short end of things. ¡°I can have Ifrit try and tank, if you want to go with them,¡± James offered. Med Ic had discussed the plan with them. Z¡¯s pets could serve as tanks wherever they were. With Elm and Med Ic reunited with Z, the healer was confident they could handle whatever they were facing on the other side. And with Rue as a healer as well, Med Ic didn¡¯t feel bad about risking his life on the plan. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Appreciate it,¡± Oak grunted as the pitchfork slammed into his shield. The A.L.I.E.N. head on the shield lashed out, spraying acid, the green ooze covering the gleaming obsidian, ¡°but it¡¯s probably best if I stay out here. If we wipe out here, who knows what happens to them.¡± He sighed, ¡°and sadly, my level gap means I¡¯m better suited to be the tank out here anyways.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a hard job right now,¡± Faust added. Lightning storms crackled above, and the pitchfork seemed to dance as it weaved around the strikes. Some hit it, others completely missed, as the Unique Boss engaged in a deadly tango. All the while, Oak held its aggro, masterfully working his skills to keep the unique boss fully focused on him. Given Faust and Ifrit¡¯s extremely high damage outputs, it was impressive. ¡°I never said it was,¡± Oak¡¯s shield rang out as it blocked another attack. Crimson light glowed from Rue, rushing towards him to heal him. He nodded back at her appreciatively, as he prepared another skill. ¡°Just hate splitting the party.¡± ¡°It brings back memories though,¡± Faust said as they continued their clash. Hokey Pokey had only lost about a third of its HP so far, and James knew this was going to be a long battle. ¡°Locking us out of communication with each other is new though.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like the good old days, where we could all just chill in Voice Chat with each other outside of the game, and work around any mechanics meant to hinder our communication,¡± Oak chuckled, his voice filled with nostalgia. ¡°Really crazy how much more intense these battles can be.¡± ¡°Definitely makes DCO worth playing,¡± Faust concluded. ¡°Between the endless class possibilities, and the sheer variety of dungeons and experiences we get to try out.¡± He laughed, pointing both of his hands towards the pitchfork as he spoke. Energy crackled, as a massive beam of raw lightning tore from his hands. The air around him distorted from the heat as it smashed into the boss with an impressive crashing sound, like waves upon a cliff. Then, a boom ripped out around them, deafening James for a moment. ¡°Glad we got the chance to play a game like this in our time,¡± Faust said as everyone¡¯s hearing returned. ¡°Makes what we¡¯ve lived through all worth it.¡± Oak and Faust went quiet at that, and James felt a solemn weight fall upon the group. He had no idea what they¡¯d all been through. He knew Z¡¯s story of course. And former Marine turned brilliant doctor turned school nurse had a tragic backstory. What about the others though? What had they all seen? What had they all been through? And how did they continue pushing forward, through all of that? How did they smile and laugh, when it was clear they¡¯d all seen their fair share of tragedy and sorrow? James looked at Rue, but she shook her head. It wasn¡¯t their place to interrupt the somber moment. He got that. This was something intimate, something they were outsiders for. And that was fine. They could have their moment. James focused instead on dealing with Hokey Pokey and surviving this unique boss. He¡¯d help them get another potential Instance first, and another set of fun experiences, before he turned the mood even darker. Before he told them the truth about DCO, and what was to come. For now, they had a possessed pitchfork to deal with. After, they¡¯d deal with the darker truths of the game they¡¯d all come to love. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 37 Chapter 37 It took nearly ten minutes, given the decreased amount of DPS they had, but they finally brought Hokey Pokey down. When it¡¯s health hit 0, the skull at the base of the pitchfork flashed with a bright light, before it shattered, a crazed, cackling escaping past James and the others before it faded into eerie nothingness. With the skull shattered, and the magic animating it gone, the pitchfork itself crumbled apart, and a rift appeared where it had been. Swirling black and red energy formed into an oval, nearly six feet tall, and roughly four foot wide. From the oval emerged a laughing and chatting Z, Med Ic, and Elm, as well as Z¡¯s animal companions. ¡°About time you guys brought it down,¡± Elm said as he looked pointedly at Faust. ¡°Weren¡¯t you bragging just the other day that your DPS was the highest in our party? What took so long?¡± ¡°Just because it¡¯s the highest in the party,¡± Faust countered, ¡°doesn¡¯t mean I can make up for losing not one, but two of the other DPS dealers in our party.¡± ¡°We left you with Nyx and Ifrit,¡± Med Ic replied, nodding towards the massive Djinn. Ifrit was sweating, literally. Small bits of flame dripped down his face and bare chest, before falling to the ground, leaving sizzling scorch marks. The Djinn had been moving, nonstop, the entire battle. Hokey Pokey¡¯s evasion chance really had made the fight hard on him. ¡°It was still a high level unique boss fight,¡± Faust added, ¡°if you wanted to burn it fast, you should have stayed out here with us.¡± He looked around, ¡°though, honestly, it probably did go better than it should have. Rue¡¯s quite the healer.¡± He winked at Rue, ¡°probably better than you actually, Med Ic.¡± ¡°Hey now,¡± Z interrupted before Med Ic could respond, ¡°no need to insult Med Ic. Besides, it was good that he came when he did. I needed help with the Pitchfork¡¯s friends on the other side.¡± Z¡¯s grin told James he¡¯d made some sort of joke, but James didn¡¯t get it. ¡°What did happen when you grabbed the pitchfork?¡± James asked, deciding it wasn¡¯t worth dwelling on whatever old school humor Z had. ¡°You disappeared from here, and your name was greyed out. But that¡¯s all I could tell.¡± ¡°The boss fight is apparently a two-fer.¡± Z said, nodding back to the crackling portal that was already shrinking. ¡°Not sure if it has other ways to teleport adventurers to that realm, or its just for anyone foolish enough to grab it, but it¡¯s a pretty weird situation regardless. Takes you to a massive, well¡­ farm.¡± ¡°Like, just a different variant of this floor?¡± James asked. ¡°Nope. The layout was nothing like this floor. The one we were teleported to felt well, more authentically farm-like. Though the farm animals were all demonic farm animals. There were a ton of them too. All level 75. They aggroed onto me the moment I appeared there, and it was all I could do to hold them off before Med Ic and Elm arrived.¡± ¡°I think they¡¯re a mechanic for the fight,¡± Elm added, ¡°pretty sure the boss has some sort of way to summon those farm animals to the instance in which everyone is fighting it. Us being there and killing them, likely prevented that from happening. Though, on top of the swarms of demonic farm animals, the air itself was toxic. We were taking about one percent of our hp every ten seconds as damage. I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s a DPS check. A group has to teleport to that alternate farm and destroy mobs, while the main group fights the actual boss. If the group that teleports falls, or no one teleports, then the boss will summon his mobs to the actual fight. And if the group outside cannot kill the boss fast enough, eventually the group that teleported to the other farm will likely fall from the constant battling and life drain.¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. James had to admit, he liked the sound of that. He¡¯d faced bosses like it of course, during his time playing large scale MMOs in immersion like Warcraft Universe, aka WU. He¡¯d had a few interesting fights on his warlock character there in fact, where the mechanic actually separated him from his summons, which forced him to have to play a completely different style for the fight. Challenges outside of the norm were refreshing for MMO players after all, and he¡¯d appreciated it. After¡­ that is, he¡¯d vented his frustration over the mechanic more than a few times after some tragic raid wipes. ¡°Any way,¡± Z pointed towards a chest that had appeared in place of the haystack Hokey Pokey had been stuck in. ¡°Should we grab our loot and keep going?¡± ¡°Here¡¯s hoping for something good,¡± Oak said, rubbing his hands together eagerly, ¡°daddy needs another unique item.¡± ¡°Another unique item,¡± Z said with a mock sneer, ¡°how about you share the luck and let me get one for once.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure sooner or later the Goddess of Luck will bless you with something good,¡± Rue said, shooting James a mischievous wink as she did. ¡°Maybe not here, but eventually.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a reason I offer her a platinum coin every time I step foot on the first floor,¡± Z replied, completely unaware that Rue was the afore mentioned goddess. ¡°Increased loot drop and rarity chances are too good to pass up. Especially at our levels.¡± The others all nodded, and moved towards the chest. It glowed with crimson and black demonic energy, the same as had been emanating from the skull around Hokey Pokey. ¡°Speaking of levels,¡± James said, a grin on his own face. ¡°I¡¯m nearly three quarters of the way to level 80, thanks to the achievements we¡¯d just received.¡± ¡°How many achievements did you get?¡± Z asked as he neared the chest. ¡°Two,¡± James answered, looking over the two of them as he spoke. Achievement Unlocked- Got Good ¨C Defeat a Unique Boss that has been summoned in a Hard Mood instance Reward- 10,000xp, 25 Platinum Achievement Unlocked- Try Hard ¨C Clear a Hard Mood Instance Reward- 15,000xp, 30 Platinum, Title: Dungeon Veteran Dungeon Veteran: Increases experience gained for party when clearing Hard Mood instances by 1% per member with this title, up to 5% max. The title was nice, James had to admit, but the experience bonus and financial gain had been even better. Of course, with what he made as the Dungeon Core, platinum itself wasn¡¯t all that important to him anymore. And that was if he wasn¡¯t considering the fact that there was the very real potential that real world money wouldn¡¯t matter if the Government got away with their plan... The experience then was the best. From level 79 to 80, it took adventurers 35,200xp. Those two achievements had gotten him more than half of what he needed, and he¡¯d already had some from the Siege Event. Meaning, he, and Rue, were on the cusp of reaching level 80. It wasn¡¯t the main purpose of this dungeon run, of course, but James wouldn¡¯t pass up the opportunity to hit level 80. Especially since Steve had confirmed Developer Avatars didn¡¯t give their experience to the dungeon upon their deaths, meaning there was no reason for him to ¡®accidently¡¯ get killed for the greater good of the dungeon. ¡°Next time you¡¯ll have to be on the away team and get teleported.¡± Z said with a grin, pulling James from his musing. The Guild leader¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at Faust and Oak. ¡°Elm, Med Ic, and I got a total of four. Those two, one for getting teleported to a special boss realm, and one for surviving in the boss realm until you defeated him.¡± ¡°Now who¡¯s the lucky one,¡± Oak grumbled, as Z opened the treasure. His eyes gleamed, and he laughed before Z could respond, as each party member received their loot from the Unique Boss Chest. ¡°Never mind,¡± Oak said, his axe disappearing from his hand, to be replaced with an exact replica of Hokey Pokey in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s still me.¡± DCO Final Arc- Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Oak¡¯s new weapon was, of course, classified as a Unique Item. Because James wasn¡¯t in his Dungeon Core form at the moment, he couldn¡¯t easily pull up the information on it. Be that as it may, Oak was more than happy to brag about it. Shortly after leaving Hard Mode first floor, as they walked from the fifth-floor safe zone town towards the shack that housed the portal to the sixth floor, Oak filled them in on everything they could possibly want to know about it weapon. ¡°It¡¯s called Olmac Don¡¯ald¡¯s Tuning Fork,¡± Oak said excitedly as James walked beside him. The words turned to frost from the chill of the fifth floor. The others all huddled close to the tank as they made their way to the next floor, knowing full well the dangers of the fifth floor. Even though level wise they didn¡¯t have much to worry about, considering the mobs were level 75, a lucky critical from a Painguin shot could prove fatal. Especially for James and Rue, who were both, arguably, squishy classes. ¡°The set it¡¯s a part of is called The Arch Demon¡¯s Possession set.¡± Oak continued. ¡°Base stat wise, it gives me a boost to my attack, mana, and evasion chance. And just like my shield, it is immune to effects that destroy gear.¡± ¡°Which is good, considering your tendency to be eaten.¡± Elm quipped. ¡°Gotta protect your gear from the digestive acids, huh.¡± ¡°Hey Nyx,¡± Z cut in, obviously still salty about not receiving a Unique Item yet, ¡°the boss on the sixth floor, what are the chances it can eat Oak?¡± ¡°The sixth floor boss?¡± James tried to play coy. ¡°Yeah, the Jormungrandr.¡± Z replied, fixing James with a knowing smile. ¡°It¡¯s a giant level ending snake, isn¡¯t it?¡± He looked at Oak, ¡°so, technically, it can eat players, right?¡± James shrugged in as noncommittal a way as possible, though he felt his lips tug upwards at the thought of Oak getting eaten by the massive sixth floor boss. The poor guy, with his fear of snakes, would surely curse his luck if that were to occur. Still, he¡¯d conquered his fear enough to deal with the Giant Playthons on the third floor, so James had no doubt Oak would prevail. Even if it involved a good bit of screaming and protesting. ¡°If you purposefully try to feed me to a giant snake, I¡¯m uninstalling the game.¡± Oak countered, shooting a glare at Z. ¡°Don¡¯t test me. There are plenty of other games I can play, that don¡¯t involve me getting eaten by giant snakes.¡± ¡°Yet dragons are totally fine.¡± Faust added, tone sarcastic. ¡°No problems getting eaten by that massive dragon in Monster Hunter.¡± ¡°Dragons have legs.¡± Oak said matter of factly. ¡°And wings, and proper bodies. They¡¯re not like snakes¡­ that just,¡± he shuddered, ¡°slither around.¡± ¡°Can we stop talking about things that slither, and get back to your new pokey stick?¡± Rue cut in. ¡°What else can it do? What special properties does it have?¡± Rue, just like James, was eager to know more about the Unique Item. They were the only types of items the two of them couldn¡¯t create or modify. Everything else, from basic, common items, all the way up to legendary items, they could preview, customize, and even tweak drop chances for. But the Unique items generated on their own, and were special and well¡­ unique, to certain types of monsters and situations. Like there was an overarching AI somewhere within the game as a whole that could also impact gameplay and the world to some degree. A small degree, sure, but still, to a degree. Which, now that James knew the government planned to trap everyone within DCO, was a little unsettling. What if something happened? What if the AI got out of control? He pushed the thought from his mind, as Oak continued his explanation of his newfound weapon. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± he glanced down to the side as they crunched through the snow, his eyes likely reading the information on the weapon that only he could see. ¡°It has the ability to temporarily charm any demonic based creatures I hit with it, though it says the rate varies by the strength of the demonic creature.¡± ¡°Any demonic creature?¡± Rue asked, raising an eyebrow. She looked over at James. ¡°Do you think that includes Devilkin?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you two know as developers?¡± Z asked. ¡°There are a ton of aspects to DCO,¡± James replied. They¡¯d practiced this type of scenario with Steve. ¡°Something like this wasn¡¯t in our line of expertise.¡± Z nodded, ¡°that¡¯s fair,¡± he then looked from James, to Rue, smiling. ¡°What was your area of expertise?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not supposed to say.¡± Rue said matter of factly. Technically, their area of expertise was the dungeon¡­considering their actual roles. But Steve had told them the safe, political statement that the Dungeon Cores were supposed to use, when masquerading in a developer avatar, was that they couldn¡¯t say what they worked on specifically, for privacy reasons. ¡°But you did know about the Demonic Lamb,¡± Med Ic mused, suddenly besides James. ¡°Back to the pitchfork,¡± James said hurriedly. He forgot how sharp the Knights could be. They always acted so relaxed, laid back, and goofy. Yet at their core each and every one of them had sharp wits and a good bit of crazy accurate intuition. ¡°Right, past that,¡± Oak¡¯s mouth moved silently as he read. ¡°It looks like is has two unique abilities. One is called Demonic Parade. Any enemies I kill with my pitchfork have a small chance of being twisted by demonic power and resurrected for a matter of time based on their levels and my own, to serve as my pets. The other,¡± he smiled widely as he spoke, ¡°is called Demonic Tuning. I can infuse myself with demonic energy to boost my stats to an increasing degree for every five seconds the skill is active though¡­¡± ¡°Though¡­¡± Z pressed as Oak trailed off. ¡°Though the longer I channel it, there¡¯s apparently an increased risk that I can be possessed by the Arch Demon Olmac Don¡¯ald.¡± There was a sound of flesh on flesh, and James saw Faust had just face palmed. He let out a sigh, shook his head, and looked at everyone. ¡°Seriously¡­¡± Faust sighed heavily. ¡°Olmac Don¡¯ald?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it says.¡± Oak said, before he trailed off again, and began shaking his head. The others, a split second later, all started laughing. ¡°Olmac Don¡¯ald.¡± Z chuckled, ¡°And Hokey Pokey eh?¡± He looked back at James and Rue. ¡°To bad Steve¡¯s not here right now.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± James asked. ¡°Because I¡¯ve got a feeling Steve knows full well whose department that Unique Boss was, as well as probably a good bit regarding the Arch Demon Oak just mentioned.¡± ¡°What makes you think that?¡± James had a feeling he already knew the answer though. ¡°Because from our time adventuring with Steve, it was made extremely clear that his humor is¡­ well,¡± he looked at the others, then back at James and Rue. ¡°Unique.¡± James had no counter to that. It was something he¡¯d learned almost immediately upon meeting Steve. The man who was behind the Toilet Mimics. The man who had created a flip book for ridiculous monster type creation. The man who¡¯d created a tank class called a Spanker, that focused on yelling insults at your targets while hitting them with debuffs. There was no better word to describe Steve, and his sense of humor, than Unique. ¡°He¡¯s definitely quite the character,¡± Rue said with a chuckle, as the party continued deeper into the woods of the fifth floor. They¡¯d caught glimpses of monsters here and there, but the Knight¡¯s Who Go Ni¡¯s levels meant the basic mobs were giving them a wide berth. Still, James was hoping they¡¯d come across the Predator before they reached their target. Killing the fifth-floor boss would definitely help them get closer to level 80. And more that that¡­ James wanted another shot at more Unique Gear himself. ¡°That he is,¡± Z let out a wistful sigh. ¡°I really hope we can game with him again soon.¡± ¡°So do I.¡± James answered truthfully. He really wished he could just go back to gaming, without any worries in the world. But, sadly, that wasn¡¯t the case. And with each step through the snow, he imagined himself sinking deeper into the snow from the weight of what was about to come. From the weight of the secrets he was holding, and the truth¡¯s he soon be revealing to Z. He prayed silently, wishing the Predator would ambush them. Anything, to distract the group, buy them a little more time, to put off, what must be done. Sadly, the gods of the game, didn¡¯t listen. Fitting, in a dark way, considering the main God, Yarx, was based off Xander himself. And the original developer of DCO, the man who¡¯d spearheaded and created this game, was¡­gone. DCO Final Arc - Chapter 39 Chapter 39 ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know this floor is dangerous.¡± Z said as the group stood before the theatrical entryway James had designed for his sixth floor. They¡¯d gotten to the old shack without any resistance, save for a few pot-shots by distant painguins. Those attacks might as well have been shot from squirt guns, as Oak, even distracted by his new unique toy, was able to easily block them. The Knights Who Go Ni had more than enough experience on the fifth floor to handle any surprises it threw their way, meaning James and Rue, had nothing to fear. It also meant they didn¡¯t get any experience towards level 80. ¡°That feels like an understatement.¡± Rue commented with a chuckle. ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys mention earlier you¡¯d wiped on this floor?¡± Z ran a hand through his hair, offering her a sheepish smile. ¡°Well, I did,¡± he looked at the others, ¡°but to be fair, we were being pretty reckless. Level wise we aren¡¯t up to par anyways to really do too much on this floor. If the dungeon follows its normal trend, the boss has to be at least level 100. But we were still able to handle the basic mobs, even with it being our first time seeing them.¡± ¡°Oh, so you found the boss?¡± Rue asked with an eyebrow raised. She knew full well they hadn¡¯t. James had missed the run itself, due to his conversation with Hades, but Rue and Steve had watched the run in full. ¡°Well, no¡­¡± Z looked at the others, but they all shook their heads. No one was going to help him out in this situation. And Rue was being ruthless. ¡°So, you died to those basic mobs?¡± Rue said, her tone filled with amusement. ¡°The ones you just said you are able to handle.¡± ¡°Like I said, we were being reckless.¡± Z shot the others a quick glare that easily implied he was not going to forgive them for not helping out, before he looked back at James and Rue. ¡°Either way, we know what we¡¯re facing now, and know a decent bit about the layout of the floor. So we can pretty much guarantee we¡¯ll get you two to level 80 here pretty fast, as long as nothing crazy happens.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± James rubbed his hands together, excited to finally reach that milestone. Unlike the frozen fifth floor, the labyrinth of the six floor was warm and humid. However, his hands still felt cold and stiff, and he couldn¡¯t help but shiver. It wasn¡¯t from excitement. His anxiety was filling him to the brim, and he knew he couldn¡¯t prolong this much longer. ¡°I uh,¡± James¡¯s voice cracked a bit, and he growled, trying to clear his throat. The sound, coming from his archon form¡¯s bestial head, echoed in an ominous way. ¡°I want to talk with you guys about something.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Z and the others crowded around, drawing closer to him. They were all relaxed, smiling and clearly having fun. To them, this was all just a game after all. And from their point of view, they were just getting to enjoy the opportunity of playing the game with one of the developers. ¡°What¡¯s up Nyx?¡± Z pressed. Stolen novel; please report. James looked at Rue, opened his mouth to speak, but Rue cut him off. ¡°Not right here,¡± Rue said quickly, pulling the focus back to her. A smile crept onto her face, as she took the lead. ¡°If I remember correctly, this dungeon floor has musical mobs, right?¡± Oak visibly blanched, and James remembered the poor tank¡¯s experience with them. ¡°That it does,¡± Elm said, slapping the tank on the back, ¡°my brother here was a total fanboy, got himself killed by them.¡± Oak slapped the hand away, and the two shared a laugh, before the tank spoke. ¡°You¡¯re asking about the J-kappas, right?¡± ¡°Those are the ones,¡± Rue smiled, eyes gleaming mischievously. ¡°I think we should talk once we find them. There¡¯s something I think you guys would enjoy seeing, before we take a moment to talk.¡± She looked around at their current surroundings. Dim lighting, stone walls and floor, it was mostly quiet. So quiet in fact, that James realized their voices carried and echoed quite a bit. He¡¯d been so nervous and stressed about what he needed to tell the Knights, that he¡¯d forgotten the original plan. They were going to come to the sixth floor, and make sure it was as impossible as possible, for anything they said to be overheard. ¡°So you didn¡¯t know about Hokey Pokey,¡± Z looked accusingly at Rue, ¡°but you know about the J-Kappas?¡± ¡°Different groups worked on different things in the game.¡± Rue said in response. ¡°With how many monsters there are across DCO, there were countless teams designated to various creature designs. Others, were tasked with tasks adjacent to monsters. Such as, research for musical inspiration for certain mobs, or other pop culture type necessities.¡± She winked at Z, ¡°I can¡¯t say what I was a part of, but I¡¯m just saying, there are sooo,¡± she dragged the words out, ¡°many things that overlap within DCO, that it¡¯s not all that weird to think I know about some monsters and not others.¡± ¡°Pop culture you say?¡± Z looked Rue up and down, ¡°I¡¯d expect someone older would have a role like that. Though, I suppose your avatar doesn¡¯t necessarily have to reflect how you look in the real world. After all, while you could totally be a blood sucker for all I know, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a vampire.¡± He looked from Rue, back to James. ¡°Does she sparkle in the sunlight?¡± ¡°Uh?¡± Before James caught up in the conversation, laughter broke out as everyone, including Rue, seemed to immediately relax again, the mood in the area lightening for the moment. James hadn¡¯t realized how tense he¡¯d been, or how stuffy the air had felt. With that interaction though, and the fact they would need to find the J-Kappa¡¯s first, before he had to have his talk with Z and the others, James relaxed, once more. ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered to Rue, as the party began making its way through the labyrinth, their laughter echoing down the hallways, leading the way. ¡°I cannot do this for you,¡± Rue said softly, taking his hand in hers, ¡°but I¡¯ll be right there beside you, supporting you, every step of the way.¡± James squeezed her hand, looking down into her eyes, wishing they were back in their normal forms so he could giver her a hug and kiss. ¡°However,¡± Rue¡¯s mischievous smile was back, ¡°it¡¯s your platinum we¡¯re using for the J-Kappas, not mine.¡± James wanted to protest, but before he could, Rue let go of his hand, and skipped happily forward. With a resigned sigh, he followed after her. Damnit Rue. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 40 Chapter 40 It didn¡¯t take the party long to get to the J-Kappas. The Knight¡¯s had already developed an effective method to deal with the Chem-Era¡¯s, and through a combination of crowd control abilities, controlling aggro with Oak and Hornz, and a crazy amount of DPS spread out from all different angles, including on the creature¡¯s back via an enraged Badgy that tried to ride the massive creature like a bucking bronco, the beast didn¡¯t present a problem to the party. With the giant obstacle cleared, they were in the clear to move along the same path that the Knights had taken on their first dive. The left-most path. First was the room with the Chem-Era. Then the hallway filled with J-Kappas, and the potential dangers of When-Wolfs and Fogeymen in the shadows. ¡°There they are,¡± Z said, pointing down the hallway. It was a rather unnecessary gesture and statement, considering the musical mobs were in the middle of holding a little mini concert for themselves. There were six of them in total, and James quickly took mental note of their ¡®personas¡¯. A businessman, a pretty boy, two spice versions, a shy version, and an idol. For their current purpose of tracking down the mobs, their types didn¡¯t matter. But for an actual dungeon run, trying to collect the buffs that would work best for your party would be key. And that would mean being able to know which J-Kappa was which, in order to best spend your money. ¡°There they are,¡± James looked at Rue, and she gave him a nod. He looked back at the others, and then at he mobs once more. With a sigh, he pulled up his inventory and called forth a platinum coin. ¡°Who here has the best accuracy?¡± James asked, glancing between Elm and Z. ¡°Which of you has the best aim?¡± ¡°Me¡ª¡± Z started. ¡°Obviously I do¡ª¡± Elm began. The two looked at each other, and then back to James. ¡°Why?¡± They asked in unison. ¡°I want to see if you can land this coin in the cup atop the J-Kappa¡¯s heads.¡± James said, motioning towards the rocking out monsters. ¡°Their name literally has Kappa in it,¡± he said with emphasis, ¡°you know, from Japanese mythology.¡± James may not have known pop culture like Rue and the Knights. But he knew mythology damnit. Z¡¯s eyes went wide, and someone facepalmed. Before either could take the coin though, Oak walked up and grabbed the coin from James¡¯s hand, before turning to look at the mobs. ¡°You mean all we¡¯ve got to do is get the coin in the cup?¡± He laughed, and took up a somewhat ridiculous stance. He turned his body sideways, his shield and pitchfork stowed, his right arm bent upwards at a ninety-degree angle as he held the coin gingerly between his thumb and middle finger. ¡°Finally, all my years of playing beer pong will pay off.¡± As if those were the magic words, the other Knights all pulled out their own coins, and went to stand by Oak. James looked back at Rue, and couldn¡¯t help but smile in response to her massive grin. She winked at James, pulled out her own coin, also platinum, and went to stand beside the others. ¡°First one to get a coin in wins bragging rights?¡± She said quickly. ¡°Or should we go for a higher stakes game?¡± ¡°You sure you want in on this?¡± Z asked with a chuckle, ¡°I can¡¯t count the number of games of beer pong I¡¯ve played. Especially from my military days. And that¡¯s not even counting all of the other games of getting the rock closest to the other rock.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Uh, what?¡± James couldn¡¯t help but ask aloud. ¡°It¡¯s a deployment game.¡± Z said with a glance back at James, ¡°trust me. When you get bored. You find any way possible to amuse yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I can hold my own,¡± Rue said confidently. ¡°But, I¡¯ll be kind and let you all go first, just to make sure you have a fair chance.¡± ¡°Alright, you¡¯re going to regret that though.¡± Oak said, before he flung the coin forward. It flew in a large arc through the air, flying a good thirty feet, before it clattered by one of the J-Kappa¡¯s, just missing its head. Oak cursed as the creature picked up the coin, pocketed it, and then continue rocking out. Apparently, they didn¡¯t view coins being thrown at them as a sign of aggression. James made a mental note to look into that. If the mobs didn¡¯t aggro at such things, it would make it way too easy for parties to activate the Sellout passive without any potential danger. And James couldn¡¯t have that. As much as liked making easy money, easy experience was what he needed most. ¡°All talk, no follow through,¡± Faust said, releasing his own coin. It spun through the air, reflecting the torchlight in a myriad of flashes, before it clipped the edge of the cup atop the Idol¡¯s head, before bouncing out, and falling to the ground. As before, the coin was pocketed, and the concert continued. Technically the coin Oak had thrown had been James¡¯s platinum, but honestly, making two platinum coins in mere seconds, was crazy. He couldn¡¯t help but dream about what may happen once he got NPCs on this floor, like he had on his first three. Could he set up something similar to the carnival on the third? Could tossing coins at J-Kappa¡¯s heads be a truly lucrative business venture? James shook his head and turned his focus back to the group. Med Ic was the next to toss his coin. It clipped the shoulder of a J-Kappa, but missed the cup. The others, were in full on shit-talking mode. They were having so much fun, acting as if they weren¡¯t in a dungeon filled with level 90-plus mobs. ¡°Elm, would you like to go first?¡± Z said, ¡°give you the shot to make the first cup in.¡± ¡°If you want to hand me the win, sure,¡± Elm took aim, preparing his coin toss. ¡°I¡¯ll just make mine right after you, and we¡¯ll be tied up for bragging rights.¡± Z said confidently. ¡°If you say so,¡± Elm¡¯s arm made a tossing motion a few times, as his eyes narrowed, focusing on their target. He took a deep breath, steadied himself, and then let his coin fly. It had a perfect arc, and flew through the air with the deadly precision James had come to expect from the Sniper. Sure enough, his coin landed perfectly in the cup of the Businessman J-Kappa. A fountain of golden light enveloped the J-kappa, washing over it, and then the name above it switched from red, to white. It stopped its participation in the concert and began to head towards the group. ¡°Oh shit, I just got an achievement,¡± Elm said with a laugh as the mob approached him. ¡°Talent Scout huh?¡± he chuckled and looked appreciatively at Rue, and then James. ¡°I had no idea we could hire out these mobs with that trick.¡± ¡°Well if that¡¯s the case,¡± Z¡¯s arm flicked forward, and just like with Elm¡¯s toss, his aim was true. The coin dropped into the cup of the Idol, and she flashed golden, and then promptly began to make her way towards the party, hired for the dungeon run, just like Elm¡¯s. Rue was the next, and to James¡¯s, and probably everyone¡¯s surprise, her aim was just as true. She¡¯d managed to land a coin in the head of the Pretty Boy persona, which James wasn¡¯t quite sure had been intentional, or she¡¯d just gone for one at random. Rue didn¡¯t seem the type to like pretty boy personas... right? He pushed the foolish thoughts aside, as their party quickly gained its own little band. Oak, Med Ic, and Faust all had more coins in their hands, and were frantically throwing them towards the Kappas. James lost track of how much platinum he made in the next few minutes, but eventually, all of the J-Kappa¡¯s had been acquired. ¡°Alright,¡± James took a heavy breath, and looked at the others. ¡°If you guys could, have your J-Kappa¡¯s start playing their music. It should buff us quite a bit, and if possible, I want you to see just how loud you can have them play.¡± Everyone did as asked, not taking the time to question James, considering they were all just having fun testing out a new mechanic they¡¯d just learned about. A moment later, the hallway was filled with blaring, J-pop music, echoing down the hallway so loud James had no doubt it would be impossible for anyone not in their immediate area to hear what James was about to say. He motioned for everyone to gather around, and then, once they had formed a circle around him, he began. DCO Final Arc- 41 Chapter 41 ¡°Everything I¡¯m about to tell you, is the truth,¡± James said, his words somber. Compared to the upbeat concert being played around them, it seemed so out of place. And yet, the Knights could tell he was serious, and gave him their full attention. The sudden shift in his tone, his attitude, was a clear indicator of just how dire this was. ¡°First, and most importantly, I¡¯m not a developer.¡± He motioned to himself, and then Rue. ¡°In fact, we¡¯re players, just like you. Only,¡± he looked at Rue, and took a deep breath, ¡°our roles in the game are different.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Z asked, while the others inched closer, trying their hardest to hear his words past the vocals of the J-Kappas. ¡°In short,¡± James offered Z a wry smile, ¡°I¡¯m really the Dungeon Core for the game. The Mad Mage Glyax, if you would.¡± ¡°Then that means Rue here is,¡± Z trailed off, and Rue finished his statement for him. ¡°The White Beast of Chaos.¡± She declared proudly. She shot them all a toothy grin, and licked her lips ominously. Her Dungeon Fairy Avatar form was well known and loved by the adventurers in his instance of DCO, but her bloodthirsty nature was also, well feared and respected. ¡°So the dungeons in DCO are run by players,¡± Z mused aloud, ¡°and not some magical AI.¡± He rubbed his chin, thoughtful. ¡°That¡¯s definitely interesting. And that means you¡¯re someone from the same town as us, right?¡± He looked James up and down, as if trying to puzzle out who James was. ¡°It does,¡± James said slowly, preparing himself for what was to come next. ¡°And you already know who I am, Zach.¡± James said Z¡¯s name, trying to keep his voice from shaking. ¡°Sorry I could never game with you before, but, well, I wasn¡¯t lying about playing the game with Rue here.¡± Z¡¯s eyes went wide as he looked from James, to Rue, back to James. The rest of the Knights just glanced at everyone, not quite following the latest development, but still invested in the story. ¡°James?¡± Z said softly, ¡°is that really you?¡± ¡°In the flesh,¡± James said, the revelation lifting a part of the weight off his shoulders. That was the first part of this task. Telling Z who he truly was. A secret he¡¯d been wanting to share with the man ever since they¡¯d begun interacting. And even more so as Z continued to care for him and share more about his life with James. ¡°You poor kid,¡± Z shook his head, ¡°this whole time you¡¯ve been stuck playing as the Dungeon Core? You,¡± he motioned all around, ¡°you¡¯ve been isolated, creating the dungeon, making all of this, unable to play with everyone else?¡± He shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not fair. How could they put so much on a kid? How could the P.L.O.T. allow this?¡± James cleared his throat, ¡°that¡¯s, that¡¯s not all I have to share with you guys.¡± Z looked at him, and nodded, ¡°continue then.