Ultimate Level 1

Max gasped and clicked yes without hesitation.

His mind hurt for a moment as suddenly, the art of casting filled his brain. He had never learned or studied magic. Most humans didn’t try unless they were committed to that path above everything. Those who desired it spent those five years from thirteen to eighteen doing nothing but that.

Now here he was, having never studied any of that, able to cast a magic spell.

“Seth, you ok?” Faylen asked between ragged breaths. “You aren’t hurt, so what’s wrong?”

“ I just realized I forgot to eat and my body reminded me of that.”

Brindle chuckled as he moved over to where Max and Faylen stood, checking the arrows he had fired and collecting the ones that were salvageable.

“Nice work,” Faylen stated as she pointed to the trio he had killed on his own. “For a moment, I was concerned you might not get them but you did.”

A small green glow covered her as Lucia’s heal went off, erasing a few cuts on her arm and leg.

“Just how strong are you all?” Max asked, knowing he could have never done what she did without his skill and maybe not even with.

“Not strong enough to do what she attempted,” Brindle answered as he gave her a gentle push on the shoulder. “No offense Seth but trusting you to take those three on was risky on her part. Had you failed…” Brindle paused and let out a low whistle as he glanced at Lucia.

“But we didn’t,” Faylen snapped, giving Brindle a hard look that shut him up and had him turning back to Lucia.

“Sorry I took so long.”

“You are fine Seth. You killed them faster than I had believed you could. Now, let's get rested up and finish this dungeon.”

Max nodded, glancing at Brindle who had given a scowl at Faylen. Lucia was shaking her head at Brindle.

I guess every group has that person who does stupid stuff and upsets the others.

Chuckling to himself, Max went and grabbed the two shaman and wizard corpses and dragged them over to where Lucia was.

They stood outside the orange portal that led to the goblin boss.

“You sure you three don’t want to give it a try?” Max asked. Things had gone so well he didn’t see how they couldn’t take it down right now.

Faylen shook her head. “We have a friend coming, remember? He would be upset if we locked ourselves out.”

Seeing the looks he was getting, Max nodded and helped collect the last of the items from all the corpses.

Sherry had been impressed from his share of the swords and daggers he dropped off. She had promised him some metal armor in a few days if he could wait or payment for all the material he had just turned in. He had chosen the armor option, wanting to see how it would work out.

Faylen and the others had told him the coins would probably be best but no one protested when Max had gone the other route.

When the time came to turn in all of the trophies, Lucia had given him his share, complaining of a headache and needing to rest after all the work she had done. Max had been surprised as he thought Miles had done more work and didn’t complain of headaches, but perhaps elven healers were different.

“We are going to check in with our usual assistant,” Faylen informed him as Lucia walked off. “Go ahead and turn your stuff in. Get the quest for the goblin boss and let's meet at the same time and place tomorrow.”

As Brindle and her started to walk off, Brindle turned around and gave him a grin. “Don’t forget to eat tomorrow morning either.”

Max laughed and watched as the two of them headed to a different counter on the other side of the building.

Scanning the assistants he located where Greta was and got in line for her.

“You are getting close to moving to E rank,” Greta told him as she filled out the quest sheets he had completed. “If you do manage to take down the goblin boss I have no doubt that will be enough points for the next rank.”

Max stood there, trying to keep his mouth from hanging open.

I have already earned enough points to be that close to E rank…

“Well here is hoping that all goes well. I have a pretty good group and I think we could have easily done it today but they wanted to go tomorrow with a friend also.”

Greta bobbed her head as she wrote a few more things down on her clipboard. “That happens more than you would believe. Once a party has reached the ability to farm a dungeon like that, they often bring a friend so their friend can get gear and level up.”

Watching Greta work, Max considered that technique and wondered if it was a good one. If someone was weak and got better equipment, they could level faster. However, if they were weak and gained the attention of the boss or some mobs, they might die.

“Some even pay for that kind of assistance at later levels,” she continued. “Bosses are dangerous, and there is valuable loot and experience to be gained. Groups are willing to escort them safely through the dungeon for the right price or promise.”

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Greta put her pen down and looked at Max, who was staring at her. “You know about the towers, right?”

Max nodded. Even without the training new adventurers got, everyone knew about the towers.

“I figured,” she replied, turning back to her paperwork. “The tower is where the higher-level adventurers all want to go. That is where the real power comes from. The gear dropped there, skill shards, magic scrolls… all of that beats anything you are going to find in most dungeons by a long shot.”

Max saw her smile and shake her head.

“It was one of the towers where your namesake acquired the spear he used when he fought the twin dragons.”

