Chapter 7

The Dungeon Incursion

DO YOU WANT TO ENTER THE DUNGEONYesNo

Darkness filled the inside of the dungeon. For a minute, I couldn’t see a thing until a sound of torch being lit sequentially from the entrance to the pathway echoed throughout the dungeon.

It was a tunnel. The number of torches on the side of the wall suggests it was a long one.

“Here we go. Battle formation.” ordered Ari.

All of a sudden, two of his members moved in front of us. They wore heavy armors and carried shields. The mages moved backwards but Ari and I stayed at the back.

“Mmmmooooooo……. Mmmmmoooooooooo…….”

The sound reverberated off the walls and roof of the dungeon. So it was really a cow. That was the signal that the boss monster had noticed us, the trespassers of its domain.

“Just you wait you fucking cow.” Shouted one of the member of the group equipped with big ass knuckles.

We moved deeper into the dungeon. A group of monsters appeared before us blocking our path. I counted 12, but there were probably more. As we moved closer to the monsters , I noticed 5 gnomes among them. But they were different than the ones I have encountered. They were equipped each with an axe and a shield instead of just with dagger. This dungeon's gnomes were also taller than the malevolent ones. So these are lvl 20 named gnomes. Someone stepped forward, it was a tall muscular guy with heavy armor and a shield. He must be a Knight.

“Come here you monsters. Taunt.”

Taunt

Your gallantry and bravery annoyed the monsters to the extent that they wanted to get rid of you first.

Threat generation: 100%

Enemies defense decreased by 2.

Note: Does not stack with other provoking spells.

Character Info(John)NAMEJohnnyLevel25ClassKnightHP

MP1440/1440

250/250Physical Attack

Magical Attack24-27

6-9Stamina79/100Defense25AttributesStrength49+12Intelligence29Agility25+4Dexterity25Vitality53+19Wisdom5

The monster rushed him. The knight positioned himself on the left side of the tunnel, drawing the monsters with him. The rest of the team moved to the right side, getting ready to attack.The monsters that flocked to the knight’s right side were being sniped by arrows and magic.

“Pinning shot.” Said someone in front of us.

Pinning Shot

Your mastery in the bow can even stop the fiercest enemy.

Deals piercing damage and can immobilize targets.

Character Info(Kenneth)NAMEKenLevel25ClassRangerHP

MP440/440

250/250Physical Attack

Magical Attack24-27

6-9Stamina45/100Defense18AttributesStrength25Intelligence25Agility61+18Dexterity52+12Vitality14+8Wisdom5

The other monsters who weren’t affected by the Taunt rushed to attack the other members using the opening on the right side. A woman clad with white heavy armor and a shield stopped their advance.

“O’ Goddess Freya, grant me thy power to stop thy enemies before me. Shield Aggravate.”

Shield Aggravate

Your shield shines so brightly that monster cannot take their eyes on it.

Threat Generation: 100%

Slow the movement of monster by 10%.

Note: Threat Generation does not stack with other provoking spells.

Character Info(Joan)NAMEJoanDArcLevel25ClassPaladinHP

MP1060/1060

250/250Physical Attack

Magical Attack24-27

6-9Stamina70/100Defense25AttributesStrength40+15Intelligence42+14Agility25Dexterity52+12Vitality35+18Wisdom15

The monster who had slipped by the first tank tried to attack the Paladin. This time the Paladin positioned herself on the right side of the tunnel a few steps behind the Knight. The monsters were now dropping one by one on the left side by the constant bombardment of arrows and magic. When a monster slipped by the Paladin. The assassin who caught me in the forest and the hotheaded monk dealt with them.

It was quite a sight to see. The first tank would engage the enemy while trying to move to the left side to create an opening on the right side for monsters to use. The Archer and Mages would then deal the necessary damage to whittle down the monsters who were attacking the first tank. In a situation where some monsters would not attack the first tanker or if the threat generation by the first tanker broke and the monsters decided to attack the Ranged DPS members, another tank behind the first one would step in and position to the right side which in turn would create another opening on the left. In case some monsters survived the attack by the ranged DPS constant bombardment and tried to ignore the second tanker, someone would intercept them and would make sure nothing would get past them. The sight was similar to a flowing river where you placed two big rocks alternately in the path.

It was a brilliant display of strategy, tactics and efficiency. So this is how to fight swarm of monsters in a tunnel. Ari didn’t even issued a single order to his teammates during the course of the battle. How efficient. I thought while looking to Ari who was standing beside me. So these are Academy Cadets. Yunjee was right, I could learn a lot from them. But I don’t think this kind of efficiency can be taught in the Academy or in any learning institution for that matter. This level of efficiency can only be obtained through countless battles, accumulation of experience and failures. This team must have been always looking for a fight. I thought while looking again at Ari.

In a matter of minutes, the battle ended and 22 monsters were lying dead and they started to loot the items .The healers made sure everyone’s health were full before we started to move deeper into the dungeon.

We searched every tunnel in the dungeon looking for monsters. 10 more battles occurred and every single time Ari didn’t move an inch to help his team, not like they needed his help. He must be preparing for the boss. We talked for a while. I asked him some of the details of what happened in their previous run in this dungeon, how they were wiped out. It turned out that they had reached the Minotaur boss the last time and got their asses handed to them. He told me about the Blinding Light spell the boss used and their plan on how to deal with it.

