Chương 117: Adventuring Team Mechanics

"You are absolutely correct, but I am hoping that both April and Sam can overcome these issues," Stormy said.

"What magic do you use?" Harren asked Sam directly.

"Illusion and trap magic," Sam replied.

"That has potential, maybe. But ultimately, it will struggle when waves of Mana wash over the battlefield, disrupting illusions. That is why they have never gained popularity with legends. And your weapons, have you even gone into the dungeon?" Harren asked April next.

"Only the first couple of layers on a paid expedition. Not on my own, but I am confident I will be able to craft powerful weapons, and combat is the crucible of innovation and improvement," April declared.

"What do you think, Justin?" Harren asked me. I had the most standing in this group as the son of Elena and the number one student in our year.

"I agree with you, Harren, that their combat abilities are highly lacking. But their abilities offer something unique against trickier monsters."

"If they have the power to do more than we can? I am not looking to form a team and have other teammates leech off me," he declared, and that was understandable. Team members should be equal in combat power unless they fill a unique role like a healer. If Sam were a healer, then it would have been more acceptable for him to have less combat power. As for April, crafters seldom went into the dungeon.

"I don't just have these items. I am building a war mech," April said.

"Mech?" I asked.

"A golem with the controller inside. I need a chance to iterate on it and improve it."

"Can you even do that in the dungeon?"

"Yes, I will bring along a portable workshop and will use the monster cores to fuel it." Now, that added an extra dimension to her inclusion.

"It is something new, but the potential of war mechs is a possible path of future combat. Also, what April is not mentioning is that she has the support of Withers Corporation. The pioneers of battle golems," Stormy explained.

"Fancy toys. But I guess she can stay with us until something goes wrong, or she can't help in a fight," Harren said, then looked at Sam.

"I have a legacy from my granduncle, the Legend Sam the Steadfast. He specialized in illusions and trapping skills. I hope to go beyond that."

"That is why I invited everyone here. Everyone wants to become a legend at the very least," Stormy said.

"A legacy is useful. But I am doubtful," Harren declared. He looked at me and I spoke up.

"I agree. But the proof is in the strength of one's skills. I could see us doing a yearlong test run as a team and then making a final decision after that. A year isn't that long, and we should be able to tell how well everyone handles themselves. I am concerned about the war mech myself. Equipment has a ceiling to it."

"Not with the newest innovation of living equipment. It is the latest breakthrough, like the pet you have."

"Living equipment? Is that even safe?"

"Yes. And that is what will make it a mech instead of a golem. It will have its own status page."

"That would require some powerful soul magic or a ritual," I replied.

"I am not at liberty to discuss the process. But the Withers Corporation is putting over 100 platinum into my war mech. I require a team to join," April said.

"I have confirmed this. That is why she has an invitation to our gathering despite being a crafter," Stormy explained.

"That is a lot. You could get a tier 4 or 5 piece of equipment at that price," Harren said, impressed like me at the size of such an investment.

"If it breaks, that would be a disaster." Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

"Which is why the initial run requires a team to ensure safety," April said.

"Not a dwarven or corporation team?" he asked.

"We don't have the background in that area, and the other dwarven corporations would like to steal the secrets of the war mech. They want to create a machine to pass down through generations. Achieving a level that has never before been seen with the strongest machine!" I could sense her passion in that statement.

"Now I am feeling a bit lacking in comparison. Is it done yet?" I asked.

"They have only completed the core and primary frame. The rest of the components and weapons are being carefully crafted. We will turn it on once I graduate and we descend into Balde's Maw. Um, sorry. I mean the dungeon."

"It is fine. I use the term depths often enough myself," Stormy declared with a smile.

"What about a living sword?" I asked.

"The core for the mech is too large to fit in regular equipment. That is why no one has done this before. I also ask that everyone keep quiet about this project."

"No problem," Harren said.

"It is what a team should do," I said.

"Of course," Sam said.

"That is without dispute," Stormy said with a flick of her hair. Her pointed ears caught my attention, and Ozy stirred slightly but moved little.

"Then a minimum one-year team after graduation in just over six years from now. If there are no major issues, then I would like to secure a nine-year contract," Stormy said.

