Lastly, Peter immediately went back into hiding after appearing briefly to consume the potions. He looked like a lizard of some kind. Since he specializes in camouflage he's probably a chameleon.
"You really are a common goblin!"
"No, Pascal, I'm a goblin scholar, an exceedingly rare class amongst goblins that makes me an asset. Now, is your species a talking cactus?"
"No?"
"Then why do you keep blabbering?"
I was going to just let it stand with the question but Maribelle seems very intent to jump in to have a verbal fight with Pascal. Those two are now arguing and I can't stop myself from smiling at the sight of a koi flying around a limbed cactus.
"Pascal, enough with the attitude. Maribelle, stop making things worse, Guy has things under control. Remember, the goal of this exercise is not to die, you won't succeed unless you work together."
Clink ends up yelling at the both of them. I was half expecting to get yelled at too. More surprisingly, Clinks words actually work.
I expected Maribelle to listen but for even Pascal to be swayed…
"I seem to be the only frontliner here so I'll take point. Any objections?"
Pascal's assessment is not too far from the truth. While I can take any position in a formation, I'm not equipped to deal with a swarm, neither is Maribelle despite tanks usually being prime frontliners. Well, maybe evasion tanks aren't that much of a prime frontliner.
"I don't mind, but to fight efficiently I'll have to overtake you from time to time."
Maribelle can actually talk to Pascal without provoking her. Seems business can really take precedent. I should also say something.
"I'm fine with being a backliner."
Pascal nods at me and faces Maribelle.
"I don't mind if you rush out but let me know ahead of time or I might attack you."
Maribelle looks very tempted to say something that will make Pascal fume with anger. And there goes all the professionalism. At least if I let it. I locate Peter using instructor's assessment and try to shift the conversation away from the impending explosion.
Status Peter Lv.21 (26) phantom chameleon
Mp 10+25+300
Strength 2+25+0
Constitution 3+25+0
Speed 4+25+0
Magic ability 0+25+21
Skills:
universal humanoid language, universal monster language, dungeon map, universal camouflage
Stealth lv. 9; claw attack lv. 2; illusion magic lv. 1
"Peter, what about you?"
Me staring at an empty wall attracts the attention of both ladies. Peter somewhat begrudgingly appears and his freely movable eyes both give me a somewhat shy glare.
"I'm not exactly a fighter… I'll just hide and distract them with illusions. It's not like I can do a lot of damage to them…"
"Then maybe you should change that."
"How?"
"Try something new? Can you hold weapons? Can you get a breath attack? Have you tried using you tail?"
"That- I guess I could try."
"Not could, you will try or you won't. Pick one."
"…fine. I'll try, but nothing more!"
I smile to myself as Peter attempts to blend back into the wall. Camouflage seems really weak against appraisal type skills.
I see.
At any rate, the impending conflict between Pascal and Maribelle has been resolved by my intervention and we can begin our descent to the second floor of this dungeon.
Clink doesn't follow us immediately but I think I noticed a little something she did.
Got it.
As we descend the stairs, the noise of scittering legs below gradually reduces. We arrive at the bottom of the stairs and the noise is gone completely along with any trace of these so called branti. Did they run?
"Their going to charge us the moment we take three steps forward."
"And how do you know that? Are you psychic?"
"If you must know, I have a skill that lets me see ten seconds into the future based on the actions I intend to take. And don't say psychic when you mean seer or prophet. Psychics use with psychokinesis and psywave manipulation."
"Who cares, I don't want to be a psychic so why would I need to know."
"You!"
Navi, what exactly is the deal with those two? This seems like more than personal dislike.
Way too much context, Navi. I just wanted to know the nature of their conflict not get details.
That's what therapists are for.
"Uhm, guys… I went and checked. They really are waiting around the bends ahead. There's a giant swarm there. Uhm, Guy? Are they listening?"
"No Peter, their are busy staring daggers at one another."