Glancing at his spear, Max considered what other possible items might be out there that he could get that would be even better than what he owned now.

“And that's all of it,” Greta said, pushing his adventurer token across the counter to him. “Let me collect the money you earned, and then I will see you tomorrow, ready to turn in that finished goblin boss quest!”

Max took his token and put it in his pouch.

She hurried off and came back with a pouch of coins, playfully tossing it to him.

“Seven silver. You are going to be rich if you keep doing what you are doing.”

He smiled at Greta and gave her a slight bow.

“I still couldn’t have done all this without you. Maybe one day, when you aren’t working, I can pay you back with a drink at the inn.”

Her cheeks turned bright crimson, and Max saw her eyes almost shaking as she put on a smile.

“I would… I would like that,” she replied, her voice was high and cheerful.

“Until tomorrow, then!” Max exclaimed as he waved and walked away.

Max didn’t see Greta staring at him, straightening her beard with her hands a few times before finally motioning for the next person in line.

“Gods, boy, you are smiling like a mouse who fell into a cheese vault. What has you in such a good mood?”

Max put his drink down and gave Peter a grin before pulling out the quest sheet for the goblin boss. Unfolding it, he slid it across the table toward the dwarf, who saw the border and knew exactly what it was.

“Again? So soon?” Peter asked, shaking his head in disbelief. “Are you going with that elf and her party?”

“Yup, and today we cleared the dungeon without any issues. I don't think I got hit once.”

Letting out a whistle, Peter began stroking his beard with a hand. “Not even hit once and a full clear. That’s impressive. Tell me were they as good as I hear?”

Unable to control himself, Max roared in laughter and nodded.

“I mean, they were amazing to watch and be a part of. They had crisp, clear calls, heals were perfectly timed, the archer's shots were dead on, and Faylen was amazing as the leader and tank.”

Peter continued to stroke his beard and bobbed his head. “Sounds like everything I have heard before. You going to do what most do after hunting with them?”

Cocking an eyebrow, Max looked at Peter. “What do most do?”

“They usually head off toward the next hunting grounds, moving up into the world of adventuring. Once you defeat the boss, there won’t be anything really left here for you. The city of Rumstant is the next stop for most, with all the dungeons near it and the ones inside the city.”

Scratching his scalp, Max realized his hair was starting to grow back a little and he would need to cut it again.

“I hadn’t really given that much thought. There wouldn't be much left here for me. I mean besides the present company and the amazing food.”

Peter chuckled and gave the table a gentle tap. “I said it before. All I care about is that my adventurers stay healthy and alive. If the time comes for you to move on to the next adventure, so be it.”

Moving closer to Max, Peter held out his hand. “Just promise me to come by and say goodbye before you go.”

Rising from his chair, Max grabbed Peter’s hand and gave it a good shake. “I swear.”

Nodding, Peter gave Max a thump on his arm and motioned with his head. “I need to get back to work. Had a new group of adventurers check in this morning and it looks like they are about done with their food.”

Max nodded and sat back down, watching Peter go over to a table with four human adventurers who were laughing and talking with each other. Peter had them laughing even harder in a minute, making hand gestures and putting on a show.

I’m going to miss that dwarf.

Looking at the boss sheet, Max checked out the skill that was listed on top.

Change Target.

Greta had told him that it was one of the hardest skills to deal with for groups without two tanks. Every ten seconds, the boss would change targets, and if there wasn’t another tank nearby, it would go after someone else and not change again until it had engaged them for ten seconds.

That must be why they want me there. Someone to take the aggro.

Stretching, Max realized he still had one more thing to check out.

[Status Check]

*****

Max Hoste

18-Year-old Human Male

Level 1

Exp 0/1000

HP: 60/60

MP: 30/30

Stamina: 30/30

STR: 6

DEX: 5

CON: 6

INT: 6

WIS: 5

Skills:

Baking - Common

Consume - Rare

Spear Handling - Common

Shield - Common

Berserker - Common

Ice Magic - Common

*****

Wondering what he was going to find out, Max drummed his finger on the table for a few seconds.

[Skill Description - Ice Magic]

*****

Ice Magic - Common Skill: The caster may choose to cast three different types of ice magic. A single medium-range attack may be cast, causing damage based on the caster's Intelligence. Costs five mana per shot. An area of effect spell may be cast, causing no damage but slowing all those within ten yards for twenty seconds. Slow is based on the caster’s Intelligence. Costs fifteen mana per cast. The caster may enchant an item with cold magic, adding damage based on the caster’s Intelligence. Enchantment lasts five minutes and costs twenty mana.

*****

“Holy dwarf balls,” Max muttered under his breath. “What the hell did I just get?”