"Do you remember the first monsters you ever fought?" Benedict's question came as a surprise to the party, but Astrid shook the blood from the head of her hammer as Muti answered.
"The first monster I slew was an iron horned antelope. With my litter, we killed the beast when I had reached my tenth summer."
"Wait, ten?" Astrid whirled to look at her companion. "How did I never know that you were Bestowed with a Class that young? I thought that getting your Class that early was really dangerous, frequently leading to mutations even in the races that are, by nature, mutated."
"That was the first monster I killed, I did not state that I had a Class at the time of the hunt. In the Hordes, the young are taught to hunt from the earliest age that we can learn to do so successfully, and the hunt extends to monsters as well, once they have grown sufficiently." Muti continued cutting the hind legs from the shadow leopard as she said it. "The iron horn antelope are not spawned by the Dungeon, but are instead mutated forms of the antelope that fill the plains in the south. As such, they are more prey than monster, though in the eyes of the Great One, they are monsters."
Astrid pursed her lips. That wasn't particularly necessary information, but she did find herself appreciating what it meant. She'd always known that Muti was a person, or perhaps a creature, honed for killing, whether they be monster or otherwise. In fact, Astrid didn't know if Muti had killed anybody before the fight with Pyra's assassin party. She'd be surprised if the Barbarian hadn't spilled the blood of a person before that fateful day.
"I remember as well," Astrid said as she answered the question as well. "There were some wargs that'd escaped the Dungeon branch where I was about to begin delving. Got pretty dicey for me, to be honest. Luckily, I had Quick Recovery at level 1, or I might not have been able to get out of there." Astrid felt a faint smile crack her face as she thought about it. How far she'd come in those years…
"I remember too," Benedict said as the party looked at him, "I just asked because I remember struggling with those first fights. Of course, I have experience and Skills and so on now, but isn't this… too easy?"
Astrid looked at the results of this latest fight. Three hobgoblin bodies were twisted on the ground, dispatched with single, casual attacks. The shadow leopard hadn't been much different, though it had taken three hits to dispatch the beast after it turned parts of its body incorporeal to defend from the party's attacks. Astrid probably could have killed it immediately with a Spectre Burst, but didn't want to taint the meat since they were hoping to harvest. As such, it had taken all of 30 seconds to kill the beast.
This was the second fight that the party'd had, the first just being three hobgoblins. They were dangerous enough, Astrid supposed, if the party hadn't been wearing armor. Skandr and Benedict might have been in danger if they just stood there and took the attacks. Even Muti's armor, so much lighter than Astrid's, would hold up under even a solid blow. For Astrid and Felix? While the mana-blessed iron that tipped the hobgoblins spears might find chinks in their armor given enough time, it would be long enough that there wasn't a realistic possibility of these weak monsters posing a threat while outnumbered. Frankly, the result of the fight was underwhelming to the extreme. The shadow leopard had, at least, been a proficient ambusher, but nothing compared to the party's own Ambusher. Its ability to make itself incorporeal was a neat trick that slipped past Astrid's guard. Regardless…
Muti clocked the beast before it could make its initial attack, and they'd all taken it down not long after that.
Despite all this, with only seven monsters that the party had killed, each person had gained over 1400 experience. Muti had gained her next level without any pomp or circumstance, only seeming to quietly enjoy the surge in power. However, she also took the time to slow down to use Dread Master to share her Skills with the rest of the party. Astrid too was following that example, continuing to experiment with how to "spend" mana and stamina to strengthen herself as a whole. Warrior's Awakening was certain to continue to be one of the best options available for her in Iron, and she really wanted it to be offered to her at Bronze, at least, once she hit level 28. While she would love to have it at Iron, that was far from a possibility she was going to entertain. After all, the greedy goose gets cooked.
After years of using her hammer and shield to do everything short of actually having a vanishing Skill, followed by additional months of hard work while continuously delving further cementing her experience in using Power-aligned mana to do the same, Astrid had been offered Iron tiered Skills at level 21. Warrior's Awakening, on the other hand? She was only barely beginning to understand how the Skill could work, and she'd need to spend even more time experimenting and training before she got the opportunity to make sure that she could get it at Bronze. The idea of getting another boon at level 44? That would be amazing. Especially if she managed to get the boon from succeeding in the Trials as well.
She shook her head, pushing away the thought. That was a possibility, she wasn't going to deny it, but even if it happened, she wasn't anywhere close to getting to the top of Iron. She laughed, looking at her experience gauge.
44,257/55,000
With the swarms of skeletons on the past two floors, the experience had continued climbing quickly, even though they gave a relatively small amount of experience. Even thinking that the 244 experience they gave was small made Astrid shudder. She forced herself not to think about the fact that, outside of the Wandering Trials, that same amount of experience was about the same as any regular level 21 Iron tier monster. Despite the ease with which the party was dealing with these groups of three hobgoblins, if there had been 20 of them, they would have struggled a whole lot more to dispatch them.
