I led Luna and the Cookie Elf squad forward while we hashed out our plan for raiding the enemy dungeon. After we’d roughed out the operation, I double-checked just to be sure and got hit with sothing pretty wild.
"For real? Not a single one ca crawling out?"
"Yep. Guess the other side was just as rattled. For three whole days the portal was just open with total radio silence. Not even an ant crossed over in a 24-hour span."
"Heh. Flauros and Gremory at least dipped a toe in to feel things out, but this guy’s clearly a coward through and through. All right, then. Let’s go introduce our coward to the new faces of our legion."
The dark elves raised their bows in unison. Their own bows brought from the Elven Forest, dyed black, were sturdy enough you could beat soone with them.
"Shaitan. Tell Nifela to seal up the entrance. Final phase of Operation [3-on-3 Mixer]. We’re kicking off the ’Asking for a Second Date’ stage."
[Understood. Ti remaining, 5 minutes....]
Listening to Shaitan’s countdown, I arrived at the very back of Basent 1, where the portal was open. A new portal had ford at the exact spot where the old one used to sit, the sa spot where we’d tangled with the Halphas Dungeon.
I opened this one.
I’d triggered the Seizure Battle that made this portal.
[48th Hagenti Dungeon, 52nd Allocen Dungeon, 59th Orias Dungeon. 10 seconds remaining until each portal becos bidirectional.]
"This Hagenti jerk. We opened the portal first, he should at least be sending a reply. Just sitting there? Ti to bust in."
I lifted my hamr high. The shape was blunt and squat like a at tenderizer, but the thing was heavy and dense enough that I had to grip it with both hands.
"Three, two, one."
[Notice: Portal has beco bidirectional.]
"Charrrrrrrrge!!"
With a hearty war cry, I took off hamr-first. Whatever the enemy had cooked up on the other side, soone always had to go in first to check out the situation, and that soone was .
Whoooosh.
The second I stepped through the portal, the world warped around . I gritted my teeth through the dizziness and swung the hamr blindly forward.
Thwack!
That was unmistakably the sensation of smacking sothing. And on the inside, I was cheering.
’This bastard had the exact sa idea!’
Clubbing sothing that I assud had to be a living creature, my blurry vision suddenly snapped into focus. One more swing of the hamr, and on the other end, a minotaur bent backward at the waist was sprawled out on the floor.
"So minotaurs are the main force around here?"
Did minotaurs taste like beef, or were they just inedible garbage at? I’d never had the chance to try one, going all the way back to my ti in Forneus’s Dungeon, so I was getting kind of tense.
"If it hits with that beef flavor, my wallet’s gonna take a hit like crazy."
Even if it’s at laced with demonic energy, once you get hooked, you’d keep coming back for more. Praying that this minotaur was just a one-off, I hurled a sli bead back at the portal I’d co through.
"Clear!"
At my shout, the Cookie Elves poured out through the portal. Unlike the typical dark elves you’d find enslaved by demons with all the life drained out of them, our Cookie Elves were seasoned hunters who went after their prey with full aggression.
Average rank: 3.5-star.
Average level: 60.
The one catch was that not a single one could evolve into 5-star, but 40 of them clearing Vapula’s sub-dungeon in 30 minutes flat was no fluke.
"Ugh, this place reeks of cow crap."
And then the strongest in our dungeon, stigmata still glowing even inside soone else’s territory, Luna, stepped through the portal between the Cookie Elves.
"The stench is brutal. Can’t we just turn back?"
"Nope. It’s the 48th-ranked dungeon, right? Who knows. Maybe they’ve got a high-grade magic stone or two stashed in their vault."
"Tch. I’m running every piece of this outfit through the wash when we get back. Actually no, I’m just getting whole new sets made."
"Already planning the after-party before we’ve even gotten started. Your ego’s as massive as your chest, Luna!"
"Pfft. We beat the 38th just fine, like we can’t handle 48th. Okay, I’ll get serious. Nobody dies, nobody gets hurt. ’Look before you leap,’ right? Got it, so ease up on the intense eyes."
"Sorry. Just worried sothing might happen."
"I get it. Save the intensity for the bedroom and put it in your hips. Right now, kick back and leave it to us. You just call the shots."
Guess I was laying it on too thick. To take the edge off, Luna pressed her chest right up against , not even bothering to clock the Cookie Elves standing around us. The Cookie Elves just took it in stride and stayed locked onto their periter duty.