We stopped moving and when I look in front a giant door blocked our path. The door was at least 15 meters tall and 5 meters wide, it was gigantic. I felt a cold air pass through me and sends chills down my spine.

“This is it guys.” Ari said as he stepped forward in front of his team.

“Hell yeah!” The hot blooded Monk shouted.

Ari reminded everyone the plan they had devised. The plan was to have the healers and other ranged members would hide near the door to avoid the boss’ attack during the blinding light spell.

Ari turned to me. “The final battle will be very dangerous, even if you stays in the back I can’t guarantee you will get out of here alive. It’s up to you if you want to enter that door with us.” He said while pointing at the gigantic door. “But we will not protect you.” He turned around and walked towards the door.

A small young woman approached. Judging from her dress and a tall white hat she might be a Priest. Her rosy cheeks were visible even in this ill-lit dungeon. She was hugging her staff with intricate design at the other end.

“Uhmm… Ari is the strongest of us in terms of fighting ability. So if he says it is very dangerous I think you should listen to him.” she said with an innocent face.

Should I follow them inside? I asked myself. My logical mind is telling me that it would be a very bad idea. What can I possibly do inside? Still there was this urge that wanted me to follow them to the very end. I tried to rationalize my feeling. I might be facing stronger monsters in the future than the one behind that door in the special quest Lt. Kino will asked of me, it would be a good idea to experience them now when the stakes are not that high.

Ari pushed the door and it started to creak. They entered the room and I decided to follow them.

“Mari, Reica, Ken, Ronne and Rinne stay on that rock.” Ari ordered as he rushed towards the center of the room.

They nodded.

“Mooooo…. Y-y-y-ouuu. D-d-d-a-re. ! Moooo…”

I felt the ground move and when I turned to look past the rock. I couldn’t believe what my eyes were seeing. It was a gigantic cow standing on two legs holding an enormous double-bladed axe with its two hands. The cow was ripped and its skin was a shade of dark blue. It was easily standing at 10 meters tall and it had two short arched horns that were extending outward on top of its head. Its eyes were red and there was a huge ring hanging from its giant nose. I quickly hid back behind the rock at the sight of the boss, my heart was beating so hard. When I regained my senses I tried to watch the fight.

I saw the giant cow swing its axe horizontally. I partially saw the assassin the one who caught me earlier, clinging on to the mane on the back of the Minotaur, stabbing and slashing simultaneously. The Minotaur jumped and when it had reached the ground a huge tremor was felt.

The hot blooded monk rushed towards us.

“That Fucking cow. Heal me.” He ordered.

When he was healed he rushed back to the fray.

I saw Ari with his two swords running straight at the Minotaur. The Minotaur was attacking the Knight and the Paladin with his giant axe but they were completely dodging it.

To be able to dodge those attacks despite the weight of their armors. They were good. I thought,

Ari’s twin blades shone so bright when he was about to reach the Minotaur. He aimed his attack at the massive fingers of the Minotaur.

Smart move, if he could sever those fingers, the Minotaur won’t be able to hold its weapon anymore.

Ari’s attack connected but failed to sever the fingers. The archer who was at my side was also watching the battle as it unfolded came out of hiding and started to shoot the Minotaur with his arrows.

The Minotaur raised his axe to make another swing but a light started to appear on its axe and all of a sudden I couldn't see a thing. When I regained my sight, the archer was dead lying near me, ripped in to two. Holy shit! So even the manner of death in the game was so realistic, I think I am gonna be sick.I looked around trying to find the giant cow and saw it resuming his attack to one of the tank.

“Ken!” Shouted Ari.

The small woman who approached me before stepped forward.

“Don’t worry Ari, I’ll revive him. O’ Blessed the Maker, grant me thy holiness, allow me to bring back my fallen comrade. Resurrection”

Ressurection

Your devotion to the Maker, the creator of all life on this world grants you his power to revive an ally.

Resurrects an ally.

Note: The spell has a long cool down and only restore half of the health points of the target.

“Thank you, Mari-chan” Ari shouted.

“Thanks Mari-Chan. I'm sorry Ari.” Ken said as he stood up.

So that was the Blinding light. How the hell that cow kill that archer? I was blinded but I don’t think my other senses stopped working during that spell. How? How can it kill someone without moving? Or did he move at all? No, every time that giant cow took a step, the dungeon would shake and yet I didn’t feel or hear any tremors during the course of the blinding light. How? Think Kira, think. Could it be it has another spell? What kind of spell could rip someone into to two? Wait, I felt a gush of wind when I temporarily lost my sight. It might be some sort of wind spell. The manner of how that Archer died, the wind gush and the absence of tremors during the temporary blindness. Is it really a wind spell? Only one way to find out.

I looked to one of the healers behind me. “Ms. Mari, can you use your resurrection spell again?”

Mari was startled. “Umh. No it’s on cool down. You have to wait another day.”

“Anyone of you have some sort of resurrection spell?” I looked to the other healers.

“I have an incomplete voodoo resurrection spell. I can bring you back to life as a voodoo doll, you can still move but you can’t use any spells. Why are you asking us?” a woman with a fringe hairstyle said.

“That would do, please use that spell if I die.”

“Wait, what are you planning to do?”

“Dying, of course.” I said.

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Proofread by ShadowOfHAvoc. Thanks again SOH.

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