She did some quick mental math about how long her next level would take to get. With just a bit under 11,000 experience to the next level and each squad of three hobgoblins providing about 600 experience to each member of the party, it was going to be less than 20 more squads of hobgoblins for her to hit level 23 as well and that wasn't accounting for the occasional shadow leopard. The brief had said that they'd be traveling for about 15 kilometers to get to the exit, depending on where they were deposited by the Trials.
"Yeah, this really isn't a struggle," Astrid agreed. "But even if it isn't, we're here, and we do need to get levels as the monsters continue to climb to higher levels. According to the brief, we can run into monsters that've passed the first watershed of Iron on this floor, and that's only going to become more common as we go deeper. The difficulty is going to be tempering a focus on gaining levels with going deeper. The twenty second floor is entirely underground in cramped caves filled with wall horrors. That's not a place that I'm going to want to level, so maybe we push through to the twenty third to gain levels again, where the monsters will be an old friend of mine: greater wargs. They hunt in packs there that number up to eight, but the brief says that we can run into pack alphas that are level 28, and that'll be dangerous, given the numbers that assist them. Do we then push to the twenty fourth floor, where there are slimes? They aren't particularly dangerous, but they're very resistant to physical attacks, so—"
"Astrid, we get it," Skandr interrupted. "You're spiraling, and we know what you're saying. In fact, I figure we've all thought at least parts of what you're saying right now. The question that arises is how we'll approach making sure to keep mostly in the same vicinity of strength as our enemies. But remember, we have a much better growth rate than anything we'll be fighting until what, the thirtieth floor?"
"The thirty fifth," Astrid corrected in a quiet voice.
"So we don't need to be the same level as the monsters were fighting to have the same attributes as them for another 15 floors. Even then, monsters aren't going to have as varied and synergistic Skills as we have. So stop panicking about the specifics. For now, we'll draw a lot of attention from the weak monsters and kill a lot of hobgoblins on this floor, maybe eat some shadow leopard while we're at it. Practice our Skills, get ready for the next water hed, and prove ourselves there. That's what you were already thinking of doing, you're just getting worked up for no reason. Now, again, calm down. Before any of that happens, we're going to need to rest. We've still got twenty six days."
Astrid clenched her fists before relaxing them, and nodding once. Skandr was right, she knew, and having his reminder of how one of her levels was worth two of these hobgoblins' helped keep her in check. And, Skandr's last point was correct. She was worrying about having to do what she was already talking about doing. Panic about nothing was just that: panic.
"Yes, you're right. Let's push forward, focus on our Skills, and if we happen to run into a more difficult fight, we'll enjoy it. Thank you."
Skandr nodded, a soft smile on his face. Astrid thought of how he was even more nervous regarding the future than she was, with his lower quality Skills and general inferiority complex. She thanked him again and turned her attention back to the task at hand.
"Is there anything that we need to do for now?" Astrid asked, refocusing herself on the task at hand.
"Eat!" Muti said, holding one of the shadow leopard flanks aloft. Though the rest of the party smiled in amusement, there wasn't a single word of disagreement as the party quickly decided to set up a brief camp for themselves to make some warm food for the first time in quite a while. Skandr started a fire with a snap of his fingers and a thick arc of electricity, and the party settled into comfortable sitting positions while keeping their attention on the surroundings. They were still in the Wandering Trials, and though none of the regular monsters found around here posed any threat, there were plenty of people who might be convinced to try something stupid.
As Skandr pulled a skillet out of his spatial pouch, he asked a question that made Astrid pause as she realized it was too late to do anything about: "Do you think that the smell of smoke is going to draw people to us?"
***
Defender
"That smell. It is fire." Scout's declaration wasn't complicated, her thought process wasn't. Defender knew that her own mind also was uncomplicated. Regardless, the constant comparison of what she was now compared to what she was while still Bronze remained. The Bronze Defender didn't have a thought beyond the need to follow the Mother's commands. She still would follow her every command, but she could think for herself now! Defender wouldn't allow herself to return to such a limited creature in the future. After all, she'd met Krizzick, and as Defender thought about it, she could tell that her mentor, if that was the correct term for her, had once been a Lancer. Could she herself become something as intelligent and complete as those she saw in higher tiers, having a name beyond their Class?
"Is not enemies. Continue?" Defender loathed that she couldn't express herself more clearly.
"Is not enemies," Scout confirmed. "Is good to see. Is others who fight."
"Are enemies," Lancer replied. "Go fight, go kill, get experience, go deeper."
"Not fight," Defender disagreed. "Not allies, but can learn."
