Steve infused the rock he'd spent the last three weeks shaping when he had a sufficient dungeon energy to spare. A spiked walks loomed twenty feet tall in the shape of a pentagon with battlements across the top. Steve was by no means an architect, hell he'd barely remembered the few pictures he'd seen on the internet back before all this. It was crudely placed at the top of the mountain the dungeon sat on overlooking the chaos of ant on goblin warfare.

He'd have made fortified the entire mountain in the scourge ants couldn't just rip through normal stone like it wasn't even there. Without a choice Steve was forced into reinforcing the walls and ground underneath with enough energy to keep the ants from just tunneling in. One of the few reasons they have lasted so long was a strategy Steve had came up with sending spirits or the occasional sacrificial goblin to collapse a section of tunnels where possible.

Looking out another small patch of mountain shifted imploding apon itself with a scrape of rock. Once a great howling of triumph would have leaped from his goblins throats but now it was simply ignored. Being dungeon creatures the goblins didn't require food or sleep yet still required rest to restore energy and healing. Being in essence completely surrounded with an enemy who could pop out of the ground at any moment made it almost impossible to get any relief aside from leveling restoring some of the Stamina,health and whatever magical process fuels their powers. For the most part they held the ground around the reinforced spawning huts dotted around the dungeon with more powerful goblins or those with unique abilities roamed from from hut to hut helping where they could.

A strong core of level 20 plus weapon welders were constantly on patrol hunting for a new type of ant called a scourge commander. Those nasty bugs started appearing about a week or so after the Steve had arrived at his third dungeon. It seemed to have the ability to coordinate the scourge ants to fight if not exactly tactically then more efficiently. They were always a priority target since the longer it was in the fight it would gain levels depending upon the kills of those it controlled. The first one had hit the level 20 threshold giving a boost in defense to the few hundred closest ants. If Zig wasn't able to find it and take it out quickly after it would have probably been too late thankfully it was extremely physically weak for it's level and had red marking on his head to spot.

As he worked Steve watched Zig dash from battle to battle eliminating the ants with ease escaping all counterattack by weightlessly floating away with a small hop. His level 20 choice gave him many different options from new powers, additional tattoos or what Zig ended up picking being a weapon enhancement. No exciting new attacks or world shaking powers like some of the later level 20s got but a simple increase in sharpness and quality. No longer needing to aim for joints and openings Zig could peirce all but the highest level ants armor with a lazy stab.

Being so mobile and deadly Steve planned on sending him a a small strike team to hopefully find and destroy the queen at the head of the swarm. Steve would have already done so if he was confident enough to hold out without his strongest fighters. "Now that the stronghold is almost complete I should be able to spare him" with a final push of energy the stronghold was ready. Ordering a withdrawal Steve watched as his goblins pulled back spirit animals holding off the ants. Only sustaining a handful of casualties among the recently spawned level 10s the goblins all reached the fortress slamming the gate behind them.

The ants still relentlessly assaulted them but with the spiked walks slowing them the goblins had enough time to properly rest and rotate their fighters. Steve did have to designate most of the dungeon energy spawning fresh goblins to constantly reinforcing the walls repairing minor damage he was still gaining power faster than it was spent for a change. Turning his attention to his highest level troops Steve started planning for an assault on the scourge queen.

He had decided to send only melee goblins since fighting in tunnels favored them over the spirits. Zig would lead them with his spear, Kobo a goblin with a set of mace and shield tattoos as his second. Adding a few of the other strong melee fighters brought the team up to twelve creating a strong and quick moving team Steve could count on handling anything they'd likely run into. Steve had thought about sending Ash but with so many of his strongest fighters gone he'd need someone to handle the fortress.

Watching Ash's evolved spirit fighting on the wall Steve marveled. At level 20 Ash was able to evolve it causing it to become a goblin like creature with a shake head and tail. It was able to use a copy of Ash's summoned dagger increasing its fighting capability in exchange for using energy at an astonishingly pace. As horrible as the scourge ants have been Steve had to admit seeing a ghostly snake goblin stab, bite and throw giant ants off a a castle wall was pretty cool. Giving them the time to rest he planned to send this strike team out in the morning.

Douglas was absolutely wiped out from the past few weeks. Between healing his still bedridden father, managing matters of the outpost and greater trading house beyond he was completely ready to to collapsed. With the deaths of most of the house guard including both lieutenants under his father's command he his position was extremely weak. Douglas never really cared for house politics much preferring to drink and relax but even he knew that which his father mostly out of the picture the other house's would sooner or later start knocking on their territory. His only hope to secure his family's future was the exact same thing that caused the problem in the first place.

He had just over thirty power crystals from the previous battles across the river after giving the surviving guards one as a from of payment for to ensure they wouldn't leave his service. In addition each member beside himself had reached level 10 gaining a perk. It was arguable that he had a stronger force that before or at least that's what his father seemed to think when he's lucid enough to advise his son.

Sending captain Cole back into civilization with ten power crystals he had instructions to recruit as many mercenaries companies willing to swear oaths of service in exchange for power crystals. To make sure he could impress apon them the power of the power crystals Douglas had him equip the crystal the gray brown goblin that was able to toss him around like a child. Between that and his regeneration perk captain Cole should easily be able to handle almost anyone under the level 20 threshold. From what his father had told him most great houses only have a dozen or so members each and us them to keep each other in line so a minor house like them having captain Cole is an amazing show of strength.

A new discovery also made the power crystals more valuable. It seemed that each of them seem to be rank 1 meaning that after level 10 you could equip a second rank 1 tattoo. It stands to reason that if they could find and take down a goblin whose passed the level 10 threshold they would drop more powerful crystals. Excitement and fear ran through him thinking about a level 10 plus goblin. Until reinforcements could arrive Douglas had his men clear jungle and build more permanent buildings to replace the tents of the outpost.

As always tang was the greatest, most brilliant and amazing goblin to have ever live. He'd completed his masterpiece and handed the ultimate goblin potion to his waiting assistant. Downing the potion the eye tattoo glowed on his forehead while his muscles swelled within power. He looked around body giving off a feeling of great power before taking a step forward and promptly exploding. Giving a shout tang summoned two more assistance to drag the corpse away. Quickly turning back to his alchemy table tang the greatest of all goblins and high alchemist shouted "next" at the scared line of goblins waiting in a line behind him.