¡± ¡°This information, I¡¯m sure you can understand, is an extremely well-kept game secret. I had to sign an NDA before I was able to take on my role, and I can assure you, it¡¯s not been easy. But that¡¯s a story for a different time,¡± he wasn¡¯t about to tell Z he¡¯d been targeted by a hacking group. The old man didn¡¯t need to know all of James¡¯s hardships. He had no doubt if Z did know about that, the caring nurse would immediately go into caretaker mode. ¡°But if you¡¯re telling us this,¡± Faust interjected, ¡°doesn¡¯t it mean you¡¯re breaking your NDA?¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°It does,¡± James let out a heavy sigh, ¡°but honestly, and I wouldn¡¯t be unless it was a matter of utmost importance.¡± ¡°Such as?¡± Z asked, encouraging him to continue. ¡°Life or death.¡± James said ominously. The weight of the words couldn¡¯t be dismissed, even as the Idol continued to sing what sounded like a pop love song. ¡°And not just for me, or Rue. But everyone.¡± ¡°Everyone¡­ here?¡± Oak asked, looking around. ¡°Or everyone in town, or¡­¡± ¡°Everyone in the world.¡± James said. ¡°Within the next two days, if I can¡¯t stop it, the entire world, will end.¡± There was silence from the group, as the music continued. James let the moment sink in, let them process his words. He could see disbelief on a few faces. Though, Z, and Faust, looked determined and solemn. James knew Z¡¯s history with the government. And he had no doubt Z completely believed what he was saying. ¡°Hold on,¡± Faust eyed him, seeming to really try and bore into him. ¡°You¡¯re the kid I drove home the other night, aren¡¯t you.¡± ¡°I, uh¡­what?¡± James hadn¡¯t expected that question. ¡°From the raid on Cyb3ru5.¡± Faust said. ¡°You¡¯re the kid we found there. I drove you home.¡± It hit him then. The driver who¡¯d spoken briefly with him when he¡¯d been rescued. The man who¡¯d been humming the tune James had found oddly familiar, as he¡¯d drifted off to sleep. It all made sense then. That tune, that song, had been the one Z and the others had used to try and figure out if the mimic was a mimic. That driver, had been Faust? ¡°Wait, that was you?¡± James started. He felt a chill run down his spine. That driver had worked for the government. ¡°You,¡± he stammered, ¡°you work for the government.¡± He felt sick. The world seemed to begin to crush on him. Had he messed up? If Faust worked for the government, then he could ruin everything. He could report James before James even got the chance to try and thwart their plan. A strong hand pressed against his shoulder, the pressure pulling him from his panic. ¡°James,¡± Z spoke softly, pulling James¡¯s focus to him, ¡°look into my eyes, and just breathe.¡± James did as he was instructed, taking slow, steady breaths, trying to match Z¡¯s own breathing. The whole while he held Z¡¯s gaze, finding comfort in those calm, reassuring eyes. After a few moments, James¡¯s mind stopped reeling. ¡°Faust here works for the government, yeah, but only because they pay his bills.¡± Z said with a chuckle. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d surround myself with someone that actually had allegiance to the government, after what they put me through?¡± ¡°I, well,¡± James looked from Faust, to Z, and shook his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Z looked back at Faust and smiled, ¡°you¡¯d be surprised how lucrative government jobs can be.¡± Z continued, ¡°and with a security clearance, it¡¯s pretty easy to get a pretty basic job.¡± ¡°Consider me a lifetime grifter.¡± Faust said with a chuckle. ¡°I went with the simplest path for easy money when I got out of the military. So, as it stands, I¡¯m technically employed by the Government, yeah, and actually happen to work at the Enforcer facility housed near the town. I¡¯m not an Enforcer, of course, but handle pretty much all the other tasks that are needed to keep the Enforcers, well, working.¡± ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying,¡± Rue cut in, giving James a moment to process everything, ¡°is if we needed a man on the inside, you¡¯d be able to help.¡± Faust looked at Z, and the leader of the Knights Who Go Ni gave him a nod. Faust then looked back at Z and answered. ¡°Depends on the job, but if its what you¡¯re saying, and everyone¡¯s life is on the line,¡± he shrugged, ¡°then yeah, I¡¯d risk my comfortable job for that.¡± James felt his lips brush against his tusks as he smiled, the whiplash from his panic attack fading. He felt a new bit of confidence flow into him, thanks in no small part from Z¡¯s comforting actions, and took another breath. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s good to hear.¡± He looked at the others, all of whom were intently watching him. ¡°Because unless we can reach the DCO servers inside the governments mountain facility, everyone in the world, save for the top elites and chosen few, will die.¡± ¡°Why do you need to reach the DCO servers, for that?¡± Faust interjected. ¡°Because the government isn¡¯t planning to just kill everyone. They¡¯re planning to kill our bodies, but trap our minds, forever, within the DCO server. So that, well, I guess, they don¡¯t have the guilt of actually murdering everyone? Since we wouldn¡¯t technically be dead¡­¡± James trailed off. Why was he trying to explain their actions? This was pretty black and white. The government was bad and needed to be stopped. ¡°How very Matrix of them,¡± Z said with a dark chuckle, ¡°so, what other details do you have, and I¡¯m assuming since you¡¯re telling us, you¡¯ve got a plan.¡± He offered James a smile. ¡°What can we do to help?¡± DCO Final Arc -42 Chapter 42 James wanted to tell the Knights everything. He wanted to fill Z in from everything that had happened since Day 1of DCO, from Xander, to Cyb3ru5, to Hades, all it. But he didn¡¯t have time. The longer they wasted here, the less time they¡¯d have to implement the plan itself. Therefore, even though he wished to tell them everything, he kept it short, succinct, and to the point. There were a few stages to the plan that he needed the Knights Who Go Ni for. First and foremost, was their cooperation. They were the most notable players in his instance, probably all of DCO. If they said something was so within the dungeon, other players were bound to listen. Meaning, if they said people needed to rush experience, but die before leveling up to strengthen then dungeon ahead of the massive event, well, it sounded crazy, but James figured the players would listen. He left the actual convincing up to Z, as that man had the most charisma James had ever seen in a person. If Z couldn¡¯t do it, no one could. Next, was the insistence that they convince everyone to vote for the Dungeon War to take place against BLANK¡¯s dungeon. As far as James knew so far, this 48 hour Dungeon War extravaganza was the largest full immersion event in history. Never before had such a possibility existed, where the entire world would be immersed at the same time. Nefarious reasons aside, it meant this single event would put the most eyes, ever, on whoever was on top. They needed something that would draw a crowd. Something that would pull all the eyes, all the attention, to them. Something to captivate. A rematch, between the Candy Dungeon and the Random Dungeon, was going to be just that. Third, James needed to know he could count on the Knights, not only in the game, but outside of it. He still didn¡¯t know full well how they¡¯d assault the facility that held the DCO server, but even still, knowing Faust had government building access was a game changer. That type of clearance, combined with Fel¡¯s skill sets and resources, would likely be pivotal in that plan moving forward. He also knew Z was a former Marine, and he was pretty sure Elm, at the very least, had a military background as well. He didn¡¯t want to put anyone in danger, but he didn¡¯t have any other choice. If they didn¡¯t do this, well, there¡¯d be no lives to risk ever again. And for what it was worth, the Knights, especially Z, seemed more than eager to give James a hand. The government had done them all wrong in their lifetime, and for the sake of the generations after them, they¡¯d happily risk it all. Which, just left a few other portions of the plan to sort out. First and foremost, how they¡¯d actually carry out their plan in the real world. James knew the government intended to lock everyone within immersion. There was the necessary download time for the process, which Hades had implied couldn¡¯t take place until a certain amount of time within immersion had occurred. However, there was no doubt the government could, and would, ensure once everyone was immersed, they couldn¡¯t freely log back out. There had to be a trigger then. Something that would let the government know when everyone was logged in, and when to turn off the feature to log out. After all, if they did it too early, well, people would panic. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Then again, James knew in his heart that if there was a panic, it wouldn¡¯t change anything. That was why they were going through with the plan in this convoluted, backwards way. If this plan didn¡¯t work out, there would be others. More¡­ forceful plans. The type of plans that usually came with the ultimatum of get in the pod¡­ or die. If it reached that stage, there¡¯d be no stopping it. If the government mobilized their Enforcers and the weapons they had at their disposal, the masses wouldn¡¯t be able to stop them. No. For this to work, they needed to strike quick and fast at the heart of the very system, take the whole thing offline, and only then, free the people. They had to strike a blow deep to the Government individuals and their massive, overarching system of control, and only after, could the people do what needed to come next. James didn¡¯t know what that would look like. But he had a feeling once they revealed the truths of the government¡¯s plans, especially after taking DCO offline and being able to provide concrete proof of the evils that the government had been planning, things would change. After all, James had no doubt the Enforcers, and most of the forces the government used to keep order, wouldn¡¯t take too kindly to the fact they hadn¡¯t been on the short list of who got to live in the real world with new, robotic bodies, and were instead destined to be trapped within immersion forever. That was the other reason for their plan¡¯s secrecy, and timing, needing to be perfect. Hades had been confident that when this massive event took off, the Enforcers would immerse themselves. Once the greenlight was given, and those in power could confirm their plan was running smoothly, and everyone was safely trapped within their pods, the final layer of fast acting security, the Enforcers, would be permitted to immerse as well. Leaving the government members with whatever personal protection they had in place, as well as their various non-organic means of defense. Robotic sentries, drones, and various other security measures. All of which Hades, and to a lesser degree Fel, could deal with. All of this was told to the Knights under the cover of the J-Kappa music, which made the whole scene feel¡­ weird. A party of adventurers, all huddled close together, while upbeat pop music played, discussing the fate of the world in hushed voices. Five elves, an archon with a gargoyle head, and a vampire. Not to mention Z¡¯s summoned pets, and of course, everyone¡¯s little mob companions. The fact it was so dire, the fact they had less than three days of real-world time, before they could potentially be trapped forever within VR, or dead, made it all even more ludicrous. The game had gone from demonic chickens to devilish overlords. And with all that said, with James passing everything he possibly could to The Knights, putting this burden on the shoulders of Z, who truly had been burdened far too much by life already, and the rest of his party, James couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this was the right thing to do. Once again, he had to wonder, was this struggle worth it? Was it right to try and fight against this fate? He saw the concern, the stress, the worry on the faces of those around him, and it ate at him. If he¡¯d told them nothing, if he¡¯d done nothing¡­ their fate would be sealed. But at the very least, they¡¯d have been ignorant till the end. And ignorance, especially in the face of impending doom, was bliss. The only thing that kept him on his course, the only thing that told him, in his heart and mind, he was making the right choice, was Rue. Free will was the right of every living human. Everyone deserved to be able to choose their path, to choose if they wanted to be immersed in forever, or to keep living in the real world. And a small group of powerful people didn¡¯t get to make that choice. At least¡­ not without any type of pushback. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 43 Chapter 43 The next few days in immersion passed in a blur. Part of that was because James literally opted to force sleep when he couldn¡¯t take it anymore. His mind was restless, and his stress threatened to overwhelm him more than once. Anxiety was constantly lingering over his shoulder, and while forced sleep could move time forward, as they waited for their plan to come to fruition, sleep in immersion gave him no escape, no reprieve. After all, a day worth of time disappearing in the blink of an eye didn¡¯t offer any sense of actual escape from his mind and problems. Still, by the second to last day of immersion before he¡¯d be returned to the real world, for a short while at least, before the big event took off, it finally happened. The Knight¡¯s Who Go Ni had done the impossible. They¡¯d helped take his dungeon from Tier 6 to Tier 7, in an impressively short span of time. Not only had they managed to spread the word to the players in his own instance, spreading tales of a secret special event if they could sacrifice enough experience to the dungeon, but they drew in players from all around by sharing information about James¡¯s Git Gud floor, the epic loot potential there, and various tales, both factual and not, about unique events and encounters that could be found only in the Random Dungeon. Add on to that a few dungeon skirmishes, which his players were able to win handily thanks to their levels, tactics, and, the inclusion of some terrifying combos of mobs and exploits that only the random dungeon could truly offer to the Fields of Battle, and the experience had rolled in. James had hardly noticed any of it. He should have enjoyed it. Should have reveled in battle, but it all felt¡­ superficial. He couldn¡¯t be the Mad Mage. He couldn¡¯t embody that chaotic, fun filled passion. No matter how hard he tried, the weight of what was coming, pushed him down, and kept him there. Luckily, he¡¯d only been summoned once. Every other time, Rue, ever the fan favorite, had been called forth. And while James knew she was worried about the upcoming end of the world, she, at the very least, didn¡¯t have skin in the game. Not in the same way James or any of the others did. Rue was already trapped, permanently, within the virtual world. If anything, James had a feeling she¡¯d prefer if he didn¡¯t put himself in danger. Though, she¡¯d never say it. Any time he felt darkness creeping over him, any time he felt despair and fear and worry, she was there to encourage him, to support him, and to keep reassuring him that his choice was the correct one. Without her, James would have broke. He knew that full well. He¡¯d wanted to force sleep till the end of immersion. Just wanted to get it all over with, wanted to rush forward, because the waiting, the sitting around, the feeling of helpless inactivity, was killing him. But she kept him from doing so. Even when he force slept, she didn¡¯t let him do it for more than 12 hours of in game time. The rest of the time, she did what she could to keep him engaged, and distracted. Her presence, her love, her affection, got James to this point. And now, thankfully, finally, there was something he could do. His waiting was over. His feeling of helplessness, as everyone else worked behind the scenes, was done. Now, he got to be an active participant in this portion of the plan. Becoming a Tier 7 dungeon meant a brand-new floor. It also put massive weight on the importance of his dungeon. The other Dungeon Cores could see his ranking, and on the leaderboards, he shone supreme. Below him, drawing ever closer to Tier 7 as well, was BLANKs dungeon. If they could hit that goal, then everything would work out. He trusted that the duo would do it. Hitting Tier 7 would ensure, when it came to the Dungeon Wars, that James¡¯s dungeon, and BLANKs, would face off. It also meant the clash that would happen between the two, would be like nothing seen before. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. A revenge match, with stronger mobs on BLANKs side, and an even larger range of mobs and themes on James¡¯s side. The last time they¡¯d clashed, they¡¯d only been Tier 3 dungeons, with nowhere near the range of bosses, mini bosses, mobs, or Avatar Upgrades. A clash between Tier 7 dungeons was bound to make such a battle, which was still talked about on the reddit threads, look like child¡¯s play. James looked at Rue, who was smiling gently at him. Her normal mischief and excitement had dulled slightly, as her concern for him, and his mood, had taken the forefront. And even still, he could sense it, like a flickering flame. Making new floors, creating new mobs, was one of their greatest joys within DCO. No matter what was to come, this moment was theirs. It could very well be the last chance they got, to design a floor together. A sobering thought, that James pushed away with a growl. Not here. Not now. This wasn¡¯t a sad moment. It was a moment he was going to embrace, enjoy, and remember fondly. It was time to create a new dungeon floor. And he was going to put his all into it. This floor would give him what his mind needed right now. A task to work on, an escape, a distraction. ¡°Are you ready for this?¡± James asked Rue, as he took her hand. Then, mentally, second nature now given how much time he¡¯d spent immersed within DCO; James teleported the two of them to his sixth floor in the main instance of his dungeon. The ¡®master¡¯ copy, essentially, of his dungeon. Making changes here, and completing them, would make them go live for the instances of the dungeon that spawned for the players. He¡¯d taken them to the front of the labyrinth. Originally, when he¡¯d created the sixth floor, his future plan had been to place the entrance to the seventh floor at the end of the massive maze. It made sense, after all, and would force players to brave the dangers of the floor, and race against the Jormun-Grander, to climb to the next floor. Now though, he was going with a different route. Necessity dictated this change. And while not ideal, he doubted it would be something the players hated. Besides, even if the portal to the seventh floor wasn¡¯t located at the end of the labyrinth, there were plenty of other incentives he could add to the six floors, to ensure the players explored it in full. If, that is, DCO survived. If not, well, this would at least give the players a chance to experience the seventh floor, before Dungeon Core Online ended. ¡°Here goes nothing,¡± James said aloud, offering Rue a smile, as he mentally created the portal to seventh floor. It shimmered to life in the room players would appear in when they traversed from the fifth floor to the sixth. It was a glowing, swirling patch of light, that flickered and beckoned. He had no idea what type of mobs his seventh floor would have. And he didn¡¯t really care. No matter what happened, the Seventh Floor was going to be one that was remembered. DCO Final Arc - Chapter 44 Chapter 44 ¡°Oh good,¡± Steve¡¯s voice echoed in the emptiness, and James could feel the developer¡¯s presence as his words heralded his arrival, ¡°I made it in time.¡± They were currently standing in a space of darkness, with naught but the shimmering portal from the sixth floor around them. This was the empty canvas for the seventh floor. James had decided to wait to find out what types of mobs he got this time, before he crafted the floor itself. ¡°Steve!¡± Rue exclaimed with a smile on her face as she turned to greet the developer. James looked at the man, noting the massive bags under his eyes. Somehow, he seemed thinner, gaunt even. Considering they were in a virtual expanse, James felt it strange that Steve would present such features on his digital self. Was it intentional? Was his virtual self depicting his exhaustion? James hadn¡¯t seen him, nor heard from him, since their meeting a few days ago, when everyone had been informed of the governments plans, and had separated to do whatever preparations they were best suited for, in anticipation of their upcoming attempt to thwart the government. ¡°Hello Rue,¡± Steve grinned, the bags on his eyes lifting slightly, as if the sight of her James revitalized him, ¡°did you guys miss me?¡± ¡°Have you completed everything on your end?¡± James asked, his mind racing. One of Steve¡¯s most important tasks had been to work with Rachel to confirm Rue¡¯s safety. ¡°Mostly,¡± Steve said with a sigh, ¡°it¡¯s not ideal, but we¡¯ve got a few ideas to ensure we can 100 percent guarantee Rue¡¯s safety, no matter what.¡± Steve smiled, it barely caused his lips to lift, ¡°and, on the upside, I¡¯ve made damn sure your dungeon, and the data for the two of you, is as secure as Fort Knox¡­¡± Steve trailed off, shaking his head, ¡°wait, terrible comparison. Fort Knox wasn¡¯t secure it was a front, er¡­ as secure as¡­ er¡­¡± he snapped his fingers, ¡°I know. As secure as a politician¡¯s search history.¡± ¡°As secure as what?¡± James laughed, more from uncertainty than anything else. Steve had always been eccentric, but he was pretty sure the developer was now losing his mind. He¡¯d been through a lot. They all had, but Steve, even before this, had seemed tired. Like he was wearing himself to the bone. James wasn¡¯t sure the developer had much left to give. ¡°Never mind about that,¡± Rue looked at Steve, ¡°how¡¯d you manage to show up just on time?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t message him?¡± James asked. Usually Rue sent Steve messages, behind his back, whenever they were about to do something exciting in the dungeon. It wasn¡¯t that James didn¡¯t like the developer¡­ but sometimes he did like doing things with just Rue, so her inviting the man felt a bit, awkward at times¡­ Steve was a blast, but even as a blast, he was still a third-wheel. ¡°Not this time,¡± Rue said with a shake of her head. ¡°I was too busy taking care of Mr. Pouty Pants here to remember to message Steve. Besides,¡± she looked back at the developer, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to interrupt anyone if we didn¡¯t have to. You know, considering everything going on.¡± ¡°Fair,¡± James muttered, looking back to Steve. ¡°So, yeah, how did you show up just on time?¡± ¡°Honestly?¡± Steve walked forward and ruffled James¡¯s hair. ¡°You¡¯re predictable buddy. Super predictable, really. I got the notification your dungeon had hit Tier 7, and figured you¡¯d jump right on in to make the next floor. If you hadn¡¯t,¡± he stepped away, the dark look on his face again, ¡°I would have been worried about you. I know this is a lot, but even still, gotta always remember Rule 34.¡± Steve paused, shook his head again, and cleared his throat. ¡°I mean, Rule 32. Enjoy the little things.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you like to remember internet rule 34 as well,¡± Rue said under her breath, though loud enough for Steve to hear. The developer¡¯s cheeks went slightly red. ¡°Any who,¡± Steve directed the conversation back to James. ¡°Now that I¡¯m here, feel free to begin.¡± A drink appeared in his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s get this show on the road. I¡¯m super excited to see what the seventh floor will bring to your dungeon.¡± James ignored whatever vague references Steve and Rue were throwing around, and turned his focus to the task at hand. Creating his seventh floor. First and foremost, that involved spinning the wheel of dungeon mobs once more, and seeing what fate had in store for him. There were countless options, and James had no idea if he¡¯d even seen all of the dungeon floor types. He¡¯d spent a good amount of time scanning all of the information he could on the other dungeons in existence, and while many seemed to have rerolled on day one for more ¡®normal¡¯ floor types, the weird and wacky combinations in existence were impressive. And¡­ considering Steve had once told him they¡¯d included a ton of ridiculous floor types purely to try and drive rerolls on day one for profits right out the gate¡­ James didn¡¯t have high hopes that he¡¯d get something normal. Statistically, it was possible. But, a lot of things were statistically possible in life that never happened. That¡¯s how statistics worked. James mentally pulled up the command, and the tell-tale lever and slot machine appeared before him. He looked at Rue, and smiled at her, remembering how much she¡¯d enjoyed spinning for the mobs, and bosses, throughout their time together. He motioned towards the lever. ¡°Would you like to do the honor, Rue?¡± She shook her head, and James would have been confirmed, if not for the smirk on her face as she crossed her arms. ¡°Nah uh,¡± she said with playful tone, ¡°no way am I going to risk being the one to blame for whatever mob type you end up with your seventh floor.¡± She grabbed his hand and lifted it to the lever, drawing close to him as she did, hugging him with her other arm as she placed his hand onto the lever, her hand resting softly atop his. ¡°This may be the final time we get to do this,¡± her mouth was close to his ears, tone soft. He got what she was playing at, and he felt her weight press against him as she leaned into him. There was a slight pressure on his hand from hers, but he knew she was waiting for him to make the final decision, and to pull the lever. ¡°Then let¡¯s do it together,¡± James said, completely ignoring Steve as best he could. The developer was currently holding his fingers out towards James and Rue in a heart shape, his drink floating casually in the air in front of him, as he sipped from it through a bendy straw. ¡°Let¡¯s,¡± Rue whispered, and the pressure on his hand increased ever so slightly. She was eager to do this, she loved this part, and the waiting, he knew, was killing her. It wouldn¡¯t do to keep her waiting, now would it. James grinned, spreading his fingers slightly, allowing Rue¡¯s to thread between his, pressing down atop the lever, and together, the pulled the lever down. The musical tones sprang to life as various dungeon mob types flashed before their eyes. Then it slowed, the tones ticking slower and slower, before it settled on a single mob type. As always, James had a single thought spring to mind, as he read the option. He looked at Steve, and the man held his hands up in feigned innocence, as if he could read James¡¯s mind. James sighed, knowing there¡¯d be no point in complaining. He¡¯d learned that, across the past six floors, that weird and wacky, well, that was just how the Random Dungeon was. And, he¡¯d seen some food based dungeons that were actually quite interesting. So, while he wanted to curse Steve, while he wanted to question, loudly, what type of sane person would create such a thing, he didn¡¯t. Instead, he grinned, allowing himself to get caught up in the weirdness, and view it as a challenge, an exciting unknown, that he could lose himself in. At least, for a small amount of time. ¡°Alrighty then,¡± James said, pulling up the Dungeon Creator as he did, to look through various floor options. Now that he knew the mob type, he needed to create a floor that could work with it. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we can make.¡± Before him, as he skimmed through floors, the dungeon mob type flashed brightly. He had no idea what they¡¯d be like, but considering what he knew of Steve, aka one of the lead developers on mob types, he had a decent guess. Or at least, as he glanced at the flashing once more, he thought he did¡­ Cocktail Creations DCO Final Arc- Chapter 45 Chapter 45 James opted for a floor style listed as, Art Deco Hotel for his floor type. It was one of the more niche floor types, having to scroll through options that first started as industrial, then buildings, then style, then and then type. He wasn¡¯t the end all be all of expert when it came to dungeon types, but he¡¯d played enough games to know some ¡®dungeons¡¯ weren¡¯t dungeons in the rocky underground sense, but could be haunted houses, abandoned buildings, and so forth. In that same realm, there was the Hotel. He¡¯d picked the Art Deco One purely on a whim, because he liked the aesthetic. He then spent all of his Resources, which had crept over 11,000, to create the dungeon layout. The way the floor was built, for every 1,000 resources he added to the floor, he could choose a specialized room to add to the basic layout or add an extra floor of his choice. In the end, his¡­ hotel had a total of six floors, with all but the first having specialized rooms added to them. The rooms themselves weren¡¯t basic hotel rooms. Instead, they included options such as ballroom, restaurant, casino, dance hall, and so forth. For each floor, other than the first, those specialized rooms could also encompass the entire floor, replacing the empty space that would normally be basic hotel rooms in real life. In a since, his hotel didn¡¯t really have room for lodging, and instead was a small variety of offerings. ¡°How very Eagles of you.¡± Steve said as James finished constructing the seventh floor. ¡°Or, is this more of a hotel for Has Beens?¡± James ignored Steve, and looked over his masterpiece. Of course there would be a ton of cosmetic changes he would be implementing. Already his mind was running with the possible options. Because this was potentially the final floor he ever created, he had no qualms about dumping as many dungeon tokens into resources as possible, if needed, to make it perfect. After, of course, he made sure he got a suitable floor boss. This was an odd floor after all, meaning it would have to be Jenkins related. If¡­ of course, that was even a possibility. The first floor of his hotel served as the lobby, though it was grand by all proper senses of the word. Size wise, it lobby, an expanse of black and white marble, with hanging chandeliers from arched ceilings, had to be at least as long as two football fields, and equally as wide. In the center of it, a marble table reception desk of black and gold. There was a wall behind that desk, and two doors that led to the next part of the first floor. Additionally, two staircases took up part of the room, spiraling upwards in a grandiose manner, leading to the second floor some fifty feet above. As with everything else about the floor, the size was grand, which the steps themselves each a good three feet in height, and the width of the staircase itself likely twenty feet. This was a hotel, but one seemed more suited for giants than humans. Past the doors on of the lobby, players would find themselves in a courtyard, with an elegant fountain in the middle, pulled straight from some Greek mythology. Flowers fille the air with sweet scents, and vines twirled themselves around marble columns. The other rooms on the first floor, one to the right, and one to the left, were a dining hall, and a ballroom. The latter was a room equally as large as the lobby had been, with mirrors on half the walls, and ¡®windows¡¯ of amber gilded in gold on the others. The floor consisted of concentric blacks, golds, and blues, while various candelabra¡¯s hanging from the ceiling above filled the room with flickering flamelight. The dining hall seemed sized to feed a hundred or more people at a given time, with elegant marble tables, surrounded by chairs that were a rich velvety green, with gold trimmed arms and legs. On the walls of the rooms were long tables, with various heating elements and cookware atop them, as if the room were set to serve food in the manner of a buffet. James was pretty certain he could spend resources to fill those with actual food and drink options, that could either buff, or hinder, adventurers. Past the elegant first floor, James turned his focus briefly to the higher floors of the hotel. For the second floor of the hotel, he¡¯d gone with the fitness center option. The second floor, and all the others, rested above the lobby and courtyard of the hotel, meaning each floor was roughly four football fields in length, and two in width. Arguably, not as large by any means as his fifth or sixth floor individual, but the square footage definitely added up, and besides, gave it more of ¡®dungeon inside of a dungeon¡¯ feel. Instead of various dungeon rooms horizontally across the floor, well, this floor had them vertically. Fitness center had been a vague option, but he liked what he saw. There was a giant pool in the very center of the floor, with a depth of probably forty feet. It made the Olympic sized pools he¡¯d seen on Television look tame. And, who knew, he¡¯d probably be able to fill the pool with things¡­ maybe even sharks. Because sharks, in pools, seemed liked a great idea. All around the pool there were stacks of weights, though the smallest, he saw, was listed as weighing a hundred pounds. Definitely not a gym area meant for humans. Past the various free weights, that ranged from weighted plates, barbells, dumbbells, and so forth, there were areas with ropes for working out, punching bags larger than Hornz, and most interestingly¡­ a few bowling alley lanes. Though the pins for the bowling alley were the size of humans, and the balls themselves were easily the size of a badger, if James was going to keep comparing things to the size of Z¡¯s summons. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Moving on, was the third floor of his hotel. This floor was listed as a Spa, and it fit the bill, at least, from what he imagined such a thing would be. It was filled with a giant hot spring like bath, covered in ornate motif¡¯s, and elegant marble tiles, baths, sinks, and sauna¡¯s. The room was a rich blend of blue and gold, with warm lighting above, and a slight haze that smelled of rose and lavender. James wondered if he¡¯d be able to adjust the scent on the floor, and more than that, add an effect to it. Perhaps a poison effect? Or some sort of slow effect that would sap a player¡¯s strength. With those ideas swirling in his head, he looked over the next floor, building the picture of the dungeon floor properly in his mind, trying to best orient himself with what he¡¯d just built, before he began summoning mobs, and planning out the floor. In his mind, with each floor, he¡¯d been toying with either giving its floor its own unique sets of mobs, if possible, or select combinations of mobs. Perhaps the first floor could have one type of mob, the second two, the third three, and so forth, till it all culminated in an epic boss fight on the sixth. He would definitely need to summon his mobs before he could make those decisions, but it excited him to no end. The floor above the third was a Theater. And not a movie theater. Instead, it mimicked the theaters that he assumed were popular over a hundred years ago. With red velvet seats, with golden arms in the shape of lion heads, the theater had a somewhat sloped structure to it. At the very far end of it, which would be the back of the courtyard, aka the back of the hotel if he treated the lobby as the entryway and front of the hotel, was a massive stage, with an elegant, heavy curtain draped from the vaulted ceiling all the way down. All along the walls, which were covered in somewhat gaudy wallpaper depicting various scenes which he assumed were from ancient plays, were large seating areas that offered an overhead view of the stage itself. Furthest away from the stage, there was actually an additional row of seating above the initial row. The seats, probably eight feet in width, with aisles between them equally as large, would likely offer a strange environment for players to battle in. Something that James was looking forward to, honestly. This floor, of all the one¡¯s he¡¯d created, felt like it could offer the largest variety of fights for the players, if they ever got to fully enjoy it¡­ before well, the end of the world. Pushing that aside, James moved to the fifth floor. The casino. Filled with loud noises, flashing lights, and pretty much every sort of gambling machine, table, and venture he could think of, the floor was a giant gaming hall. Lined with a green velvet floor, somewhat darker in lighting than the other floors, it was a gambler¡¯s paradise. It reminded him of the images he¡¯d seen of historic Las Vegas during a documentary on life in the late 1900s, though again, on a scale for giants, and not humans. Even still, he had no doubt the machines themselves, and the game tables, which had cards that were easily larger than a human¡¯s hand, could be played. Meaning, players could gamble now not only outside of his dungeon, in the dungeon town casino, but within it. The entrepreneurs who¡¯d rushed to make a casino for income might not appreciate his dungeon taking some of their revenue, but hey, they could take up the complaint with management, er, the devs, for giving James the option to create a casino within his dungeon. Finally, James reached the sixth floor. All of the floors were connected by staircases like the ones on the first, though they did a good job of hiding what each floor above and below was consisted of, thanks to, well, he figured dungeon magic. Meaning, until players reached a certain step, nothing from the floor above, or below, could be seen, or heard. It made each floor, at least the first time around, a surprise. It also meant players wouldn¡¯t be able to know if say, something terrifying was happening on a floor they weren¡¯t on, until they stepped into it. The sixth floor, technically, wasn¡¯t really a floor. Because it was the top of his hotel, he¡¯d been given the option of making it covered, or not. He¡¯d opted for not, and marveled at the Rooftop Bar before him. The bar itself took up the back end, spanning the entire width of the floor with an oak countertop, behind which was row upon row of bottles and glasses, a collection of liquor, spirits, and who knew what else. Was everything on their actual liquor? Were some dungeon specific drinks? He had no idea, and he knew he¡¯d investigate later. He could practically hear Steve salivating at the mass of liquor, even though the developer had the ability already to summon whatever drink he wanted, on a whim. Besides the bar proper, the rest of the floor was set up with various seating areas, as well as a dance floor tiled in black and cold checkered patterns, and a gorgeous grand piano. The all black piano, outlined with gold trim, and keys that gleamed a perfect white, was a masterpiece in and of itself. He could imagine the setting already, and wondered if the piano would play while adventures were on the floor. There was a microphone beside it, and James could envision an epic boss battle, accompanied by a musical performance. He made a mental note to look into it. Because truly, that would create a battle worth remembering. Other than those objects of interest, the most notable aspect of the rooftop bar, was the surroundings. The hotel existed in a plane of pure darkness, that seemed to twinkle with stars in all directions. It was like the hotel floated in the cosmos, drifting through time and space. It was eerie, and yet he couldn¡¯t help but look on in awe. A lump formed in his throat, as he thought of what was coming. How many people would get to experience this floor, before the end? It was as if the gods themselves were taunting him. Granting him a floor like this, something so grand, something with so much potential, knowing full well that if he succeeded, if he stopped the government¡­ that the floor itself, his dungeon, DCO, would cease to exist. If he failed though¡­ well¡­ he figured this could serve as a consolation prize¡­ albeit a bitter, dark one. If the government got its way, well, the seventh floor, it seemed, would offer the perfect way to try and forget about everyone¡¯s woes. A grand hotel they could all check into, and never¡­ leave. James shook the dark thoughts from his mind once more, slapped himself on the cheeks with both his hands, and looked back at his companions, both of whom had silently been taking in everything beside him as they toured the dungeon. ¡°Right then,¡± James said aloud, his words drifting off into the empty expanse of the space around them. ¡°It¡¯s time to summon some mobs.