Talking with the group, Cain found out that a standard class got 3 points per level, allocated by their class settings. Stubbs was bemoaning the fact he didn't get more CON, as he wanted to take a more active role in longer fights instead of only being at his best in short assassinations and surprise attacks.
But with low CON and resultant low HP, coupled with the fact he took way more damage than a warrior in equal gear, it simply wasn't possible for him at this point. He is eagerly awaiting the time when he can get to level 100 and gain an advanced class. There's a bit of chance involved, as it depends on the skills you've already learned, but each secondary path leads to one of two or three advanced classes.
For example, Most warriors who take the cleric path, learning first aid and herbalism for healing potions will get the Paladin class as their advanced class. But some with a lot of offensive combat skills in addition to that will get the Crusader Class instead.
Nobody has heard of the Puppet Master class before, so the consensus is that it's one of the hidden classes only available by luck through the random character creation system. Cain wonders if it might be a reward for taking the risk, or if maybe they're third progression classes. There's no evidence either way, news of anyone over level 100 is rare here, they don't even know when the next progression might be, or if it exists.
By that time they were back at the front of the line, ready for a second run. They drove through with determination, dropping the last boss just before noon, with a single blue quality set of boots for Stubbs as their notable gains.
Leaving so soon again was causing rumors among the crowds. Cixelcid was fairly well known for selling trips through dungeons, but wasn't this too fast?
Two of the group were clearly being carried, but they'd returned twice before most groups returned from their daily attempt. They decided to make lunch a quick affair, the attention bothering Lickity, who is always worried that she is being ogled, so they headed back to the dungeon.
The lineup waves them through with a flurry of whispers, mostly about how fast the lower levels were advancing. As they got to the front, a quest appeared in their interfaces.
[Quest Available] [Iron Man, Goblin Slayer] triple experience for successful dungeon clears in under one hour. Expires in 6 hours.
"One hour a clear? The last one took over two. Is that even possible?" Misha asks as they all stop to accept the quest.
"Possible or not, this is going to happen" Cid laughs. "I hope you're ready for what's ahead"
Everyone else laughs at his enthusiasm, but Misha looks ready to cry. The lineup heard her question and they're all chanting 'Iron Man'. It seems from the crowd's chatter the quest gives you not only a load of experience but also a title that gives a bonus to drop rates.
"Stay clustered inside the small Golems circle. Cain, save all your mana to refresh them. We're pulling everything to just outside the first boss room, me and the big golem" Cixelcid declares.
"I'll keep them up as a barricade, so you and the golem go full defense while Lickity and Stubbs spam area attacks?" Cain asks.
Stubbs has a little used attack called caltrops, but with that many monsters it will be a massive amount of damage.
"This is stupid, you're all insane, we're going to die" Misha yells as Cain carries her down the hall. Without a movement skill she couldn't keep up with the pull rate. They reach a natural choke point many groups use, just before the boss and stop, the four little Golems blocking the whole way.
"As soon as they get into range, get started" Cain huffs, setting Misha down.
Stubbs sets caltrops in advance, as the two are closer to the walls and the horde fills the cavern. Lickity climbs a short ledge so she can attack down into the crowd, and begins launching attacks. The caltrops are slowing the pack, making them easy to hit, not that it's possible to miss when they're so packed together.
Misha quicky heals up the tanks and they get set in front of the small Golems, ready for the first wave. The black arcs of the Sorceress attacks are decimating the enemy ranks, and the line of caltrops has them advancing at a crawl. Once the first wave gets to the greater golem and Cid, the small Golems charge, driving back anything that tries to flank.
"Save mana for the tanks, I'll refresh the little ones when they die." Cain calls, seeing Misha's mana start to drop. Cixelcid is alternating between sweeping attacks and a stomp that gives him a huge bump in his life bar. Four percent of damage is a lot with fifty targets in range.
"Ten percent mana" Misha calls at one point and Cid retreats, letting the small Golems take the worst of the damage, Cain refreshing them every ten seconds or so until his mana is low and Cid moves back to the front to deal full damage again.
The battle lasts under two minutes, with a ten minute pull, but everyone is out of resources and energy when it's done. Taking a long draw from their water pouches, Cain and Cid turn to the boss.
"We've got this" the whole party thinks at once.
[Massacre Bonus x87] bonus experience applied at end of instance.
Nice.
The boss is down in half a minute, everyone dumping mana, knowing it will have time to regenerate while they run. The small Golems encircle the group, providing their defense and they run a third of the distance to the next boss and regroup in a small round cavern. There is only one wide entry point, which is the perfect size to slow the monsters access, but not so much the group will be wasting time.
This fight is much easier with the smaller numbers, so as they dwindle, the small Golems are sent out to pull 4 different packs to the other door, keeping the volume up.
When those are getting weak, again the little Golems go running for targets.
"That should be two thirds" Cid announces when those are all defeated. "We'll pull the rest to the room before the boss." It's not as good of a spot, but pulling them all here would take too long.
[Massacre Bonus x53] bonus experience applied at end of instance.
The group runs past the remaining monsters, 6 groups in total, so both tanks and the little Golems each grab a pack. The return time is all pretty close, so the monsters come in one big wave, to be met with caltrops and arcs of black energy.
As expected, the second boss also proves no challenge. The second boss is supposed to be a damage race, but with the poison attacks burning it so quickly Cain and Misha have never experienced the enrage effect.
They're now 23 minutes into their hour long timer to achieve the bonus, way ahead of schedule, so they try a new tactic. They pull four groups and leapfrog, keeping the party in close combat and killing at all times, the small Golems staying with Cid, the big one with Cain and the damage dealers fighting forward as fast as they can.
They get to the final boss and wait on the notification.
[Massacre Bonus x113] bonus experience applied at end of instance.
They go into the last fight in high spirits, looking forward to the extra bonus they didn't know you could earn by killing so fast.
The group is ecstatic when the final boss drops with the timer reading 38 minutes.
[Massacre Bonus x253 Applied]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Quest: Iron Man Competed]
[3x Experience Earned]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Title Earned: Blessed By Death]
