"Am I the only one thinking the first-clear rewards are insane? There are two other dungeons like Blood Battle at Lin Fortress. If we could get in early…"
"You think you're the only one with that idea?" someone replied mockingly in the forum thread. "People went in hours ago. By the time you get there, the food will be stone cold."
The chat devolved into spam until a timid message popped up:
"RainAfterSun: Uh… can I join? My talent's only E-rank."
Tony didn't have time to respond before a chorus of self-appointed advisers jumped in.
"Girl, don't do it! That squad's called Death Squad for a reason."
"Yeah, sweetheart, trust me on this one. You're too young to throw your life away in that mess."
"Hey, a clear's a clear, right? Even if you just lie down for it." A snickering emoji followed.
RainAfterSun's next message was quiet but determined:
"Thanks for the advice, but I want to try. E-ranks like me can't get a team otherwise."
That single message was like a spark. One after another, more people started asking for a slot.
"Count me in."
"Big bro, please, pull me along!"
"Death Squad? Lies and slander! It's the road to ascension!"
Tony frowned, sensing something was off. Checking his private messages, he found one from RainAfterSun.
"Tony, big brother, please take me. I don't care if I die in there. Even if we fail, I can accept it… I just really, really need the money."
Attached was a trade post. The offer: one Strength Crystal for 1,000,000 credits.
Tony immediately understood. Clearing a dungeon guaranteed at least one attribute crystal. Each was worth a fortune on the open market. For desperate players, a dungeon run was a ticket to survival, not power.
He couldn't help but whistle softly. "So this is how the rich climb fast."
Of course, it had nothing to do with him. His stats came too easily, and he had no money worries. But the flood of messages asking to buy slots? That was a different story.
He typed a short reply: "I'll save you a spot."
The others, the freeloaders with no message, weren't getting a free ride. Tony edited his thread title: "50,000 credits per slot – First Clear carry."
The comment section exploded.
"Are you nuts? Fifty grand just to join?"
"The crystal's price will drop later. You're scamming people!"
"Only an idiot would pay that much."
Tony leaned back, unfazed. Let them rage. Sure, crystal prices would fall in time—but nobody knew he could finish a dungeon in under two minutes, with half that spent on prep. For fifty grand, this was a bargain.
After the initial storm of insults, a new name appeared:
"DeepSeaRock: Count me in. But I'm no freeloader."
He sent a follow-up message: "S-rank defensive talent. I've been in before. I can take boss hits and keep my team alive. Didn't clear it, but I brought people out safely."
Another message followed: "With me there, you won't need deadweight. I'll call in an SS-rank buddy if you want real power."
Tony smirked, seeing right through him. A high-defense player meant higher contribution scores and higher rewards. DeepSeaRock wanted to profit-share.
He replied bluntly: "Not interested."
"…You're turning down S-rank?"
"SS-rank too. I only take freeloaders."
The entire forum froze. Other players stared in disbelief. Who the hell refused powerful teammates? Any sane captain would beg for them. Tony wanted the opposite.
DeepSeaRock went silent, either furious or speechless.
Tony was about to consider lowering the price when three eager players jumped in, and money transferred within seconds. Their talents were nothing above D-rank, but that was fine with him.
The team was set.
[Party formed successfully.]
[Selected Trial Dungeon: Blood Battle at Lin Fortress. Enter?]
"Enter," Tony said calmly.
[Entering instance in 10…9…8…]
The familiar cold mist of Lin Fortress wrapped around them. The four newcomers looked nervous as they introduced themselves.
RainAfterSun was a slim, fragile girl of eighteen or nineteen, real name He Yuqing, dressed in faded, washed-out clothes that had seen better days. She bowed slightly, gratitude plain in her eyes. "Thank you, Tony. Really. I thought I'd get kicked…"
The other three were HighQiang, Yu Bowen, and Yan Wu—well-dressed, rich kids who didn't care about the fee. For them, a guaranteed crystal wasn't money—it was status.
Tony's gaze swept over them once. "I'll keep it simple. I planned on hitting other dungeons today, but you don't know my strength yet, so I'll prove it. If you're fine with it afterward, I'll take you through to the tier-up dungeons."
They stared at him in confusion.
HighQiang scratched his head. "Wait, you're offering… multiple clears?"
Yu Bowen stammered, "Uh, bro, can you even handle that? I don't wanna die a dozen times here…"
Yan Wu snorted. "If I die once, I'm out."
Yuqing bit her lip, unsure what to say. Nobody believed he could do more than the usual "hide and pray for sunrise" strategy.
"You'll see," Tony said lightly.
The prep timer hit zero.
Before they could react, Tony vanished forward in a blur, his speed inhuman.
A gruff voice started to echo from the boss at the end of the hall, "Huh? Who the hell—"
BOOM!
One punch. That was all it took. The monstrous thug's head exploded like a watermelon under a sledgehammer. Silence.
The four newcomers froze, jaws hanging open.
"…what just happened?" HighQiang muttered.
Yu Bowen rubbed his eyes. "Did the boss just… die in one hit?"
Yan Wu whispered, "Holy shit… who's the boss here?"
RainAfterSun blinked rapidly, clutching her shabby sleeve, as the system chimed:
[Trial Dungeon Cleared: Blood Battle at Lin Fortress.]
[Evaluation: SSS.]
[Rewards: Growth +50, Strength Crystal x10, Agility Crystal x10, Constitution Crystal x10, Spirit Crystal x10, Skill: Phantom Step.]
[Warning: Growth capacity for Zero-tier reached. Further Zero-tier clears will yield reduced rewards.]
The four players looked at each other, stunned. Just minutes ago, they'd bought a ticket on the Death Squad, expecting to die repeatedly for a slim chance at success.
Now they realized the truth: Death Squad was a god-tier express ride, and Tony was the driver.