¡± DCO Final Arc- Chapter 46 Chapter 46 As was standard practice for the Random Dungeon, James had a total of five mobs to choose from for his seventh floor. Part of him, honestly, had been hoping for six, like his second floor, but he¡¯d come to give up on that pipe dream. He was pretty sure that had been a unique situation, and only because the Archeao-repairers purely existed to heal the other mobs, making them non-combatant type creatures. The standard James had learned, was five damage-based mobs per floor¡­ for him at least. For normal dungeons, they got five new mobs, plus the ability to upgrade further their mobs from previous floors, and use the enhanced versions of them for higher floors. Random Dungeons traded that power, for unique encounters, and well¡­ randomness The price of being special, he figured. Of the five mobs, he quickly scanned through the names, noting their costs as he did. Because this was his seventh floor, he started with a whopping 12,8000 mob points to populate the floor with. The lowest mob on his list had a cost of 31 mob points, while the highest was 35. Cost, compared to the total mob points he had, meant he¡¯d be able to populate his seventh floor with 365 mobs. Given the mob types, that was a drink for every day of the year. Nice. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know,¡± James turned to look at Steve as he selected the lowest costing mob, ¡°I¡¯m ready for your worst here.¡± Steve grinned. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re implying.¡± The developer said, his expression obviously contradictory to that statement. ¡°All of the dungeon mobs in DCO are perfectly normal.¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± James had a dungeon full of examples to the contrary. He took another breath, preparing his mind for whatever may come. He¡¯d had problems in the past managing his expectations of the mobs. And that had led to more than a few instances of stress, frustration, panic, depression, and a whole myriad of other emotions that James figured would likely be justification for him to sue Steve purely for emotional and mental trauma. Now though, he was ready. He was prepared, for Steve¡¯s worst. He was ready, to summon the first of his five¡­ Cocktail Creations. One last breath, and James made the mental summoning selection. Jager Bomb. His eyes went wide though, as he saw not one, but two figures begin to appear in the lobby of the hotel, lights flashing around them as they took shape. He blinked once, then twice, as his mind, which he¡¯d sworn was prepared, inevitably froze. ¡°What the hell?¡± James asked, turning to Steve. ¡°Is this a bug?¡± ¡°Not a bug,¡± Steve said with a grin, ¡°a feature. And a fun one at that.¡± James looked at the two mobs. The first was a bull. A red bull, with wings sprouting from its back. It was roughly the size of an actual bull, not one of his upgraded Mad Cows from his first floor, meaning it¡¯s shoulders were close to the head height of a normal human. It snorted and pawed at the tiled ground, while the other figure placed a calming hand on its side. The second figure, looked¡­ German? Ancient German, if James was remembering his history books correctly. The man was wearing brown pants with suspenders, the bottoms of which were tucked into calf high white socks, with dark shoes on, and a white, bloused shirt, underneath it all. There were various colors and trimmings added to it, and he wore a green, felt like hat with a colorful feather on one end. In his hand, he held a gun that was bent where the barrel met the stock, a very old, single loading type of hunting rifle perhaps? ¡°What exactly am I looking at?¡± James said, giving up before he even let his mind try to puzzle out Steve¡¯s crazy logic. Before Steve could answer, Rue clapped her hands together excitedly, laughing all the while, and spoke up. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°I get it,¡± she said, looking from Steve to James. ¡°It¡¯s a Jager Bomb.¡± She giggled. ¡°Are they all like this?¡± ¡°Some are,¡± Steve said, ¡°others have different features and twists.¡± He grinned, ¡°Cocktail Creations, I can assure you, were created with A LOT of inspiration from the drinks we named the mobs after.¡± He pointed down at the mobs. ¡°What you see before you is, for all intents and purposes. A Jager Bomb.¡± ¡°A bull, and an old-time hunter?¡± James questioned, not following. ¡°I thought these were supposed to be drinks.¡± ¡°Jager Bombs,¡± Steve began, ¡°are a combined cocktail that comes from putting a shot of J?germeister inside a glass of Red Bull.¡± ¡°Er,¡± James looked at the bull. It was red. But why did it¡­ ¡°And Red Bull gives you wings.¡± Rue answered James¡¯s questioning look. ¡°Exactly,¡± Steve continued. ¡°So, the mob itself is a red bull with wings, and a literal J?germeister. Which is German for Hunt Master, before you ask.¡± Steve grinned, ¡°brilliant, eh?¡± ¡°Is it just two mobs then?¡± James asked. ¡°Is that¡­ all?¡± He got the premise, he guessed. And he wasn¡¯t going to complain about double the mobs for the cost of one. But given how many mob points he had now that he was a Tier 7 dungeon, the gimmick seemed less enticing than if it had been his very first floor. And did they have individual stats? ¡°Is that all,¡± Steve said in a mocking scoff, ¡°pure, brilliant wordplay at its finest, and you can¡¯t appreciate it.¡± He sighed, ¡°kids these days.¡± Before James could speak up, Steve held up a finger. ¡°Of course that¡¯s not all.¡± The developer said. ¡°You have to let the two fuse first, obviously, in order to truly get the cocktail.¡± ¡°They can fuse?¡± James asked, excitement welling in his chest. He¡¯d only seen one of his mobs fuse in the past. The Terminus, his second-floor boss, could combine with the mini boss, B.L.U., to create the Perfect Cognivore. It was epic the first time he¡¯d ever witnessed it, and honestly was still badass to watch every time it occurred. It also created a creature that was much more powerful than either had been. ¡°Of course they can.¡± Steve said, ¡°just watch.¡± James turned his focus excitedly down towards the two summoned mobs, wondering what the fusion would look like. Would it create a minotaur? That had to be the only logical choice, right? He watched, and waited, for a moment. Nothing happened. He waited a little longer, as silence filled the space between them, and still nothing. Then he looked at Steve, raising an eyebrow. ¡°How exactly do we prompt them to fuse?¡± James asked. ¡°Did you try asking them nicely?¡± Steve asked. James, shaking his head and internally questioning Steve¡¯s sanity, focused on the mobs, and mentally commanded them to fuse. On cue¡­ the German Hunter jumped atop the red bull. That¡­ that was it. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± James asked dryly. ¡°That¡¯s their fusion?¡± ¡°I mean,¡± Steve pointed down at the mob. ¡°You¡¯ve got a Jager bomb now, right?¡± As he spoke, the bull flapped its wings, lifting its body, and the hunter on its back, into the air. The hunter loaded his rifle, and looked down at the ground below him, searching for prey. James mentally ordered the mob to shoot towards the check in counter of the hotel lobby, curious to see what would happen. In response, the mob fired, and projectile rocketed towards the counter. It hit with blinding speed, and then blew up into a small eruption, flames and shrapnel exploding outwards in a radius of about ten feet. ¡°Okay,¡± James said, as he observed the damage the un-upgraded mob had done. It wasn¡¯t as cool as the two fusing into a massive minotaur or something, but it was still a lot better than what he¡¯d expected of the mob. And that had been it just being a walking, animated, literal glass of alcohol. That would have been a nightmare to deal with. But a hunter flying atop a bull¡­ he supposed he could deal with that. Especially if the upgrade tree was anything like the kind he¡¯d come to expect of DCO. ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t complain about the Jaeger Bomb.¡± James said as he mentally unsummoned the mob. He went to the next on the list, a mob that cost 32 points. It was labeled as LMFAO Shot. ¡°How about the next mob?¡± He summoned it, and this time, the mob, unfortunately, met his expectations. The hope that had been building, following the show of the Jaeger Bomb, had immediately been dashed by what he could only envision was drunken stupidity. ¡°Damnit Steve.¡± DCO Final Arc- Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Whereas the Jaeger Bomb had been actual, well, mobs, the LMFAO Shot seemed to be every bit a joke. It was, quite literally, a shot glass, albeit elongated to human proportions, with weird and wacky limbs that stretched and bent unnaturally. Atop the shot glass, which was filled with a swirling liquid, liquor of some sort James figured, was a¡­ tie dyed afro. ¡°Okay,¡± Steve was trying, and failing, not to laugh, ¡°before you get too mad at me, look at its skill.¡± He looked at James¡¯s face and proceeded to laugh even harder. James wasn¡¯t even trying to hide his disappointment in the creature. The Jaeger Bomb had given him false hope. The LMFAO Shot, well, had brough hope crashing back down. Still, having a little faith in Steve, James did as he¡¯d been asked. He mentally pulled up the information on the mob, which was currently doing¡­ jumping jacks, the liquid within sloshing too and fro, yet somehow, not spilling a single drop. LMFAO Shot Type: Party Starter Lvl 115 HP: 50,000 + 2500 per level MP: 50,000 + 2500 per level ATK: 5000 + 500 per level DEF: 1000 + 100 per level Special Abilities: Life of the Party- On death, split apart, creating two versions of the original that have half the stats of the previous version. This skill triggers until there are a total of sixteen LMFAO Shots within a (lvl*0.1 foot) radius Party Popper- When there are sixteen LMFAO shots, all shots will detonate, each one doing (lvl*1.5) damage to all enemies within a (lvl*1.5 foot) radius. This damage is classified as true damage, ignores all elemental resistances, and penetrates 25percent of all armor. Unique Passive: Buzzed: Melee attacks against LMFAO Shot¡¯s has a chance to cause the ¡®buzzed¡¯ debuff to apply to the attacker. Players who are buzzed have a 25% decrease to their accuracy and chance to dodge. Additionally, while buzzed, player vision will be affected, as will their ability to read their stats. This debuff will last for 30 seconds, or until cleansed. ¡°So, it¡¯s a swarm mob?¡± James said aloud as he closed out its info. ¡°Like multiplying slimes?¡± ¡°Pretty much.¡± Steve said with a nod, ¡°though, obviously, with a booze inspired theme.¡± He looked down at the creature. ¡°For a well oiled party, crowd control obviously can make them more manageable. But for others, well,¡± he chuckled, ¡°anyone that ends up taking sixteen shots in that short amount of time, well, they¡¯re bound to be dead.¡± He looked back at James, ¡°If I may, I¡¯d recommend you apply the Hangover effect to it in the skill tree.¡± James pulled the mob¡¯s info up once again, figuring why the hell not. Normally he¡¯d wait to upgrade his mobs until he knew more about them, the floor, and obviously, until players had explored them. But as things stood, with the impending end to everything lingering over them, he figured he¡¯d make an exception. Besides, Steve¡¯s advice, while questionable in some ways, almost always worked out. And Steve deserved it. After all, Steve had been a big part in James¡¯s success as Dungeon Core so far, and was putting his life on the line, literally, to try and save the world with him. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. James upgraded the skill, using his free skill point that he¡¯d earned for all dungeon mobs long ago from his Highlander title, and then reread the stat block, noting the change. It was, devious, to say the least. And, totally on theme from the floor. He couldn¡¯t help but grin at the addendum added to the last line of the skill. If cleansed, has a 10percent chance to cause the ¡®Hangover¡¯ debuff.* *Hangover- Players take 10 points of damage as psychic damage for every point of mana or stamina spent on skills, for the next minute. While under the hangover effect, players are 100percent more susceptible to blind and stun effects. The original skill already intrigued him with regards to how it impacted vision, and the ability to read player information. Would it obscure the information completely, make it fuzzy, or perhaps just cause it to flicker and change, becoming less precise? He¡¯d seen a variety of such effects in other games, though usually such mechanics were frowned upon. Would players be annoyed at the skill? Would it really matter? It could be cleansed, after all, and wasn¡¯t as damning as say, the radiation debuff that caused players to mutate into zombies and other such terrible things upon death. Either way, a part of him longed for the chance to experience the floor from a player¡¯s perspective. At level 115 though, the mobs were way outside of his and Rue¡¯s range. Hopefully before everything kicked off, Z and the others could experience the floor. That way, James could at least experience it vicariously through them, as he had most things in the dungeon in the past. Watching his favorite adventurers challenge the floor, perhaps for their final dungeon run within DCO, could surely be a treat. Besides, now that he¡¯d hit Tier 7, the players, including the Knights, no longer needed to sacrifice their experience to James¡¯s dungeon. On the contrary, they could go back to farming all the experience they wanted, in preparation of the upcoming Dungeon Wars. He¡¯d need them as strong as possible, to hold their own against BLANK¡¯s dungeon. The Candy Dungeon had pulled back on its Soulslike difficulty ever since the siblings had stepped aside from running it, but still, it¡¯s players were a force to be reckoned with. Especially Soul Demon. James wondered if he¡¯d see that player, before the end of everything. Last he¡¯d seen of that notorious player, who seemed to thrive on PvP and talking down on others, Soul Demon had been cursing their very existence because they¡¯d ¡®stolen¡¯ his prey from him, in their efforts to keep the Siege War from getting out of hand, and killing everyone. He was the epitome of selfish narcissist, and James wondered just what he¡¯d do, what he¡¯d say, how he¡¯d act, if he knew what was coming. If he were in their shoes, would he work to stop the Government from mass murder? Or would he welcome their fate, welcome being sealed within immersion for the infinite future, where he could kill, murder, maim, and grind to his hearts content within the world of DCO. James shivered at the thought and pushed it aside. Soul Demon was a problem for another time. Hopefully, actually, he would never be a problem for them to deal with. For now, he had three more mobs to summon for his seventh floor, as well as a new boss to create. ¡°Onto the next,¡± James said as he rubbed his hands together eagerly. He mentally selected the next mob, called a Dirty Shirley, and summoned it, just as he unsummoned the LMFAO Shot. A sigh of relief came out as a cough of surprise, as his mind tried to process the logic behind this one. Before them, a woman, dressed in a torn and tattered pink robe, complete with pink slippers, appeared before them. Her frayed grey hair was tied back, unsuccessfully in a bund, and secured with a dark olive. Atop her head, she wore a crystal tiara that held a cracked gemstone. Her pink slippers, James noted, had fluffy, white cat heads atop them. The cat heads themselves also wore tiaras. In her hand, she petted a stuffed animal, while she looked around with a crazed look in her eyes. James shot a glance at Steve. ¡°She¡¯s dirty,¡± Steve said before James could ask his question, ¡°and her name¡¯s Shirley.¡± James doubted that was it. But he didn¡¯t press the man, who was wearing a shit eating grin. Steve had a joke for everything, and James figured it was best to just ignore the developer this time around. Otherwise, he¡¯d go mad trying to question what exactly a crazy old cat lady had to do with a Dirty Shirley Cocktail? He skimmed its information, checking over its skills, and unsummoned the mob. Clearly there was more to it than he knew, but whatever it was, at the very least, it was a usable mob. Three mobs down, two more to go. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Based on the previous mobs of the seventh floor, trying to guess what the next mobs would be, purely on their names, was nigh impossible. And considering this was the seventh floor¡¯s version of mobs for the Cocktail Creation¡¯s monster types, James had to wonder if the developers had been reaching for straws by this point, had been completely wasted, or had saved the best for last. Maybe a mixture of all three. Definitely a mixture of all three. The fourth mob, which cost 34 points to summon, was called a Turkey Dew. The mob was, for all intents and purposes, a giant Turkey. It was larger than James¡¯s fully enlarged Dickens, probably closer to ten foot in height, and seemed to be made out of stone. As if it had been carved from a mountain, in fact. When it spread its tail feathers out wide, strange intricate green and red patterns were painted across it. In fact¡­ as it shifted about, James realized its coloring was mostly shades of browns, greens, and reds. ¡°Lesser-known cocktail.¡± Steve explained without prompting. ¡°You see, Mountain Dew was originally created as a mixer for liquor. Illegal liquor after all, during the prohibition period was known as Moon Shine. So you mixed Moon Shine, with Mountain Dew, and bam, delicious cocktail. The Turkey Dew cocktail,¡± Steve motioned at the bird, ¡°combined a bourbon called Wild Turkey with Mountain Dew, in that tradition. It¡¯s honestly really good, though probably seems a bit weird for random people to try. Pretty popular with people who wanted a cheap mixed drink with bourbon though, since Wild Turkey, especially Wild Turkey 101, was high proof and affordable, and mixed well with the sugary soda. And if you wanted to mix it up,¡± he grinned, ¡°well, Mountain Dew had a ton of flavors that could instantly make the cocktail fit whatever flavor profile you wanted. My personal favorite,¡± a drink appeared in his hand, a reddish orange to it as he swirled it around, ¡°was a mixture of Wild Turkey and Mountain Dew Game Fuel.¡± He took a sip, ¡°the original Game Fuel, mind you. The best, OG version.¡± Another sip, his eyes closed in nostalgia. ¡°Simpler times then. Simpler times.¡± ¡°I¡¯m honestly surprised your liver never failed you given how much you talk about liquor, soda, and energy drinks.¡± James said, honestly surprised. From what he knew of the beverages, especially before 2030, when a lot of new regulations had been put in place to protect people from various toxic foods and beverages, was that they were notorious for causing health issues with people. So much so that some people questioned if the government had been allowing such toxins to be placed in the foods on behalf of medical companies looking to profit off peoples¡¯ poor health. With the merging of the world governments though, came a revolution. Healthy people were happier, and happier people were less likely to protest and try to overthrow a government. At least, that¡¯s what he¡¯d learned in school. ¡°Livers are amazing organs,¡± Steve said as he took another drink, ¡°give ¡®em a break every now and then, and they can fix themselves right as rain. Add in the advances in science, medicine, and the understanding of the human body, and well, there¡¯s a reason life expectancy has climbed so high over the past two decades.¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Which doesn¡¯t seem to have worked out so well,¡± James added dryly, ¡°all things considered.¡± Steve raised an eyebrow at him, but that was all the warning he¡¯d get, and he knew it. They couldn¡¯t discuss such things. Technically he should be safe and secure, but it was better to ere on the side of caution, especially with their quickly approaching timetable. The waiting was killing James though. Acting like everything was fine, while knowing that in less than two days of IRL time everything would change. Time dilation for immersion, in this manner, was torture more than anything. Sure, it was letting the others prep and plan and sort everything out they needed to. But for James, it was just agonizing waiting. ¡°I¡¯m going to guess, with what you¡¯ve just told me, it¡¯s the tank mob for the floor.¡± James said, turning his focus back to the Turkey Dew. Sure enough, the mob¡¯s stats were focused on its health and defenses, with skills focused on drawing aggro, and tanking damage. A quick glance at the creature¡¯s upgrade path, made him smile, and he couldn¡¯t help but glance again at Steve. The developer had most definitely played a part in these creatures. ¡°Don¡¯t¡¯ judge me,¡± Steve said, seeming to read James¡¯s mind, ¡°I may have been a part of a few of the planning sessions for this one.¡± ¡°I¡¯d guess you were providing the drinks, for these planning sessions.¡± James countered, closing out the Turkey Dew options. He didn¡¯t have enough skill points to upgrade it to unlock the particular trait just yet, sadly. Called Fifty Shades of Dew, it created different varieties of the Turkey Dew at random, giving them different aspects and traits, and James assumed colors, based on RNG, according to the skill. If James had to guess, it was representative of the different Mountain Dew flavors that could be mixed into the Turkey Dew cocktail. James unsummoned the creature and looked at the final one. As much as summoning new monsters was fun, the next step was what he was really looking forward to. The creation of the seventh-floor boss. As such, he quickly summoned the last mob, and gave it a cursory once over, taking note of its name, features, and skills, as he eagerly prepared for the best part of mob creation. Bloody Mary Type: Cursed Cocktail Lvl: 115 The creature that was summoned looked like something from a horror movie. It floated above the ground, in a tattered red dress. It¡¯s face was twisted, and James noticed it¡¯s teeth were sharp, almost like fangs. It had green hair that looked leafy in a way, like seaweed perhaps. Or some sort of vegetable. Red liquid dripped from its flesh onto the ground below, and as it floated about, James noticed the drips caused the marble to sizzle on contact, making the stone actually bubble and begin to melt. Her attack was much higher than her defense, and from what James could tell skimming her skills, she was an ambush type mob, that focused on sustained DPS through the use of damage over time effects, and life drain skills. She could actively drain life from the adventurers with some sort of vampire-esq skill, all while the liquid dripping from her, classified¡­unimaginatively as Ghost Pepper Sauce, caused intense fire and acid damage over time. If he had to guess, the creature would jump on players, begin draining their life, and then work to cover them as quickly as possible in the red, caustic liquid, to quickly try and melt them into nothing. In a way¡­ it actually reminded James of spiders. Or a few snake species, that would liquify their targets to make them easier to consume¡­ With that less than pleasant thought now burned into his mind, he unsummoned the unsettling creature, and looked towards his friends. ¡°Who¡¯s ready to summon a Boss Monster?¡± DCO Final Arc - Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Given the sheer number of Dungeon Tokens James had, and the fact that he didn¡¯t have any qualms about blowing them, it was only a matter of time before he rolled a Boss Monster that truly matched his vision for his seventh floor. Not to mention, it was easy to pass on Boss Monsters with names like RUM-ble Bucket, and, questionably, The Worm!!!. He¡¯d almost been sucked in by a Boss Selection that had been listed as P.V.W., which Steve had claimed was humanoid. After all, this was a Jenkins level floor, meaning he needed a human boss. However, Steve told him to keep rolling, and James did just that. A few rerolls later, and he had the absolute, perfect option for his seventh floor. The ultimate culmination in Dungeon Floor design. For the first time, during his entire time in DCO, he had perfect floor cohesion and flavor. The seventh floor was, quite literally, his dungeon core heaven. The Bartender Type: Cocktail Master Lvl: 125 The boss, when summoned, looked every bit the consummate professional. James had been to various pubs, taverns, and bars in a multitude of games, and areas of The Zone, during his time within immersion. The boss monster was based, if he had to guess, on the classy, high-end version of a bartender, over the normal tavern or pub styled counterpart. She looked, for all intents and purposes, totally normal, actually. Albeit, tall enough to use the massive bar on the top floor as if it were a normal bar, meaning she¡¯d dwarf adventurers, and even the mobs of the floor that James could summon. Her brown hair was tied back in a professional style of bun, with bangs on either side accenting her face, which was kind and welcoming. The type of person who you¡¯d gladly accept a drink from and tell your nightly woes to. She was dressed in a professional seeming, form fitting button up shirt, and stylish, black dress pants. Atop her dress shirt, she wore a black vest that made the outfit look more like a uniform than regular clothing attire. Around her neck, with the collar of the shirt buttoned all the way to the top, was a black bowtie. The only other truly defining feature for the boss was the red cloth that hung loosely from her right-front pocket. A cleaning cloth perhaps? ¡°Whelp, I think while you sort out your story for her, and look over her skills,¡± Steve said, watching as the boss walked behind the bar on the rooftop of the hotel. The creature began looking over the liquor selection, expertly tracing a finger along some of the bottles. On her waist, which James had missed before, hung a variety of additional tools, including a golden corkscrew, golden bottle opener, otherwise known as a church key, and a golden drink strainer. ¡°I¡¯ll be putting her practical skills to use. Best thing about the Bartender AI, is we actually ensured the AI for it would have all the skills and knowledge of the best bartenders we could.¡± His summoned drink disappeared, as he turned back down to the Bartender, ¡°and while yeah, I can summon exact replicas of drinks here, nothing beats the true experience that is receiving a hand-made cocktail from a master of the craft.¡± Without another word, Steve disappeared from James¡¯s and Rue¡¯s side, and reappeared, proportionally correct, atop one of the bar stools in front of the bar. He exchanged quick words with the boss, who proceeded to then quickly grab a few different bottles of liquor, produced a large knife from who knew where, and then, to James¡¯s surprise, pulled out a massive block of ice. He watched, transfixed, as she cut it rapidly, shaving away giant chunks of ice, before, in the span of a few short moments, she¡¯d created a perfect sphere of ice. ¡°Skills and stats now,¡± Rue said, though he could tell she had a hard time pulling her gaze away from the artisan at work, ¡°fancy cocktails later.¡± ¡°Right, right,¡± James mentally pulled up the boss¡¯s information, displaying the screen for Rue and him to read. ¡°You¡¯ll think up the story for her, right?¡± He asked as he began to scan the stats, curious what the boss could do. ¡°I¡¯m thinking she can be Leeroy¡¯s sister,¡± Rue said as she came to stand beside James, so she could better read the information he¡¯d pulled up. ¡°Figure make her like Sergeant Jenkins¡¯ daughter, since he¡¯s Grandma Jenkins and Old Man Jenkins¡¯s son.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± James said. Rue had been hard at work crafting the Jenkins family story, and he wasn¡¯t going to get in her way. What had started as a joke, had become actual lore for his dungeon, and it had resulted in some really amazing interactions for adventurers both during regular dungeon runs, and during skirmishes and dungeon wars. For example, if people showed up on Grandma Jenkins¡¯s doorstep in Old Man Jenkins¡¯ demon farmer clothes, well, she didn¡¯t take too kindly to that, nor did she appreciate hearing they¡¯d killed her husband. It always led to increased aggro, and a more vicious boss battle. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. In the same vein though, if they opted to help Old Man Jenkins on the first floor, he¡¯d actually give them words to pass on to his wife. And if players told Grandma Jenkins those special phrases, which changed daily, she¡¯d actually give them the option to have a nonlethal way of dealing with her, resulting in special items, and pie and experience, without having to fight the third-floor boss. Little things like that, James felt, really made his dungeon stand out. And he¡¯d been really excited to see what would happen when the story finally came to a close, and Leeroy Jenkins was finally added to their tale. Ah well. Some things, he figured, just weren¡¯t meant to be. He shook the thought from his mind, and focused, fully, on just what the newest boss monster could do. Already, he noticed Rue had taken the liberty of giving her a new name. Tier 7 Boss Mob Elliot Jenkins Type: Cocktail Master Lvl: 125 HP: 100,000 + 5000 per level MP: 150,000 + 10,000 per level ATK: 5000 + 1000 per level DEF: 10,000 + 250 per level Unique Abilities: Mixology- The Bartender is skilled in the craft of drink mixing. Every minute of battle, the Bartender will select a new concoction to create. Mixing a drink takes thirty seconds. These cocktail creations will be of higher quality and strength than normal creations. During the thirty seconds, players may attempt to interrupt and hinder the Bartender. While mixing the drinks, the Bartender cannot take any other action. The quality of the final Cocktail Creation, after the 30 seconds, as well as its stats, skills, and traits, is determined at the end of the 30second timer. Imbibe- A good Bartender can make a drink anyone would enjoy. A great Bartender can make a drink you¡¯ll never forget. A Master Bartender can make a drink you consume before realizing you¡¯ve done so. Once per 30 seconds, the Bartender will give a drink to an adventurer currently engaged in battle with the Bartender. This drink can offer buffs or debuffs, and the effects, and flavor will be randomized. Experiences may vary. Cut Off- It is the job of a Bartender to pay attention to the status of their patrons. Every two minutes, the Bartender will select an adventurer to be cut off, who will receive a Cut Off debuff for the duration of the fight. This adventurer will be unable to attack the Bartender, or any of the Cocktail Creations, for 30 seconds. Each additional Cut Off stack increases the duration of time removed from the fight by 10 seconds. Closing Time- All good things must come to an end. And everyone knows, bars only offer service for so long before they¡¯re closed down, and you have to come back later. After ten minutes, the Bartender will close down for business. A final Cocktail Creation will be spawned, instantly, at Perfect Quality, for each adventurer still standing against the Bartender. After another minute, all adventurers still remaining will be removed from the battle, and the Bartender¡¯s health, and stats, will be reset. Unique Passive: Have a Drink- The Bartender is a consummate professional. Before you can attack her, you must defeat her summoned creation. If you do not choose¡­ a drink will be chosen for you. Be warned. Drinks crafted by the Bartender are only of the utmost, high quality. Given their rare and prestigious ingredients, and the masterful skill used to craft them, Cocktails created by the Bartender receive a variety of buffs and their own unique skills and traits. On the House- First drink is free. Each party member may take a chance and receive a drink from the Bartender before a battle begins. These drinks can offer buffs, or debuffs, to the adventurer. No matter what though, they¡¯ll offer an experience the adventurer will never forget. The first one is on the house. All future drinks¡­ have a price. Professional Charm- The Bartender is the height of professionalism and is a master of their craft. They cannot be stunned or charmed. After Hours- The Bartender will not engage with the same adventuring party twice in a single instance. If players fail to kill the Bartender during their battle, they will be unable to trigger the boss fight again until their next dive within the dungeon. Attempting to do so, will immediately place the Hangover Debuff on the adventurers. James licked his lips as he finished reading over her stat sheet. Partially because the skills were intriguing, and he was really interested in seeing how the battle against her went. From what he could tell, she was a mob summoning boss, just like Grandma Jenkins. Though with her own special rage timer at ten minutes, and a few other unique factors that made James really curious to see the boss in action. And partially, if he was being honest, because all the skill talks of drinks, as well as a glance down at Steve and the Bartender, had made his mouth water. Steve was clutching a crystalline glass in his hands, which had the perfect sphere of ice spinning inside, surrounded by amber liquid, with fog or smoke drifting from the top of the glass. The Bartender was in the process grating an orange above the drink, and the smell of citrus was somehow reaching them from where they hovered, a good twenty feet above the boss. ¡°No matter what,¡± James said as he closed out the window, noting Rue¡¯s gaze was also focused back on the Bartender, ¡°we need to see a fight on this floor.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Rue agreed, as she began to drift down towards the bar, ¡°but more importantly,¡± she said, glancing back to see if James was following, ¡°we need to see just how good one of those drinks really is.¡± Rue didn¡¯t have to tell James twice. And a moment later they were both sitting beside Steve, enjoying the dreamy atmosphere of the hotel rooftop bar, as the seventh-floor boss, the Bartender now known as Elliot Jenkins, put on a show neither of them would ever forget. For that spare moment, James felt himself, for the first time since Hades had given him the impending news, at peace. DCO Final Arc- Chapter 50 Chapter 50 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT The message flashed in front of James¡¯s vision. With it, a tone sounded, threatening to drown everything out around him. He glanced at Rue, and her eyes were focused on what he assumed was the same prompt. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMNT The prompt header flashed again, scrolling in bolded, red letters, making it impossible to ignore. James and Rue had been spending a few final moments together, as the end of the current immersion cycle drew closer. There were only ten minutes to go, before James would be returned to the real world, as 7am brought about the end of the normal immersion time. An hour ago, the players had been removed from DCO, returning for their final 24 hours of immersion time, equal to 1 hour of real-world time, within the Zone, as was the norm. ¡°Here it comes,¡± James said aloud, practically yelling to be heard above the blaring alarm. He¡¯d experienced such things before, though they were usually tests. Government messages, impossible to ignore. Even if people were in force sleep, they¡¯d be pulled from it to view the message. Government messages, while immersed, could not be ignored. Period. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT The words flashed once more, and then, disappeared. In their place, the message from the government. One James had been expecting, though the actual contents of it, he knew nothing about. A pit of dread opened in his stomach as he prepared himself to read the contents. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMNT Regarding Preparation for Worldwide Immersion Event In approximately 16hours [1100pm local time], a worldwide immersion event will begin. This event will last for 48 hours. In preparation for such an event, the following announcement will cover a brief list of important information. Additional facts and details will be posted to your local government webpage, as well as streamed hourly to all connected AR devices. If you have any questions or concerns, utilize the appropriate means to communicate directly with your local government officials. To all citizens, it is our great pleasure to be able to work with the team of DCO to provide this once in a lifetime event to everyone. The success of this 48-hour event will hopefully open the opportunity for similar events in the future. In order to ensure the success of this event, we ask everyone please adhere to the above. Please use the time before the event begins as you see fit to ensure you can focus all of your energy and effort on enjoying the 48-hour special. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Respectfully, Jill Harkin Peoples¡¯ Legislative Office of Technology (P.L.O.T.) Government Liaison The anger that filled James as he read the words was impossible to describe. The sheer audacity. The blatant lies. They were acting like this event was for the people. That it was meant to BENEFIT everyone, and allow them to upgrade the Zone and improve immersion for the people. All while knowing, full well, they were planning to trap everyone, forever, within DCO. No. That wasn¡¯t fair. He took a breath. Maybe Jill didn¡¯t know what the government was up to. Maybe she was reporting what she believed to be true. That didn¡¯t make it better though. The government was playing everybody. The elite assholes, those special, select few, were treating everyone like senseless idiots. And sadly, like lambs to slaughter, James knew full well they¡¯d likely get away with it, unless he and his friends could stop them. A big if, by all means. And he figured as it stood, it wasn¡¯t even a blip on their radar. The government, based on everything he¡¯d learned over the past few days, was used to doing exactly as it pleased, and getting away with it. After all, no one could counter them. They had all the power, all the resources, all the control. Even still, arguably, it hadn¡¯t cost the people anything. Immersion was wonderful, freeing. People lived their lives in the real world spending time with loved ones, and thriving. And at night, they could be whoever, and whatever, they wanted, and do as they pleased. It was as utopian as possible. But it was all a LIE. This existence, this state of living, wasn¡¯t ENOUGH for those at the very top. They wanted the world, and they wanted it all to themselves. They didn¡¯t want to take care of the people, which was quite literally, the job they¡¯d signed up for by being part of the government. They didn¡¯t want to govern. They wanted an existence where they had no worries, no responsibilities, and nothing to stand against them. James felt his hands clench as these thoughts raced through his mind. He¡¯d stop them. He didn¡¯t know how. But he would. Because letting them win. Letting them get away with it, was too wrong. It was too¡­ unfair. These people had it all already, and yet they still wanted more. There had to be a punishment, had to be a retribution, for their greed. For their willingness to cross a line that should never have been crossed. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay,¡± Rue was at his side, hand gently on his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s all okay.¡± James leaned into her, his body still shaking with anger, and said nothing. They stayed like that, until his world went black, and he awoke, once more, within his immersion pod. DCO Final Arc - Chapter 51 Chapter 51 ¡°Good morning, James,¡± Dagger¡¯s voice greeted him as his immersion pod opened. The dog robot, officially referred to as DOGE-1 by his parents, wagged its tail at him, in a very convincing dog-like way. If James hadn¡¯t been told Dagger was a robot, he wouldn¡¯t have guessed. That was just how impressive his parents¡¯ skills were. Which, apparently, was both a blessing and a curse. Because of them¡­ the elite had a way to become immortal. But also because of them, James had gotten the chance to meet Rue, and hopefully, would be able to save the world. ¡°Morning Dagger,¡± James said as he quickly got out of the pod. He was halfway to the door out of his room, when he noticed a steaming plate sitting on his computer desk. Pancakes, with syrup, and a glass of orange juice? ¡°Dagger¡­¡± James began slowly, ¡°please tell me you¡¯ve been guarding me all night.¡± The dog-bot barked happily. ¡°I have,¡± Dagger said, ¡°no one interrupted you during your immersion period. As long as I am here, you¡¯ve nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Okay then,¡± James looked back at the food. ¡°So, one question then.¡± Dagger¡¯s head tilted to the side. ¡°Why is there fresh food there?¡± ¡°Your mother asked me to ensure you ate a proper breakfast in the morning.¡± Dagger responded, his tone quite proud. ¡°As such, I utilized the my ability to interface with the house¡¯s systems to prepare an appropriate meal for you, and delivered it to your room. By my calculations, it should be at the perfect temperature range for consumption now.¡± James looked at the dog in disbelief. What else had his parents programmed into it. What else was Dagger capable of? But beyond that, he knew, if his mother was involved, that he¡¯d likely not get away with skipping out on the meal. And considering he was due to call them this morning, he figured he could afford the few minutes it took to eat the food. In fact, the breakfast may give him time to collect his thoughts, before he began his day. ¡°Thank you, Dagger,¡± James said as he walked over to his computer desk. He grabbed his AR glasses while he was at it, putting the high end tech on as he ate. No new messages just yet. Not that he¡¯d expected any, given how secretive they needed to be. Anything out of the ordinary was risky. He was probably being paranoid, but honestly, he had no idea. Was it paranoia? It didn¡¯t feel baseless. And there was always that lifelong saying of ¡®better safe than sorry.¡¯ Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°What are your intentions for the day?¡± Dagger asked as James dug into his food. ¡°Are we leaving the house again?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± James answered, wiping a bit of pancake from his lips as he did. They were buttermilk and had been perfectly cooked. There was a touch of cinnamon added to the batter, if he had to guess, and it blended amazingly with the vanilla infused syrup. They were just like his mother would make for him. ¡°First though,¡± James continued after he took a drink of the orange juice. Just like Dagger had said, everything was the perfect temperature. The pancakes, not too hot. The juice, not too cold. ¡°We¡¯re going to my parents¡¯ workshop.¡± Dagger nodded, which was a very un-doglike action. ¡°The appropriate timeline has been met; therefore, my programming will allow me to unlock their office and grant you access to it.¡± ¡°The appropriate timeline has been met,¡± James said in a slightly mocking tone as he finished eating. How much did his parents know? How much did they suspect? Dagger felt like a literal godsend. And he had no doubt whatever was in their workshop, would be invaluable for what was to come. Which made him all the more curious to know what was behind that locked door. He¡¯d never been allowed inside of the workshop. His parents spent a lot of time there, when they were home, but they did their best to keep their work, and time with him, separate. And James had respected that. Now though, he was wishing he¡¯d asked more. Would they have let him in? Probably not. Still, he couldn¡¯t know. All he knew was whatever was in there was extremely important. The Cyb3ru5 hackers that had attacked his house had wanted to get in there. And apparently, it was of such importance that Fel had been given a literal bomb as insurance, just to make sure no one would get access to it. A bomb that, thankfully, was no longer in the vicinity, as Fel had given it back to her mother yesterday. James pushed those memories aside, prepared to grab his dirty plate, and paused. He was going to have a call with his parents once he made it into their office. They¡¯d implied Dagger had some sort of Quantum Encryption technology built in for communication with them. Which, sounded extremely secure. However, he didn¡¯t know what type of communication it would be, and if it was a video call, well¡­ it was probably for the best that he at least get dressed properly before that. Just in case. ¡°Can you take these back to the kitchen?¡± James asked Dagger, holding the plate and glass towards the dog. He expected robotic arms to extend from the creature¡¯s back to grab them. What he didn¡¯t expect¡­ was for Dagger to stand upright like a human, its paws expanding to become mechanical hands. ¡°Opposable thumbs, eh?¡± James said as Dagger took the glass and plate from him. ¡°They really did make you unstoppable, didn¡¯t they.¡± ¡°I was made to serve, in every way possible,¡± Dagger answered dutifully, as the robot turned to leave. ¡°And there are some cases where having access to thumbs, can be a lifesaver.¡± James watched the dog leave, the absurdity of the scene leaving him speechless for a moment. What, just what, had possessed his parents to add that feature to Dagger? He shook his head, knowing better to question their genius when it came to robots, and grabbed some clothes. It was time to finish uncovering the secrets that had plagued him. It was time to enter his parents¡¯ workshop. DCO Final Arc - Chapter 52 Chapter 52 That¡¯s it? James thought to himself as he stood within the mysterious room. Dagger had, as promised, opened the door for him, utilizing a mixture of tools, which did spring from his back, to access a very complicated locking mechanism to gain access. The door had slid open soundlessly, revealing a room of darkness. Only after James and Dagger had stepped inside, and the door had closed, had a light turned on, revealing the contents of the room. To say the buildup felt anticlimactic was an understatement. The only thing within the room, at the center of it, was a chair. Sure, it was a really fancy chair, but it was still just a chair. It was large, like a recliner, with an overhead portion. If James had to guess, once he sat in the chair, it would recline backwards, and the overhead portion would display a monitor. Still, considering how important this room was supposed to be, the initial impression was¡­ underwhelming. ¡°Is this it?¡± James asked, looking down at Dagger. ¡°This is everything?¡± Instead of answering in its own voice, Dagger redeployed the holo-projector from deep within its throat. Light beams quickly danced in the sky, and a recording played. It was his dad, a large grin on his face. ¡°If you¡¯re seeing this message, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve got some questions.¡± His dad¡¯s voice began. ¡°And considering you¡¯re my son, I¡¯m going to guess the main one goes something along the lines of ¡®really? A freaking chair?¡± James couldn¡¯t help but smile. His dad knew him. ¡°Get on with it,¡± his mom¡¯s voice said, outside of the range of the camera that was recording his dad. ¡°Until you tell him what¡¯s going on, he¡¯s just going to be standing in that room feeling stupid.¡± James¡¯s smile widened. And his mom was just as keen as his dad was. He loved them. His dad ran a hand sheepishly through his hair, moving some strands away from his eyes. ¡°Right, right,¡± James saw the dark bags were still under his dad¡¯s eyes, the same ones he¡¯d noticed in their last projector message. ¡°That chair isn¡¯t just a chair. It¡¯s the final level of security for our workshop. Well, okay, it¡¯s also a nifty part of our workshop, and lets us handle ad hoc work when we don¡¯t want to get lost in our work. But, really, it¡¯s mostly the last line of defense.¡± ¡°Anyone who isn¡¯t me, your mom, or you, won¡¯t be able to access that chair. Not even DOGE-1 has access to it. Once you sit in that chair, you¡¯ll see what I mean. It¡¯ll take you to our true workshop. And, if you¡¯re seeing this, well, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be talking extremely soon. So, I¡¯ll save any other answers to your questions, until you can ask them face to face.¡± He looked directly at the camera that was recording the message. James knew it was his fathers robotic bird, the one he always had with him. ¡°I love you James.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Love you son,¡± his mom called from behind the bird. Then, the hologram faded away, leaving James once again in the massive, empty room, with just himself, Dagger, and the chair that apparently wasn¡¯t just a chair. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll go check out the chair,¡± he said to Dagger, ¡°before we give them a call.¡± He wanted to call them. Wanted to talk with them, face to face. Everything that had happened, everything that was happening. A part of him just wanted his parents. To confide in them, to have them tell him everything would be okay. To have them solve the problems for him. He¡¯d tried, so hard, to always be mature and act like an adult. But there was still that part of him, that childish part, that longed for the days when his parents could just make everything instantly better. He sighed as the emotions swirled within and pushed them aside. He was seventeen, close enough to an adult, that wanting his parents to make everything better was childish. Hells, thanks to time dilation and immersion, which he¡¯d been enjoying for years now, mentally he was older than seventeen, even if his brain and body, chemically and physically, hadn¡¯t matured to those levels yet. At one point he¡¯d actually found an interesting study regarding maturity on reddit, a discussion about if experiences and time within immersion aged people faster, and if such factors should be considered regarding the population as a whole, and what denoted an adult. Was it purely based on days lived? And if so, did days lived in immersion count, or not? Was it all purely biological, or was there more to it? It was a rabbit hole a carefree James had delved into for an entire afternoon. Oh, to have that type of freedom again¡­ James reached the chair, noting the interior of the chair was lined with black leather, and there were various cushioned areas and indicators that the chair would adjust itself to fit the person sitting in it perfectly. Trusting his parents, and curious about what exactly the chair did, James stepped up onto the platform on the side of the chair, and then set himself down within the cradle that was the massive seat. Immediately, he felt a warmth on the back of his neck. It was brief, no more than a split second, so quick he could have imagined it, and then it was gone. In its place, the seat whirred to life, adjusting and conforming itself, as he¡¯d predicted, to fit him perfectly. The material shifted, adding tension here, loosening its cushioning inflation there, until he was nearly immobile within the chair, as if he were part of the chair itself. Then it leaned backwards, another thing he¡¯d expected, and a holo-screen appeared in the sky above him, projected by a multitude of lights emplaced in the overhead portion of the chair. Welcome James. The screen read. Then the screen flickered, and a new set of words appeared. Would you like to access the workshop? ¡°Er, yes?¡± James said, caught off guard by the prompts. Up until like three minutes ago, he was pretty sure this was the workshop. Internal Command Received. Beginning Transport The message said. Internal command? James thought to himself. Before he could ponder that wording more though, the room went suddenly dark. And a second after that, it felt like the world had dropped out beneath him. DCO Final Arc - Chapter 53 Chapter 53 After the initial drop, of a depth James couldn¡¯t gauge due to the lack of lighting, James distinctly heard the sound of gears working, and the slight sound of machinery. There was a slight feeling of a breeze, and he realized, situated as he was, that they were moving downwards in a slow spiral. James tried to sit up, to look past the confines of the chair and peer into the darkness, curious to see what was happening, but the chair held him fast. ¡°Dagger,¡± James called out into the darkness. ¡°Are you there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still here,¡± the robot responded. ¡°Do you have a need of me?¡± ¡°Can you turn a light?¡± James asked, half-jokingly. Instead of responding with words, James¡¯ question was answered with action. A bright light filled the area. Positioned as he was, he couldn¡¯t see to either side, or the ground, obviously. However, he could see the world above him. He could see the ceiling growing further and further away. And he could make out worked stone, lined with metal workings, as far along the walls as he could see. It was clear the floor was descending, down and down, to the workshop proper. ¡°The chair isn¡¯t just a chair.¡± James said aloud, doing his best to mimic his dad¡¯s voice and tone from the recording. ¡°Yeah, no shit.¡± It was one thing to hide your workshop behind a secure door. It was a whole different level of security, to have it underground, accessible only by moving the entire freaking floor. Around and around the world slowly spiraled, giving him a 360-degree view of the walls. It was clear they were heading downwards in a spherical column. If he had to guess, it was on a rotating, drill-like platform. Had his parents put this in? Or had the government put it in at their request? The house, after all, had been a part of their new assignment when they¡¯d been offered the job to work with the government here. Another question, he figured, he¡¯d ask his dad once he reached the warehouse proper. For now, he figured, all he could really do was enjoy the ride. ¡°Any chance you can play some music?¡± James asked Dagger, still uncertain where the robot was. He knew Dagger was on his left side, judging by the source of the light, but that was all. And with the room spinning and spinning, he had no idea what his orientation was anymore to the door that had led into the room. All he knew was he was definitely below the house. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Certainly,¡± Dagger said, and then a moment later, the creature began playing music. Circus music. The type that James had come to associate with merry-go rounds from childhood. ¡°Seriously?¡± James asked a moment after the music started playing. ¡°You didn¡¯t specify the type of music,¡± Dagger said, as the music continued to play. ¡°I figured it was appropriate.¡± ¡°You figured wrong,¡± James said, ¡°try again.¡± Apparently, the AI of the robot had inherited part of his father¡¯s humor. ¡°Very well,¡± Dagger responded, and as asked, changed the music. This time¡­ it was a showtune. One James was pretty sure came from the Jurassic Park films. ¡°I hate you,¡± James muttered, though he figured the epic music at least captured the moment better than circus styled music. A sense of discovery, of excitement. Not creepily dressed clowns, children, cotton candy, and unsafe rides. Either way, he didn¡¯t have to listen long, as the spinning slowed, and the walls began to open up on either side of him. Above, as the platform came to stop, James heard grinding, and the ceiling a good thirty feet above him disappeared, as the hole from where the floor should have been, mechanically closed with two, sliding, halfsphere plates of metal. The holoscreen reappeared before James as lights flicked to life all around him. Welcome to the workshop. The message said. Then, the screen flickered off, and James felt the chair shift, releasing him. Quicker than intended, like an animal freed from a cage, James got out of the chair. At first, it had felt comforting when it had closed in around him, a feeling he was used to from the immersion pods after all. But being trapped in the chair the whole descent, unable to shift and move, had caused him to panic slightly. After he was clear of the chair, his panic subsiding, James was finally able to take in his surroundings. And the first thing he did, was literally pinch himself. The pain, actual pain, and not digital warmth, confirmed to him that he was actually awake, and not in immersion. Which did little to help his mind process what he was looking at. He was in a workshop that seemed to be close to the size of a football field. All around him, robots in various stages of completion stood, or sat, or lay. Screens and monitors lined the walls, and there were various robotic arms on wheels that moved too and fro, conducting various tasks, grabbing materials from bins here and there, to take other places. The workshop, even now, was alive with activity. His parents were at the government facility and had been for a long time. And yet, their workshop was still¡­ working. Was this their doing? Were they controlling everything down here, remotely, from where they were? More questions in his mind. More things he needed answers too. James looked at Dagger, and knew it was time. Time to get in contact with his parents, and finally ask them everything that he wanted to. Time to finally learn the truth from his parents. Time to learn how long they had been working on this. How long had all of this taken. And, more importantly, how much of this did the government know about. ¡°Dagger,¡± James said, pulling his eyes away from a half-completed robot that stood nearly ten feet in height, ¡°it¡¯s time to make a call.¡± DCO Final Arc - Chapter 54 Chapter 54 ¡°Can you hear me now?¡± His dad¡¯s voice said, the sound echoing out of Dagger¡¯s mouth, in a more than slightly unsettling way. The robot dog¡¯s eyes glowed, and James knew his image, and surroundings, were being broadcast to his father. Dagger had mentioned as much with regards to the call. But it seemed that feature was one way. ¡°I can,¡± James said with a sigh. ¡°Just like I was able to the first two times you asked.¡± His dad chuckled. ¡°Sorry, couldn¡¯t resist. And, honestly, it¡¯s not every day we get to put this sort of thing to use. So, it was only right I double check that it¡¯s working properly.¡± ¡°What sort of thing?¡± James asked, his dad¡¯s wording strange. ¡°Isn¡¯t this just a regular call?¡± The sound of his dad, scoffing, came from Dagger¡¯s mouth. ¡°Just a regular call.¡± James could practically imagine the look of fake disappointment on his father¡¯s face as he very likely shook his head. ¡°You should give your parents a little credit. This is no mere call.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± James pressed. ¡°Because on my end, it just seems like a creepy one way video call. And honestly, your voice coming through Dagger¡¯s mouth is really creepy. Why aren¡¯t we doing a holo call like yesterday?¡± ¡°Yesterday¡¯s call was harmless.¡± His dad replied, ¡°so we were able to speak, at least for that short while, with you normally. Now though,¡± his dad paused. ¡°Now though, we have to be extremely careful. And that means, taking every measure possible to ensure no one knows what¡¯s being said.¡± ¡°In that case, should we switch to secure messages?¡± James asked. Surely their special quantum encryption or whatever it was could ensure their text messages were sent securely. ¡°We could, but that¡¯s slower, and nowhere near as cool. Besides, what¡¯s the point in having amazing technology, if you don¡¯t ever put it to use.¡± ¡°Then what¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªI¡¯m talking to you with my mind.¡± His dad¡¯s answer made James close his mouth immediately. ¡°And I¡¯m hearing, and seeing you, through my mind as well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re what?¡± James asked in disbelief. ¡°Are you using AR glasses?¡± He speculated. ¡°Nope, those can be easily intercepted and hacked into.¡± His dad¡¯s response came, matter of fact. ¡°This is much more secure. I¡¯m receiving the information input of the video and audio feeds being sent through our encrypted method directly into my brain, which then allows me to hear, and see in a way, you. At the same time, I can think my messages to you, as if I were speaking to you, and it gets translated into the appropriate audio data and sent back to you, via the same network. Like I said, it¡¯s super neat.¡± James, said nothing. He just stood there, looking dumbfounded, at Dagger. As if to confirm what he¡¯d been saying, his dad began speaking once more. ¡°I know for a fact you¡¯re in our workshop, which means you¡¯ve already gotten to see, at least a little, the technology in play firsthand. So don¡¯t stand there thinking you¡¯re old man¡¯s talking crazy.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°I, you, what?¡± James said, his mind still trying to piece everything together. ¡°The chair, James,¡± his dad¡¯s response came, ¡°it linked into your brain. The monitor for the chair doesn¡¯t display actual messages, it¡¯s just there for appearances. Helps too, when you¡¯re first getting used to the tech, to have a surface your mind can identify to impart the information it is receiving on. Small adjustments, easing people into new technology, after all, is the best way to avoid an information overload.¡± James thought back to the chair, and the monitor, and the messages he¡¯d seen on it. Instinctively, he reached for the back of his neck, and rubbed under his skull, where the warmth had been. It was starting to come together. Sort of. ¡°Exactly,¡± James¡¯s father said, and he could practically hear his dad clapping. ¡°That special void that was picked up in your medical scans, is actually a highly advanced, and secret, piece of technology developed, and patented, by yours truly.¡± His dad paused, and the sound of him clearing his throat came through Dagger¡¯s mouth. ¡°Well, with your mother¡¯s help, of course, and Zephire.¡± ¡°Dr. Zephire?¡± James said, immediately recognizing the name. The man who¡¯d developed the technology that was going to be used by the government to trap everyone within DCO, while granting a select few immortality in the real world through his parent¡¯s robots. ¡°You worked on this tech with Rue¡¯s dad?¡± ¡°None other,¡± came the response. ¡°Man¡¯s brilliant when it comes to the mind. We worked on the nanites, ensuring they had the proper ability to cloak themselves, to make themselves undetectable, and able to interact with the brain in the ways we needed to. Dr. Zephire helped identify the specific parts of the mind, the conscious and subconscious, that could be effected, and how, via electrical pulses and signals. At its core, the brain is a massive marvel of electricity. A circuit board of infinite potential, and sending the right sparks of energy, in the appropriate amounts, frequencies, and precise spots, well, let¡¯s just say, it damn near seems like magic.¡± James¡¯s mouth couldn¡¯t open any further. His still healing jaw, throbbed. ¡°What?¡± was all he could say. ¡°You put robots in my mind without telling me?¡± He then said, clinging to the first bit that came to, well, mind. ¡°Technically,¡± his dad¡¯s voice drew out the word, in an evasive manner, ¡°yes?¡± The word was soft, almost like a question. ¡°I mean, we tweaked your immersion pod, adding them to its gel. So then, on release, the nanites entered your body through you ear canal, and moved to their designated hibernation spot.¡± ¡°When?¡± James pressed. He hadn¡¯t seen his parents in, how long had it been? Months? ¡°Oh, see, that¡¯s where the technical bit comes from too. We didn¡¯t do it in person. We had one of our robots from the lab handle it.¡± ¡°I,¡± James looked around at the mentioned lab. There were humanoid robots secured to the walls. There were also a variety of robots moving about, conducting different tasks. For a lab who¡¯s owners hadn¡¯t visited it in months, the lab felt very much alive and active. ¡°Yeah, take a moment to process it all,¡± his dad said, voice soothing, ¡°and then we can get into the meat and potatoes of things. No need to dive into unnecessary details about when and how we put the nanites in your body, and probably not any ethical questions. We¡¯ve got more pressing matters to discuss anyways.¡± James heard the tone shift in his father¡¯s voice, moving from jovial to serious. ¡°There¡¯s something you need to know,¡± his dad said, ¡°you¡¯re in grave danger.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t say,¡± James said darkly, ¡°did the government learn about our plans to stop them?¡± He asked, his heart already sinking. That had to be it. Somehow, someway, the government had learned of his and his friends¡¯ plans. They¡¯d had no chance from the start. ¡°Are the Enforcers coming to silence me, like they silenced Xander?¡± There was a long, awkward silence. A sound, almost like static, emitted from Dagger¡¯s throat as the robot dog stood there, unmoving, its glowing eyes clearly still recording James, and sending the information to his father. After a few minutes, his father cleared his throat. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s start over,¡± his dad said, clearly off balance. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± DCO Final Arc - Chapter 55 Chapter 55 James covered what he knew with his father in the span of a few minutes, speaking quickly, while his father listened, never once interrupting him. After he finished, his dad was quiet, once more, for a couple of minutes. Likely processing what all his son had told him. ¡°I swear,¡± his father finally began, ¡°if we survive all of this, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to be allowed to be on your own any longer. Trouble seems to find you like a damned magnet.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t say,¡± James said dryly. ¡°Considering everything that¡¯s happened to me, I¡¯d much rather go back to when my only worries were being bullied at school.¡± It felt like a lifetime ago that Dwight had punched him outside of the school building. What he wouldn¡¯t give to go back to that time. ¡°Okay, well,¡± his dad let out a heavy sigh, ¡°I, are you sure about Xander?¡± His dad¡¯s voice was tentative, ¡°did they really use Truth Serum on him?¡± ¡°Steve told us himself,¡± James answered, ¡°he said he administered it himself to Xander.¡± ¡°Monsters,¡± his dad¡¯s voice muttered, ¡°no one deserves to experience a fate like that. Sure, Xander and I had differences, and he went off the deep end towards the end of it all¡­ but with what you told me, he was totally justified. He saw the writing on the wall a lot sooner than we did, that¡¯s for sure.¡± ¡°Too bad you¡¯re so good at your job,¡± James said, dark humor taking hold for a moment, ¡°else their could have been more time to reveal their plan and stop them.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s one thing your mom and I pride ourselves on, it¡¯s our work ethic.¡± His father said. ¡°You don¡¯t get to be the best, by not putting your all into a job. But that doesn¡¯t mean we didn¡¯t have contingencies in place.¡± James felt a bit of hope fill him. It pushed at his depression, the darkness shifting just slightly, like clouds finally giving way to a ray of sunlight. ¡°So, you can stop them?¡± He asked hopefully. ¡°Stop all of this?¡± ¡°I, er, didn¡¯t say that.¡± His father¡¯s answer dashed his hopes. The sunlight faded, and it felt darker in the workshop. ¡°But, you should be able to put some of the stuff in our workshop to use for whatever it is you¡¯re planning tonight.¡± ¡°You said you had contingencies in place.¡± James pressed, ¡°doesn¡¯t that mean you had a plan to stop your robots from being used in such a way? You know Dr. Zephire, surely you could have predicted this.¡± ¡°You act like we had complete freedom during our time here.¡± His dad cut back, ¡°we¡¯re in the belly of the beast James. Constant surveillance is on us. And it¡¯s a Top Secret project, meaning we only get to know, what they want us to know. Our job was to make perfect human robots. Ones capable of feeling. Of smelling, of tasting. Ones indistinguishable from real humans. They told us the project itself was meant to give people like Ruby a second chance. And others, who may have been injured in wars, or accidents, or born with defects.¡± His father sighed, ¡°they told us our project was meant to be used for good. And well, a part of us really wished and hoped it was.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°How is that linked to DCO?¡± James pressed, ¡°surely you had doubts, questions.¡± ¡°Well duh.¡± His father¡¯s tone seemed insulted. ¡°What we got was DCO would test the ability of fully immersing a mind, deeper than any tech before it, to serve as the transfer point for a consciousness. If they could make a world within immersion that could fully allow a person to experience everything as if it were the real world, they¡¯d be able to trace that data, those aspects of the mind, and create artificial minds capable of holding the person within our robotic bodies and interfacing them seamlessly as a result. Well, that¡¯s the simple version of it. At least.¡± ¡°And you did it without pressing the matter.¡± James¡¯s tone was still dark. ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand the way the government works fully.¡± His dad said, not aggressively, but tired. It reminded James of how exhausted his dad had looked yesterday on the video. ¡°You do what they want, without causing a stir. Or you disappear or find yourself buried in debt and misfortune. This job got us here. Got us a lab of our own at our house, got you into a good school, and got your mother and I access to every piece of equipment and all the materials we could ever dream of. And like I said, we didn¡¯t do it all blindly. We took advantage of our situation as best we could, without causing too much scrutiny. Sabotaging the project, we were working on would have, instantly, resulted in YOUR death.¡± His father cut off for a moment. ¡°We couldn¡¯t risk you.¡± ¡°Dad,¡± James¡¯s anger fled as he thought of Zach, and what had happened to him, his wife, everything he¡¯d worked for. He knew full well what the government was capable of. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He said gently. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± his dad cleared his voice, ¡°anyways. Working on the project kept you safe, got you in a prime Dungeon Core role, and got you paired with Rue. Those are all the things we¡¯d do again if we had the chance. What we didn¡¯t know, until just yesterday, was the fact DCO was meant to be a prison. Past that, what I didn¡¯t know, until just now, was the extent of the full plan.¡± ¡°So, you were calling to warn me that they were planning to trap us in immersion?¡± James asked, seeking clarification. ¡°Pretty much. We caught word that something was up, and that the immersion tonight would be different. That those who took part in it, wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of their immersion pods. We didn¡¯t know the full extent of everything. Not that I doubt you, or your source of information, but even now, I¡¯m having trouble believing it all.¡± ¡°Only reason I¡¯m not completely freaking out,¡± James offered, ¡°is because I¡¯ve had a few days while immersed to get past the pure panic and depression bit of the information. I¡¯m not proud of it¡­ but I definitely had a few breakdowns.¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t, I would have assumed you¡¯d been turned into a robot.¡± James¡¯s dad laughed, and James felt his mood lift just a tad. He¡¯d missed this. Missed talking with his parents. Missed his dad¡¯s ability to try and joke about everything. ¡°Now then, you¡¯ve got a raid to plan, and it¡¯s time you give your old man some credit. Sure, I didn¡¯t build a failsafe into the robots we created for the government. But that doesn¡¯t mean your mother and I did nothing with the access to materials and such we did have. We won¡¯t be able to help you, considering we¡¯ve already received word we¡¯re supposed to immerse tonight and be in DCO¡­ which now makes a lot of sense, but we can still be there in spirit with you. And by spirit, I mean, through a variety of, ahem, special projects.¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting,¡± James said, knowing his dad was building up for a big reveal. ¡°Let¡¯s see them.¡± ¡°Alrighty then, here¡¯s what I need you to do.¡± DCO Final Arc - Chapter 56 Chapter 56 James was in the chair once again. Apparently, its purpose was not only to grant access to the workshop proper, but also to manage features of the workshop that needed extra security. What James was currently seeing was the standard workshop. The various forms and figures he saw were all projects in various states of completion, but none of them were actually ¡®completed.¡¯ Those, his father had told him, were kept in another secure room. One that was only accessible by having the proper¡­ hardware, to use the chair properly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m in the chair.¡± James said aloud as he got himself comfortable. It was hard to trust the chair fully, considering the last time he¡¯d sat in it, it had trapped him in its clutches and taken him down to this secret laboratory. ¡°Now what?¡± ¡°The system should do a scan to activate your nanites.¡± As his dad spoke, James felt the warm sensation on the back of his neck. Once again, the monitor came to life. Though, he now knew, that was all an illusion. If his dad was to be taken seriously, what James was seeing was actually being projected within his mind. Welcome James, the prompt once again said. Followed immediately by, Would you like to leave the Workshop? James mentally thought no. The words flickered. Standing by for intent ¡°It says standing by for intent.¡± James read to his dad. ¡°Now what? Do I just think about your finished projects?¡± ¡°Nah. That won¡¯t work. This is a special room. It requires a specific phrase be given. Request access to,¡± his dad cleared his throat, ¡°Mommy and Daddy¡¯s special toy closet.¡± ¡°What?¡± James asked immediately. ¡°Please don¡¯t make me say it again.¡± His dad said, a bit of embarrassment in his voice. ¡°It was a bad joke between your mother and I. When we were setting up the security, we wanted to make sure it was something ridiculous that no one could accidently stumble upon. And when it comes to passphrase cracking, silly and embarrassing things are usually some of the last things to be thought of. Probably unnecessary, considering only those with nanites can even access the chair, but you know, security is important. And¡­¡± his dad trailed off, almost to a whisper, ¡°we may have been a tad inebriated when we put it in place. Plus, in a perfect world, the only one ever using the passphrase would have been your mother and I, at which point, it wasn¡¯t, ya know, awkward.