Chương 163: Chapter 158

The passage descended for a while before widening enough for Denxy and Alice to walk side by side. Redcap followed just behind them, while Desirae stayed between Somnus and me. The walls were smoother than those in the Channelworks, but the same dark stone continued all the way down. We made it through the first turn before the walls opened. Hollowed Legionaries stepped out in two rows, shields locked and spears lowered.

There were ten of them at first, which would have been manageable, but more alcoves opened farther down the corridor, revealing another dozen waiting behind them.

"Hold here," Alice said. Denxy planted his shield in the center of the passage. The first line crashed into it almost immediately, their spears striking together and sending cracks through the projection. Redcap attacked past the left edge of his shield while Alice took the right, cutting down anything that tried to slip around him. I stayed behind them and fired through the gaps, relying on basic shots until two enemies aligned.

"Piercing Shot!" The arrow passed through both Legionaries and struck a third farther back. Somnus followed with Dark Bind, catching several of them around the legs and slowing the pressure against Denxy. They were not difficult enemies on their own. Their strength came from the corridor and their numbers. Every time one fell, another stepped over it, shield raised, filling the gap before we could take advantage. Denxy gave ground one step at a time.

"More behind them," I warned.

"I assumed as much." A second group emerged from the side passages, these ones carrying curved blades instead of spears. Hollowed Reaver Level 28 They did not join the formation. They climbed the walls, ran along the narrow ledges, and tried to leap over Denxy's position. Alice caught the first in the air with Lightning Edge. Redcap struck the second before it landed, turning its jump into a fall. The third made it past both of them and charged Desirae.

I used Quick Step, appearing between them, and caught its blade against Spriggan's Will, then used Fan of Arrows to finish it off.

"Front's getting crowded," Denxy said.

"Push on three," Alice replied.

"One. Two. Three." Denxy drove forward with Shield Charge. The Legionaries lost their footing, and Alice moved with him, carving through the exposed line. Redcap followed from the opposite side, while Somnus spread Shroud beneath the remaining enemies and slowed their attempt to regroup. I activated Nature's Howl and sent a Verdant Arrow down the passage. The attack struck everything in front of us.

It did not kill the healthier enemies, but it broke their formation and gave Alice enough room to finish several in quick succession. The first wave collapsed after that. We had barely recovered before another section of wall opened ahead.

"Oh, good," Somnus said.

"More." War Hounds rushed out first, low to the ground and fast enough to close half the distance before Denxy raised his shield again. Behind them came another group of Reavers and Legionaries, followed by two larger soldiers carrying heavy rectangular shields. Hollowed Gatebreaker Level 29"Two big ones," I said.

"Take the left one first," Alice answered. The War Hounds reached us before the heavier enemies. One slipped beneath Denxy's shield and bit into his leg, applying Bleeding, while another circled toward Redcap. He caught it with the shaft of his spear and threw it against the wall. Desirae healed Denxy as he crushed the first creature beneath his shield. The Gatebreakers advanced behind their troops, using their shields to protect everything around them.

"Can you separate them?" Alice asked. Denxy used Gravity Pull on the left Gatebreaker. The monster resisted most of the effect, but one step sideways was enough to break the overlap between their shields.

"Arrowstorm!" The attack fell behind the shields, tearing through the Reavers and forcing the Legionaries to look up. Their advance faltered. Alice entered the opening immediately. Lightning Steps carried her behind the first Gatebreaker, and her sword struck the back of its knee. Redcap attacked the same leg from the other side, bringing the Gatebreaker down far enough for Denxy to slam his shield into its face. Somnus placed a curse over it, and I marked the opening beneath its helmet.

"Withering Light!" The arrow struck deep. The Gatebreaker's health dropped sharply, and Alice finished it before it could stand. The second one lasted longer. It drove Denxy backward with repeated shield strikes while the remaining mobs pressed around it. Desirae's mana fell steadily as she kept him standing, and Redcap had to abandon it twice to deal with Reavers that reached the back line. Nobody was in serious danger, but the fight demanded constant attention.

