Longer than you'd hoped, shorter than you'd feared

"Oooowwww, Dammit!" You freeze as a voice comes from the pit..... He fucking survived!?

"Rogar, you alright?" Nat moves close enough to look down into the pit.

"....Wow, stupid question." She moved back against the wall. "Yeah Rick, the meat shield is down for this fight."

Rick glances over his shoulder as he continues to scan for any sign of you. "How bad?"

You slip across the room, moving as close to Rick as you dare.

"Have hit points left," the strained voice of Rogar answered. "Not that many though."

Your attention is diverted as a menu pops up.

Temporary Skills Acquired!

Ground Slam: (15MP) A powerful blow to the ground that results in a shockwave knocking opponents back and dealing half basic attack to an area of five feet per level. Compatible

Improved Bash: (10MP) bashes the target with club, shield, or similar object. High chance to inflict stun. Deals physical damage. Compatible

Toughened Hide: (18MP) Temporarily increases your physical defence times 3. Lasts 30 seconds for every level. Incompatible

Rogar had some good abilities. Too bad you can't take that defensive ability. Though 'ground slam' sounds useful, especially right now. You close the menu and cast illusion again, just in case you were close to your limit.

Temporary Skills Acquired!

Animal Companion: (20MP) Summons a forest animal for assistance. Remains until ****. Compatible

Again, not bad. You close the screen and quickly check the room.

Nat was slinking her way around the room, checking the shadowed corners for you.

Rick was randomly firing arrows off trying to find you in his own, idiotic, way.

...... And Rogar was still groaning in the pit.

Time to fix some of that.

Moving so Rick is in between you and the pit trap, you hit the bottom of your staff against the floor.

Your new Ground Slam activates, unleashing a shockwave of pure magical energy.

The move causes Rick to fly away from you, directly into the pit.

.....You love that pit, best idea ever.

"Rick!?" Nat turns to look for her missing partner.

*DING*

You move to look into the pit, to discover there's nothing there. The two heroes you'd thrown into it had vanished.

"Rogar?" Silence.

Their deaths would explain the level up.... Have to check that in a bit.

"No point in calling for them, they're already dead." You walk around the room, keeping an eye on the rogue as you steer clear of the pit.

Though you must admit you'd happily keep your eyes on her just for fun. The leather may cover everything, but it's so tight that she may as well be naked.

The, now lone, heroine sighs before wedging herself into a corner. "Don't suppose I could talk you into just letting me leave?"

"Where would the fun be in that?" You walk over, stopping a good ten feet from her. "I'll be stuck here, while you're free to go around telling people that only high level players should come through here..... Then I get my ass handed to me when they do."

The woman tilts her head to the side, thinking. "Can we try coming to a deal, then?" Her knives disappear into their sheaths.

You snort. "Why should you want to deal? It's not like killing you actually hurts you. Or does anything negative to you, really."

One of her hands rests itself on a shapely hip, your eyes start to follow the curves of her body....

You shake your head. Get ahold of yourself man.

"True, there are few negatives to dying, normally. But if I die, even in a dungeon, I risk losing most of my loot."

Her chest puffs a bit with pride, not that she needed any puffing. From what you could see (everything) her breasts were smaller than the usual balloons the heroines seemed to have, though still quite large. And, by your estimation, far superior to most.

"I worked my ass off to steal all this loot. I'll be damned if I lose it because I couldn't see when I was beaten."

.....You could think of several reasons you'd leave her alive, though fewer reasons to let her leave the dungeon completely. If she even can.

"And what are you offering?" You pull up your new 'Animal Companion' ability and get a menu with a list of possible summons.

A bear, a wolf, different types of birds, and a squirrel. What you really need is crafting material.

You summon the squirrel. The creature suddenly appearing on your shoulder.

"Well I was goi- did you summon a fucking squirrel? That's the most useless animal you can get!"

Looks like your illusion failed. "Depends on what you need it for."

You scratch the little squirrel on the chin before pointing at the door. "See what you can scavenge from the castle. Wood, stone, anything. Got it buddy?"

The little squirrel chitters and nods at you before running off.

Watching the little fluff ball go, you turn back to the rogue. "Nat, wasn't it?"

"Natalie, actually. Rick shortened it because he knows I hate it." She shrugged, the maneuver causing your eyes to drift to the more interesting parts of her body.

You pinch yourself, forcing your attention back to her face. Focus, here. "You were going to offer something?"