"Want to squeeze you out a glass?"
"I’ll take one after we’ve locked down the summoning facility."
The tension of combat started creeping up on , and I turned my focus straight ahead. The cavern walls were wide enough and tall enough that five minotaurs could hold hands and sprint through shoulder-to-shoulder.
"This has gotta be three or four tis the size of our dungeon’s corridors. And this bastard’s ssing with us right off the bat, huh? He’s already split the dungeon into two paths at the entrance?"
If you assud the portal we ca through was at the deepest point of the dungeon, then Hagenti had deliberately rigged things so the Seizure Battle’s portal would open right here. Like he was making us grind through his dungeon the way adventurers would, starting from the entrance.
"No scouts as far as I can tell."
No slis stashed in the ceiling, no fire leopards peeking up through holes drilled in the floor. Looked like our only option was to clear things one chunk at a ti, moving forward thodically.
"This is giving a real bad vibe. I feel like we’re gonna eat it if we just walk in blind."
"Based on what?"
"My gut."
Going in to attack an enemy you haven’t scouted at all is just dumb. Even if it costs you a bit of ti, it’s better to move one careful step at a ti.
"The other teams got the sa orders anyway, so we’re good. If anything, building one here’s gonna be easier."
I tossed two sli beads toward the portal. After a short wait, a group of ghouls ca through the portal carrying logs slung over their shoulders.
"Let’s build a bunker."
The mont you step through the portal, if there’s room, set up a position.
Just like with Halphas, building a fortified position in front of the enemy’s portal right after coming through was the sa one-trick strategy as before. But when the sa move works on absolutely everyone you throw it at, maybe you’ve earned the right to call it sothing.
The textbook play.
"From here on out, this is the textbook play for Dungeon Seizure Battles."
***
[At the sa ti, Gremory’s Dungeon.]
"It’s been a hot minute since I’ve deployed actual troops. First ti I’m moving legion soldiers for a Seizure Battle."
[If you’re nervous, I can send more.]
"Nah, I’m good. This is plenty. Thanks for chatting with ."
Gremory waved a hand toward the 30-odd Worwolf Riders lined up behind her. The orcs perched on top of the worwolves were decked out in heavy armor, ready to roll into battle at a mont’s notice.
"It’s the 52nd-ranked dungeon. I know that guy. If it cos down to a mobility war, I beat him."
[Still, be careful. The 53rd, 54th, and 55th are all gone. Could be the 52nd swallowed them up.]
"I’ll be fine. The only reason I was sitting at 56th was ’cause I was just coasting. Honestly, I should be playing in the top 40s, bare minimum."
[But you lost to the Master.]
Shaitan’s jab caught Gremory right in the chest for a second.
"...That ans he’s got the skill of soone in the 30s, or even the 20s. Or maybe higher than that? Kihihit."
Gremory’s self-own had Shaitan’s face twisting up. If she fired back with a counterargunt, it’d be like saring mud on sobody’s face.
[So basically, outside of losing to Master, you can’t lose?]
"Obviously. Look, as a dungeon owner, the number of demons I’ve killed is no joke. Don’t sweat a thing on my end. The one you oughta worry about is Tentacles, Tentacles."
[I’ve already got eyes on that front right now.]
"Then we’re set. If things start going sideways I’ll bail imdiately anyway."
Gremory stroked her own wings and waited impatiently for the tir to hit. In front of the portal, fluffy, fur-covered cal monsters were punching the ground with their fists and snorting out hot breath.
Jokals.
The cal monsters Gremory had leaned on as her main force for the longest ti. She’d resurrected every 2-star monster that still sowhat held a humanoid shape. As the deadline crept closer, Gremory started talking down at the jokals.
"You guys, your lives are different from now on, got it?! The body you all used to pound has already been swapped out. I’m a whole new woman! Those dicks of yours go into the captured girls after we take over the enemy dungeon, got it?!"
Hrnnnggh.
The jokals whimpered mournfully. Sad that they couldn’t have a go at Gremory, who was frankly gorgeous and poundable by anyone’s asure, and even sadder that Gremory’s new master was the head of a legion they could never dream of standing up to.
"Lady Gremory, is there really a reason we need to bring those things back...?"
Percival, captain of the Worwolf Riders, gave the jokals blocking the portal a distinctly unimpressed look. The Legion Commander had given the okay, but these things were walking reminders of Gremory’s ssy past.
