As her Kirin mount planted its clouded hoof atop a hill of ash Mary let out a whistle “Guess that’s it?”

Less bombastic than Mary had been expecting, the dungeon’s entrance stood proudly amidst the plains of ash, oil ponds, and coal deposits. Stretching out from the entrance was a well worn trail heading towards the capitol aligned with large, sparking, red poles to light the way. Just one look at the toxic fumes billowing out from the subterranean wildfires formerly known as Illia’s coal mines explained the enemies’ disposition for flames.

Distinct as this stretch of the country was Mary’s attention was focused solely on the Tower of Soot. Despite its lofty name the tower wasn’t contracted out of soot at all, rather a dark basalt, instead named after its inhabitants, the Yui household who’d built their fortune around the Dungeon of Fireworks. From what the Reaper’s had discovered the first 2 floors of the tower were open to adventurers and any guild staff wanting to stay near the dungeon overnight. The upper floors however belonged to the Yui’s. While all members of the family live within the tower not all can wander freely. As they move upwards, clearance onto the more elaborate floors is allowed only to the highest members of the family. Megun Yui as the current dungeon master is the only one allowed to use the highest floor. Even to Mary these rules spoke volumes of the Yui’s endless war against themselves.

Interesting as she found the internal power struggle Mary found the tower’s appearance undeserving of such a grandiose title. Be it the limits of human construction or her own personal taste Mary found it rather bland. All 20 floors of the tower were constructed of the same black basalt with the same alternating pattern of windows every floor. It was just... lame. The only feature she gave some points to was the moat of oil around the tower and the stone drawbridge needed to cross it. Although she deducted those same points when she noticed it wasn’t on fire.

Mary sent the army off to surround the tower while she used her own talents to break in and lower the drawbridge. While doing so her expression grew more and more confused. She’d been expecting a large defending force similar to her master’s own around the entrance, but even her scouts reported no sightings within at least 2 miles. This was strange. On one hand Mary understood the benefit to fighting on their home turf but was that worth losing access to the outside? A dungeon without a renewable mana source would be unable to restock their army and unlike the Unnamed Dungeon’s self-generating mana farms both of the opposing dungeon’s shouldn’t be capable of creating mana in ways other than [Absorption]. Either the enemy was worse off than they’d calculated of Mary was looking at a trap further down.

While remaining wary of enemy movements Mary gave the order for her forces to set up around and within the tower. They’d remain sitting around the dungeon for a full 2 days before launching an attack. Her Master was hopeful to bait out a surrender with both enemies trapped but Mary was less optimistic. Anyone rash enough to declare war unprovoked and at cost of regal punishment would be too prideful to simply surrender. That said she admired his attempt at peace regardless.

Once her forces were properly settled in Mary decided to go down to at least the first floor and check the accuracy of their maps. Depending on how the dungeon’s interior had been changed her assault plans may need some work.

So with a wave to the Solar Salamanders swimming through the moat of now flaming oil Mary placed a hand on the great soot covered double doors and entered the Dungeon of Fireworks.

---

Her first steps into the uncreatively named “1st Floor of the Dungeon of Fireworks” left Mary continuously disappointed. Compared to even the earliest versions of what became the Mangle Bog the 1st floor was uninspired. So much so she pitied any creatures who had no choice but to call it home.

Before her stretched a simple rectangular corridor around a quarter mile in length composed of smoke and coal. A few larger deposits created some dips and hills for enemies to hide around but for the most part the terrain was completely flat. No foliage, no artificial sky, and not noises other than her footsteps. How boring!

Confident she could handle any low level monsters on the dungeon’s lower floors Mary walked straight across the floor without a single encounter. It was likely the lowest level Imps would normally appear on this floor but none seemed present. Either they knew they could never beat a Stalker or Megun Yui had traded in her weak monsters for mana. A viable, if somewhat cruel, tactic during times of war.