¡± ¡°A tad inebriated,¡± James muttered, ¡°I¡¯m sure just a tad, huh? And yeah, this is something no kid should have to think of.¡± He shook his head best he could while secure in the chair and thought the passphrase, trying extremely hard not to let his mind wander. Some things parents should just never say around their kids. And some images kids just never needed of their parents. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Special Access Granted The message pulled his mind, thankfully, from the route his imagination was taking. There was the sound of heavy pressure releasing, and then clanking gears and grating metal. James pulled himself free of the chair and looked in the direction of the noise. An entire part of the wall of the laboratory, which had been covered with blinking monitors, had slide inwards. The monitors served as lights to tease at what lay within. It was a large room, though not as spacious as the massive workshop he was currently in. And from where he stood, he couldn¡¯t fully make out the details inside. His excitement wouldn¡¯t let him wait. ¡°It¡¯s open,¡± James said quickly to Dagger, as he quickly walked towards the open room. The dog trotted just behind him, its glowing eyes still providing the video feed of everything that was happening to his father, who was, somehow, receiving all of this in his head through his nanites. How exactly was he doing that, James wondered. Was it a function of his father¡¯s parrot robot? An image of the robot sitting on his dad¡¯s shoulder, perhaps leaning its head against his neck, flashed through his mind. What was the range on these nanites that his parents had inserted knowingly in themselves, and unknowingly within James. What could trigger them. What else could they do? His musings were short lived, as he reached the secret workshop, which he refused to acknowledge as his parents¡¯ special toy closet. The room was the size of a small gymnasium, and it was much more organized than the lab itself. Whereas the lab had bits and pieces all strewn about, with robots moving too and fro, computers beeping and screens blinking, the special room was lit by a steady white light, showing a completely sterile white space, with metal floors and ceilings. It was like a vault, and as James walked past the heavy door, he could see it was also reinforced by a few inches of thick gleaming metal, with massive pistons and stakes on the inside that seemed to have retracted from slots in the floor. No one was getting through that door without either extreme brute force, or the proper password. And that required, first and foremost, that the person knew where to look. Within the vault, which he felt he should consider it, were six robots, two on each wall of the room, with the wall with the door being completely empty. They were held upright by massive mechanical braces, which reminded him of how video games and anime usually showed mechanized suits being secured. Technically, there was room for 15 robots total, judging by the three empty sets of braces on each wall. James wondered if there had been robots in them before, or if they were there simply for future projects. Besides each of the robots was a terminal, from which wires ran into the braces, and then the back of the heads of the robots. As James got further into the room, heading to the nearest robot on his left, he realized each and every one of them, while humanoid, was distinctly different. ¡°Welcome,¡± James¡¯s dad said from behind him, ¡°to our Government Goes Batshit contingency.¡± James looked down at Dagger, and then back at the first robot. His dad hadn¡¯t been lying. They had been busy. And he wondered when they¡¯d had the time to make these six. ¡°Impressive,¡± James said as he reached the first terminal. ¡°Are you going to tell me what they are called, and what they do?¡± ¡°And ruin the surprise?¡± His dad said with a chuckle. ¡°Heavens no.¡± ¡°Then, at least tell me how to fire up the terminal?¡± James asked, looking down at the piece of technology. There was a handprint scanner on the face of it. There was also a set of goggles, which he figured was either a portable retina scanner, or would serve as the display for the terminal¡¯s information. And then, last but not least, a keypad. ¡°That, I can definitely do.¡± DCO Final Arc - Chapter 57 Chapter 57 James rotated his shoulders, feeling a bit of tension leaving them, as he made his way towards the door that would leave his parents¡¯ room, back towards the regular portion of his home. The chair, once more, was the only thing in the room, the floor normal, showing no signs of the massive, secret lab that existed beneath the house. He¡¯d left behind, for now, his parents¡¯ workshop. What his dad had shown him, the six robots in the special room, had him feeling, even if just a little, that they had a chance tonight. Those robots were going to be key to the success for the night. With them, with essentially his parents at his side, and everyone else, James felt, for the first time, that this was more than a pipe dream. They had a fighting chance. The pieces were coming together, and the government was going down. As he crossed the threshold out of the special room, movement in his vision caught his attention. His eyes darted to the prompts, noting that he¡¯d just received, in rapid fire, a string of messages. No, that wasn¡¯t quite right. The notifications for the messages were all instantaneous, but as he opened the list, he could tell there were different timestamps on them. He¡¯d not noticed it before, but apparently his AR glasses hadn¡¯t had any signal while he¡¯d been in that room. Another security feature, he had no doubt. Did that mean, while he was in there, his government chip in his wrist had been disabled too? For the roughly two hours he¡¯d been down there, had it just seemed like he¡¯d disappeared completely? Just how secure was that lab? He sorted the messages, scanning their message headers, and noting their timestamps. It was just past 9am. He had 13 hours to go, before they¡¯d dive back into immersion. Fourteen hours until the government¡¯s special 48-hour event started. The first message, from Z, had come in at 720am. The latest¡­ dozen messages, had all been coming 2 and half minute increments. Considering immersion related one hour of real-world time to 24 hours within the virtual world, that equaled roughly once, every hour. Those were all from Rue, and he opened the last one, and replied to it quickly. From: Rue Subject: WHERE ARE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously, I¡¯m starting to worry. I¡¯m trying not to. Really, I am. But no one has heard from you yet, and they asked me, and I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing. And the camera feeds in your house that Fel left behind aren¡¯t showing you anywhere. You¡¯ve disappeared, and it¡¯s scaring me. Please, James, where are you. I keep telling myself nothing bad has happened, but I can¡¯t get ahold of you. I can¡¯t see you. And no one knows what¡¯s going on with you Please please please be okay and respond as soon as you see this. James quickly sent a message. He wanted to tell her everything, but he couldn¡¯t. Not through these messages. And he couldn¡¯t tell her what he¡¯d been doing, or what¡¯d seen. At the very least though, he could try and alleviate her fears. Her concern meant a lot to him, enough so, that he figured he¡¯d ignore the fact she was using cameras that Fel had apparently still left behind, to spy on him. To Rue: Subject: I¡¯m right here Sorry for making you worry! I¡¯m here, and everything is okay. I¡¯m really sorry for making you worry though, and will try to make it up as best I can when I¡¯m back in DCO. Everything will be okay. See you tonight. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Love, James P.S. Remind me to have a word with you and Fel about these cameras¡­ He sent the message, a small smile on his lips as he quickly skimmed the other spam messages from her. They all covered pretty much the same thing, but with an increasing degree of concern. Normally, Rue wasn¡¯t this paranoid. But considering what they were up against, and what was at stake, he figured everyone was probably a bit on edge right now. With Rue taken care of for now, and very likely now spying on him through the cameras in the house, he moved on to the next message. Well, technically the first message to come in this morning. The one from Zach, aka, Z. From: Zach Subject: Health Check Hey buddy, just wanted to check in on how you¡¯re feeling today. I can bring by some more books later today, maybe some pizza and ice cream again too? I¡¯ll be running errands all day with some of my friends, so you know, if you do want me to check in on you, they may be with me. Let me know if that¡¯s okay? Z James smirked as he read Z¡¯s message. The man was good. So very very good. Obviously James knew exactly who Z¡¯s friends were. But Zach was sending this message, making it seem like a very innocent check up message. Same as he¡¯d been doing ever since James¡¯s fight at school. The carefree, charismatic, gamer that was Zach, had no doubt learned from his lifetime of dealing with the government. He knew how to cover his tracks, and he knew how to be sneaky. And this would provide him with the perfect opportunity to introduce James to the people he¡¯d be working with, in the real world tonight, to try and take DCO¡¯s servers offline, and to save the world. To: Zach Subject: Health Check Z, That sounds good. I could definitely do with some more ice cream. My jaw was feeling a bit sore, so I¡¯d appreciate it if you did come over and check it out again? Just to make sure everything is healing up? Appreciate you telling me about your friends. Are they teachers from school? Either way, I doubt my parents would mind. Though I can¡¯t get too distracted. Looking forward to starting this awesome DCO event. James sent the message, his smiling fading as it went off into the virtual space. He had tried to be as normal as possible in the message to the school¡¯s doctor. He was trying to act normal, nonchalant. But it wasn¡¯t easy. His mind was abuzz with thoughts and plans and things he wanted to say and discuss with everyone. But he couldn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t safe. The government had ears literally everywhere, and he had no doubt they likely had algorithms scanning messages for trigger words and phrases too. He needed to just smile and wave, to act like nothing was amiss, when everything, quite literally, was. He sighed, and opened the next one. It was from Fel. As he read it, he sighed again, thinking hard on how to best respond. At the same time, he found himself wondering if this was how it felt, being a special agent or operative. Because this was nowhere near as glamorous or exhilarating as the movies always made it out to be. The media had lied. None of this was badass and fun, it was stressful, worrisome, and somewhat sickening, according to his nerves. Thirteen hours, before immersion. Thirteen more hours, of feeling sweaty and sick from paranoia, anxiety, and nerves. Oh how he wished he could force sleep the time away. Honestly, living permanently within immersion, didn¡¯t seem such a bad thing. Especially if it meant he could never feel like this again. But, this path, this battle against the government, was the right one. And doing the right thing, he knew, wasn¡¯t always easy. It wasn¡¯t convenient. It wasn¡¯t comfortable. It generally fucking sucked at times, if he was being honest with himself, and it made sense why people more often than not took the easy way out, even if it was morally grey or just straight up wrong. But with the world at stake, James would do this. For Rue, he¡¯d do this. He¡¯d be the guy she believed him to be, he¡¯d be the hero, that he needed to be. Or, well, he¡¯d fail, the world would end, the rich people with power would get their way, and the masses would be trapped forever in a virtual world, living out essentially his dream existence, and he¡¯d probably wind-up dead. Which reminded him, there was one last thing about doing the right thing. The right thing, apparently, wasn¡¯t always fair. DCO Final Arc - Chapter 58 Chapter 58 ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t expect to see you today.¡± Alex said as James walked into the hospital room. Alex was sitting upright in his special medical bed. The structure, James knew, could also double as an immersion pod, allowing patients to still access the Zone at night, or in extreme cases, during the day. Being absent from the present pains that affected their bodies, was more effective than any form of morphine ever could be, after all. Plus, it limited how often patients who with serious injuries or who¡¯d undergone massive surgery moved about, limiting the chance any of the doctor¡¯s work could be undone. ¡°Figured I¡¯d swing by and see how you were doing.¡± James answered, honestly, as he stepped into the room. His eyes scanned Alex, noting he seemed to have a little more color to him than he had the day prior. Modern medicine was amazing. Alex had been beaten, quite literally, within an inch of his life at Dwight¡¯s hands. If not for Fel¡¯s arrival, and her quick handling of Dwight, there was a possibility the boy who¡¯d helped see that Dwight was punished for attacking James, would have died in his stead. ¡°Same old same old.¡± Alex said with a shrug. His smile faltered for just a moment at the action, no doubt angering his broken ribs and bruised body. He slowly ran a hand through his hair as he looked around. ¡°Any chance you brought me something better than hospital food?¡± James laughed and shook his head side to side. ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t think to bring you anything.¡± ¡°Shame,¡± Alex said with a sigh, ¡°downside of living with chefs. Everything else just tastes, you know, underwhelming. At least, in the real world that is.¡± His eyes took on a wistful look. ¡°Some of the meals I¡¯ve had in the Zone, and especially in DCO, have definitely put meals in the real world to shame.¡± ¡°Do you prefer DCO, to the real world?¡± James asked as he took a seat beside Alex. The question just escaped his mouth, before he realized he was even saying it. ¡°Would you stay there forever, if you could?¡± What the hell are you going? Alex looked at him for a long moment, his eyes thoughtful. He shifted, somewhat uncomfortable, in his hospital bed, before he responded. ¡°Probably not,¡± he said. ¡°As awesome as it is, probably not.¡± ¡°Why?¡± James pressed. ¡°Because it¡¯s not real.¡± Alex answered, quicker, as he seemed to finalize his thoughts. ¡°No matter how real it feels, it¡¯s not. It¡¯s virtual. It,¡± he paused to think, ¡°the fact it¡¯s virtual, the fact it¡¯s not real, is what makes it special, you know?¡± ¡°I,¡± James stopped, unsure of how to answer. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m following.¡± ¡°We can do, and be, whatever we want in immersion.¡± Alex said as he leaned back into his bed. ¡°It¡¯s awesome, really. And I¡¯m really glad the technology exists. It¡¯s given me the chance to do and experience so many things that would probably be impossible otherwise.¡± He grinned as a lecherous look crossed his face for a moment. James had heard more than a few stories of the types of things Alex and Fel had been up to in DCO, including their, ah, escapades with a certain demonkin named Lilith. ¡°But while the experiences and memories all feel real,¡± Alex continued, ¡°the fact they don¡¯t matter, the lack of actual weight on our decisions within immersion. It¡¯s freeing. If immersion were real, I don¡¯t think we would feel the same type of freedom. Immersion, well, it¡¯s an escape. It¡¯s a fantasy world.¡± Alex flexed his hands, looking at the IV that protruded from the back of his right palm, ¡°decisions in the real-world matter. They have a finality, a weight to them. Living in the real world, consequences, suffering, and all that, make immersion the awesome escape that it is. Without the real world,¡± he unclenched his hand, ¡°the immersion probably would feel more like an eternal prison. What¡¯s the point of an escape after all,¡± he added, softly, ¡°if you¡¯re not escaping from something?¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. James said nothing. He was aware his mouth was slightly open, as he stared, dumbfounded, at Alex. Where had those profound thoughts come from? Had Alex contemplated such stuff in the past? Or were these things he was considering now, after his near-death experience? ¡°So if you had the choice, you wouldn¡¯t want to live in immersion forever?¡± James asked. ¡°Nah,¡± Alex said with a shake of his head. ¡°What if Fel was there with you?¡± ¡°She¡¯s here with me in the real world,¡± Alex countered. ¡°And that¡¯s more important, honestly. Like I said, the virtual world, it¡¯s different. That¡¯s a rules free zone. It¡¯s a playground. It¡¯s a game.¡± Alex looked towards the door, as if expecting Fel to walk through it, ¡°but the real world, it¡¯s reality. Fel being with me here, means so much more to me. If I had to choose between immersion, or the real world, I¡¯d choose the real world with her by my side over immersion.¡± ¡°Even if it means no more,¡± James grinned at Alex, ¡°visits to your class trainer?¡± Alex¡¯s face reddened a bit at that. ¡°Even if it meant no more visits with my class trainer,¡± he said, though there was a hint of longing in his voice. ¡°Virtual can¡¯t beat the real-world James, simple as that.¡± James sat there, as an awkward silence spread between the two of them. He and Alex weren¡¯t really friends. He¡¯d only spoken on slight occasions with the Senior at his High School. They had very different experiences. Alex was popular, he had a purpose in the real world. James was a nerdy gamer. The only reason he¡¯d even visited Alex the first time, was out of guilt. And this time, honestly, he wasn¡¯t sure. He had time to kill and sitting around waiting had been driving him crazy. So he¡¯d wandered over to the hospital, looking to do something, anything, to distract himself as the hours ticked by. But now, well, he wasn¡¯t sure. He wished he could be as certain as Alex. That would probably have made his actions, his conviction, stronger. But Alex¡¯s love was in the real world. She was flesh and blood. If the virtual world disappeared, Alex wouldn¡¯t potentially lose the love of his life. For James, that wasn¡¯t quite the case. Rue existed in DCO. Steve and the others, including Rue, were confident that crashing the DCO server wouldn¡¯t harm Rue. But it was still a risk. There was a chance that if they stopped the government, it could cost James Rue. And the more he sat around, the more he waited for the night to come, the more that ate at him. ¡°You alright man?¡± Alex pulled James from his dark thoughts. ¡°You need to talk about something?¡± James pushed his brooding aside, and offered Alex as sincere a smile as he could. He shook his head at Alex¡¯s question and moved the subject away from himself to something else. ¡°Speaking of Fel,¡± James began, ¡°have you seen her today?¡± Alex sighed; love struck puppy on full display before James. ¡°No,¡± he grumbled, ¡°she said she had to do something with her mom today. So, I¡¯ve just been stuck here, with nothing to do, bored out of my mind.¡± James had received a message from Fel. It hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about her mom. Just that she was running errands on her side, to get ready for tonight. Had she lied to Alex? Or was she giving her boyfriend more details, in a roundabout way, than she was giving James? Either way, it didn¡¯t really matter. James could trust Fel. If she said she was running errands to get ready for the night, than that¡¯s what she was doing. If her mom was involved as well though¡­ James didn¡¯t let the thought progress any further. ¡°You said you¡¯re bored,¡± James said, half to himself, half to Alex. ¡°So how about a game to pass the time?¡± He looked at Dagger, who¡¯d stood silently at his side the entire time during the conversation. ¡°Dagger, what games do you have installed?¡± The dog¡¯s mouth opened, its hollow projector extending outwards. The sudden transformation caused Alex to jump, which then made him flinch and let out a gasp of pain. He knew Dagger was a robot, but James was pretty sure the holoprojector in the mouth, and the way Dagger¡¯s jaw flipped up almost 90 degrees, had been more than a little surprising. James felt bad, but also couldn¡¯t help but smirk. Then, brilliant lights played in the air above Alex¡¯s lap, as virtual board games began to stack, one on top of each other, for the boys to read. ¡°I¡¯ve access to every board game created in the past hundred years,¡± Dagger¡¯s voice said, past its unmoving mouth, ¡°state either the name of the game, or apply search parameters, to narrow down the list.¡± ¡°Any games in mind?¡± James asked Alex, motioning towards him. ¡°Seems like we¡¯ve got choices.¡± Alex looked from James, down to Dagger, his eyes still looking over the dog. ¡°Uh,¡± he paused for a moment, thinking, ¡°got any card games?¡± DCO Final Arc - Chapter 59 Chapter 59 James headed home with enough time to tidy up before Z and his friends swung by. He¡¯d initially planned to return sooner but had found a sense of comfort in gaming with Alex. Thanks to immersion, most gaming was fully immersive, and made the person a main part of the game. Taking time to relax and play retro card games was surprisingly cathartic, and he saw why Rue found pleasure in playing Magic against the Terminus and other boss monsters. While on the train, he skimmed his messages, double checking he hadn¡¯t missed anything important, assuming everyone was doing all they could to prepare for the nighttime raid plan. After that, he skimmed through reddit. First, he checked out the reddit for his town¡¯s dungeon, curious to see the main topics being covered. Candy Dungeon Appetizer? Sixth Floor Map? SPECIAL EVENT DICKEN SALE!!!! HALF OFF PRICES FOR ALL RANDOM DUNGEON MEMBERS! James grinned at the last one, noting the obvious sales ploy. With the increased duration of for this special event, Alex¡¯s family, who ran the Dicken Shack, as well as its, er, competitor, could make a literal killing. Alex may have insisted the virtual world didn¡¯t matter. But based on the currency ratio, what his family stood to make during a 48-hour immersion extravaganza would no doubt dwarf any sales they did in the real world in a similar span of time. Impressive wasn¡¯t the word for it. Too good to be true, probably, was better. An event like the one being held, if it were just a special event that would happen occasionally, would no doubt make or break entire businesses. A problem circumnavigated though, by the fact there wouldn¡¯t be any real world businesses to be made or broken, if things went according to the governments plans. It was easy to throw precaution out the window, when there wasn¡¯t supposed to be a tomorrow. Mentally he opened the first reddit thread, started by someone named NotADev69. Just putting this out there, but obviously the first Dungeon War of this event needs to be against the Candy Dungeon. I don¡¯t know about all of you, but I personally love starting parties with candy. And even more than that, the full course meal of dungeons we will get to smack down, should be started against the Candy Dungeon. Pretty sure it¡¯s the only one that could prove a tasteful challenge to us too. Also, remember, it¡¯s the dungeon that has that SoulDemon Asshat. Rumor is he nearly screwed us over during the siege. It¡¯s high time we paid him back. Beneath it, a stream of interaction that James quickly skimmed. */Yo_Shiiiiiiiiiiiiii- Your making good points, but you sure you ain¡¯t a dev? **/NotADev69- You¡¯re*, and pretty sure I¡¯m not a dev, obviously. That¡¯s what my name means. *** Yo_Shiiiiiiiiiiiiii- uh¡­huh¡­ */TyRANT25- I¡¯m down to see what they can throw at us. With the Mad Mage and White Beast of Chaos, they won¡¯t stand a chance. **/PurpleKnight1- Have you been over there lately? Their dungeon got so much easier after they lost to us. Pretty sure defeat at our hands made their competitive spirits die. ***/ Yo_Shiiiiiiiiiiiiii- Feel like losing to a dungeon filled with dickens would do that to anyone. Serves them right, cocky bastards ****/PurpleKnight1- Not sure how everything works, but as it stands, I can¡¯t see them holding a candle to us. Especially not considering the Knights reports about the sixth floor. Kind of excited for Dungeon Wars to kick off. Only way I¡¯m getting near those sixth-floor mobs with my current level. */SoulDemon- I don¡¯t know who you are, but you can bet I¡¯m going to find you NotADev69. You can go fuck yourself. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. **/NotADev69- Tsk Tsk. You¡¯re proving my point. You¡¯re a dick and someone needs to give you a timeout. ***/SoulDemon- (Message deleted by mods) James couldn¡¯t help but grin. Was Steve NotADev69? He totally could be. It seemed like a Steve thing to do. Either way, the reddit thread itself had a couple hundred comments already, and over a thousand thumbs up. It left little doubt in his mind that it would ensure the first dungeon they faced off against would be the Candy Dungeon. He wondered what Rachel and Matthew were doing on their end to get their players ready for the battle. His dungeon, and BLANKs, were the only Tier 7 dungeons. That meant they¡¯d get priority in challenging each other for the Dungeon Wars event. Still, the players themselves had to vote to select the targets, meaning, both instances of 10,000 players would need a majority vote to challenge the other, to ensure the battle happened. Z and his guild were going to rally the players in game even further, to encourage the challenge. Did BLANK¡¯s Dungeon have anyone like that? Or maybe that was why NotADev69 had called out SoulDemon. The Candy Dungeon¡¯s strongest player. And¡­ strongest personality. The antithesis of Z. Both were top tier gamers, but one surrounded himself with friends, and worked hard to make sure everyone was safe and had fun. The other¡­ was a selfish dick. The second reddit thread, which James skimmed through as he walked back to his house after the train dropped him off at his station, was by the Knights Who Go Ni. It detailed the six floor, and the monsters they¡¯d seen on it. They had also included screenshots of the mobs, as well as noted strengths and weaknesses. The poster, Med Ic, had even included the bit about the J-Kappa¡¯s Sellout perk. With that information, James had no doubt more players would take to his sixth floor once they dove back into the dungeon. And maybe, with the knowledge given to them by the Knights, they could prepare large enough groups, and strategies, to try and gain a few more levels before the Dungeon Wars kicked off. More importantly, the more players that arrived on his sixth, the more that would discover the seventh. James really wanted to see his seventh floor in action, at least once, before he was needed once more in the real world. He was hoping, actually, to join Z, and possibly the Boss Slayers, on one last jaunt before they decided the fate of the world. It was morbid, sure, but James had begun putting together a small list of ¡®lasts¡¯ he wanted to do, before they started their mission. If there was a chance he was going to die, or worse, then he was going to make sure he did all he could, at the very least, to ensure he lived his life to his fullest. His musing kept him quiet as he got to his house, Dagr trotting along at his heels. He reached his house and held his arm up to the door, which had been repaired since the Cyb3ru5 assault on his house just a few nights ago. The lock read the chip in his wrist and opened. He stepped in, blinking to adjust his vision from the light outside, to the dimer lighting within his house. As he did, a moving shadow in the house caused him to freeze. Fear and panic welled up in him, as his mind told him this was it, he was done for. The government had come for him. He¡¯d been found out. He stepped backwards, and tripped over Dagr, the dog having done nothing in the moment. Wasn¡¯t Dagger supposed to guard him? Wasn¡¯t Dagger supposed to keep him safe? Was it an enforcer? Had they somehow bypassed Dagger¡¯s sensors? A hand caught his, and he found his fall halted as thin, strong fingers gripped his wrist and steadied him. He blinked again, and recognized immediately the bright red hair, the mischievous smile, and the skintight outfit that he¡¯d come to associate with the deadliest person he knew in the real world. Alex¡¯s girlfriend. Fel, aka Felecia, aka Crimson Tiered Agent of Phoenix Down. ¡°Sup nerd,¡± she said with a laugh, ¡°didn¡¯t mean to sweep you off your feet. And sorry in advance, I¡¯m taken.¡± James looked at her, feeling his face go red, as she walked towards his fridge and opened it, pulling out a FitSip for herself, before grabbing a second to toss his way. ¡°How¡¯d you get in my house?¡± James asked dumbly, ¡°what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I made myself a key, duh.¡± She said with a chuckle, ¡°well, I was given one when I was assigned guard duty for you, and it was supposed to be temporary, but I made it permanent. We both know you¡¯ve a tendency for trouble, and you can¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t a proper precaution.¡± She leaned against the counter, stretching like a cat sunning itself, exposing a midriff toned from an extensive amount of real-world training. She popped open her drink and took a long sip. ¡°As for why I¡¯m here,¡± she shrugged, ¡°finished up most of my errands, and heard you¡¯re having some visitors tonight anyways. Two birds, one stone.¡± James raised an eyebrow, his heart having calmed enough that he wasn¡¯t in danger of a heart attack, as he walked into his house and grabbed a seat at the table. Dagger, who he was more than a little annoyed at for not warning him about Fel¡¯s presence in the house, trotted over to the intruder, and tilted his head towards her for ear scritches. Fel scratched the not dog¡¯s ears, ignoring James¡¯s questioning gaze. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± James asked directly. It wasn¡¯t like he minded her being here. But at the same time, he was paranoid. Was this suspicious? Would it be suspicious if she was here when Z and his guild members showed up? ¡°Need to know buddy,¡± she hopped up onto the counter, her legs dangling as she continued to drink her beverage. ¡°Just be a good boy for once yeah, and wait patiently?¡± James wanted to protest, but something in her gaze warned him against it. He shouldn¡¯t be pressing her, really. After all, who knew if their conversations were being spied on. He decided, therefore, to do the only thing he could. He took a drink of his FitSip and waited. DCO Final Arc - Chapter 60 Chapter 60 ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± James said as he got the message from Z. He and Fel had moved to the living room, deciding to mindlessly watch a movie while they waited for Z to arrive. Fel had eyed the door to his parents¡¯ workshop, and he knew she¡¯d wanted to inquire about it, but she¡¯d managed to restrain herself. Which, was probably poor wording on James¡¯s part, considering that thought had made him think of how she¡¯d restrained the Cyb3ru5 ruffians who¡¯d tried to kidnap him, in his very living room. ¡°About time,¡± she pushed off of the couch, completely uncaring that just the other night she¡¯d had a man bleeding on it as she interrogated him, ¡°I was really getting tired of this shitty movie.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± James started in protest. It wasn¡¯t a shitty movie. Okay, maybe it was a bit B-Rate, but it wasn¡¯t shitty. ¡°Of all the things to put on,¡± she looked at him, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a B-Rate Isekai. Though, I suppose I should be somewhat impressed. It was one I¡¯d never seen before.¡± She shook her head as she looked at him. ¡°Who the hell came up with a protagonist that had mastered tennis skills from the real world, getting transported to a fantasy world and given magic spells?¡± ¡°Okay, when you say it like that, it sounds silly.¡± James relented. ¡°And that¡¯s my bad. It¡¯s actually a sequel series to one called Aced.¡± James explained as they walked towards the door. ¡°Pretty much¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± She stopped him. ¡°Maybe, if I¡¯m really bored, and really drunk, or high, I¡¯ll check it out. Till then though,¡± she looked at him, ¡°sports anime aren¡¯t my jam.¡± ¡°Suit yourself,¡± James muttered, the conversation feeling absurdly normal considering what loomed in the near future for them. It was nice, actually. ¡°But I¡¯m just saying, sports-based stories can really surprise you in a good way. More people should check them out.¡± ¡°Not me,¡± she said, ¡°not now, at least.¡± They were at the front door, so the conversation ended. Just as he heard a knock at it, James had the door open, revealing a grinning Zach, and four other faces he didn¡¯t recognize. Okay, that wasn¡¯t entirely true. Two of the faces were familiar, one more so than the other. ¡°Hope you don¡¯t mind me swinging by with a crowd,¡± Z walked into the house as James welcomed him in. The old school nurse was carrying a couple boxes of pizza, and behind him, one of the others was carrying a bag full of ice cream cartoons, and another a couple twelve packs of soda. ¡°But sometimes official nurse duties have to part ways for mandatory friend time you know.¡± He motioned back at them, ¡°it¡¯s our Dungeons and Dragons night.¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± James remembered Z saying that they played the TTRPG, in person still, instead of using immersion. Was it really their D&D night? Or was that just his cover story? Could be both, honestly. ¡°And I see you¡¯ve already got company,¡± Z nodded towards Fel, who took the pizza from him and carried it over to the table. ¡°How¡¯s Alex doing Fel?¡± ¡°Better,¡± she responded quickly, ¡°though he¡¯s really not a fan of being stuck in a hospital bed. And I really wish my boyfriend was bedridden. Makes things less fun for the both of us.¡± James looked from Z, to Fel, and back to Z. He knew they¡¯d gamed together in DCO. But hadn¡¯t realized they knew each other in person. ¡°I met Zach when he visited Alex,¡± Fel answered his unasked question. ¡°Apparently Alex had helped Zach here tend to you when you got your ass knocked out by that waste of flesh Dwight, and so he came to check on Alex when he heard what had happened to him. We¡¯ve met up a few times in DCO since too. He¡¯s been a major help in leveling us.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± was all James could say. He was nowhere near as quick on the uptake, or cover stories, as they were. Everything they said made perfect sense. Was it all true? Or planned? If it was planned, how¡¯d they coordinate so well? He decided to move on to other things. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°I know you,¡± James said as he looked past Zach, towards one of the four others who were standing awkwardly in his kitchen. ¡°You¡¯re a teacher at my school.¡± ¡°Guilty as charged,¡± the man, one of the teachers assigned to teaching Senior level classes at his school, said with a nod. James had never interacted with him, but he¡¯d seen him in the halls on a few occasions. He wore a sharp looking pair of glasses, and James wondered if they were purely cosmetic like his or served to help his vision. He was slender, with age showing its wear on him. His dark hair was streaked in silver, which matched his salt and pepper beard. His eyes were kind though, and his cheeks showed he smiled often. ¡°Students know me as Mr. Lancaster,¡± the man said with a smile, ¡°Ralph for my peers and friends though.¡± He looked at James, ¡°or, in DCO, I go by Elm.¡± ¡°Nice to officially meet you, Mr. Lancaster,¡± James said, trying to remember his manners as he reached out to shake Elm¡¯s hand. Elm handed off his bag of ice cream to the man beside him, who took it to the table. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯ve been recovering,¡± Elm said with a look towards Z, ¡°I felt partially responsible for your attack. As teachers, we¡¯ve a duty to protect our students, and we obviously failed for both you, and young Alex.¡± There was genuine sorrow in his voice. ¡°Er, it¡¯s fine.¡± James said, not knowing what else to say. Another figure stepped forward, and James didn¡¯t know what his real name was, but he had a guess who it was within DCO. He knew from spying on them¡­ that Oak and Elm were brothers. What he hadn¡¯t realized was they were twins. ¡°I¡¯m George Lancaster,¡± the man who looked just like Elm said, ¡°no Mr. Lancaster please. Makes me sound old.¡± He laughed, but James noticed his smile and laughter lines didn¡¯t reach quite as high as his brothers. James had a feeling that just like in DCO, George had spent his life putting others before himself, and taking one, in a sense, for the team. ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± James shook his hand, ¡°George.¡± ¡°Not sure if we¡¯ve met in game before,¡± George continued, ¡°but you probably know me as Oak, the best tank in DCO.¡± The others all chuckled at his joke, and James couldn¡¯t help but smile as he felt the comforting strength in George¡¯s grip, and his eyes. Reliable was what he was. The tension he¡¯d been feeling was fading. ¡°Guessing since you¡¯re Z,¡± Fel cut in, ¡°and the twins there are Oak and Elm, that means the last two of your little party are Faust and Med Ic?¡± She bit into a slice of pizza, which she¡¯d helped herself to. ¡°Sup guys, I¡¯m obviously FlashFyre.¡± ¡°What?¡± The other individual, who James was guessing had to be Faust, considering he vaguely recognized the man, said in a mocking tone. ¡°I never would have guessed you were FlashFyre. It¡¯s not like Axel calls you Fel all the time in game, and you know,¡± he motioned at her, ¡°your hair is a dead giveaway.¡± She smirked and continued eating the pizza. ¡°Glad we got that out of the way,¡± she said mid bite. ¡°Food¡¯s getting cold.