Jonathan A Countyman
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Chapter Twelve Intruders?
🕑 Added 2022-12-29 22:49:19 +0000 UTCMisaki shifted her attention to the entrance when she was suddenly notified about intruders. She had been focusing on her second floor, it was mostly done minus defenders. All the traps were in place, she had her two puzzles, and the fortified gate blocking further progress into her dungeon. She didn’t yet have her boss, and since she had been summoning a few defenders as the chance arose she might not have it for a while yet. In order to summon the boss she wants, Misaki would need a thousand mana, but that would only get her one at level one with no skills or traits. Outside of the racial traits that is. To give her summon the power needed to be a worthy boss she would need to invest AE into the summon, and she would need a fair amount to afford all the skills, levels, and traits she wanted.
With all that in mind she didn’t feel ready for intruders, not yet, but she could use something to distract her thoughts. It took only moments for her to focus her remote gaze upon the entrance. This ability was so useful, and let her just know what was going on. Three vaguely wolf-like creatures were advancing down her corridor. The creatures were huge with thick armored legs, a robust muscular body, and a number of short stubby spikes running down the length of their back. Furthermore, their vital spots all seemed to be protected by thin bony plate armor.
Misaki used inspect, and quickly revealed some basic details on the creature.
Name: NONE
Gender: Male
Race: Thornback Wolf (Alpha)
Level: 12
Age: 18 months
Health: 100% (Perfect Health)
Class: None
Shields: 0/0
Subclass:
Mana: 120/120
Titles:
She inspected the other two with similar results, except they were levels ten, and eight respectfully. Frowning, she looked around the room she was actually in, and found Reiko curled up nearby. Curious, she roused the elf, and asked her, “Know anything about Thornback Wolves?”
“Not much, I never did much adventuring. As I recall they are low rank monsters with armored bodies. That armor gives them decent resistance to physical attacks but does nothing against magic. It was about at that point I stopped listening to the instructor. But I think they said they were particularly vulnerable to fire magic”
Misaki had a feeling it would be best to consult someone else. The only person she knew was Dewari, and using a goddess as a bestiary just didn’t feel right. So insteads she looked into the store, and found one. Fifteen DP, not too bad a price. She bought it in a heartbeat, and quickly found the entry. There was a fair amount of info, but she focused on the important bits.
They were monster wolves that evolved from normal ones after meeting the requirements. No notable magical ability, but they are powerful physical combatants. Their natural armor is resistant against slashing attacks, and piercing weapons as well. It doesn’t do well against blunt force nor is it very effective at protecting against magic. Like most wolves they dislike fire, but aren’t as vulnerable to it as other wolves. They are listed as being especially vulnerable to lightning magic.
Misaki commented, “You really should have paid more attention, as you did get a couple details wrong.” Then she set the book aside, and focused on the three wolves who were just now entering her first room thanks to their slow pace. If they had been moving more quickly she might have missed the battle.
It began the instant the alpha entered the room. The wolves quickly leaped into action charging at her warrior on station, who was not the same one who seduced Reiko. The warrior, a wolf herself this time, met the attack with her claws. Her speed and strength were remarkable given she was only level five, yet she was fighting well for being three against one.
At the rear the mage chanted a spell. A bolt of infernal fire formed in her hand, and slammed into the side of a wolf, as it tried to move behind the demon warrior. In the same breath the beastkin demon blocked the alpha’s bite with a claw, and countered with a powerful kick that struck his head from below. Leaving him rattled for a moment, and giving her a chance to rake the face of a second wolf, while the last wolf was still shaking off the effects of an infernal bolt striking him in the side.
It only took the wounded wolf a moment to shake off the pain of the spell, and he pounced. Knocking the warrior off balance, and giving the alpha his chance to move in. He struck with a fury, and drew blood. Nothing lethal however, and she fought back scoring a few claw strikes that penetrated his armor drawing blood in return.
It was a vicious melee, and the other wolves joined in, even as the occasional spell landed to draw blood. Before the warrior went down, the mage inflicted lethal damage on one. The level eight one to be specific, and he collapsed as the pair of remaining wolves turned on the mage.
They moved quickly, and she only got off one more spell before they closed to Melee. After that she was unable to cast any spells without getting interrupted and went down. Her shield helped her last for a bit, preventing damage, but they were too fast for her to get the distance she needed.
As soon as she went down the alpha howled, and six more of his buddies entered. A couple of females, who she knew without doubt were heavy with young. The remaining four were male.