Pushing open the next set of doors once she reached the end it dawned on Mary none of the other dungeons in Illia had proper safe zones or teleporters. Meaning she’d have to walk all the way back when she was done scouting...

She groaned to herself while picking up the pace “We’ll make this a single run. No way in hell I’m hiking back and forth 20 or more floors every single day...”

In reality this war would come down to the [Commanders’ anyway. The other troops existed purely to clear the path for their own [Commander] and inhibit the actions of those opposing. For example, Almar was the only monster capable of fighting the Dungeon of Fairies’ [Commanders]. Sure he could defeat almost all of the weaker units by himself, though it would take some time, but that would leave him exhausted or on deaths door before the real fight began. This was why he’d brought backup to fight off those not worth his energy. Similarly Mary was responsible for defeating the last 2 or 3 [Commanders] assuming none had been respawned. After that her troops could handle dispatching the fodder without fear of being wiped out by a much stronger opponent.

Mary tried to form some kind of strategy per her masters request but the first few floors were so simplistic she couldn’t think of anything. Other than the 5th floor’s addition of false skies with booming fireworks ever floor was the same plain of coal, smoke, and hills she’d already seen. Maybe this place was more interesting before the war but right now the only strategy seemed to be a head on assault. Not that Mary had a problem with that.

Using her speed Mary quickly made her way down deeper into the dungeon. After around the 15th floor the terrain became more varied and she came across some empty hallways she believed to be traditional safe zones but gave them little mind. With her stamina nowadays running a few dozen miles wasn’t very taxing. Compared to using skills or magic anyway.

Finally on the 19th floor Mary found some action. This floor had the appearance of a massive canyon with sharp obsidian walls that jutted out over a river of flowing magma in large spike formations. Out of everything up till now this was the first floor Mary was slightly impressed by. Something about how the magma reflected across the stone outcroppings up ahead was pleasant to her eye yet foreboding all the same. But that wasn’t what mattered. She’d finally found her first enemies.

Black chested with several layers of muscle and defined shoulders, massive 6 foot apes easily 300 pounds each were standing in front of her. Their stocky legs, colored a deep red with black patches on the back emitting small trails of smoke, looked more than capable of launching the apes forward when used in tandem with their massive arms. Said arms were long red rubes ending in fingers that could close to form a perfect barrel. Mary didn’t know why but her instincts warned her of the strange organic metal or chitin appendages.

In front of her stood 4 of the large apes but using [Echolocation] with a tap of her foot revealed another 100 hiding all around her with stealth skills. Most were hiding along the canyon’s edge while a few dozen more were hiding atop the obsidian spikes above. One thing was for sure, they weren’t planning to simply stand by.

Shifting her left arm into a shield and her right into a lance Mary was just about to launch forward and slay the monkeys when a voice echoed in the canyon around her.

“You would be the enemy [Commander] yes?” called a haughty female voice.

Raising an eyebrow Mary realized the enemy dungeon master was using a Monitor or [Marking] to follow her approach. Could that have been her reason for holding all her troops within the dungeon? Some unknown benefit available at higher levels as a dungeon master? Regardless she was capable of sending her voice around the dungeon. Something Mary’s master was assuredly not capable of.

“Come now! I know you can talk. I believe you go by Mary?”

“...”

Megun clicked her tongue “How boring. I was hoping to have a chat with whichever [Commander] showed up. Maybe they would have heard my deal out? But I guess we can just fight like savages...”

Over her connection to the Master Mary felt a twinge of curiosity. She had been planning to ignore the woman entirely but gave in to his wishes.

After loudly and obnoxiously clearing her throat Mary responded “I would never wish to be considered a savage! So I suppose I should hear you out.”

Audibly clapping over the Monitor Megun said “So the rumors are true! I do wish my monsters were capable of such intelligence. Even my [Named One] doesn’t have a distinct personality, much less speak!”

Already deciding she didn’t care for the woman Mary asked curtly “The proposition?”

