"Yeah, permanently mediocre," the mage shot back. His friends chuckled.
Velara's expression hardened. "Kira, shut up. I vouched for him. He's here to trial, so let him trial."
"Whatever," Kira said, waving his hand dismissively. "Just don't slow us down. This dungeon has strict DPS checks. If you can't pull your weight, we'll notice."
Max felt his jaw clench but kept his expression neutral. He had dealt with elitists before—every competitive game had them. The only way to shut them up was performance.
"I'll keep up," Max said simply.
HolyKnight_Zen seemed more reasonable. "What's your gear situation? Defense, attack power?"
Max pulled up his character sheet and shared the relevant stats:
Attack Power: 77
Defense: 47
HP: 300
GiantTitan whistled. "Defense is rough for level 10. You're going to be squishy if anything targets you."
"I have evasion skills," Max said. "I can handle myself."
"We'll see," SilentEdge said coldly. "Titan and I have been running together for two years across multiple games. We know each other's playstyles. You're an unknown variable."
"That's why it's a trial run," Velara interjected, her voice sharp. "Stop being dicks and let's just run the dungeon. If he fails, he fails. If he succeeds, you eat your words."
The tension hung in the air for a moment. Then GiantTitan shrugged his massive shoulders. "Fine. But Miss Velara, if this goes sideways, you're buying the repair costs."
"Deal," Velara said.
HolyKnight_Zen stepped forward, extending a hand. His avatar's grip was firm when Max shook it.
"I'm Zen. Don't worry about Kira—he's always like this. Just focus on doing your job, and we'll be fine. I'll keep you alive as long as you don't stand in stupid."
"Appreciated," Max said.
The party interface appeared:
PARTY: Phoenix Trial Run
[HolyKnight_Zen – Level 15 – Paladin] – Tank/Healer hybrid
[GiantTitan – Level 15 – Berserker] – Melee DPS
[ArchMage_Kira – Level 15 – Mage] – Ranged DPS
[SilentEdge – Level 15 – Shadowblade] – Melee DPS
[Velara – Level 15 – Shadowblade] – Melee DPS
[MaxThorne – Level 10 – Soulbinder] – DPS (?)
Max noticed he was the only one below level 15. He was also the only one with a question mark next to his role designation—the system couldn't categorize Soulbinder clearly.
"Alright, standard formation," Zen said, taking charge. "I'm main tank, Titan you're off-tank and heavy DPS. Kira, focus on AoE for add waves. Edge and Vel, you two handle priority targets and interrupts. Max..." He paused. "Stay alive and do damage where you can. Don't pull aggro from me."
"Got it," Max said.
They left Veridian Gate and headed northwest toward The Crimson Spire. The dungeon entrance was about fifteen minutes away, through increasingly hostile territory. Max stayed in the middle of the formation, very aware of the other players evaluating him.
"So Max," Kira said, his tone falsely friendly. "What made you pick Soulbinder? Uniqueness? Wanted to play hard mode?"
"I like complex classes," Max answered honestly. "And the permanent contract system appealed to me."
"Complex," Kira repeated. "Right. Well, I hope your 'complex' class can output at least, what, 30% of my DPS? That'd be acceptable for your level."
GiantTitan laughed. "Kira, don't be a complete ass."
"I'm just setting expectations," the mage said innocently.
Velara fell back to walk beside Max, speaking quietly. "Ignore him. Kira's good at the game but terrible with people. He has been pushing for top DPS charts since launch and gets competitive about it."
"It's fine," Max said. "I've dealt with worse."
"Still. If he crosses a line, tell me. I'll handle it."
They encountered their first enemies—a group of wandering monsters that the party cleared in seconds. Max barely got a hit in before GiantTitan and SilentEdge had already obliterated everything.
[Battle Complete]
[Party EXP gained: 85]
"Efficient," Max commented.
"That's Phoenix standard," Zen said. "We don't waste time on trash mobs. In and out, clean execution."
They reached The Crimson Spire entrance after ten minutes. The dungeon was unmistakable—a massive tower of dark red stone that stretched impossibly high into the sky, lightning crackling around its peak.
[DUNGEON DISCOVERED: THE CRIMSON SPIRE]
Difficulty: Rank C
Recommended Level: 12-15
Party Size: 5-6
Warning: This dungeon features strict DPS requirements and enrage timers
"Everyone ready?" Zen asked, checking his equipment. "Potions stocked? Skills off cooldown?"
A chorus of affirmatives.
"Max?"
"Ready," Max confirmed. Night stirred in his shadow, sensing the upcoming battle.
"Then let's go," Zen said.
They entered the dungeon.
The interior was suffocating—narrow stone corridors lit by torches that burned with red flame. The walls were covered in ancient carvings depicting battles and sacrifices. The temperature was noticeably higher, and Max could feel the heat even through the game's sensory filters.
[ENTERING: THE CRIMSON SPIRE – FIRST FLOOR]
Almost immediately, enemies appeared—Crimson Cultists, humanoid NPCs dressed in blood-red robes, wielding sacrificial daggers and dark magic.
[Crimson Cultist – Level 13] x6
"Standard pull," Zen commanded. "Titan, grab left side. I'll grab right. DPS, burn them down. Don't let them finish their ritual casts."
The battle erupted instantly. Zen charged one group, his shield slamming into them with a burst of holy light. GiantTitan roared and activated his Berserker skills, his greatsword cleaving through the other group.
ArchMage_Kira stood back and began channeling a spell. Fire gathered around his hands, transforming into a massive fireball that he launched into the clustered enemies.
[FIREBALL – AOE DAMAGE]
-387 HP! (per enemy)
-402 HP!
-395 HP!
Three cultists dropped instantly, their health bars evaporating.
SilentEdge and Velara moved like synchronized dancers, their daggers flashing as they picked off wounded targets with brutal efficiency.
Max drew his Shadowsteel Blade and moved toward the nearest cultist. But before he could even reach it, GiantTitan's greatsword bisected the enemy.
[Crimson Cultist defeated!]
Within thirty seconds, all six enemies were dead.
Max had landed exactly zero hits.
"That's the pace," Kira said smugly. "Keep up, Soulbinder."
Max said nothing.
They pushed deeper into the Spire. More cultist packs appeared, each one cleared with ruthless efficiency. Max finally managed to land a few hits, but his damage contribution was minimal—maybe 5% of the total party DPS.
[Party DPS Meter (visible to party)]
ArchMage_Kira – 2,847 DPS
GiantTitan – 2,634 DPS
SilentEdge – 2,103 DPS
Velara – 1,987 DPS
HolyKnight_Zen – 876 DPS (plus healing)
MaxThorne – 234 DPS
"Oof," Kira said when the meter updated. "234 DPS. That's... yeah, that's not going to cut it for the boss fight."