Dungeon of Chance: Even Odds: A Dungeon Core Novel (Serious Probabilities Book 1) Jonathan Brooks (book recommendations txt) 📖

Not to mention that they had half the amount of Heroes they used to have.  There was a discussion about trying to combine the fractured groups that was quickly tabled for the next day, but even if they somehow put together 2 unbalanced groups from those who had suffered losses, Jeska doubted it would be enough.

A bit of a miracle happened the next morning, though she was sure that the 15 new Heroes who were chosen to join their ranks didn’t think it was a miracle.  Instead, she heard from a few of those that woke up to find a Tier 0 Class Orb near their bedside that it was more of a death sentence than a blessing – but not a single one of them refused to take the duty given to them.  Whether they had secretly wanted to become a Hero, or the appearance of a Regional Threat had solidified the need for them, the brand-new Heroes were resolved to carry out their duty despite not being overly happy about it.  Regardless, enthusiasm for their new status – if it ever materialized – would come later.

Fortunately for the newcomers, they didn’t have to start from scratch, like Jeska and the others had.  Her own group, feeling responsible for ensuring they started out a step above their own experiences, contributed Tier 1 Class Orbs and extra sets of weapons, armor, and Skillbooks for the new Heroes, meaning they would have an advantage over their own relatively confusing and disastrous start to Herohood.

It was also a good thing that they hadn’t discussed combining groups, because the new Heroes slid into the positions held by those lost in the Threat battle without too much difficulty.  Just like before, each Hero group instinctively knew who they belonged with, as well as what Class they were drawn towards.  It made things easy to sort out at least, and as simple as that they were back to 6 balanced groups of 5 Heroes.

They all took the day after the Threat attack completely off, both as a way to rest and recover from the ordeal and to get the new Heroes used to their new positions – both in their new groups and their status in life.  Jeska and her own group took an additional day, while the others used their normal time within the dungeon to get acquainted with each other and to begin the process of “rebuilding” – as in gaining enough Class Orbs to advance to Tier 2.

“Well, shall we?” Arcen asked on the 3rd day, standing outside of the dungeon when it was finally their turn again.  While Jeska wasn’t necessarily eager to get back inside, she more intimately knew the stakes if they didn’t manage to get stronger, fast enough.  The Regional Threat had scared her—scared a lot of people, truth be told—and she didn’t want the fact that they didn’t work hard enough to be the reason everyone on Sunfall Island was killed.  As a result, she was looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and finally earning enough Class Orbs to advance her Tier up to 3.

“Let’s do it,” she said, nodding to her brother as he took the lead as always.  “But let’s be careful towards the later rooms; we don’t know if everything is still the same.”  The other groups had reported that everything up through the 3rd room was exactly as it had been, but none had advanced past the dark room with the Gloom Kobold quite yet.  The new Heroes were still getting used to their Classes and Skills, but once they did, they would be able to advance even further inside the dungeon.

The first room with the Rats and Ferns seemed extraordinarily easy this time, though she couldn’t see that anything had really changed.  Maybe it’s us.  Fighting against an 8-Star Tornado Cat Champion made everything else seem harmless and almost insignificant in comparison; not only that, but watching the monsters from the dungeon fighting the Threat had been enlightening.  Everything that Jeska and her group had fought up to that point seemed tame by contrast, and certainly not as dangerous as it had before.

The Drop Chests from the first room were a bit of a bust, as only a single Minor Health Potion dropped – the rest was just junk and Health Bands, of course.  “Jeska, why don’t you take it; I think you used 2 of yours a couple of days ago, didn’t you?” Kelty mentioned as she and the others started moving towards the hallway leading to the second room.

Jeska shrugged and quickly touched the floating words above the Drop Chest, feeling the Minor Health Potion slip into her Inventory.  Speaking of that, how many do I have left with that one?  3?  4?  Opening up her Inventory as she walked behind the others, which was difficult to get used to at first, but was doable after a little practice, she went to check, but was met with something unexpected.

She had forgotten that the Mysterious Scroll they had picked up from the Creeping Fern’s Drop Chest was still in her Inventory.  Jeska had been the last to try her hand at deciphering it, as well as showing her father, and so she had held onto it after no one else wanted a go.  And now it seemed to flash in her Inventory chart.

“Hey, guys; something strange is going on,” she called up to her group, who stopped before they got to the 2nd room and turned back towards her.

Arcen rushed up to her worriedly.  “What’s wrong?  What happened?” he demanded, looking around for anything that might be a cause for worry.

“Settle down, bro – I don’t think it’s dangerous,” she assured him.  “It’s the Mysterious Scroll; it’s flashing in my Inventory.”

“Well, take it out; the worst it could