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± the man said as he turned towards James, ¡°I¡¯m Faust from the Knight¡¯s Who Go Ni, though in the real world I go by Frank.¡± James held out his hand and shook the mans. ¡°James,¡± he said, ¡°though I think you already knew that?¡± ¡°Guilty as charged,¡± Faust said, ¡°glad to see you¡¯re in better shape than when I was driving you home the other night.¡± ¡°And that leaves me,¡± the final member said. Unlike the others, the final person had vibrantly colored hair. It was a mixture of blues and greens and purples, swirling in a strange ombre down his shoulders. ¡°Names Eric Tillman,¡± he didn¡¯t offer his hand to James. Instead, he held a few fingers up towards his temple, and offered James a weird type of salute with the flick of his wrist. ¡°Med Ic in game.¡± Compared to how Med Ic acted within DCO, James wasn¡¯t sure what to make of the obviously eccentric member of the group. Dyed hair wasn¡¯t itself that crazy, but the number of piercings in his ears and lips, and his clothing, that fit more appropriately in some weird homage to bands from the late 1900s, were out of place. Somehow, hadn¡¯t let go of the past. ¡°Uh, nice to meet you.¡± James looked the man up and down. He was shorter than the others, by a good six inches, though James only realized that when he saw how tall the platform boots were the man was wearing. So not what he¡¯d expected of the best healer he¡¯d ever seen in action. ¡°Well then,¡± Z clapped his hands together, pulling everyone¡¯s attention towards him. ¡°We¡¯ve got dice to throw and monsters to slay, so let¡¯s all grab a quick bite, and be off. I¡¯m sure James doesn¡¯t want us crowding his house, especially when he¡¯s got company over.¡± ¡°Before you leave,¡± Fel said, another slice of pizza already in her hand. ¡°I¡¯ve a gift for you. A thank you, if you would, for caring about Alex, and all you¡¯ve been doing since.¡± ¡°Oh, well, I¡¯m never one to turn down gifts,¡± Z said, though he stiffened slightly. There was something being said between the two that James didn¡¯t know. ¡°Can it wait till we eat?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Fel said, and as if that was the deciding factor, everyone quickly rushed to the table, and the kitchen turned to chaos. Soda was opened, pizza was snatched, sauce and cheese spilled, and ice cream slowly melting as everyone, for a moment, lost themselves to what felt like a gathering of long-lost friends. James treasured every moment of it. DCO Final Arc - Chapter 61 Chapter 61 As with all good things, the time passed too quickly, and before he knew it, everyone had finished eating, and was preparing to leave. ¡°I guess we should get out of your hair,¡± Z said as he finished taking the box of pizza to the trash. The robotic system would immediately sort it into its proper components, making the need for separating out garbage a thing of the ancient past. ¡°Got monsters to slay and such, after all.¡± ¡°He says that,¡± Elm added, ¡°but he¡¯s the DM. Pretty sure the monsters he¡¯s talking about slaying are our characters.¡± ¡°You wound me,¡± Z countered, feigning insult. ¡°As if I would try to win at DnD.¡± ¡°If you could, we all know you would have long ago.¡± Oak offered up. ¡°You know the reason you¡¯re stuck as forever DM is because your character designs kept breaking the game.¡± ¡°I thought it was because you loved my various character impressions and story telling skills.¡± Z laughed, ¡°could have sworn you said I was the next Mercer.¡± ¡°I said you wished you were like Mercer,¡± Oak corrected, ¡°your impressions and voices feel like a drunk theater kid during their first semester after having watched a single video on how to do improv.¡± ¡°Yes, and?¡± Z smiled, and while James wasn¡¯t really sure of what they were doing, he found himself smiling along. It was impossible not to. While this was the real world, all he was seeing was his favorite group of adventurers standing in his house, cracking jokes and poking fun at each other just like they always did. Real world, or immersion, it was refreshing to know they were the same for these five. ¡°Enough of the bromance,¡± Fel said with a mock gag, ¡°it¡¯s creepy enough five grown ass adults were hanging out here for this long. You should really get going before I think I need to call the authorities.¡± The group all turned their attention to Fel, and James could see they were working for an answer that didn¡¯t make the situation sound as creepy as Fel had just laid it out. Obviously, they all knew it wasn¡¯t, but when Fel put it that way, well¡­ ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you had something to give Z, before he left?¡± James said, moving the subject away from anything awkward. ¡°I do,¡± Fel said with a nod, ¡°actually, thanks for the reminder.¡± She walked over to the couch and ruffled around behind it. A moment later she pulled out a nondescript black backpack, and carried it over to Z. ¡°Here you go.¡± Z took it, not saying another word, and slung it over his shoulder. He didn¡¯t look Fel in the eyes as he took it, and James noticed all the others were looking away as well. What was in that backpack? If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Frank, well Faust, cleared his throat, pulling the attention away from Z and the bag. ¡°While we¡¯re giving out gifts,¡± he rummaged in his pocket, and pulled out a handful of coin shaped objects, ¡°who would like a free challenge coin?¡± ¡°A challenge coin?¡± James took the metal object in his hand. It was about as large as a quarter, though thicker. He¡¯d have assumed it was gold, given its color and weight, but highly doubted the precious metal was being used. Instead, it was probably gold plated. One side of the coin had a grinning skull, the other side had a sword. ¡°A challenge coin,¡± Faust said with a smile, handing them out to everyone. ¡°They¡¯re a tradition Z knows from the military. We have them where I work as well. Had these lying about and have just been handing them out to friends. So, here¡¯s to making new friends.¡± James went to pocket the coin, not really knowing what to say. As he did, Faust held his gaze, and his tone shifted ever so slightly. ¡°Just make sure you don¡¯t happen to take it in your immersion pod. For some reason the coins metal can sometimes cause issues with the pod.¡± He winked at James. Or at least, James was pretty sure he winked. ¡°Uh, noted.¡± James said, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure not to.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Faust nodded, ¡°I figured I¡¯d warn you at least. Last thing anyone needs after all, with this amazing immersion event coming up, is something making their pods malfunction.¡± Another wink. James was pretty sure he got it. ¡°Speaking of this upcoming event,¡± Fel looked from James, to the others, ¡°I really should get going as well.¡± She pocketed the coin Faust had held out to her, ¡°I¡¯m going to give Alex a goodnight kiss before I head home and get ready. Super excited for this event. Cannot wait to see what all happens.¡± She looked back at James, and he could see she had unspoken words for him. Her eyes, normally fierce and confident, held a hint of worry. Her smile waivered, as she looked him up and down. ¡°Feel free to look for me in game, yeah James? Username¡¯s FlashFyre, if you forgot.¡± With that, contrary to the statements of Z, and her own words, Fel was the first to leave. James watched her go, feeling a pang of regret wash over him. He¡¯d pulled her into this. Her and Alex, and everyone. If he¡¯d never met her, she would be blissfully unaware of what was to come. Would that be better for her? ¡°Something got you doubting yourself? Girl troubles, perhaps?¡± Z said, the man placing a comforting hand on James¡¯s shoulder, his kind eyes looking down at him. The older man smiled, but just like Fel, it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. The way he stood, the way his shoulders drooped, it was as if Z was shouldering an immense weight. Was it whatever was in the bag? Couldn¡¯t be. Fel was fit, but he doubted she¡¯d have lifted the backpack so easily with a single arm if it was heavy enough to weigh on Z like it seemed to be. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine James,¡± Z continued, his voice soft. ¡°Just trust in yourself, and the choices you make, and you¡¯ll get through whatever you¡¯re dealing with.¡± He let go of James¡¯s shoulder and stepped backwards. The rest of the Knights Who Go Ni all waved at James, their faces covered in smiling masks, their serious eyes the only traitors to the ruse. ¡°Take care James, and feel free to hit us up in game, if you ever feel like diving the dungeon, yeah?¡± With that, they turned and left. James watched them go, fighting hard to keep his food down as his nerves took a hard grip on his stomach. That was it. Potentially the last meal he¡¯d have, the last supper he¡¯d enjoy in the real world. In a few hours, he¡¯d be immersed in DCO once more, knowing full well the game was no longer just that. And shortly after, well¡­ he¡¯d be raiding a dungeon, only this dungeon was in the real world. Could his adventuring party succeed? DCO Final Arc - Chapter 62 Chapter 62 James laid down in his immersion pod, doing his best to keep his breathing under control. He was still dressed as he had been during the day, save for his AR glasses, which he¡¯d set carefully on the table beside his bed. He fingered the coin in his pocket, feeling the smooth metal. On the ground, next to his pod, Dagger sat impossibly still, the robot watching him patiently. ¡°Here goes nothing,¡± James said, more to himself than the dog. Dagger was intelligent, and definitely had an AI with a unique personality within it, but it was still just a robot. Robots didn¡¯t have anxiety. They couldn¡¯t feel worried, or afraid. Something James envied in that moment. He leaned his back into the cushioned headrest of the pod, and a moment later the lid slid shut, as the warm liquid began to flow all around him. James tried to breath normally as he felt himself becoming immersed in the fluid, closing his eyes as he willed his mind to relax. Then he felt the familiar sensation of falling, as darkness took hold for a just a moment. He opened his eyes, knowing he was no longer in his body, and blinked. He¡¯d expected to see his normal options, to be in his body as he initially was whenever he logged into a game. He wasn¡¯t in his room within the Zone, he wasn¡¯t in the selection space either. He was hovering in darkness, with a blinking message before him. Zone Under Maintenance Transferring to Dungeon Core Online James blinked again, as he felt his mind tug from his floating body. Another blink, and he was in DCO. Sensations and smells rushed towards him as he ¡®awoke¡¯ in the tent he¡¯d fallen asleep in. The tent he shared with Rue. ¡°Huh,¡± he said as he came to. It wasn¡¯t that he hadn¡¯t planned on diving right into DCO. After all, one of the perks of being a dungeon core was that he gained access to the game an hour before, and after, the game was normally open to the public. Giving him nine hours of real-world time, nine days of game time, within the game, whereas the general populace only got seven. ¡°Huh?¡± Rue asked. She was standing beside his bed, holding a tray of pancakes and orange juice. He eyed the meal, noting it was exactly the same meal that Dagger had cooked for him. Pretty much confirming Rue had been spying on him the moment he¡¯d left DCO. At least, until he¡¯d ¡®disappeared¡¯ as she put it, into his parent¡¯s workshop for a couple hours. ¡°The game,¡± James rubbed at his temple, ¡°I was forcibly put into the game, rather than given the choice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s, different.¡± Rue held the plate out to him, which he took. The smell of freshly melted butter mixed wonderfully with the sweet vanilla of the syrup. As he took a bite, he marveled at the hint of cinnamon that danced across his tongue, engaged in a veritable waltz with the sweetness of the syrup, the fluffy, just right pancake of their dance floor. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I know they said they were closing the Zone,¡± James said between mouthfuls, ¡°but I didn¡¯t think that was supposed to start until 11pm.¡± ¡°Could be an effort to ensure everyone is logged and in place when the event goes live.¡± Rue offered, making no attempt to hide the look of satisfaction on her face as James devoured his meal. ¡°Makes sense,¡± he said, washing down the food with the orange juice. It was fresher, crisper, tangier, than what he¡¯d had in the real world. ¡°Especially considering there are people who have never placed DCO being forced into the game. Gives them time to create their characters and generate in before the event goes live.¡± ¡°Still,¡± he continued, ¡°I figured there would have been a message about it, right? And what about people in different time zones, who have already been immersed for a few hours? When exactly did they close down the Zone, and force people into DCO?¡± Rue shrugged, but he hadn¡¯t expected an answer from her. Actually, he¡¯d been speaking aloud, half wondering if Steve was spying on them, waiting for the opportune moment to pop in and magically answer his question. The developer liked to do that at times, after all. Part of his ¡®all knowing¡¯ persona he liked to give off. James looked around, waiting, but nothing happened. After another moment, he sighed, stood and looked at Rue. Emotion welled within him, and before he realized it, she was in his arms. He wrapped her tightly in a hug, reveling in the feel of her body against his. She was warm, she felt real. She was real. He breathed in, noting the sweet floral scent that seemed to radiate from her. He let go of the embrace just enough to let her look up at him, as he looked down into her eyes. Love shown there, combined with a dash of worry. Reasonable, considering his sudden embrace. ¡°I love you,¡± James said, smiling down at her, taking strength from her. Very soon, he¡¯d have to leave her again. He needed to commit every bit of her to his memory. ¡°I love you too silly,¡± she stood up on her tiptoes, her lips finding his. They kissed for a long moment, as her arms draped around his neck, pulling him down so she could kiss him even deeper. There was undeniable passion there, a hunger, and yet also, tenderness. James let his eyes close as he lost himself in the moment. The world could wait, for just this moment. He had twenty-four hours in immersion, before the planned time for their mission to begin. Twenty-four hours in game, one-hour real world, to send messages, and double check everything was alright. James could afford to spend some time with Rue. Could afford these last luxuries, last pleasant memories, before he went off to war. Time was a thief, but for the moment, James would do all he could to steal a few moments from it. The sound of a clearing throat came all too soon. He pulled himself slowly away from Rue¡¯s lips, his gaze looking over her head, in the direction of the sound. Steve stood there, grinning at him, his eyes shadowed and dark. At his side, Fel leaned against the inside of the tent, her fiery red hair in stark contrast to her in-game Angelkin appearance. His alone time with Rue was up. Apparently, time didn¡¯t appreciate his antics, nor did it care about his wishes. Time, after all, stopped for no one. DCO Final Arc - Chapter 63 Chapter 63 ¡°Well, that answers that question.¡± James said as the group left Rue¡¯s ¡®tent¡¯, immediately finding themselves beside the hot springs of the fifth floor. While it had always looked like a tent on the outside, it served more as an actual full-on house, thanks to well, immersion magic. ¡°Which question?¡± Steve asked as he stepped into the hot springs, a heavy sigh escaping his lips as he eased into the water. ¡°He was probably still questioning he was straight,¡± Fel said with a laugh as she snapped her fingers, a bikini appearing around her before she stepped into the water. ¡°I could have helped you sort that one out.¡± James growled but said nothing. Rue laughed lightly as she got into the water, a bikini of her own appearing around her form. James willed his own swimming suit onto himself as he got in. Technically none of that was needed. After all, they weren¡¯t real clothes, and getting into the water, no matter what you were wearing, felt nice. Case in point, Steve, who was still dressed in a pair of worn jeans and a half-unbuttoned t-shirt, looking every bit as disheveled as he seemed to be. ¡°You can¡¯t keep making jokes at James¡¯s expense just because you¡¯re nervous,¡± Rue said pointedly towards Fel, ¡°sooner or later you¡¯ll have to deal with your own situation too, won¡¯t you?¡± Fel looked away from Rue¡¯s gaze, crossing her arms and refusing to answer. James couldn¡¯t help but laugh, though it was short lived. Fel being there meant that everyone was logging in instantly into the game. On the plus side, that meant everyone, technically, was already in DCO, and he¡¯d probably be able to do one last climb with everyone. On the negative side, it meant the government plan was in full swing already. ¡°Much as it pains me to say,¡± Steve said as a Painguin brought a drink to him, ¡°now¡¯s probably not the best time for poking each other.¡± He took a drink, closing his eyes as he savored it, ¡°I¡¯ve done everything I can on my end, but I still feel the situation moving forward is dire.¡± ¡°I did my part,¡± Fel crossed her arms and leaned back into the hot springs, ¡°passed off the package, and have everything in place to counter any potential efforts to bring us down in game.¡± She looked at Steve, ¡°can¡¯t believe we¡¯re going to be working together in that regard. And I really hope you¡¯re just being paranoid.¡± ¡°As do I,¡± Steve said, ¡°but while James is away, we need to make sure we¡¯re doing everything we can to keep all of the focus on this immersion, and more importantly, on keeping anyone from realizing what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°I still feel like you¡¯d be more helpful in person,¡± James said to Fel. ¡°You¡¯re better trained than anyone I know.¡± ¡°Yeah, well unlucky for you, there¡¯s not a magical twin of me running around. And we all know your biggest weakness,¡± she pointed towards Rue, ¡°is stuck within immersion. Steve¡¯s safeguarded Rue¡¯s consciousness, but that doesn¡¯t mean shit if the government¡¯s hackers break in here and cause trouble. Between myself, Steve, and Hades, hopefully, we can keep the ruse going. The longer we keep anyone from realizing what¡¯s going on, the more time you and the others will have to actually breach the government stronghold and take DCO offline for good.¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Their plan was a two pronged one. It involved the physical assault on the government facility situated within the mountain. The one his parents were located at, along with Rue¡¯s actual body, and hell, probably her father. He wasn¡¯t sure who else was there. Maybe Steve? He knew BLANK was situated on the west coast of the continent, but he wasn¡¯t sure if Xander had been there, or had been in James¡¯s area considering he was the head of DCO at the time. If he was, and he¡¯d been captured here, then¡­ James shuddered and pushed those thoughts from his mind. ¡°I¡¯ve got the cloning program set up as well,¡± Steve said, not seeming to notice James¡¯s trailing thoughts. ¡°I¡¯ve had it running through all of the data on James, as well as the Knights. It should create a perfectly believable copy, as long as no one intimately familiar with them engages with them.¡± During their time in the real world, Steve had suggested they use the AI program from DCO to create ¡®clones¡¯ of James and the others. While James¡¯s presence may go unnoticed, unless he was summoned during the Dungeon War, Z and the others were too well known. Too public. Meaning they needed a way to ensure no one noticed the top five players, essentially celebrities, were missing. ¡°And James has the masking chip in his pod,¡± Fel said, looking at James, ¡°at least, I¡¯m pretty sure he does?¡± ¡°Was that the challenge coin?¡± He asked for confirmation. ¡°It was,¡± Fel said narrowing her eyes, ¡°please tell me you figured out what Faust was telling you?¡± ¡°I, hope so?¡± James still wasn¡¯t a hundred percent. ¡°He wanted me to have it in the pod with me, right? Why?¡± He still wasn¡¯t sure what it was supposed to do. No one had mentioned anything about masking chips. ¡°It¡¯s a special chip used to mimic an identity chip.¡± Fel said with a heavy sigh. ¡°Enforcers and other government officials use them to keep their movements masked. It uses your immersion pod as a broadcast point. By immersing yourself with it on your person, it will automatically attune itself to your pod. Once you¡¯ve immersed with it, and it¡¯s become synched with your pod, it will broadcast your information as if it were coming from the pod, essentially making any, say, monitoring systems believe you¡¯re still immersed, even when you aren¡¯t.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a part of how Enforcers can stay anonymous.¡± Steve added. ¡°Helps eliminate any possible traces or patterns for people to pick up on. It¡¯d be pretty obvious if people who were ¡®supposed¡¯ to be immersed, often logged out and went other places during their assigned immersion time, especially if it happened to correspond with Enforcer activity and operations.¡± ¡°Oh, well, glad I figured that out.¡± James let out a breath he hadn¡¯t known he¡¯d been holding. ¡°I wasn¡¯t a hundred percent sure if that was what he wanted me to do with it.¡± ¡°For you it was more of a backup plan.¡± Steve said with a shrug. ¡°Since you¡¯ve got Dagger with you, I¡¯m sure there are other ways to mask your identity chip¡¯s signal from broadcasting. But it¡¯s a nice failsafe.¡± James nodded, ¡°makes sense, though I feel like I was the only one not in the know for that bit.¡± ¡°It was an after thought he came up with during the day,¡± Fel said, ¡°and obviously no one had a chance to tell you. Out of all of us, you¡¯re, eh, acting skills are the most lacking.¡± ¡°Fair,¡± James conceded the point without contest. Everyone else lied and seemed to be able to embrace the cloak and dagger lifestyle with ease, but he had trouble doing the double speak they seemed skilled at. And knowing when they were speaking the full truth, and when they were trying to hint at something else. He was glad he¡¯d never had to be a part of the world before, having seen first-hand how it had affected Fel. But right now, for this very important mission, he kind of wished he felt more prepared. ¡°Even if my acting skills are lacking though,¡± James said after a moment. He looked at everyone and couldn¡¯t help but feel his smile spread. ¡°I have something I need to tell everyone.¡± He focused on Fel, this time his smile reaching his eyes, ¡°I need to tell you what I found in my parent¡¯s workshop.¡± DCO Final Arc - Chapter 64 Chapter 64 ¡°You¡¯re just trying to make my life difficult, aren¡¯t you?¡± Steve said as he rubbed his chin. ¡°Lucky for you, I¡¯m awesome, and I¡¯m pretty sure it will work.¡± He took a drink, ¡°and if it doesn¡¯t, well, no harm done right? It¡¯s not like we were expecting any of this. So, it¡¯s just a bonus if it works.¡± ¡°We should make sure Faust knows to bring a creepy white paneled van for you then.¡± Fel said with a chuckle. ¡°Just in case it does work.¡± ¡°Fair,¡± James looked around the hot springs, ¡°should, should we call them here?¡± ¡°Nah, not worth it.¡± Steve said with a shake of his head. ¡°I¡¯ll pass the message on to them in a different manner. No need to risk any additional things out of the ordinary,¡± he looked at Fel, ¡°the only reason she¡¯s here, is because she¡¯s already had access to your area, and it would be counter intuitive for me to put up securities against her breaking into your special dungeon core instance.¡± ¡°In other words, I come and go as I please,¡± Fel stood as she spoke, ¡°speaking of.¡± She looked around, ¡°if I¡¯m no longer needed, I¡¯m going to spend some time with Alex. His company at least doesn¡¯t feel like its on the constant verge of doom and gloom.¡± She fixed her gaze on James, ¡°when all this is said and done, I expect an actual tour of your parent¡¯s lab.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have definitely earned it, if we succeed,¡± James said, ¡°so deal.¡± ¡°And there it is, doom and gloom.¡± She shook her head, ¡°seriously, you¡¯re so melodramatic.¡± And without another word, she snapped her fingers, and she was gone. ¡°And then there were three,¡± Steve said ominously. ¡°Real talk though, I should get going to make sure I can get the data in the proper format and send it over to your pod. From there, I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ve either got a data drive prepared?¡± ¡°Dagger,¡± James said with a grin, ¡°I checked, and he can handle a ridiculous amount of data. Shouldn¡¯t be a problem transporting it, my dad confirmed as much anyways.¡± ¡°Well, if your father said it will work, then it should work. Meaning, the only reason this could mess up would be because of me,¡± Steve gave James a wink, ¡°and if you haven¡¯t noticed. I don¡¯t make mistakes.¡± ¡°Is that why you don¡¯t have any kids?¡± Rue said out of nowhere. James couldn¡¯t help but laugh. That one came out of nowhere. ¡°How¡¯d you know I don¡¯t have any kids?¡± Steve asked Rue, his eyes wide. ¡°Lucky guess,¡± Rue offered, ¡°you seem pretty married to your work. And past that,¡± she motioned at Steve, ¡°you¡¯re you. If you had actual kids, I¡¯m pretty sure you would have burned through all your dad jokes and bad humor a long while ago.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment,¡± Steve said, ¡°it means I¡¯m witty and fun still.¡± ¡°Uh huh,¡± Rue drank from her own drink, ¡°keep telling yourself that Steve.¡± ¡°I will,¡± the developer said smugly, ¡°and besides, I have Rachel and Matthew. Not to mention babysitting the two of you. No time for kids of my own.¡± They all enjoyed the moment, drinking their individual drinks, procrastinating, perhaps, the moment they¡¯d part their ways. After a few more minutes in the hot springs, Steve let out a heavy sigh, and finally stood from the warm waters. ¡°Really though,¡± he said, his tone making it completely clear he didn¡¯t want to be saying the words, ¡°I should get going. I¡¯ll keep in touch as the day goes on, and if you need me, don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡± James stood and walked over to the man, holding out a hand. Rue followed suit, and the three of them stood face to face with each other. ¡°Take care of yourself Steve,¡± James said, holding a handout to the man, ¡°and maybe, when this is all said and done, you should consider getting some rest.¡± ¡°That obvious, eh?¡± Steve took James¡¯s outstretched hand, and then pulled. James found himself embraced by the older man in a hug. ¡°Take care of yourself James,¡± Steve said softly, ¡°and just know that no matter what happens, you¡¯ve done your best.¡± ¡°Thanks Steve,¡± James said as Steve let the hug go. The developer looked at Rue and smiled, and she wrapped him in a hug as well. He whispered something in her ears, and she responded, before the two separated as well. Without looking the two of them over once more, James was pretty sure he had tears in his eyes. Even in immersion, emotions can overwhelm. ¡°I¡¯ll see the two of you, before we start this in earnest,¡± he said, wiping a tear away before it could fall free from his eyes, ¡°you two, try and have some fun before then, yeah? I¡¯m sure the Knights would love to check out your seventh floor with you.¡± ¡°We may just do that,¡± James said, wondering, for the hundredth time, if Steve could read his mind. He¡¯d been planning to do just that, hoping to lose himself in his dungeon for a bit longer, before their confrontation with the government began. Knowing that players were being forced into DCO early, just gave him all the more reason to do so. ¡°One last thing, before I go¡­¡± Steve trailed off, his words seeming to escape him. ¡°You¡¯re stalling,¡± Rue said with a laugh, ¡°out with it Steve. Besides, like you said, you¡¯ll see us again soon enough. This isn¡¯t goodbye.¡± Steve laughed at her statement, shaking his head in a way to try and clear the tears from his eyes. He cleared his throat, trying to find his words. The man was really broken up. ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯re right,¡± he said, trying once again, and failing, to keep his voice from cracking. ¡°Just, well, er,¡± another crack, ¡°I¡¯m proud of you two.¡± He said softly, ¡°really, I am. I know you both have your parents still, but they¡¯re not here to see how much you two have grown, but I am. You¡¯re right, I don¡¯t have kids, but that doesn¡¯t mean I never wanted them, and well,¡± he choked on his words for a moment, ¡°I view the two as fondly as family, as my own. And I just wish I could do more for you two. I¡¯m so proud of you, of who you¡¯ve become, of what you¡¯ve done, and what I know you two will do in the future.¡± He wiped his eyes, ¡°that¡¯s, that¡¯s all I wanted to say.¡± Without another word, Steve was gone. James and Rue stood in silence for a long moment, just staring at the spot the eccentric developer had been. Neither said anything, and James wasn¡¯t sure if there was anything to be said. Even if there had been, he wasn¡¯t sure he, or Rue, was prepared to speak. Instead, they stood there, holding hands, letting Steve¡¯s words sink in. James couldn¡¯t help but wonder if something was wrong with the hot spring¡¯s settings on his fifth floor. The humidity seemed abnormally high. Water fell freely down his face from his eyes. DCO Final Arc - Chapter 65 Chapter 65 ¡°You know he makes a good point,¡± Rue said as James silently seethed. He¡¯d reached out to Z to see if the Knights would be willing to dive the seventh floor, and the response was counter what he¡¯d expected. What he had been sure would have been an enthusiastic yes, was instead a no. To quote the veteran adventurer ¡°it would seem suspicious if you only ever interacted with us.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I have to agree with it.¡± James grumbled. ¡°I was really looking forward to playing with them a little longer.¡± ¡°We probably would have brought them down if we went with them,¡± Rue countered. ¡°We just hit level 80 with them. They¡¯ve breached the 90s. Those levels, more importantly, those class boosts, are massive.¡± She had a good point. During the last immersion, even with everyone purposefully sacrificing themselves to the dungeon to help James level, the Knights had managed to gain a few levels towards the end, once James had hit Tier 7. If not for their sacrifice, they probably could have even reached level 100, now that he thought about it. A level that he had no doubt would come with amazing perks. How he wished this was all just a game, and he could be excited for such a threshold. ¡°Yeah, that level gap probably doesn¡¯t bode well for them.¡± Considering the mobs on the seventh floor were level 115, with the boss sitting at level 125, he had no doubt it would be a miracle if anyone could survive for long without being at least level 100 on the floor. Gear and skills could only cover the disparity in levels so much. ¡°But counterpoint to that,¡± James grumbled, pointing down at the screen they were currently watching. ¡°Why take the Boss Slayers, if they weren¡¯t going to take us.¡± Sure enough, the screen they were both watching covered an instance of the fifth floor, where Z and his guild moved with only a slight amount of haste away from the safe zone town, towards the snowy forest of the fifth floor. Accompanying them, the five members of the Boss Slayers. All were in the high 80s, with Skar, their tank and leader, the lowest level of the party at level 87. Surprisingly, their healer, Olivia, had climbed to the highest leveled member of the party, having hit level 90. She hadn¡¯t strayed from her path and was now listed as a Grand Cardinal of the Light. What would her class be like when she hit level 100? What was the level 100 class for a cleric who stayed purely on the light healer path the entire time? She was the only member of Boss Slayers who had stayed pure when it came to their classes. The level 87 Skar¡¯s class was listed as an Ethereal Paladin of the Void, whatever that was. Then Troll¡¯d, the party¡¯s ranged physical DPS, was a level 89 Catastrophe Slayer. Manly The Dwarf, melee dps for the party, was a level 88 Axe Dancer. He still had his floating Axe that he sometimes called Frank but had transformed from a small thing to a great, double-edged axe that dwarfed the well¡­ dwarf. Manly was able to control the magical weapon at will, and it also had its own unique traits and abilities, similar to a summoned companion, but not quite as autonomous and free willed. The class itself seemed a strange mixture of Berserker, mixed with duelist, mixed with arcane knight.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. The final member of the party, GnoMore, was still one of James¡¯s favorites. The once rogue had never gotten rid of his love for edgy clothes and typical rogue filled stereotypes. Instead, as his class continued to devolve more and more down a weirdly effective aoe magical dps route, he¡¯d simply become¡­ well¡­ creepier. The level 89 gnome¡¯s class was Pale Horsemen, and he road atop a ghastly, famished horse type mount that left a trail of plague in its wake. His features were hidden completely behind a strange combination of cybernetic and skeletal gear that James figured had mostly been customed ordered. He looked like a witch doctor and a plague doctor had an estranged affair in the alleyway of a cyberpunk village, and it was¡­ weirdly, working for him. Party analysis aside, James couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous. He wanted to be down there with them. He wanted to be adventuring one last time with them. Which, sure, he could technically be doing still. Steve was taking care of getting the boss AI data collected and composed for the plan tonight. Fel was doing whatever it was she felt she needed to do, and everyone else was working on their tasks. The only thing left for James to do in the next twenty-three-ish hours, was to pre-record the message to be broadcast during day 5 of the Dungeon War. It was more a precaution than anything. They¡¯d picked Day 5, to give themselves at least four hours in the real world, to complete their assault on the government facility. Originally the plan had been to give it during Day 3, when everyone first hit the Fields of Battle, but there would be a risk of playing their hands early. Additionally, since they wanted to ensure the most people possible were paying attention to the broadcast, Rachel and Matthew had argued they wait till day 5. The siblings were certain they could build up the tension during the Dungeon War, to ensure come day 5, everyone, everywhere, would be tuned in. The most eyes possible, forced to be in immersion anyways by the government, would be on their dungeon. Meaning, they¡¯d see the message, and learn just what the government was planning to do. Of course, if they were seeing the message at that time, there was also a good point that James and his friends had failed their assault. But, hopefully, maybe, spreading the message would enable enough of an outroar, enough of a commotion, that the masses would be able to somehow, from within immersion, trapped as they were, break free and thwart the government. At the very least, by that point in time, it wasn¡¯t like knowing would put anyone in danger. The government, quite literally, couldn¡¯t do anything else to them, at that point. Their prison within immersion, at the same time, was a safeguard against the powers that be. James felt his mind spiraling as his mind took off, and he shook his head, turning his focus back to the present. He looked at Rue, and then down at the adventuring party, noting the players were taking their time, and actively hunting down mobs. That meant, they were planning to enjoy this run to its fullest. Meaning, first and foremost, they¡¯d be clearing the fifth floor, in its entirety, before they descended to the sixth. James had informed Z about the seventh floor, and if he had to guess, Z, and the others, wanted to make sure they gained as much experience as they could, between the fifth and sixth floor, before they ascended to the seventh. Meaning, the seventh floor, the final battle, would be as spectacular a coup de tat as possible. It also meant, annoyingly, that there was no time, like the present, to do what he¡¯d been putting off. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the training grounds,¡± James said with a groan. ¡°We should record the message, while we wait for them to finish grinding out these lower floors.¡± A camera appeared in Rue¡¯s hand, and she smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± DCO Final Arc - Chapter 66 Chapter 66 ¡°Do I really have to do this as the Mad Mage?¡± James asked as he stood, wearing his Dungeon Wars Avatar, in all its glory, at the training grounds. Rue was still holding her camera in hand, watching him, though he knew it was just for show. The red blinking orb that floated over her head, was what would actually record the message. ¡°It¡¯s the only thing that people will take seriously.¡± She said, offering him a thumbs up. ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s the MAD Mage,¡± James replied, ¡°Mad,¡± he said again, with extra emphasis on the word. ¡°Yeah, but this time you¡¯re not mad as a hatter mad. You¡¯re someone pissed¡­¡± she paused, ¡°no, lets not use that phrase.¡± She cleared her throat, ¡°you¡¯re someone kicked a puppy off a cliff mad. This is a wrong that must be righted.¡± ¡°Kicked a puppy off a what?¡± James asked in horror. ¡°And wait, what was the other saying you were going to use.¡± ¡°Unimportant.¡± Rue said dismissively, ¡°besides, of all the forms you can take, it really is the best one. Your developer avatar is too, er, unique. And your actual visage,¡± she shrugged, ¡°you¡¯re a seventeen-year-old highschooler with mousy hair and somewhat timid eyes. As much as I love you, your appearance doesn¡¯t exactly scream world savior or resistance fighter. Appearance matter, and the Mad Mage is the best option.