"There will be an issue. The Dark Cabal has expressed interest in me," I replied, not giving away too much to see how everyone would react.

"The Dark Cabal?" Harren asked. Everyone looked at him.

"What?"

"They are a group of terrorists and high-level individuals. They were responsible for the attack on Undercraft," April said.

"Oh, those people. Ah, I see. How bad is it?" Harren asked me.

"There is a personal conflict between me and one of their leaders. The Legend Xanatos, who specializes in poison and curse skills. He survived and escaped injured from a confrontation with Supreme Warlady Elena," I said.

"Do you expect him to target you in the dungeon?" Stormy asked.

"That or through this team if I join. I figured it would be best to make everyone aware of this beforehand," I answered.

"The Dark Cabal are terrorists and scum lurking in the shadows. My war mech will blow them away with righteous fury, avenging the dwarves of Undercraft," April declared while pounding her fist on the table.

"As long as we don't go looking for them, I have no problems. Each of us has a background of some kind," Harren said.

"I agree. And once we are in the dungeon, tracking us will be difficult. But we should all prepare to counter such methods, and I will request support from my family," Stormy added.

"If I am to reach the top, I can't hold fear in my heart," Sam said, which I took to mean he didn't have a problem with a possible confrontation. Time would tell whether I could trust these individuals, but I was hopeful.

"Why are we meeting so early on, anyway?" Harren asked. This was his first misstep as part of the team. Stormy gave me a look and then a slight nod. She had seen that Harren respected me more than anyone else, so I should answer this question.

"Because we are all competent individuals. If we disagree on team formation now, we are likely to make our own arrangements once we graduate. April's backers will want confirmation of the team she is going with, as will Stormy's family," I answered.

"Having a set team in place and understanding everyone's backgrounds is important," April said.

"Any other coordination we need to take care of?" Harren asked.

"I would like to see the operation of the war mech once it is operational. Specifically, to understand its weapons and how it will fight, since there has been nothing like this in the past. The rest can be handled once we are in the dungeon," I replied.

"I am interested in your pet. That Winged Serpent. I heard it is skilled at Alchemy?" April asked, and I nodded.

"Yes. That is its primary method of fighting, but I also plan to teach Ozy healing. You shouldn't count on it, and I won't allow him to heal any of you without express permission beforehand, and only if it is a critical situation."

"That is correct. We shouldn't count on Justin's pet, since it's auxiliary support," Stormy said.

"I am more interested in its Alchemical ability for field repairs. We will need to work out some coordination on that. Being able to resupply certain types of metal while in Balde's Maw will be incredibly helpful," April said, and I nodded.

"And the shares of the descent?" Harren asked.

"Equal split with bidding on any natural treasures against your share," Stormy said. I considered that. Adventuring teams always argued over how to divide the loot.

"Fair enough. As long as we aren't paying for fuel or monster feed," he said while looking at April and Ozy.

"Fuel will come out of my share," April said.

"Same for Ozy here. Anything he eats will come out of mine," I replied, and Harren nodded.

"Well, I am glad things are coming together so quickly. It isn't easy finding people who are capable and willing to work together," Stormy said.

"Problems?" I asked.

"There is a lot of history and prejudice with my people. But the College is a great way to break those boundaries. And if I want to gain levels in a reasonable time frame, I need to work with adventurers who can fight on the front line. Hopefully, we can go the distance, all the way to the Last Bastion as legends," Stormy said.

"Ambitious, but I like it," Harren replied. It was an ambitious goal, but I was hopeful about this team. Everyone had a certain level of competence. I knew my mother would roll her eyes about working with others, but even she had gone on her final descent as part of a team. The key part was not to leave myself vulnerable or dependent. While April and Sam would depend on the rest of us, I knew Stormy could hold her own regardless of what she said.

And Harren was a front-line fighter, so his capabilities were not in question. If he failed, he would die. If things went wrong, there would be no chance to break away easily from the rest of the team. The team fracturing under pressure was the most significant danger. We would not stand and fight for each other. Working with new adventurers brought that danger. These people were older than I was. They clearly entered the College after or around the age of 16, once they were adults.

I was four years younger than they were, but my accomplishments and background earned me an invitation.