"Mother knows what need to learn. Not need to learn here," Lancer replied. "We learn from Mother, from Great Mother that gives evolution."
"Can learn from others." Healer's participation in the conversation came as a surprise to Defender, but she leaned her head towards her companion and lightly brushed her antennae against her sister's.
"Defender leads. I follow. Think bad idea." Lancer's final response came as she turned and looked towards where Scout had said these others were. Scout herself hadn't said anything after her report, nor had Mage. In the end, as always, Defender was the one to make the decision. She understood the necessity of having a leader, but she hated having that responsibility on her shoulders. Regardless, the decision has been made, and, as the Defender of the group, she led the way towards the smell of smoke.
As they grew closer, Defender felt her mind shift from her dislike of leadership to instead focus on her excitement. These ones that they approached, what could they teach the young Hiveguards? There were so many things to learn, and Defender couldn't bring herself to lose an opportunity to learn something about the world when it was right in front of her.
***
"So what should we call ourselves? We'll probably start running into other parties more as we're forced to spend more time on each floor, so we need a party name. I was thinking Benedict's Buddies is probably the best option we have. Are we ready to vote or is everyone so speechless to witness true perfection?" The rest of the party stared at Benedict as he made a deliberately stupid grin. It wasn't long before the answer was given, Muti speaking for the rest of the party.
"Every word that proceeds from your mouth is a foolish one. To have ever considered your words as worth heeding was a mistake."
Benedict's mouth fell open, his joke so poorly received that it would appear his feelings were genuinely hurt. Astrid couldn't help but smile as Skandr laughed. The Storm Wizard waved off Benedict's scowl as he continued laughing.
"All right then, Barbarian sage, since you're so wise, what should we call the party? Don't hold back your fathomless wisdom."
"I am not a sage." Muti's immediate response was typical for her, focusing on the quip rather than the actual question being asked. When prodded to give her answer, she replied, "I do not know what a good title would be for a party. Among the Hordes, a party is referred to by the name of their leader along with their tier. Our party would thus be called Astrid Iron. I do not believe that such a title translates well to this tongue, nor do I believe that and of us would like that name."
The other four let Muti know that yes, they didn't want that to be their party name, and she shrugged as she continued, "Those names which I have heard and remember tend to be a descriptor and a noun, such as the Silver Wind, the Golden Fist, the Five Spears, Death Blades, and so on. Any title that I might want to give would ourselves be too grandiose for a party of new Irons, so I would suggest something such as Iron Determination. It feels a flat suggestion to me, but it is not something so foolish as 'Benedict's Buddies'."
"Many people do change their party name several times, especially while still Iron." Felix shrugged as he said it. "As far as temporary titles go, Iron Determination is better than anything I've come up with."
"You need to give one of your suggestions!" Benedict insisted. "I'm not gonna sit over here getting insulted while you sit over there saying that you're too slow witted to even give a suggestion."
Felix glared at the Bard, but Benedict stood his ground, gesturing meaningfully for him to speak.
"Then I guess… The Underdogs."
"Oh, that's so cliché! I made a joke and got insulted, but you didn't even manage to make a joke!" Benedict shook his fist at Felix, whose face flushed in the limited light around the banked coals of their fire.
"It's an option," Skandr said with a grimace, "but not one I would ever choose. Plus, considering how young we are, we aren't really underdogs, not anymore at least. Evolving in our early 20s with very rare Classes? Seems like we've been set up for success to me."
"Yeah? And what's your brilliant idea?" Felix demanded.
"Honestly, I would've said something like the Immortals if we were higher tier, given how Astrid can basically make us unkillable, but it's too early for that. Instead, I figured I'd come up with something like some parties do, grab an item that we can identify ourselves with. Something out of the Trials, and call ourselves the wandering-whatever-we-choose. The Wandering Stones, Wandering Staves, the Wandering Shield, anything like that. Astrid, is there been a particularly interesting aspect of one of the upcoming floors that maybe we could do something like that with?"
"The thirty fifth floor," Astrid nodded. "The enemies there are feathered serpents, famous for their massive fangs. Then there's the fact that the thirty fifth floor apparently takes place on flying islands made of floatstone. So we could use fangs, feathers, scales, or the floatstone itself. The Wandering Stones doesn't sound great, but it's an interesting material."
"We could find something on the thirty fifth floor, sure." Skandr looked to the rest for confirmation. Astrid, having no better ideas herself, gave a thumbs up. Muti and Felix both gave their assent before too long, and Benedict shrugged.
"It's no Benedict's Buddies, but it'll do."
Felix opened his mouth to say something when a strange shriek filled the air. The party stiffened and looked all around to see if anything was approaching, and a deep, bellowing roar filled the air afterward. Astrid looked at Muti, who stared off in the distance.
"The sounds of combat accompanying that of distress. Shall we approach?"