Chapter 78: Jaun’s last defense.

“Sir X, our men have spotted three dungeons not too far from here. It appears they were aware of our arrival and have begun to tighten their defenses around the perimeter. We suggest they are trying to ambush us.”

That was Cowl, standing at the side, his arms folded while dressed in his usual flowing red robes.

Sir X was seated on a small rock to the left, chugging down a bottle of water to ease his thirst.

All around the area, soldiers were preparing to move out, packing up the tents where they had spent the night and checking the durability of their weapons.

For the past week, since they began their mission in the Jaun lands, they had managed to raid a total of nine dungeons, sustaining minimal casualties.

Pulling the bottle from his mouth, X cleaned his lips with the back of his hand, and then he spoke.

“Where is Sandra?” he asked, his gaze still fixed on the ground.

To which Cowl replied immediately,

“I think she is tending to her new slaves. We did kill a lot of monsters for her to add to her list. You would think the more dungeons we conquer, the weaker our squad would be. But thanks to her, we are only growing in strength.”

“I wouldn’t count our eggs yet.”

X threw the empty bottle to the side, then stood to his feet.

He reached for his blade that he had stabbed into the ground, a weapon seething with white energy, and shoved it into the sheath at his waist.

“The dungeons are getting stronger the further we go. It might not be an issue for us three, but the rest of the men might find it difficult to keep up, so I say we work twice as hard from here on.”

Cowl laughed a bit at his commander’s comment.

“No way. Aw man, I have to make sure Sandra hears of this. Are you seriously afraid of monsters? NPCs no less? Come on, we are humans, the players and higher life form. There is not a single monster in this land that can hope to stand against a level 150 like myself.”

X stayed silent for a while, as if thinking of the right response to use.

Seeing this, Cowl spoke again.

“Dude, ease up, man.” He placed his hand on X’s shoulder. “You have always had a habit of worrying too much. Even in the former world, before any huge raid, you always seemed to be the only one acting too cautious.”

“Do not speak of the outside world. Or people will think you are crazy.” X looked at his friend, then slowly began to move forward.

Cowl watched as he walked away.

“What is his problem?” He sighed, looking at the far distance to see a land filled with dry grass and sand.

“Is he that worried about the Shadow Victim guy? Come on, those who faced that boss were barely level 100. This should be easy. No, it is easy. We will kill that beast and return home, simple as that.”

….

Meanwhile, at the other side…

Goblins had gathered at the front of their dungeon, holding their wooden weapons and forming a massive wall to protect the Goblin Boss, who remained inside.

If they died, it would be for nothing. But if the boss died, then the dungeon was gone and destroyed forever.

After what transpired with the Nameless Dungeon, they knew they could only depend on themselves for protection.

It also didn’t help that because of the actions of the traitorous goblins, the other monsters blamed them, stating they would be on their own for the fight. Only the Orcs chose to form an allegiance, as they knew they could not stand a chance alone.

While at the east, the Eye King, the Serpent Lord, and the Flying Dutchman had formed an alliance, waiting at the opposite side to launch an attack the moment the humans entered their territory.

To the north, the Flamed Knights and the Ghost Specters, the weakest of the bunch, were ready to run or lend an assist depending on the outcome of the battle.

After all, other than the Nameless Dungeon, these were the last dungeons left to secure the culture and position on the Jaun land.

It didn’t take long for the reports to come flooding in.

“The humans have entered the territory! They are coming in full force, and in greater numbers than we had calculated before!”

Each of the Dungeon Bosses was terrified by the numbers, but there was no other option than to fight and protect what they had.

Or at least, that was what they tried to do.

The battle was brutal, as there was no other way to describe it.

It wasn’t a fight; it was a purge.

The superior numbers and immense levels of Sir X’s forces turned the defensive lines of the goblins and their allies into a flimsy paper wall, instantly shredded by blades, magic, and sheer might.

The initial organized wall of goblins, pathetic wooden weapons held high, dissolved in a wave of human steel.

Level 150 heroes, like Cowl, simply laughed as they waded through the low-level NPCs.

Cowl, with a casual flick of his wrist, unleashed a sweeping wave of crimson energy. The magic disintegrated thirty goblins at once, turning them into burnt crisps, erasing them from existence, and turning them into vanishing specks of blue experience points.

The goblins’ desperate attempt to protect their boss was futile; the human soldiers barely slowed down to register the resistance.

The allied Orcs fared slightly better, their thicker hides buying them an extra second before Sir X himself, a whirlwind of white-seething light, carved a path directly toward the fortified dungeon entrance.

Where he passed, nothing remained standing. The Orcs’ heavy axes bounced off the heavily armored humans, who then dispatched them with precise, practiced strikes.

Then, Sandra made her presence known.

From the backlines, the sorceress raised her staff. The fallen Orcs, bodies still warm, twitched violently. Their eyes rolled back, replaced by a green necrotic glow, and they rose again—this time, turning their weapons against their goblin allies.

The screams of betrayal were silenced by the sound of tearing flesh.

The moment the Goblin Boss’s health bar flashed red and then vanished in a shower of digital loot, panic seized the remaining defenders. The formation completely collapsed.

Those who hesitated were immediately cut down.

Those who tried to flee were met by flanking parties of human archers and mages, their retreat routes already anticipated and cut off.

The Eye King and the Serpent Lord, watching from their opposite flank, realized their alliance was moot.

The Flying Dutchman, perhaps the wisest of the three, gave a guttural cry and banked sharply, opting to abandon the Jaun land altogether rather than face the human tide.

However, he failed as well.

Before he could clear the treeline, a lance of concentrated mana pierced his wing, sending him crashing down into the waiting blades of the infantry.

The Eye King and the Serpent Lord tried to engage, only to be overwhelmed by the arrival of Sandra’s summoned army, powerful, monstrous NPCs fighting against their own kind, adding a layer of grotesque irony to the massacre.

To the north, the Flamed Knights and Ghost Specters, true to their weakness, didn’t need to discuss lending aid or running.

They simply vanished into the desolate landscape, their loyalty extinguished by the terrifying efficiency of the invaders.

Within an hour, the three dungeons were silent.

The only sounds were the heavy boots of the human soldiers stepping over dissolving bodies and the triumphant, casual chatter of the players as they began to tally their loot and experience gains.

The Jaun land had lost its last defenses.

…

[A/N]

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