We could not afford to let the smaller enemies build up while focusing on the big ones. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Somnus solved that problem by spreading Dark Bind through the group behind it. The Reavers stopped. I fired through them with Piercing Shot, and Redcap swept the rest off their feet. Alice then stepped around the Gatebreaker's shield, struck its arm twice, and opened enough space for Denxy to force it against the wall.

We finished it there. The remaining Hollowed fell soon after. We watched the walls, waiting for another set of alcoves to open, but the corridor remained quiet.

"That should be all of them," Desirae said. Apparently, that settled it. We continued until the corridor ended in a square chamber. A heavy stone slab blocked the exit on the opposite side, and a raised platform stood near the center of the room. When Redcap stepped onto it, the slab lifted, and at the same time, the tunnel behind us collapsed with a thundering sound.

"No turning back, huh?" Denxy said after the dust settled. Redcap stepped off the platform, and the stone slab dropped. We searched the walls, the floor, and the mechanism itself. Nothing changed. There was no second switch on the far side, no delay, and no way to wedge the slab open. The distance between the platform and the doorway was far too great to cross before it closed. After several unsuccessful attempts, we gathered near the mechanism.

"So one of us has to stay behind?" Redcap asked. I looked at the gate, then back at the platform, gears turning in my head, but it didn't matter how hard I thought, I could only come to the same conclusion.

"Seems like it," I nodded.

"The distance is too far, the mechanic too sturdy. No prompts make it pretty straightforward."

"The expedition keeps carving chunks out of the raid," Alice said. She was right. The dungeon had started by separating us with the caves, then again at the gates just a while ago. There were plenty of instances where we felt alone, too: the darkness surrounding Camazotz was nothing we'd forget any time soon. But we also came together after every challenge, and I reckoned that at the end of this path, the three parties would meet up once again.

"I don't think the one staying behind will be locked here forever," I said.

"That would be particularly depressing," Somnus chimed in.

"Even for this place." I agreed.

"Why do you think that?" Alice asked, looking at me.

"First of all," I said, "it would be boring. Godsrealm is usually the opposite of that." Nobody argued; the game had little in terms of faults, and boredom absolutely wasn't one of them.

"You think there's hidden content here?" Desirae asked.

"Can't say for sure, but it would be more surprising if there wasn't," I said.

"Though it will probably only reveal itself after the rest of the party moves on." It was nothing but a well-educated guess, but I refused to think that the game would let someone sit back here for hours on end, excluding them from loot, experience, or the final confrontation of a massive, multi-party dungeon.

"We should assume the others are facing the same dilemma now," Somnus said.

"Yeah…" I muttered, thinking. The walls were plain, the rubble barricaded away the path, so we couldn't get back to the gates, and communication was still blocked. There was nothing we could interact with, but the way forward. Finally, I came to a conclusion.

"We need to move on with a balanced party," I said.

"But we also have to think about the compatibility of the ones left behind."

"Compatibility?"

"Dungeons are not solo content," I pointed out.

"If all three parties leave one person to hold the gate, there is a chance those three would meet up at a later stage."

"That's a reach," Alice said.

"It is," I admitted, "but there is no harm in preparing for such a scenario." Redcap sat down on a boulder.

"So what you're saying is, the one who stays should be capable of going solo, but should also be beneficial to a three-man group?"

"While not taking away a key component from the main party," I said with a nod.

"So no healers and no tanks should stay?" Alice asked.

"Well, not quite." That earned a couple questioning glances, so I started explaining myself.

"If the solo players have to group up, they will also have to function as a party," I said.

"Therefore, some tanking and some healing would be needed there, too."

"Oh," Alice said suddenly. She was one of the smartest players I'd met so far, so I knew she came to the same conclusion as me.

"The puzzle is figuring that comp out."

"Exactly," I nodded.

"Even if both Verdugo and Cyrus understood the assignment, there is no guarantee we all come to the correct decision."

"Worst case scenario, three healers would be left behind," Desirae said. I nodded.

"This puzzle is as much about figuring this place out," I said, "As understanding our fellow raid members." We stayed silent for a minute, then Denxy stretched.

"Well," he said, looking at me.