The females hunkered down in the room, after a moment, and the males moved on deeper into her dungeon. They moved slowly, clearly looking for threats, but it seemed her trap escaped their notice. One of them fell into the pitfall, and died. That made two deaths, seven left. Five if you didn’t count the girls. Misaki felt kind of good about that. It could maybe be better, but her defenses were working.
The wolves paused for a moment, at the fork before eventually turning right. As usual they moved slowly. Misaki sighed, and watched them move. It took them forever to reach the deadfall trap near the end of the hall, and like last time they triggered it.
This time, their own slow movement worked against them, as three of them were crushed by the falling rocks. That left two entering the room at the end of the only dead end path on the first floor. Naturally it was the alpha, and one fresh wolf at level eleven. Four demons were waiting for them, two warriors and two mages.
The mages opened the battle with a spell each. Fresh wounds erupted on the alpha as he was struck with hellfire. The warriors charged, and the wolves met them in a fierce melee. Spells flew every time an opening presented itself, and the battle went the way she expected. The alpha went down first, and his second collapsed a moment after.
Misaki was instantly greeted with new notifications, and as she turned she noted the females leaving. She read them. Misaki had gained experience, mana, DP, and AE from this. Unfortunately not enough to spawn her boss, or another level. She did have a decent chunk of DP now, having gained an average of 25 per wolf plus an additional fifty for the time they spent in the dungeon. That gave her a total of five hundred and twenty five DP to spend. It was like having a free pay day. She did have two demons to resummon, but she could get them back for ten mana each. Without any penalties to the skills, and levels. Far cheaper than summoning a new demon. Not to mention she had gained a lot more than that from this unexpected dungeon run.
Idly she watched as the females settled outside and waited for their pack to respawn. A couple of hours later, nine female wolves left her dungeon behind. Misaki turned her attention back to her second floor. While waiting for them to leave, her mana finally reached the amount needed to summon her floor boss. She was going to summon that dragon girl.
A tired elf pulled the new quest sheet off the plate. It had been priority transferred from the Royal Adventurer’s guild. Nothing too odd about that. Plenty of people paid for a priority quest, and it wasn’t unheard for someone to hire multiple guilds for a quest either.
He looked it over, nothing seemed out of order. Something about a search for a missing princess. A little odd, but nothing for him to worry about. He pressed it against a mana reader, and a moment later several copies were generated. With a sigh, he walked out of the office to post one on the quest board. He handed off the others to be distributed to the guild staff, so they would be informed about the quest along with some extra material for guild eyes only.
With that done, he selected a nice spot on the quest board and nailed the poster to the board. It would get plenty of attention here, and sooner or later a party or two would take it up. Task done, the elf made his way back to the office. A sigh on his lips, he hated his job. Something else would be nice.
As he entered, he noted his boss bullying one of the staff. A young woman. It was not the first time he had mistreated that girl, it got especially bad when that man was drinking. From the smell, it seemed that was indeed the case. Nothing any of them could do about it though. He was a bad boss, but none of them wanted to attract his attention, and he was no different. Doing that would be suicide, and everyone knew the god of life despised people who commit suicide. He sighed, not that it stopped him from trying to help her.
Idly he reached into his pocket, and ran a bit of mana through some stone. A second later, an explosion rocked the guild. That got the ill mannered drunk of a boss's attention and he ran off to deal with it. The tired elf, sighed, he was running out of tricks to help her with. That one he prepared just yesterday, and it was in an unused room. Chances are no one was hurt.
After a moment, he walked over, “You okay Irina?”
She nodded, “Mostly, I take it you had something to do with that?”
He nodded, “Planted a little something in the old storeroom out back. The one we were going to have torn down next week. Sorry I couldn’t do more.”
“It's fine. A bit of a shame, but he had been so much nicer.”
“I know. Oftentimes I wish his wife hadn’t died. Work was actually fun back then, not whatever this is. Anyway, find some luck with a new job?”
She sighed, “Unfortunately not really. I did have a chat with Phillip Greybeard when he passed through town last week. Apparently he is retiring from the field, and looking to head up a guild. So far no positions are open in any guild, but he promised me a job if he did get a guild.”
He was familiar with Phillip Greybeard, he was a High Human adventurer, S rank. Almost level two hundred, if the rumors were right, and one highly respected not only in the Kingdom of Stormwind, but all of their neighbors as well. Good reputation as well. “Hmm sounds better than nothing. At least it's a bit of hope.”
She nodded, “Yeah there is that. I just hope I find one soon. Before that drunk does something... worse.”
He had to agree to that, but they cut their conversation short when they heard him coming back. Time to act like business is normal.