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± James let out a sigh, doing his best to ignore the insult that had just been thrown towards his actual appearance. Still, Rue had a point. This message was going to be broadcast, ideally, to the whole world. That was the whole point of all of this preparation for the Dungeon War event. To build up enough hype and draw enough attention to get as many eyes on them as possible. James wasn¡¯t the best at public speaking, he was painfully aware of that, and so he was going to take Rue¡¯s advice. Of the two of them, she definitely had better social skills. Which, was a tad strange, come to think of it¡­ given her situation. ¡°Of course I say so,¡± Rue grinned and made a hurry up motion with her hands. ¡°Now come on. Get serious and let¡¯s record this message. I want to watch that run of the seventh floor just as much as you do, and as hot as you acting the resistance fighter is, your lack of confidence definitely kills the mood.¡± ¡°Thanks Rue,¡± James glared down at her. ¡°You¡¯re really helping me get in the right headspace for this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± she stuck her tongue out. ¡°Now come on. You can do this James. I know you can.¡± ¡°But what if,¡± James started, already preparing another excuse, questioning once again himself, and the plan. Was this even the right thing to do? Would the people really care? And was preparing this broadcast really the right course of action? If they failed in the real world¡­ wouldn¡¯t this just cause mass panic? ¡°No what ifs.¡± Rue said firmly, stopping his mental spiral. ¡°You¡¯ve said it yourself. People deserve to know the truth. Even if they can¡¯t do anything about it, they need to know the truth. Not whatever sugar-coated lies the government may have planned, if they even care that is, after their plan succeeds. Everyone, every single living person who finds themselves at the whims of those in power, is owed the truth. What they do with that knowledge, what happens after, is out of your hands. But if you don¡¯t tell them, if you purposefully leave them in the dark, when you¡¯ve the means to at least shine a bit of light on what has occurred,¡± she shook her head, ¡°then you¡¯re no better than they are, James.¡± He felt a chill run down his spine at the last words from Rue. He steeled himself, clenching his jaw, and nodding to her. She was right. It was too late now. There was no turning back. And everyone deserved to know. Even if it didn¡¯t change the outcome, the knowledge itself, was important. ¡°Here we go then,¡± James said, trying to deepen his voice just a tad. He straightened his back and looked at the camera. As he began to speak, his voice took on a solemn tone, the weight of the words, and the knowledge he shared, tightening his vocal cords on their own accord. ¡°If you¡¯re hearing this message, people of Earth, then it is likely, I have failed.¡± He looked, unwavering, at the camera, as he continued. ¡°This message is being prerecorded, prepared to deliver at the most opportune time, to inform everyone of a grave injustice that has been enacted upon each and every one of us. To be frank. The government has betrayed you. The powers that be aim to trap everyone¡¯s consciousness within DCO. It is meant to be a digital tomb, where they can lock away our minds, while killing our bodies in the real world. In short, Dungeon Core Online, from the very beginning, has been something more than just a game. DCO stands for more than just Dungeon Core Online,¡± James paused, trying hard to keep his voice steady, ¡°we¡¯ve learned recently the project goes by another name. Deorum Corpus Onus, Gods Body Burden. This project intends to trap the masses in a virtual world, resolving them of any moral dilemmas over killing innocent people. In their eyes, they are justified, they are deities transferring their people into a new world, with new bodies, and endless opportunities.¡± James took a deep breath and continued.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°All the while, they¡¯ve manufactured for themselves immortal bodies using robotics so advanced that they are practically indistinguishable. Bodies that can feel, can taste, can function as well as, actually, likely better than, a human body could. While the masses are confined forever to their virtual prison, those in power, those who have made this decision without informing the people nor asking their consent, intend to live for a blissful eternity, in the real world, enjoying the fruits of Earth and all its joys and comforts, from bodies that never age, never weaken, and never fail. They¡¯ll become gods on Earth, and all the while, will forever hold in their hands the fates of all those they¡¯ve trapped within the DCO server.¡± James¡¯s tone dropped, cold and bitter. ¡°While they remain in complete control of themselves, of their fates, of their futures, we will be trapped forever, in the world of DCO, unable to escape, unable to grow old, unable to die, unable to control any true aspect of our lives, with the specter forever lingering above us, that at any moment, at any instant, everything may simply end. At any point, if the government has its way, they¡¯ll be able to simply turn off the server they¡¯ve trapped us all in, or neglect it until it fails on its own, and we will be no more.¡± James paused then, letting the weight of his words hang in the air. His mind replayed everything he¡¯d learned, everything he¡¯d seen and heard and knew. He then thought about his loved ones, his parents, Rue, his friends, everyone. Resolve filled him. ¡°If you¡¯re hearing this message, there¡¯s a good chance we¡¯ve failed our mission. But that doesn¡¯t mean the government has won. Do not go quietly into the night. This world is ours, just as much as it is there¡¯s. Use whatever skills you can, rally yourselves, break free of this digital prison while you¡¯ve got the chance, and clutch victory from defeat. Do not let the government cease victory without a struggle. Do not let these men who dream of being gods, ascend. Those who would act as they have, those who would feign benevolence while plotting malice, do not deserve immortality. I may have failed, if you¡¯re hearing this message, but that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ve won. Time is against them, the process to permanently transfer a conscious takes a long amount of time. Use that time, break free, rise up, and overcome.¡± The red light hovering behind Rue blinked out, and she smiled at James as he collapsed onto the ground, the strength in his legs leaving him as he finished his speech. Honestly, he didn¡¯t know if people would be able to break out of immersion. That was one of the gambles they were taking with the whole situation. In order to avoid mass panic, Hades had postulated that the official lock in window wouldn¡¯t begin until a few hours into the event. Once immersion numbers were confirmed to hit their peak, while also giving the government any time they needed to track down stragglers who weren¡¯t in their pods, and make sure they were dealt with¡­ one way or another. That meant potentially, James¡¯s message would arrive in time for people to log out. It wouldn¡¯t be clean, it wouldn¡¯t be smooth, but if that happened, surely, the people would win. However, James and the others had no doubt that such an event would end in a large number of casualties. Which was why James, and his friends needed to succeed. If they could shut down the DCO server themselves, they could stop the government¡¯s plan, without forcing a mass panic revolution. Perhaps thwarting the government in their own way would be enough. DCO had taken years to put together, and he had no doubt that stopping it now, would put the government¡¯s plan on hold for a long time, if not hopefully, indefinitely. At least, that was his hope. In his seventeen-year-old mind, that was the end result he wanted. He wasn¡¯t a hero; he wasn¡¯t meant to overthrow some crazy evil regime. He just wanted people to have the chance to make their own choices, when it came to their lives. Free will, after all, was the most important human trait of all. ¡°You know,¡± Rue was beside him, a mischievous look in her eyes. ¡°I really think I like freedom fighter James the best,¡± she licked her lips, looking down at him as if he were a delicious piece of meat. ¡°Don¡¯t get too attached,¡± James said with a smile as he looked at her, holding his gaze, ¡°it¡¯s not a role I plan to take on often.¡± Her hand found his shoulder, as she slightly pushed him down. ¡°Shame,¡± she said, her smile tugging her lips upwards, ¡°guess I¡¯ll just have to enjoy it while I can.¡± DCO Final Arc - Chapter 67 Chapter 67 They tuned in just in time to watch Z and the others reached the seventh floor. It wasn¡¯t an accident, of course. He¡¯d set up an alarm to trigger when their party reached the seventh floor. Considering how few parties had made their way to the sixth floor, when Z and the others stepped through the portal, they created the first, and only, instance of the seventh floor currently up in his dungeon. ¡°Well would you look at that,¡± Z said aloud, letting out a whistle as he and the others took in the hotel lobby. The portal placed them at the base floor of the hotel, nestled back near the ¡®entrance¡¯ to give the illusion they¡¯d just walked into the space from outside. ¡°When did we leave Colorado for California?¡± Elm asked, causing the Knights to laugh. Skar and his group, who James felt were closer to his age, rather than the Knight¡¯s, looked around. ¡°Is this based on a hotel in California?¡± Troll¡¯d asked. James felt the urge to facepalm on the player¡¯s behalf, and half the people in the ten-man party actually did. ¡°Seriously, you¡¯re lucky you¡¯re cute.¡± Olivia said to Troll¡¯d as she grabbed his hand. Her telltale red orb was hovering over her shoulder. She¡¯d been becoming quite the popular streamer from what James had been able to find. Being in the second strongest guild in his instance meant she got a lot of high-level content others didn¡¯t¡¯ get to experience yet. And of course, their friendly relationship with the Knights Who Go Ni meant a lot of ¡®collaborations¡¯ that many people really enjoyed watching. Likewise, James was streaming the feed from this seventh-floor instance to the other Dungeon Cores, while Rue handled the comments as always. It was nice, losing himself for one last time to life as an actual Dungeon Core. If only this was all there was. It would have been nice. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure you guys get a proper education on the classics a little later,¡± Z said, smiling kindly at Troll¡¯d. ¡°For now, we¡¯ve a hotel to check into.¡± There was some snickering from his teammates, ¡°and then, well, we¡¯ll see how long we can enjoy our stay until we leave.¡± The party fanned out, with Skar and Oak taking the lead, the healers and magic users staying back and in the center of the party, while the DPS fanned out. The lobby itself didn¡¯t have any mobs. James had designed it that way. It would give the players a chance to decide if they wanted to go up the stairs or investigate the doors that flanked the massive marble counter. Which decision they made would dictate the types of mobs they faced. ¡°Bet you they go up the stairs first.¡± Rue said, flicking a platinum coin in the air as she spoke. James grinned at her, remembering fondly all their bets in the past. And also, the fact that she had a very, very, very high rate of winning said bets. ¡°Deal,¡± James flicked his wrist, and willed a platinum of his own into his fingers. ¡°Betting against the Goddess of Luck seems ill advised, but what can I say,¡± he smiled at her, ¡°today I¡¯m feeling lucky.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Even as he spoke, he shot Z a quick message. All it said was, door.¡± Technically, that was probably cheating, but hey, he didn¡¯t specifically tell Z to go through the door. It was up to the leader to decide what to do with that single word message. Not to mention, Rue had, er, been less than fair quite a few times in their early betting, as well as her actions that had netted her a ton of coins from her Goddess Statue on the first floor. ¡°Might as well help ourselves,¡± Z said boldly as the group continued walking through the massive lobby. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s anyone on duty. But who knows what the dungeon will throw at us.¡± ¡°Who knows indeed,¡± Elm said with a knowing smile Z¡¯s way. ¡°I¡¯ve always marveled at just how crazy and full of surprises these dungeon floors are. Truly, some inspired AI work from the game.¡± James couldn¡¯t help but smile at the compliment from Elm. At least, he hoped it was a compliment. He took pride in his dungeon design. And working with the mobs that he¡¯d been given, he felt he did a good job. He could stand criticism of the mobs themselves, since those weren¡¯t his fault, but the dungeon layout, the design, the traps, and all those other features, he¡¯d always done his best to give the adventurers the best experience he ever could. As much as he¡¯d wished for time as an adventurer, James loved his role as Dungeon Core. ¡°I¡¯m just curious to see what types of mobs are on this floor,¡± Oak said as they walked closer to the check in counter. He was looking all around, his shield partially raised, ready to intercept any attack that may come their way. ¡°Just once I¡¯d love to not have to be surprised each floor by something new. It¡¯s so nice diving some of the other dungeons.¡± ¡°Only because you can over prepare for them.¡± Med Ic pitched in. ¡°Other dungeons make your life easy. Fire dungeons, you know it¡¯s all fire mobs, so you can stack fire resistance. Same with wind, or water, or so forth. Whereas the Random Dungeon, well, it keeps you on your toes.¡± ¡°I¡¯d prefer my feet firmly planted at times,¡± Oak said bitterly, ¡°seriously, the random nature of everything makes it so much harder to properly tank, and our gear is always so, random.¡± ¡°You just wish life was easy,¡± Z slapped Oak on the back with a laugh. ¡°You know as well as I do that¡¯s never the case.¡± He looked over at Skar. Now level 91, thanks to their grinding on the fifth and sixth floor before heading to the seventh, Skar¡¯s body was swirling with gray whisps of energy. His class had changed, once more, and was now listed as an Ethereal Champion of the Void. ¡°You don¡¯t have any problems with the mobs changing every floor, do you Skar?¡± Skar shook his head, a smile on his face. ¡°The challenge is nice,¡± he said, hefting his own shield in hand. It wasn¡¯t a Unique Item like Oaks, and instead seemed to be made of cybernetic armor plating from the fifth floor. ¡°Tanking in other games gets boring when things are the same too often. I like the challenge, though,¡± he looked longingly at Oak¡¯s shield, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind some better gear every now and then.¡± ¡°Spoken like a true gamer,¡± Z grinned. ¡°Since my tank apparently is afraid of the unknown,¡± Z looked at Skar, ¡°I¡¯ll let you pick our next option. Do we go through one of the doors? Or head up the stairs?¡± ¡°How about we¡ª¡± was all Skar got to say, before a ball of crackling energy soared over their party, erupting in a blaze of colors. ¡°How about you let me decide.¡± A haughty, arrogant voice said. ¡°You all owe me that.¡± James groaned as he recognized the voice. He¡¯d been so fixated on Z and Skar, and winning the bet, that he¡¯d not had his focus zoomed out. Meaning he¡¯d missed the new party that had entered the seventh floor. A party that, by all intents and purposes, didn¡¯t belong. SoulDemon and friends, from the Candy Dungeon, had returned to James¡¯s once more. DCO Final Arc - Chapter 68 Chapter 68 ¡°Surprised you¡¯d show your face again after what happened the last time we saw you,¡± Elm said as the groups turned to confront each other. SoulDemon¡¯s party was the same it had always been. James saw Crikey, the trapper, SpinToWin, their tank, BurningJazzHands, who he figured had cast the magical spell, and CheapHealz. During the Siege event, James had found he liked those four. SoulDemon was quite literally the only one he didn¡¯t. Every interaction he¡¯d ever seen with SoulDemon just drove home how self-centered, arrogant, and dickish the try-hard was. For all those flaws though, there was one thing James knew he had to concede to the man. And that was his obvious skill. Even now, as James looked at him, he couldn¡¯t help but feel his eyes go wide, as a modicum of respect flickered. SoulDemon was over level 100. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to pass up the chance to get some extra grinding in before the Dungeon War starts,¡± SoulDemon said, his arms crossed. The devilkin tattoo patterns glowed with dark light on his flesh, simmering like embers. ¡°To show you the monster you¡¯ve brought down upon yourself for your sins against me.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a fight you¡¯re looking for,¡± Z stepped forward, ¡°you know as well as I do that, we can¡¯t fight each other. Right now, you¡¯re just a guest in our dungeon, meaning no PvP.¡± SoulDemon¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± the man glowered at Z, ¡°though you and I both know if I wanted to, nothing is stopping me from getting in the way and causing your party to wipe in other ways.¡± ¡°If you just wanted to confirm how much of a dick you are, yeah, you could do that.¡± Oak said. James knew SoulDemon wasn¡¯t bluffing. The forums had plenty of instances of people finding¡­unique ways around the no PvP rules when it came to people using the Dungeon Gates to visit other dungeons. One of which involved drawing aggro from a massive number of mobs, and then leading the horde to other parties, forcing them to get caught in the onslaught. Another, involved using nonlethal traps or AOE spells that didn¡¯t specifically target friends or foes, to hinder other players and get them wiped. And of course¡­ there was the ¡®tie them up and drop them from a height¡¯ tactic that Steve and the others had joked about using on SoulDemon during the Siege Event, when the asshole had nearly caused the event to fail for everyone. If there was a will¡­ there was a way. Every gamer, and every griefer, knew that. ¡°Lucky for all of you,¡± SoulDemon said, his lip curled to reveal his fangs, ¡°I¡¯m not so petty or underhanded as you are. I¡¯m giving you the chance to run this floor with me and my party. My level alone should tell you that I¡¯m a valuable asset. And I really am only here to flaunt my greatness to you, as an open challenge for when the Dungeon War starts tomorrow. I¡¯m here to show you my power, so you will know fear the next five days, always watching your backs, knowing that I¡¯m hunting you. I¡¯m here,¡± he drew his blades, ¡°to show you the very reaper that will be your downfall.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Edgelord much?¡± Olivia said under her breath. In the massive hotel lobby though, the words echoed, and everyone heard her. SoulDemon shot her a glare filled with enough intensity that the healer instinctively took a step backwards. Behind him though, James saw his own party trying not to smirk. He knew they were tired of his actions, and yet, here they were, still supporting him. Try as he might, James just couldn¡¯t understand their full dynamic. Though, he supposed, it seemed SoulDemon had forgiven them for their ¡®betrayal¡¯, as he had called it. ¡°Standing around throwing out insults is just wasting time,¡± Crikey spoke up. He was level 98. ¡°Can we all just play nice? I¡¯m intrigued to see what this floor is going to be, and I know everyone here would rather be killing dungeon mobs, gaining gear, and leveling up. Can¡¯t we just let bygones be bygones?¡± ¡°You, you did hear what your boy SoulDemon just said, right?¡± Med Ic said, glancing from Crikey, to SoulDemon. ¡°He¡¯s literally here just to posture.¡± Crikey shrugged, ¡°Okay, well most of us are here to play the game.¡± He looked at SoulDemon, who seemed to refuse to even acknowledge him, ¡°whatever personal beef Soul has, that¡¯s not for us to worry about.¡± So, maybe they hadn¡¯t made up. ¡°How did you find us, anyways?¡± Z asked, looking the party over. ¡°You¡¯re timing seems a bit too¡­ exact, to be an accident.¡± SoulDemon let out a dark chuckle. He looked at Z as if he¡¯d just asked the dumbest question in the world. ¡°If you can¡¯t figure that out, you really aren¡¯t as good a gamer as you claim to be.¡± Z started to say something, glanced around, and then let out a heavy sigh, facepalming as he did. ¡°You¡¯re stream sniping.¡± He said after a moment. ¡°Are you really that obsessed with us?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an obsession.¡± SoulDemon growled. ¡°Now stop wasting my time.¡± He looked at everyone and looked around the lobby. ¡°Talk is cheap. We¡¯ll determine who¡¯s the better gamer by action alone. Now, don¡¯t make me repeat myself again. You are all going to party with us, and take this floor down under my lead, or,¡± his tone was dark, ¡°or I¡¯ll see to it your full party wipes, and you¡¯re booted from your own dungeon.¡± There was no doubt in James¡¯s mind, from SoulDemon¡¯s words and his body language, that he was fully prepared to grief everyone there. And from the way his own party looked hesitantly at each other, they wouldn¡¯t stand in his way. They may not like what he was doing, they may have had a falling out the last time they were in the Random Dungeon, but it was clear that right here, right now, they were going to support SoulDemon, no matter how shitty he decided to be. ¡°Guess we¡¯ve no choice,¡± Z smiled at SoulDemon, holding out a hand as he walked towards the man. ¡°No hard feelings, eh, party leader?¡± DCO Final Arc - Chapter 69 Chapter 69 James heavily sighed as he handed the platinum coin to Rue. At the same time, all he could do was glare at SoulDemon. The asshole had shown up and completely ruined James¡¯s chances of winning the bet. He was so sure he would have gotten it this time too. But whereas Z, and even Skar would have explored the first floor, no doubt, SoulDemon had a different opinion. He wanted to clear the floor as quickly as possible, to show off his skills to the others. And that meant, logically, taking the stairs up. The raid party of fifteen players ascended the massive stairs, having to practically pull themselves up each stair to ascend to the next. Manly the Dwarf, and GnoMore, actually had to have help getting up the too large stairs. Meanwhile, SoulDemon simply disappeared on a step, to instantly reappear a few more up. A new skill of his, that he seemed to revel in using over and over again. The man¡¯s class, which had last been listed as God of Death, had changed once more. The level 104 player¡¯s class title now shown, in golden letters, as God King of Inevitability. A haughty title, for a haughty man. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad,¡± Rue said as she pocketed the coin, ¡°if ever there was a time to get rid of your bad luck, now is it. After all, everything needs to go smoothly later today.¡± ¡°Still,¡± James glared at SoulDemon, ¡°of all the people to show up. Him, at that time. Ugh.¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯ll get himself killed on this floor?¡± Rue offered helpfully. James doubted it. SoulDemon was an arrogant prick, but he had the skills, at the very least, to back up his attitude. Z and the others were great gamers, but their true power came in their teamwork, that compounded their individual skills, and made them legends. SoulDemon didn¡¯t have teamwork. He didn¡¯t have an ounce of compassion in his body. But he was a stone cold PvP solo player whose individual talents were on a tier of their own. In terms of raw talent, he was the best. And his class skills, combined with his levels, and his gear, meant there was no doubt he was the strongest player on the seventh floor. He would not die easily, and he definitely wouldn¡¯t be the first one to fall. If, or when, the party wiped, SoulDemon, James had no doubt, would be the last one, and only after he¡¯d left a trail of destruction and death in his wake. As much as he hated SoulDemon though, and the situation that was currently unfolding, James couldn¡¯t help but feel his anticipation and excitement growing as the group ascended the stairs. The second floor was the fitness center, filled with the swimming pool, as well as all of the various weights and workout equipment. Mob wise, James had filled it with Turkey Dew¡¯s, feeling the strange turkey and mountain melded creations could fit the theme¡­somewhat. Additionally, there were LMFAO Shots jumping around on the floor, amusingly doing various calisthenics exercises and swimming laps in the pool. ¡°What in the name of Yarx?¡± Oak mumbled as he crested the top of the stairs. SoulDemon was already there, a disgusted look on his face as he shook his head. ¡°This dungeon is such trash,¡± the PvP player said, ¡°seriously, the AI must be faulty.¡± ¡°No need to be needlessly hurtful,¡± Z said as he looked over the mobs. He quirked an eyebrow as he glanced at the various LMFAO shots working out, to the Turkey Dew¡¯s that were standing near the squat racks. ¡°Though, this is definitely a more¡­ unique floor.¡± ¡°Whatever it is,¡± SoulDemon¡¯s swords were in his hand for a moment, before the weapons, and the player, disappeared. ¡°We¡¯ll kill them and keep moving.¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Oak looked back at SoulDemon¡¯s actual party. ¡°Do you guys know where he went?¡± They¡¯d all joined the same party. By normal game mechanics, that meant they should all be able to track each other¡¯s whereabouts on their maps. Even if a player was invisible, the map would still denote where they were, to avoid friendly fire.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Nope,¡± SpinToWin said with a sigh, ¡°one of his new perks is the ability to be completely invisible, to both friend and foe. But he¡¯s around, and trust me, he¡¯ll make his presence known soon enough once the fighting starts.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Oak looked at the mobs. Since the players hadn¡¯t moved from the top of the stairs yet, the mobs hadn¡¯t aggroed onto them. ¡°Would you like to do the honors then¡­ since he¡¯s technically your party leader?¡± ¡°You mean since you don¡¯t want to tank creatures that have unknown skills and abilities?¡± SpinToWin cracked a smile at Oak, large shields appearing in the air, circling out about twenty feet from SpinToWin. His tank class, James knew, excelled at protecting his party by encircling them with protective shields and barriers. It was an all-around tank class that let him protect a lot of players at once, though didn¡¯t have the individual tankiness of something like Oak¡¯s class. Because SpinToWin¡¯s abilities covered such a wide range too, it was easier for a strong attack to blast through the defenses. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m trying to preserve my mental strength today, and am really not in the mindset for any surprises I don¡¯t have to deal with.¡± Oak looked flatly at SpinToWin, ¡°you guys showing up has already really messed with me today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± SpinToWin walked out towards the pool, moving cautiously as he did. Everyone else followed suite, slowly, Oak on one side, Skar on the other. It was like a spear moving forward, piercing into the floor, with the actual damage dealers, and healers, tailing behind the tanks, ensuring they wouldn¡¯t be in any immediate danger when the battle started. James watched as fourteen players moved cautiously towards the first few mobs they could find. A handful of LMFAO shots, one doing jumping jacks, one doing pushups, and the other, weirdly, attempting to do sit-ups¡­ even though the shot glass obviously had no stomach to bend. As the swirling shields neared them, they abandoned their exercises. As one the three mobs turned towards SpinToWin. They only managed a single step, before all three of them were split into pieces as a shimmering rift in the shape of an ¡®X¡¯ appeared in the air. For a brief second, James saw SoulDemon, his blades gone, only their hilts in his hand, as the rift like energy rippled all around him. He grinned at his party members, standing cockily over the corpses. ¡°Pathetic mobs,¡± he said, looking down at them, ¡°I expected more from level 115 creatures.¡± Before he could keep gloating, the mobs glowed. Where at first there had been 3 of the mobs, now, there were six. He struck again, killing the first one before it fully stood back up. It split again, and a scowl crossed his face as his body seemed to flush. ¡°What the hell is a Hangover debuff?¡± He grumbled, looking at the mobs, of which there were now seven. ¡°I think that¡¯s what you get for causing a party foul.¡± Z offered, unhelpfully. ¡°Everyone be careful not to get too close,¡± Z started, as SoulDemon struck another down. Now there were eight. ¡°I¡¯ve a bad feeling about these guys.¡± Now there were 10. With each death, the mobs got weaker, making them even easier for SoulDemon to kill. James wasn¡¯t sure how he¡¯d executed the first three, but doing so had halved their stats for the six, and each time he killed one, when it split, it would halve its stats more. Reckless, was definitely what SoulDemon was being. And yet, James had no doubt in his mind, that he would not be the one to suffer the consequences of his actions. ¡°Twelve,¡± James counted, as more fell, and split, ¡°Thirteen, fourteen,¡± they hit sixteen instantly, the moment everyone joined in to attack the mobs. The concussive explosions that followed, all sixteen of them, were greater than what James could have prepared himself for. It was one thing, after all, to read a stat description. It was another, to see the math work out. Party Popper- When there are sixteen LMFAO shots, all shots will detonate, each one doing (lvl*1.5) damage to all enemies within a (lvl*1.5 foot) radius. This damage is classified as true damage, ignores all elemental resistances, and penetrates 25percent of all armor. Sixteen explosions, from sixteen level 115 mobs. Sixteen explosions, each of which did 172 points of damage¡­ and each of which detonated in a radius of 172 feet¡­ With a diameter of 374 feet, the explosions covered the span of two football fields, washing over the startled players, reaching the full width of the floor, and covering half the length of it in explosions in the span of a few seconds. ¡°Well,¡± Rue said as the scene below them was obscured by the explosions, one after another, completely blocking their view of the players, and drowning out any sounds from the seventh floor. ¡°Those definitely started the party off with a bang.¡± DCO Final Arc - Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Three players survived the LMFAO Party shots. Three. Oak and Skar, both of who had special cooldowns that made them practically unkillable for a short amount of time. Oak, in his massive electrical Indra form, tanked the damaged, his health pool dropping dangerously, but leaving him still standing. Skar¡¯s cooldown, on the other hand, made him turn incorporate, and he seemed to shimmer out of existence, avoiding all of the incoming damage. The third player was SoulDemon. Somehow, when the explosions started, he moved away from the erupting mobs. While he¡¯d been beside the mobs, putting him at the literal epicenter of the blasts, the moment they started, he was no longer on the second floor at all. Instead, he was back on the first floor. He¡¯d blinked out of existence from the second floor, appearing midair in the first floor. From there he activated his racial cooldown, spread his wings, and flew lazily towards the ground, calmly acting like nothing happened, as the near party wipe continued. James had a feeling the teleport ability he was using had a range to it, and he could blink in and out of that range at will, based on a cooldown. He¡¯d used it to teleport under the floor, to completely avoid any damage. No matter what had happened, SoulDemon had already had an escape plan ready, and had been perfectly fine putting the others at risk. ¡°He¡¯s such a dick.¡± James commented for what felt like the hundredth time as the party finished regrouping. With all of the healers dead, they¡¯d returned to the start of the floor, and waited for the death timer to finish counting down on the players to allow them to respawn normally. Well, Skar and Oak had waited. SoulDemon had taken the time to explore the first floor properly, using his class skills to solo mobs as he came across them. With his ability to go completely invisible, and the crazy burst damage at his disposal, it was clear SoulDemon¡¯s class was still the perfect PvP build. He had evasion, he had speed, accuracy, crit chance, and blinks to use as ¡®Oh Shit¡¯ buttons to get to safety. He was the ultimate ambush predator, and as long as it was a one-on-one fight, James doubted there was anyone that could take him down. Watching him cemented in James¡¯s mind just how powerful the level 100 benchmark was. Given time, Z and the others would hit that mark. And doing so would no doubt jump their skills as well. James was pretty sure at least one of the skills SoulDemon was using came not just from the class, but as a reward for hitting the 100 benchmark. Or maybe it came with some other potent effect. Perhaps a cooldown reduction? Or a stat increase. There was something more to SoulDemon¡¯s strength. It had jumped in a way that was drastically more impressive than any of the other class up benchmark¡¯s James had seen. It was also probably why his class shimmered in gold now as well. To show its unique status.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. The reason for James¡¯s most recent utterance of SoulDemon being a dick, was because of what he had done, before he went off to slaughter mobs. He¡¯d left the party, meaning all the creatures he was killing, while the others waited to respawn, he was getting the sole experience for. Skar and Oak, both tanks, and both under level 100, didn¡¯t have the explosive damage needed to try and take down the level 115 mobs on the floor. Nor did they have the want to. They were proper players, who respected their party, and were waiting for their friends to respawn. All the while, SoulDemon was farming experience, gear, materials, and money. Of which James had no doubt he¡¯d share none of with the others. ¡°Too bad you can¡¯t do anything about it, huh.¡± Rue said as she watched SoulDemon continue his free for all rampage. He had just used his blink ability to dodge an incoming explosive round from a flying Jaeger Bomb, teleporting himself onto the back of the red bull, to drive his formless blades into the back of the creature. The strike landed as a critical hit, and he shoved the old-school hunter off the back of the Red Bull, as the creature bucked mid-flight to try and dislodge him. His swords silenced that portion of the mob a few seconds later, once it got close enough to the ground for him to leap safely from its back and avoid taking a massive amount of fall damage. ¡°Exactly,¡± James said with a sigh, watching the event unfold. He didn¡¯t have any cool trump cards on this floor. Didn¡¯t have any over-powered tricks or mobs or anything that he could think of to punish SoulDemon. And punishment, no, justice, was what was truly needed for the cocky player. The feeling of Rue¡¯s gentle touch on his hand pulled his gaze away from the scene unfolding below him. He looked at her, and she smiled at him, devilishly. ¡°Surely the mighty Glyax isn¡¯t unable to do anything here. You can¡¯t say the dungeon core is unable to handle a pesky blight in their own dungeon?¡± ¡°What do you,¡± James started, as he noticed the twinkle in Rue¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve got a plan?¡± he asked, feeling his excitement grow. ¡°A way to deal with SoulDemon?¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± she said, nodding back down to the seventh floor. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing that¡¯s unique about our hotel, it¡¯s in what types of reception we can give our guests, and where.¡± James¡¯s grin grew to match Rue¡¯s, as he watched his love plot. She had a plan. A devious one. And he was all for it. SoulDemon needed to be brought down a peg. ¡°I¡¯m all ears, Rue,¡± James said, ¡°what exactly do you have in mind?¡± DCO Final Arc - Chapter 71 Chapter 71 SoulDemon, in his infinite arrogance, set himself up for the trap James began to put into play. First and foremost, by splitting off of the party, so he could hog experience, he lost the ability to track the status of the players. That included their locations, and their own party status. Second, because he¡¯d been the party leader, leaving the party had disbanded it entirely. Obviously, his arrogance likely made him believe everyone would wait for him to return, and then they could all party back up, and continue their handling of the seventh floor. And, to be fair, Z and the others were the type of players who normally would do such a thing. Not because they condoned SoulDemon¡¯s actions, but because they were just nice, honorable people. However, SoulDemon deserved to be taught a lesson for his crimes against the party, and just overall lack of regard for other players, and the game as a whole. And, of course, he made the ultimate mistake, not on purpose of course, in pissing off the Dungeon Core¡­ who happened to also be friends with the very adventurers that SoulDemon had threatened. A few quick messages to Z put Rue¡¯s plan into motion. Oak started a new party, and invited Skar, and then the rest of the their respective players, into the party. Once the ten of them, the two players alive, and the eight dead, were in a party, Oak and Skar had left the seventh floor. That brought their slain comrades with them, and after their death timers were done, they would respawn on the sixth floor, instead of the seventh. This action left only SoulDemon¡¯s players in the seventh-floor instance, the four of them dead, while SoulDemon himself continued to push further into the first floor of the hotel. He had made his way past the courtyard full of Jaeger Bombs and was now fighting Dirty Shirley¡¯s in the ballroom. As all of this was happening, James put the rest of the plan into motion. Unlike in the Dungeon Core novels, he couldn¡¯t actively make a floor just collapse, crushing players to death. He didn¡¯t have that level of control when it came to individual instances and the objects within them. He could, however, manually control mobs. Which was what he started doing, even as Z and the others had begun their operation to flee the floor. The mobs from all of the top floors rushed down to the second floor, moving with impressive speed, to obey James¡¯s command. He held them there, so many mobs that had it been a realistic setting, the weight of all the creatures gathered together surely would have made the ceiling collapse and waited, watching the countdown timer on SoulDemon¡¯s party members with care. If they¡¯d told SoulDemon that the others had left, it didn¡¯t seem like the bloodthirsty PvP player cared. He continued his slaughter of mobs with reckless abandon, likely feeling like a god as he slaughtered mob after mob. He¡¯d gone through so many, James had noticed, that he had actually managed to level up to level 105. Then again, killing mobs that were 10 or more levels above yours, did grant a crazy bonus to experience. It didn¡¯t hardly manner though. No matter how deadly he was to basic mobs, what he was about to face would no doubt end him. As the last mobs reached the second floor, there was just under a minute of time remaining before SoulDemon¡¯s friends respawned. It was at this time, that James sent all of his mobs down the stairs. The wave of creatures rushed down the floor, swarming it, all rushing towards the entrance of the lobby, with a single-minded goal. They were to overwhelm the space entirely, to make it impossible for a player to reach the portal, and teleport out of the seventh floor.