"Desirae, the Commander and I are pretty much outsiders. Somnus and Redcap, too. You know the others the most." He was right, of course. Even though I wasn't part of Second Wind, I had known Cyrus's and Verdugo's teams the longest. I considered them friends, despite the limited playtime we shared, and for all intents and purposes, I was good at analyzing people.

"Verdugo will stay back," I said after a brief pause.

"He likes chaos," Redcap said with a grin.

"I can see that."

"It's not just that," I shook my head.

"Well, that too, but even if he didn't think this much about the situation, he is a leader through and through. He would simply not leave anyone else behind." I thought about the towering berserker. Ever since I met him, he was no late to throwing himself in the way of danger. He was loud, quick to act, and could act as a cut-throat at times, but he was an honest man, and the others followed him without question.

"So that's melee DPS," Alice said.

"Yes. And Cyrus would probably think the same way about him, being guild-mates and all," I said. We were sure about one piece of the puzzle as much as one could be.

"They need a frontline, then," Redcap said.

"Assuming, you know, they actually meet up." We had a strong frontline line-up with Denxy and Alice both being sturdy enough to take some hits. Denxy, as a pure tank, would not fare as well if there was solo content, though, so the logical conclusion was…

"Me," Alice said.

"I can hold the line, and I have enough damage to clear whatever Xibalba throws at me. Plus, even if I leave, you'll still have Denxy for tanking, and Redcap for melee attacks." It was a logical conclusion. Clean, even. Yet, something bothered me.

"Cyrus would not leave Talion behind," I said.

"Their team only has him as a healer. Verdugo's group has Carmen and Rafael, we have Desirae, but we also have various buffs and sustain via Somnus. They have no one else." Alice stopped, listening, so I continued.

"And they have a similar melee lineup. Corral as tank, Adaptive as another melee that can assist on the frontline — like you, Alice — and Scale for high melee DPS."

"You're saying they would likely choose another melee?"

"Almost definitely," I nodded.

"At least I think Cyrus knows I'd expect that, and will choose accordingly."

"So?" Desirae asked. I looked at my party members. Talented players, through and through, each and every one of them essential to completing Xibalba.

"Cyrus would choose Adaptive to stay," I said after a while.

"He knows Verdugo will need someone on the frontline to take the pressure off, and a Swordsman is one of the most capable solo classes if the challenge turns out to be for one person only." I looked at Somnus, and he sighed.

"It appears I am required to stay." Redcap stood.

"Are you sure? This guy might get lost if left alone." The Acolyte rolled his eyes.

"Please. If you don't hurry, I might take on Ah Puch myself, going through whatever secret passage this cave holds." The more I thought about it, the more sure I was. None of the other parties would leave a healer behind — there was more group content ahead, of that we were sure — but if my intuition was right, and the three separated players would have to play together later, healing or other buffs were essential for them, too. Besides, Somnus was the most jack-of-all-trades among us.

Whether solo or a team of three, he would definitely pull his weight.

"I'm sure," I nodded.

"Even if the theory is off, I think you staying is the safest bet."

"And if you're wrong and I have to stay there until you finish the job, at least I can have a nap," he said with a yawn.

"Wouldn't bet on it," I said, smiling.

"All in favor?" Denxy and Desirae nodded. Alice was more reluctant, and I knew what she was thinking. If Cyrus didn't think the same way, and if Adaptive wasn't the one staying back, she would be the premiere pick for the job. She then looked at me, and nodded.

"You haven't been wrong since I met you, Orion, so yeah. I'm in favor." I nodded, then looked at Redcap. He was balancing his spear on two fingers, seemingly nonchalant, but I could tell he was worried.

"You're the boss," he finally said, then looked at Somnus.

"Don't do anything unnecessary."

"When would I ever?"

"Like, always," the Spearfighter said with a grin.

"See you on the other side."

"Alright folks, ready?" Somnus asked.

"Opening the mechanism in three." We lined up as Somnus stood on the platform. The stone slab lifted up once again, and we went past with no time to waste. I looked back once again after everyone was through.

"Good luck," I said.

"Right back at you." He stepped off the mechanism, and the stone slammed down.

"Alright," I murmured.

"Let's see where this takes us."