"They are kind of rude right?" Saying this, Skylar accelerating to super speed, sprinted towards the giant blue creature that is about to discharge another strike.
Then less than a second later, launching himself into the air midsprint and about to contact the extended long torso of the blue creature that has its knifes raised about to swing them at Starboy below, Skylar free-flowing—a result of him activating combat realm of one; Hypersense also called Supersense; two, Hyperfocus also called Superfocus and three Anticipation also called Lunary Alertness—he suddenly sensed danger, and as he saw a black hoof looking like its enlarging as it is about to hit his mask at where his forehead is, he quickly pulled back awkwardly—almost tangling up with his cloak—crashing backwards and towards the sandy ground below.
However, midair—before he landed, sensing and seeing a dangerous attack fired by the blue creature after having directed one of its knifes being swung at him; he switched to Spirit vision, looking for the cloaked creature amidst the rapidly brewing sand storm while the knife energy attack about to reach him hit a force field barrier generated from natural spiritual energy that slowed it down by continuously regenerating until the attack wear out.
So they both have dual elements...
Skylar thought after landing steady feet on a sand hill. And while he is watching the the raging sandstorm at one part of the chamber threatens to fill the entire room. Then switching his gaze, he looked at Starboy on the other part who has his unique astral energy cloaking his hands and feet like gloves engage the blue creature head on in close combat—maneuvering while looking like a glowing blur flying around its four limbs that he has he been trying to land a hit on but couldn't since the creature looking like a horse galloping on a spot is succeessfully dodging them by raising them in time.
Then, as he saw Starboy glowing figure as if that of a flea appeared right under the underbelly of the blue creature looking like he is about to land a hit on it, he suddenly backpedaled rapidly, moving far away from a barrier of natural energy that is depleting rapidly because of the relatively gigantic knife of the blue creature in front of it that it is barely stopping.
These guys are holding back a lot...
Thinking in his mind and with narrowed eyes, Skylar moving like a zig zagging blur starts dodging but barely the insanely fast attack of the blue creature that has overcome his barrier, coming from above him and are like heavy mountains with knife edges that will cleave him into two if he loose focus for a moment.
Meanwhile, the roaring and howling sandstorm that has been raging at one part of the room suddenly cover the entire room like it bounds was released, engulfing everyone, including Starboy who returned to help relieve Skylar of pressure coming from the blue creature.
["Big bro, they are very strong and that cloaked one might be the stronger one. What should we do? It won't let us exploit any gap..."]
["You are right, that bastard has only been blocking the exit, thinking this guy alone can finish the job... It will only sneak in an attack or two when this one is in real danger."]
Skylar returned Starboy voice transmission as the two continued to coordinate, switching places rapidly in order to confuse the blue creature and share the intensity of its attack that they couldn't see physically because of the sand particles in the air, but they could both sense with their sixth sense and anticipate.
Moving on, Skylar maintaining a free-flowing state, thereby able to dodge the stamp of the blue creature he sensed and anticipated by accelerating forward, continue his conversation with Starboy, transmiting his voice:
["Abbas, it seems we have to take things seriously. I think this guys might be getting stronger as they fight... we also don't have much time left, we've used up half of the time already."]
["Okay big bro, but you have to be careful, all my AOEs are indiscriminate.']
["I understand, just don't over do it, we distract them both and we dip."]
["Okay big bro, in three seconds"]
After three seconds like Starboy instructed, the flow of the 2 v 1 defensive battle suddenly took a sharp turn, and in the next five seconds, Skylar and Starboy both decelerating, emerged from an entryway that is mysteriously holding back sand storm at its other side from spilling through it, coming to an halt on an eerily quiet balcony while the entryway they emerged from distorted and turned into a door that is glowing red.
Then a moment after, Starboy standing a bit far from Skylar who is sitting looking exhausted on the balcony floor, approached him with a curious expression.
"Big bro, that attack you used?" He questioned.
However, Skylar upon hearing his question, did not respond, instead he rest his masked face on his hands folded on his knees that are high up. And Starboy realizing this, chose to withdraw, although on his face was an expression of confusion and curiosity that is not a subsiding bit.
Few minutes later,
Countdown time 1 : 40
"Big bro, the time." Starboy looking a bit anxious broke the silence that has persisted on the balcony for a long time, addressing Skylar who still has his face buried on his folded hand and has not made a single sound or movement since. However like before, Skylar did not respond until about ten seconds later and after he raised his head.
"I am not playing again, its boring." Skylar sounded monotonous as he dragged his words.
"?" Confused, Starboy looked at his direction with an expression that seeks clarity.
Skylar continued, "I said, let's end it, there is no point to this. It will just continue till you decide to end it, I don't like it... Its annoying."
"Big bro, who are you talking to?" Looking utterly perplexed, Starboy questioned Skylar beside him that is facing the door at where they earlier emerged.