"What? Grossed out?"
"A little, yes."
"If you’re that grossed out, you should start by chopping off your old man’s dick. Kahaha."
Percival went dead quiet at Gremory’s off-color joke. Gremory slapped him on the back a few tis and laughed.
"Don’t worry. That’s exactly why I got reborn. The slutty witch is dead and gone. What’s standing here now is a high-and-mighty fallen angel who’s only had sex with exactly one person."
"Ah, yes. I see."
"Your reaction’s kinda weak, huh? Hmph, whatever. I’ll just chew out your dad later. Oh, it’s ti. Opening any second now."
Gremory watched as the portal slowly started to shift, then turned and shouted at the jokals lined up in front of it.
"Hey! I brought you guys back from the dead, rember! If you wanna live, you survive!"
Hrnnnggh....
The jokals whimpered mournfully. The transition from being Gremory’s trusty at-shield back in the day to being plain old at shields now had happened in the blink of an eye.
"Ten of you! Any of you that survive, I’ll hook you up with a dark elf for one round!"
Hrnnngggh!!
The jokals roared and pumped their arms up. Gremory cackled and strolled over next to Percival.
"Is it really okay for you to be making promises like that?"
"Pfft. It’s not like your captain is a total stud or anything. The thing with the dark elf, I’m just doing what he does. Saying ’win and co back and I’ll give you a good pounding.’ I just switched the target to a dark elf."
"You think those girls are gonna actually go along with that?"
"Who knows. Maybe one of them’s into cals. Besides, none of those guys are gonna make it anyway."
Percival’s stomach dropped at how coldly she said it. Contrasting with the pure-white wings on her back in the strangest way, Gremory’s hair was a deep blood red.
"Subordinates are disposable consumables. If a few die, just resurrect them or roll new ones. A style of warfare that’s hard for you guys to swallow, huh?"
"...A bit, yes."
A war of attrition. Not really a style that fit the Wrath Legion. And yet, Gremory didn’t hesitate for a second to throw her old subordinates into one.
"Rember this well. And pass it on to your brothers. This, this is how dungeon owners actually fight."
Rumble, rumble!!
The dungeon started shaking. A four-legged monster hauling a chariot burst out of the portal and into Gremory’s dungeon.
"Stop ’em!!"
Hrnnnggh!!
The jokals threw their bodies in the way to halt the monster-drawn chariot’s charge. Ten of them together, moving in lockstep, bottlenecked the chariots coming through the portal.
"The 52nd, Allocen. He’s the type who doesn’t defend inside his dungeon. He fights out on the open plains near his dungeon entrance. Main force is...chariots pulled by wolf-type beasts."
Krrrroaaargh!!
The 3-ter giant, an ogre, perched on top of the chariot let out a ferocious roar and hefted its club high. The club, caked with clotted blood, hamred down rcilessly on the jokals blocking its path.
"He doesn’t use his own dungeon as the battlefield. Which is why I figured, why not attack him back on his own terms? Hehe, how about it? Too brutal for you to stomach?"
"...I was thinking it doesn’t quite match the image I had of you, Lady Gremory."
Percival packed his actual feelings down as deep as he could when he said it. Gremory read his expression and cackled, slapping him on the back.
"You guys are such ’human-like’ ones, seriously. Is it ’cause your roots are different? You guys could legit pass as half-orcs with half-human mixed in. Actually no, your personalities are practically full human."
"My biological mother is human, so you’re not wrong."
"I’m joking. Still, I’m not wrong, am I? Your mother’s human, sure. But there’s one demon around here who’s more human than actual humans."
"...Captain. Enemy numbers are starting to ramp up."
Percival switched the subject. The number of chariots pouring through the portal was way too high for pointless banter now.
Hrrrngh, roarr, grrrrrah!!
The jokals, forming a living wall, scread as they held back the chariots. Getting their necks clamped by the beasts, getting their heads hamred by clubs, they held the line like it was second nature.
Almost like they were buying ’ti.’
"The Legion Commander wouldn’t get this style of warfare. But this Seizure Battle, I’m the one in command here. Watch this."
Gremory raised her hand high into the sky. A massive amount of mana started gathering in her palm.
"This, this is how demons fight."
With a grin, Gremory hurled the mana cluster, practically fit to detonate, right over the wall of jokals.
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