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. With the basic mobs swarming the floor, James grinned as a single figure, different than the others, made itself known. The mobs parted like the red sea before her, as Elliot Jenkins followed different orders. She moved past the mobs, past the portal, past the area that SoulDemon¡¯s players would respawn at, if the game even let them spawn in that congested area, towards the front desk, and the doors beside it. The boss, still looking the picture-perfect bartender, shook a cocktail mixer masterfully with one hand as she walked, while holding two martini glasses in the other. She kicked the door open with enough force to knock it off its hinges, and the mobs that had respawned within the courtyard took that opportunity to exit the area, moving dutifully into the lobby proper at Jame¡¯s mental commands. Then, in the courtyard, besides the fountain that bubbled happily in the middle, Elliot sat down. She placed the glasses onto the stone, and waited, her eyes turned towards the door that led to the ballroom. With the patience that could only belong to an AI, the boss watched, calmly, for any sign of SoulDemon¡¯s approach. James split the screen he was watching into three different views. One to watch the entrance, curious to see what would happen to the other players from the Candy Dungeon when they spawned. He personally had nothing against them, and he hoped the game would force them down to the sixth floor. Otherwise¡­ well, since it was just a party of four now¡­ if they all wiped the game would likely remove them from the seventh floor entirely, locking them away from it for a certain duration. A dungeon mechanic meant to punish entire party wipes, that they¡¯d just avoided earlier because their party had been alive when they¡¯d wiped, before it had been disbanded. A tactic some people used, James knew, to avoid the death penalty entirely. You could use one anchor player, who was either extremely strong, or just stayed in a safe spot, to keep the whole party from ever wiping, which meant you could avoid the harsh party wipe penalty, while farming a floor with somewhat more safety and peace of mind. Of course, that would require one player to have a very, very, very boring time at it. Usually they were paid, or were getting power leveled though, so James figured they never actually cared. The rest of the Candy Dungeon players aside, James¡¯s other two screens were watching Elliot, of course, and the SoulDemon. He¡¯d given his boss express details to engage the player the moment he appeared. SoulDemon, being the person that he was, wouldn¡¯t pass up the chance at a boss fight. James knew that. SoulDemon was too proud. Too full of himself. And Elliot, well, she was a boss that James really wanted to see in action. At least once. He¡¯d originally dreamed he would see it in person, alongside Z and the others, in an epic last battle, perhaps with the piano playing and someone singing cabernet. A fitting, dreamlike final hoorah. Alas, it wouldn¡¯t be so, so he figured watching the level 125 boss solo Soul Demon would have to serve as a proper, next best thing. After all, her unique abilities and skills made her a nightmare of a boss to try and solo, but SoulDemon¡¯s pride would likely ignore those facts, until hopefully, it was too late. That was the other reason for James¡¯s wall of creatures within the lobby. If SoulDemon tried to flee, if he did try to leave the battle against the boss, or hell, if he somehow won¡­ well, SoulDemon wouldn¡¯t be leaving the hotel on his own accord. James, personally, er, through his mobs, was going to see to it that SoulDemon was properly checked out of the hotel¡­ as a death orb, paying for his stay with whatever experience he had collected, before his untimely demise. DCO Final Arc - Chapter 71 Chapter 72 If James didn¡¯t survive the raid on the secret government facility, he figured he would still be able to die a happy man. The reason for this revelation, was the range of expressions that crossed SoulDemon¡¯s face, combined with his various statements, many of which would be censored on all but the loosest forms of media, that he made when he left the ballroom and eyed the boss. ¡°You look like you could use a drink, good sir.¡± Elliot said, all manners, as she finished shaking her cocktail mixer. She poured a bright green liquor into one of the glasses and held it towards him. ¡°On the house.¡± SoulDemon glared. ¡°What are you supposed to be?¡± He eyed her, ¡°the boss?¡± Elliot said nothing, simply holding the offered drink outwards towards him, waiting. ¡°Is this some sort of joke?¡± SoulDemon continued. ¡°There¡¯s no way this is where you should be. What the hell is going on here?¡± Elliot stayed silent. Her lack of a response seemed to further anger SoulDemon. ¡°Did they set me up?¡± He grumbled, his swords still in his hand. He looked at the boss, who sat in the middle of the courtyard, and then back towards the door that would lead to the lobby. There was nothing between them, and no signs of any other mobs. ¡°Cowards. The lot of them. Can¡¯t even have the good grace to stick around when the going gets tough. Rather turn tail and flee like the weaklings they are.¡± He took a step towards the doorway. The movement caused Elliot to tilt her head, and she cleared her throat. ¡°You¡¯re drink, good sir.¡± she said, forcefully. ¡°I don¡¯t want your freaking drink,¡± he said as he glared back at her. ¡°And I¡¯m not going to waste my time with you. Not yet at least. If I kill you, then the floor goes away. I¡¯m going to farm the ever living experience out of all these pathetic mobs first and foremost, then I¡¯ll be back for you.¡± He smirked at her. ¡°Sit there and enjoy your drink like a good girl, and I¡¯ll be back when I¡¯m damned good and ready.¡± ¡°Such poor manners,¡± Elliot said with a shake of her head. ¡°A drink really would do you wonders.¡± Without warning she tossed the offered drink into the air. As the drink flew upwards, she began shaking her cocktail mixer, the sound of ice and liquid sloshing rapidly within. When the glass reached the peak of its upward travel, she opened the cocktail mixer. Liquid and light shot from it, impacting the glass, suspending the previously offered drink in midair. The world froze for a moment as colors swirled and flashed. The martini glass shimmered, shattered apart, and then began to reform. The light around it became blinding, and then, after a brief second, it faded. In its wake, something new and unique stood. ¡°If you¡¯ll not accept the drink freely given,¡± Elliot said coolly, ¡°then you¡¯ll pay the full price. Have a drink. I insist.¡± The creature that hit the ground with enough force to rock the courtyard wasn¡¯t one James had seen before. And when he attempted to pull up the information on it, all he got was a name, and level. The mob was one of the special summons from Elliot, the cocktails she could create of unique power, with special buffs and skills and traits. Green Demon Level 120 As its name implied, it was indeed, green. From the basic appearance of it, James wasn¡¯t quite sure what all went into the creature. It was a multiheaded¡­ goose? But built like a rhino, thick and muscled and covered in armor that looked¡­oddly reminiscent of the skin of a lemon or lime. It¡¯s three heads, necks as thick as tree trunks, shifted too and fro, all looking down at SoulDemon. The Green Demon was roughly twenty feet in total, from top of the goose¡¯s¡­ geese¡¯s¡­ was it plural if it only had one body but three heads, or singular? James shook his head, that didn¡¯t matter. From the tip of its head, any of them, to its tail, it had to be twenty feet or more. The webbed feet of the Green Demon stomped hard on the ground, causing the earth to shake once more. It honked out a challenge to SoulDemon, who was eying the creature with more than a mild look of surprise. ¡°I¡¯ve not the time for this.¡± He shook his head, ¡°I said be patient.¡± His form disappeared, but reappeared almost instantly, having traveled only about five feet closer to the door towards the lobby. ¡°What¡­¡± he trailed off as he looked at the Green Demon, and past it, Elliot.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°You must finish your drink,¡± Elliot said as she sat lazily on the fountain. She had a cutting board on her lap and was actively working to prepare a new cocktail as she watched SoulDemon. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve encountered my pop-up bar, there really is no other option for you, until closing time.¡± ¡°What is with this cursed dungeon,¡± SoulDemon muttered, ¡°none of this makes sense. None of this is logical, or rational, or right.¡± He was throwing a tantrum like a child. ¡°This isn¡¯t how the game is supposed to work.¡± The Green Demon honked again. The head on the right, which James noticed was wearing a melon as a helmet, opened its mouth. A ray of green and purple light blasted from it, and SoulDemon barely activated a skill in time to avoid the blast. The head honked in confusion, and looked to the middle head. That head honked, and then the head on the far left, opened its mouth. This head shot forth an orange blast of light. On impact, instead of exploding in a violent blast, it caused a shower of orange liquid to begin raining all around. The ground sizzled, and the creature¡¯s heads all honked in approval. SoulDemon¡¯s defensive skill flickered off, he reappeared in his spot, and immediately dashed out of the raining, caustic liquid, bitching up a storm the whole way. ¡°This cannot be happening to me.¡± He growled, his eyes blazing. He had switched modes. Like the cornered beast he was, he was going on the offensive. ¡°Why can I not have my way in this dungeon.¡± He disappeared in a flash, and his teleportation skill worked properly this time, as he wasn¡¯t attempting to flee a boss fight. His form reappeared behind the Green Demon, and his blades crossed in an ¡®X¡¯ pattern on the middle head. Liquor, James was pretty sure it was liquor, sprayed from the wound. He saw a debuff toggle on SoulDemon, Hangover, as the Green Demon honked its displeasure. All the while, Elliot continued to make another cocktail. James knew until SoulDemon defeated the Green Beast, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to target Elliot. Meaning at the very least, her first actual mob of the fight from an ability, and not her passive, would likely be summoned without interruption. Even if SoulDemon could go toe to toe against the Green Demon, James had to wonder how soon before he fell against an onslaught of additionally summoned mobs. ¡°Blast this infernal dungeon,¡± SoulDemon roared, his voice filled with frustration. He became a blur as he burned through another cooldown and triggered his Devilkin form. The last bit made James wonder, considering SoulDemon had used it once before. Was the cooldown for his racial ability shortened by him hitting level 100? Or did he get an additional use of it? Or perhaps, James figured, it was possible that he could toggle it for a certain amount of time as a whole, before it went onto cooldown properly. Say, one minute of total time in the form, before it would go on cooldown for the ten minutes or so? Considering SoulDemon was the only level 100 player he knew of, no one had been sharing information on such a thing on the forums. And James wasn¡¯t really going to ask SoulDemon. Rifts opened all around the Green Demon, it¡¯s large form causing it difficulty as SoulDemon rapidly danced around it. With his ability to fly from his Devilkin form, along with the increased attack speed, life drain, and his other skills and abilities, he was blur. He moved so quickly it seemed there were more than just a single player striking the Green Demon, and James had to admit, he was impressed. The skills SoulDemon was portraying, his ability to control his rapid movements, landing precise strikes, even while suffering from a debuff that decreased his accuracy, was nothing short of legendary. And, as more and more liquor fell from its various wounds, it was clear that for the moment, SoulDemon had the upper hand. Unfortunately for him, he wasn¡¯t fighting just the Green Demon. If he was, honestly, James figured the level 105 player could actually bring down the level 120 creature, a feat that would have been the stuff of legends online. But, the sound of ice and liquor shaking told James the end was coming soon for SoulDemon. He was battling against time, and 30 seconds really wasn¡¯t much of a window. With 15 levels, and the Green Demon likely having the stats and health pool of at the very least a Unique monster, if not a Mini-Boss, SoulDemon just couldn¡¯t burn it down fast enough. As his flurry of attacks continued, the Green Demon honked loud, and its skin glowed, armor reinforcing itself, the juices flowing from it lessening as it tried, its three heads blasting different colored attacks, to hit, or even at least slow, the pest that stung it nonstop. So focused was SoulDemon on his attacks, while dodging blasts of purple, orange liquid rain, and the occasional white spray from the center head that seemed to create a slippery surface on the floor, that he never saw the next creature coming. Elliot opened her cocktail shaker and pointed it directly towards the initially summoned cocktail monster, and SoulDemon. From it, a blur of milky white, looking like some strange, amorphous blob, flew towards SoulDemon. It wrapped around him, and as it did, it glowed brightly. James got a second to read its title, and he knew then and there, that the battle was over. Kamikaze Shot Level 120 The drink erupted, and this time, SoulDemon wasn¡¯t able to escape. This time, caught between a Green Demon, and a Kamikaze Shot, all that remained of the haughty, arrogant, terrifying top player from the Candy Dungeon, was a glowing death orb. ¡°Well,¡± Rue said, as the carnage cleared, and the Green Demon fell apart into a puddle of liquor on the ground. ¡°Can¡¯t say he didn¡¯t go out without a bang.¡± James looked at her, groaning slightly, and shook his head. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough for now,¡± he said, noting that SoulDemon¡¯s death orb had disappeared. Without a party to be a part of, he was going to be removed from the floor, suffering from the death penalty that the dungeon applied to complete party wiping. ¡°Same,¡± Rue looked at her rapidly flashing string of messages from the Dungeon Cores that had been watching. ¡°Glad to see our potential last stream though, was a hit.¡± She smiled at James, sorrow in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss this.¡± James felt a lump in his chest, as he nodded. Their time was quickly coming to an end. ¡°Me too,¡± he choked out, as the instance, now with no players remaining, the others that had come with SoulDemon having either left, or wiped when they tried to respawn, closing. ¡°Me too, Rue.¡± DCO Final Arc - Chapter 72 Chapter 72 If James didn¡¯t survive the raid on the secret government facility, he figured he would still be able to die a happy man. The reason for this revelation, was the range of expressions that crossed SoulDemon¡¯s face, combined with his various statements, many of which would be censored on all but the loosest forms of media, that he made when he left the ballroom and eyed the boss. ¡°You look like you could use a drink, good sir.¡± Elliot said, all manners, as she finished shaking her cocktail mixer. She poured a bright green liquor into one of the glasses and held it towards him. ¡°On the house.¡± SoulDemon glared. ¡°What are you supposed to be?¡± He eyed her, ¡°the boss?¡± Elliot said nothing, simply holding the offered drink outwards towards him, waiting. ¡°Is this some sort of joke?¡± SoulDemon continued. ¡°There¡¯s no way this is where you should be. What the hell is going on here?¡± Elliot stayed silent. Her lack of a response seemed to further anger SoulDemon. ¡°Did they set me up?¡± He grumbled, his swords still in his hand. He looked at the boss, who sat in the middle of the courtyard, and then back towards the door that would lead to the lobby. There was nothing between them, and no signs of any other mobs. ¡°Cowards. The lot of them. Can¡¯t even have the good grace to stick around when the going gets tough. Rather turn tail and flee like the weaklings they are.¡± He took a step towards the doorway. The movement caused Elliot to tilt her head, and she cleared her throat. ¡°You¡¯re drink, good sir.¡± she said, forcefully. ¡°I don¡¯t want your freaking drink,¡± he said as he glared back at her. ¡°And I¡¯m not going to waste my time with you. Not yet at least. If I kill you, then the floor goes away. I¡¯m going to farm the ever living experience out of all these pathetic mobs first and foremost, then I¡¯ll be back for you.¡± He smirked at her. ¡°Sit there and enjoy your drink like a good girl, and I¡¯ll be back when I¡¯m damned good and ready.¡± ¡°Such poor manners,¡± Elliot said with a shake of her head. ¡°A drink really would do you wonders.¡± Without warning she tossed the offered drink into the air. As the drink flew upwards, she began shaking her cocktail mixer, the sound of ice and liquid sloshing rapidly within. When the glass reached the peak of its upward travel, she opened the cocktail mixer. Liquid and light shot from it, impacting the glass, suspending the previously offered drink in midair. The world froze for a moment as colors swirled and flashed. The martini glass shimmered, shattered apart, and then began to reform. The light around it became blinding, and then, after a brief second, it faded. In its wake, something new and unique stood. ¡°If you¡¯ll not accept the drink freely given,¡± Elliot said coolly, ¡°then you¡¯ll pay the full price. Have a drink. I insist.¡± The creature that hit the ground with enough force to rock the courtyard wasn¡¯t one James had seen before. And when he attempted to pull up the information on it, all he got was a name, and level. The mob was one of the special summons from Elliot, the cocktails she could create of unique power, with special buffs and skills and traits. Green Demon Level 120 As its name implied, it was indeed, green. From the basic appearance of it, James wasn¡¯t quite sure what all went into the creature. It was a multiheaded¡­ goose? But built like a rhino, thick and muscled and covered in armor that looked¡­oddly reminiscent of the skin of a lemon or lime. It¡¯s three heads, necks as thick as tree trunks, shifted too and fro, all looking down at SoulDemon. The Green Demon was roughly twenty feet in total, from top of the goose¡¯s¡­ geese¡¯s¡­ was it plural if it only had one body but three heads, or singular? James shook his head, that didn¡¯t matter. From the tip of its head, any of them, to its tail, it had to be twenty feet or more. The webbed feet of the Green Demon stomped hard on the ground, causing the earth to shake once more. It honked out a challenge to SoulDemon, who was eying the creature with more than a mild look of surprise. ¡°I¡¯ve not the time for this.¡± He shook his head, ¡°I said be patient.¡± His form disappeared, but reappeared almost instantly, having traveled only about five feet closer to the door towards the lobby. ¡°What¡­¡± he trailed off as he looked at the Green Demon, and past it, Elliot.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°You must finish your drink,¡± Elliot said as she sat lazily on the fountain. She had a cutting board on her lap and was actively working to prepare a new cocktail as she watched SoulDemon. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve encountered my pop-up bar, there really is no other option for you, until closing time.¡± ¡°What is with this cursed dungeon,¡± SoulDemon muttered, ¡°none of this makes sense. None of this is logical, or rational, or right.¡± He was throwing a tantrum like a child. ¡°This isn¡¯t how the game is supposed to work.¡± The Green Demon honked again. The head on the right, which James noticed was wearing a melon as a helmet, opened its mouth. A ray of green and purple light blasted from it, and SoulDemon barely activated a skill in time to avoid the blast. The head honked in confusion, and looked to the middle head. That head honked, and then the head on the far left, opened its mouth. This head shot forth an orange blast of light. On impact, instead of exploding in a violent blast, it caused a shower of orange liquid to begin raining all around. The ground sizzled, and the creature¡¯s heads all honked in approval. SoulDemon¡¯s defensive skill flickered off, he reappeared in his spot, and immediately dashed out of the raining, caustic liquid, bitching up a storm the whole way. ¡°This cannot be happening to me.¡± He growled, his eyes blazing. He had switched modes. Like the cornered beast he was, he was going on the offensive. ¡°Why can I not have my way in this dungeon.¡± He disappeared in a flash, and his teleportation skill worked properly this time, as he wasn¡¯t attempting to flee a boss fight. His form reappeared behind the Green Demon, and his blades crossed in an ¡®X¡¯ pattern on the middle head. Liquor, James was pretty sure it was liquor, sprayed from the wound. He saw a debuff toggle on SoulDemon, Hangover, as the Green Demon honked its displeasure. All the while, Elliot continued to make another cocktail. James knew until SoulDemon defeated the Green Beast, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to target Elliot. Meaning at the very least, her first actual mob of the fight from an ability, and not her passive, would likely be summoned without interruption. Even if SoulDemon could go toe to toe against the Green Demon, James had to wonder how soon before he fell against an onslaught of additionally summoned mobs. ¡°Blast this infernal dungeon,¡± SoulDemon roared, his voice filled with frustration. He became a blur as he burned through another cooldown and triggered his Devilkin form. The last bit made James wonder, considering SoulDemon had used it once before. Was the cooldown for his racial ability shortened by him hitting level 100? Or did he get an additional use of it? Or perhaps, James figured, it was possible that he could toggle it for a certain amount of time as a whole, before it went onto cooldown properly. Say, one minute of total time in the form, before it would go on cooldown for the ten minutes or so? Considering SoulDemon was the only level 100 player he knew of, no one had been sharing information on such a thing on the forums. And James wasn¡¯t really going to ask SoulDemon. Rifts opened all around the Green Demon, it¡¯s large form causing it difficulty as SoulDemon rapidly danced around it. With his ability to fly from his Devilkin form, along with the increased attack speed, life drain, and his other skills and abilities, he was blur. He moved so quickly it seemed there were more than just a single player striking the Green Demon, and James had to admit, he was impressed. The skills SoulDemon was portraying, his ability to control his rapid movements, landing precise strikes, even while suffering from a debuff that decreased his accuracy, was nothing short of legendary. And, as more and more liquor fell from its various wounds, it was clear that for the moment, SoulDemon had the upper hand. Unfortunately for him, he wasn¡¯t fighting just the Green Demon. If he was, honestly, James figured the level 105 player could actually bring down the level 120 creature, a feat that would have been the stuff of legends online. But, the sound of ice and liquor shaking told James the end was coming soon for SoulDemon. He was battling against time, and 30 seconds really wasn¡¯t much of a window. With 15 levels, and the Green Demon likely having the stats and health pool of at the very least a Unique monster, if not a Mini-Boss, SoulDemon just couldn¡¯t burn it down fast enough. As his flurry of attacks continued, the Green Demon honked loud, and its skin glowed, armor reinforcing itself, the juices flowing from it lessening as it tried, its three heads blasting different colored attacks, to hit, or even at least slow, the pest that stung it nonstop. So focused was SoulDemon on his attacks, while dodging blasts of purple, orange liquid rain, and the occasional white spray from the center head that seemed to create a slippery surface on the floor, that he never saw the next creature coming. Elliot opened her cocktail shaker and pointed it directly towards the initially summoned cocktail monster, and SoulDemon. From it, a blur of milky white, looking like some strange, amorphous blob, flew towards SoulDemon. It wrapped around him, and as it did, it glowed brightly. James got a second to read its title, and he knew then and there, that the battle was over. Kamikaze Shot Level 120 The drink erupted, and this time, SoulDemon wasn¡¯t able to escape. This time, caught between a Green Demon, and a Kamikaze Shot, all that remained of the haughty, arrogant, terrifying top player from the Candy Dungeon, was a glowing death orb. ¡°Well,¡± Rue said, as the carnage cleared, and the Green Demon fell apart into a puddle of liquor on the ground. ¡°Can¡¯t say he didn¡¯t go out without a bang.¡± James looked at her, groaning slightly, and shook his head. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough for now,¡± he said, noting that SoulDemon¡¯s death orb had disappeared. Without a party to be a part of, he was going to be removed from the floor, suffering from the death penalty that the dungeon applied to complete party wiping. ¡°Same,¡± Rue looked at her rapidly flashing string of messages from the Dungeon Cores that had been watching. ¡°Glad to see our potential last stream though, was a hit.¡± She smiled at James, sorrow in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss this.¡± James felt a lump in his chest, as he nodded. Their time was quickly coming to an end. ¡°Me too,¡± he choked out, as the instance, now with no players remaining, the others that had come with SoulDemon having either left, or wiped when they tried to respawn, closing. ¡°Me too, Rue.¡± DCO Final Arc - Chapter 73 Chapter 73 The end, as with most all things, came too quickly. Before he knew it, James found himself sitting in Rue¡¯s tent, at a table, with Steve, Fel, Rachel, and Matthew, and of course, Rue. Everyone wore grim expressions, and somehow, even though this was immersion, the air felt thick with the weight of what they were preparing to do. ¡°Does anyone need any refreshers on the plan?¡± Steve asked as he stood at the head of the table. He looked first at Rachel and Matthew. ¡°Everything good on your end?¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t able to find a way to stop the implementation of the government¡¯s plan,¡± Matthew said, ¡°it¡¯s all out of our hands. If there¡¯s one thing about our dad that we all knew to be true, it¡¯s that he was good at what he did. There¡¯s no backdoor we could gain access to.¡± ¡°Not even with Steve¡¯s help?¡± James asked, looking at the developer in question. He had, after all, done just that when he got into DCO behind Xander¡¯s back, after being removed from the team. ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Steve said, ¡°but I¡¯m not a miracle worker. Only reason I was able to weasel my way in before, was on account of having physical access to the server shortly before I was let go. And that access point was a one-time thing, and all it did was let me in, I didn¡¯t get my full access back until after Xander was removed, and Rachel and Matt got me my privileges reinstated.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a good chance dad had you in mind when he was putting all of his additional security in place.¡± Rachel conceded. ¡°His paranoia, stemming from just how skilled you are, likely made this harder on all of us.¡± Steve shrugged sheepishly, ¡°not my fault I¡¯m a god at what I do.¡± ¡°You just,¡± James started, but Steve held up a hand, grinning. ¡°Now now, more important things to discuss.¡± He looked back at the duo that made up BLANK. ¡°That aside, everything is set up on your end for the Dungeon Wars?¡± ¡°Even without our nudging,¡± Rachel looked at James, ¡°the Candy Dungeon players were practically salivating at the chance to get revenge on the Random Dungeon. Probably doesn¡¯t help that the top player in our dungeon has declared a literal crusade against the Random Dungeon. He¡¯s offered a bounty, you know, on anyone that can kill and grief your top players.¡± ¡°Oh, make sure you let Z know he¡¯s got a fan,¡± Fel piped up. ¡°He¡¯ll love that fact. And it¡¯s going to be extremely funny watching SoulDemon go try hard mode against players that aren¡¯t even immersed.¡± ¡°We saw his latest downfall in your dungeon,¡± Matthew added, looking back to James, ¡°nicely done.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°I had no idea it would end that way,¡± James offered, ¡°and it was Rue¡¯s idea, not mine.¡± James grabbed Rue¡¯s hand with a smile. Rachel looked at it, and for a moment a slight frown crossed Rachel¡¯s face, but it faded almost instantly. ¡°I do wish we could game together, properly some more,¡± Rachel said with a sigh. ¡°When all of this is said and done, we need to get some game nights going. If I remember correctly,¡± she flashed James a smile, ¡°your current record against me isn¡¯t the greatest.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always up for a challenge,¡± James replied, ¡°when this is all said and done, just name the game, time, and place, and I¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± ¡°All that¡¯s fine and dandy,¡± Fel leaned back, her arms crossed, ¡°but first you have to succeed, before any of that future stuff can come to pass.¡± She eyed James, ¡°we¡¯re all counting on you, you know that right?¡± James felt the weight intensify on his shoulders, as his smile, his moment of humor and happiness, mellowed out. ¡°We¡¯ll succeed.¡± James said forcefully, as if trying to convince not just the others, but himself. ¡°There¡¯s no other option.¡± Fel tilted her head, eying Steve. Steve shook his head, and she looked back at James, something unspoken having passed between the two. ¡°I hope so,¡± she said softly, ¡°for your sake. For all our sakes.¡± ¡°Once you log out,¡± Steve began, drawing everyone¡¯s attention back to him as he spoke to James, ¡°make sure Dagr downloads the packet of data I¡¯ve encrypted into your pod. It has the AI personalities you requested. From there,¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take them to terminal in my parent¡¯s lab, and activate the robots.¡± James finished. ¡°During the time it takes to upload the AI, and run the diagnostics on the robotic bodies and for everything to settle in, the Knights will be grouping up, and gathering what they need. After that, they¡¯ll be at your house to pick up you and your little gang, before you make your way to the mountain.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about a thirty-minute drive straight from your house to the mountain entrance,¡± Fel said. ¡°Hades will keep the cameras and surveillance from giving you away. It¡¯s up to Z¡¯s group, and you, to ensure any other obstacles are dealt with in a way that won¡¯t jeopardize the mission.¡± She pointed at James. ¡°That means don¡¯t bring any unsecure tech. Meaning you don¡¯t get to wear your glasses you¡¯re so proud of. Even with Dagger¡¯s capabilities, it¡¯s not worth the risk.¡± ¡°But how will I be able to contact you guys,¡± James asked, feeling panic rise in his chest. His AR glasses were his lifeline. He could communicate with everyone through them. More importantly, he could communicate with Rue through them. ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Fel said with a shrug. ¡°Once this mission begins, you and the others need to be as dark as possible. Take that as more motivation to be successful.¡± Her tone was harsh, but her eyes held a look of understanding. ¡°Use the need to come back to us,¡± she nodded to Rue, ¡°to her, to further push you forward. Your goal isn¡¯t just to save the world,¡± she said softly, ¡°it¡¯s to get back to the one you love.¡± The room went silent as everyone looked around the table. That was it, really. There wasn¡¯t anything left to say. They¡¯d done all the preparation they could. All that remained, everything from here on out, would be on James¡¯s shoulders. It was up to him, and the Knights Who Go Ni, to save the world. No, that wasn¡¯t all. He squeezed Rue¡¯s hand tighter, smiling at her, as he steadied himself. There were four more people that would be joining him on this adventure. It was time to introduce the government to the Jenkins family. DCO Final Arc- Major Annoucement!!!! MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!! This is not a drill (or at least, I really hope it isn''t). DCORE 5 is set to release January 23rd. We''re working on our end to wrap up some last minute details (finalizing blurb, settting everything up on Amazon, etc). This means I will need to pull content off of RR soon. It has been a wild journey on RR with DCO, considering I first started posting chapters of my dicken filled story back in 2018. To see the series coming to an official end is both exhilirating, and bittersweet. The version being published on Amazon, as always, has undergone massive editing and revisions. This will complete the series, and does wrap the story up, and bring everything to a final conclusion. For those who have read Dicken Around on Amazon, I do intend to finish Alex''s PoV story somewhere down the line, but need to be financially stable first in order to do so lol (the life of a struggling author do be hard bwahahahaha). I want to personally thank everyone who has been here, whether since the start of the journey, or having joined somewhere in the middle. No matter what, you''ve all been a major part of my life, and I couldn''t have done this without each and every one of you. If anyone is absolutely positively curious about the first draft ending of DCO''s final arc, it is still on my Patreon for the moment. But, personally, the new ending in the version going up on Amazon, is much better imo. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. As always, the story will be free on Kindle Unlimited, as I try my best to make sure my stuff isn''t locked behind paywalls. It will also be available as an ebook, and audiobook (at or shortly after release, still trying to figure out that timeline too, as I''m sure all of you know, the amazing Travis Baldree who does the narration is a very very very busy man lol), and in physical forms as well. If you''re US based, and you''d like signed physical copies of the story, once the book publishes I should have my paperback copies of all 5 books shorty. Shoot me a PM if you''d be interested in the full collection, and I''ll seen what type of bundles I can work out :). Once again, it''s been a wild ride, and I sincerely wish to thank everyone for everything. You made my dreams come true, and hopefully, at the very least, I was able to bring some smiles to your faces, and give you a fun world to escape into, if at least for a small amount of time. Cheers, Glyax Dungeon Core Online- Final Post This is it. The final post under this story. It''s been a crazy ride. What started as a way to relax and unwind while I was bored back at the end of 2018 (which was also a time where I...er... was under a lot of stress and drinking a ton and probably half outta my mind), has become an epic journey that saw the continuation of my writing journey, and helped me turn it into a career. I''ve been a full time writer now since 2019, and DCO has been a massive part of that every step of the way. Now, as I make this post, I can''t help but feel it''s a bittersweet moment. I loved creating this world. I loved creating the monsters, and characters, and just seeing what crazy and wacky things I could make happen. Most of all, I loved interacting with everyone here. The early days, where I had polls on what mobs would be the next floor, and where it was truly just a wild crazy, untamed land, were some of the fondest I''ve had on my writing journey. And a part of me was pained when I had to move away from such shenanigans, and focus on crafting more of a ''proper story'' for publication. Alas, the world is a cruel one, and bills must be paid haha. But even still, you all stuck wtih me, and now, finally, the story is complete. January 23rd, Dungeon Core Online releases its final book to the world. I hope all of you will join me for one last dungeon dive, and give the book some love. Let it make you laugh, maybe even cry, for one last moment. Let me take you into the world of DCO, one last time, for a final farewell. On January 23rd, Dungeon Core Online will go live for the final time on Amazon, as an Ebook, on KU, as a paperback, and of course, an Audiobook. It is available for preorder now, and if you''ve got the time, if you''ve got the means, it would mean the world to me if, for one last time, you gave the story a read. Thank you all, and hopefully, 2025 will allow me the time to create more stories for all of you here on Royal Road. Till then, thank you for everything, and I wish you all the best. Cheers, Glyax