However, Skylar looking like his presence changed from his casual self to one intimidating and imposing, instead of replying, stood up and strolled towards the door in front that is now glowing red. And after he reached it, like usual, he opened it and entered it with Starboy close behind him just as the countdown was a second from reaching zero.
...
"Oh..." Seeming a bit surprised, Skylar looked around the square chamber half a kilometer in all dimensions, including the ceiling height that they entered. He saw the chambers walls were rocky like mountain faces that are steep, and its grassy ground is sparsely filled with earth-looking trees and flower shrubs here and there and one pool at one side, making the entire place look like a flourishing savannah from the real world—something very much unlike what one will see in the simulation where almost every living thing is bioluminescent and look at least a bit different from what is generally known before it, thus explaining why he was surprised despite his non-casual mood.
There is no danger here, I guess..
After scanning the energy of the place with his sixth sense, confirming the validity of the tranquil and welcoming presence of the place; barring stealthed presences, he resumed his stroll, heading towards the exit at the other side, while Starboy who has been contemplating quietly followed behind him.
"So... Why will someone want to steal panties?" Skylar spoke up.
Because he sounded like he is questioning the air, thus confused, Starboy raised his contemplative lowered head and after looking around and getting more confused since he saw Skylar still walking ahead of him as usual, he turned to him figuratively, seeking clarity.
"Big bro, are you talking to me?"
"Mmm-hmm. Think... Why will you want to steal panties?" Skylar replied. However, to his question, Starboy went mute—on his face was a rare complex look as he think to himself. And it was after a while that he raised his head, responding:
"Big bro, maybe out of compulsion for stealing, in this case, for the panties. It might also be... his interest lies only in panties..."
"You mean freshly worn panties belonging to prostitutes. Anyway, that's one of the two major reasons—panty stealing is his end goal, and the other is... this entire farce is just a means to achieve some other goal—something tied to what happens when prostitutes find their panties mysteriously missing after action..."
"Don't you think so? If you are a panty thief."
Responding to Skylar's words at the end, Starboy expression sharply went from a listening one to a thoughtful one, and his pace also slowed down a bit, looking like he has something deeply weighing on his mind. However this did not put a halt to their march as they later both exit the chamber and stepped feet on the next balcony, though it was in silence and a contemplative mood.
"There is this thing we are yet to try, Abbas." Saying this, Skylar starts going towards the edge of the ring balcony, and to his statement and action, Starboy's eyes that are already narrowed from contemplation for a while, narrowed further.
He responded, "Big bro, what's that?"
Skylar grinned, "Don't you see. What's that great horror or terror below us? Why don't we find out?"
"But big bro... we might not be able to overcome that, shouldn't we rather take things easy. I reckon if we continue going down the chambers, we will soon reach the ground floor and leave." While saying this, Starboy walked closer to Skylar who is almost at the edge. And to his words, Skylar chuckled.
"Are you scared?" Skylar questioned.
"Are you scared? Starboy." He repeated, turning around to look at him.
"No, big bro. I am just suggesting we take a reasonable risk." Starboy waved his hands, smiling sheepishly. Then Skylar smiled.
"That's it. But there are some things you are missing. The panty idiot responsible for this should be watching us from somewhere very close, in fact he should be able to practically see everything we are doing... he might even be taking notes and making adjustments for the next levels, making things more difficult for us, you know, no one would like what they painstakingly created to be daunting to become something two little guys like us will demolish very easily, you get it."
"Yes, but—"
Skylar interrupted, "The second and most important thing is: why should we trust his words. Who is to say his words are not misdirections meant to stop us from finding the real exit. And who can say he has not been misleading us from the very beginning; the ground floor is not where the exit is, but where the great terror whatever is."
"Don't forget boss Family man said the previous people that came to catch him woke up from a frightening dream... What do you think could have frightened a group of players in this low level illusion dungeon that we are yet to meet if not that great terror? Hmm?"
"Big bro, you are saying we shouldn't trust the instructions, but find our own way out..." Starboy having moved closer questioned.
"Exactly." Skylar smiled. "And that's what you would have suggested a long time ago if you have been paying close attention instead of acting scared..."
"Big bro, I get it. But why should we jump to meet the great terror.." Starboy responded, questioning with his eyes a bit narrowed and his tone of voice a bit strained.
However before responding, Skylar turned around to look down at the great dark depth below the balcony, then he replied:
"Its a conclusion I just arrived at." Skylar replied. "If we say the great terror is the boss of the dungeon and we might likely meet it on the ground floor where the exit is, isn't it wise to meet it now when we are not exhausted rather than go through a series of chambers that might not even have an end at all."
Here Skylar turned around and narrowed his eyes at Starboy's brown eyes that shook as he did.
"What do you think?" He added with a playful smile.