“Ah, all business I see! That’s good! I like a girl who can speak her mind.” Over the Monitor Mary heard Megun pull out some paper and begin ruffling through a few pages “I would be willing to accept a trade rather than seeing this war come to its natural conclusion. You see Mary I’m very interested in gaining one of the Unnamed Dungeon’s [Commanders] and studying their ability to speak. So much so in fact I’d be willing to accept the Unnamed Dungeon’s honorable surrender for you, the eel, or the bird. What do you say Mary? How would you like to join one of the great dungeon’s of Illia!”

Mary was about to ask her master rhetorically what he wanted to do but Megun interrupted their link by speaking again.

“No need to bother them dear! This is a deal between you and me right now. Simply [Transfer] over to me and I’ll not only ensure your own survival but also accept their surrender whenever they declare it. You can end all this fighting by yourself guilt free!”

Trying and failing to get her link back, it seemed the Dungeon of Fireworks itself was blocking it at Megun’s command, Mary decided to entertain the deal “What would you have to offer me? I’d ask you keep in mind I have a brain unlike your previous monsters. Blind loyalty isn’t really for me you see.”

Mistakenly believing she’d gotten a bite Megun jumped into an eager pitch “Well first you could become a [Boss]! From what I can tell you are only a [Named One] meaning you could become stronger immediately after joining. Once you settle in I’d also make you the 29th floor boss and 3oth when it’s completed. Before I took over this place this dungeon only had 22 floors since the old fogeys didn’t think anyone would delve deeper and they’d made their fortune. But I’ve got something they never did dear. Ambition! I’ll be making this dungeon into something grand enough to stand on the world stage independently! Keep growing stronger and I’m willing to provide you with further floor upgrades and evolutions as they come along! You can become part of my world and help your creator in one move!”

Mary waited a minute longer in silence for Megun to continue but she never did.

“And?” she asked tapping her lance over her right shoulder.

Obviously caught off guard Megun meekly replied “And what Mary dear?”

“What else?”

“Do you want more little shadow? I’d be willing to hear some requests of yours.”

Growing more impatient Mary spat out “More? You haven’t offered me shit!”

“W-whatever do you mean Mary? I’ve offered you a place at my side when I rule! Even if you don’t share my ambition I can absolutely match what you currently have and more!”

Staring deep into where she felt the Monitor was Mary answered flatly “I’ll pass. Just for making such a rude offer I’m going to slaughter your monkeys. Besides... you’ve made my role all wrong.”

[Charging] towards the first of the monkeys Mary appeared before it in an instant and drove her lance so deep into its stomach the tip reached out its back. It only took a moment for the other three monkeys in front of her to react and if her senses were right the same was true for those in hiding. Two of those in front pointed their arm cannons towards her while another threw itself into a generic shoulder charge.

Swapping into a pair of rapiers Mary copied a move in Valentia’s move set and made two horizontal slashes as she slid past the monkey’s blind charge. No sooner were her shifted arms covered in the beast’s blood than the other two apes began firing large balls of organic metal towards her. Perceiving them in time Mary simply shuffled her body mass around, creating holes wide enough for the projectiles to pass through while still running forward.

Just before she reached the two firing apes the Stalker shifted almost all her stored shadow density down into her legs. As she’d already been traveling such a high speed when her right leg collided with the first ape’s head it was sent flying into the canyon wall without resistance. Twisting her body Mary kicked off the apes dissolving chest and used the final ape on the ground as a launchpad to dodge the storm of canon balls flying towards her.

“Shoot her down!” Megun screamed at the Mortar Monkey horde, all formalities forgone after having been rejected.

As she rapidly ascended over the barrage of cannonballs Mary couldn’t help but grin at Megun’s irritation. It just made her want to infuriate her more!

Reaching the apex of her climb Mary shifted her left arm into a bow and produced an arrow from her stored shadows into her right. Pulling back the string of weapon Mary knocked the arrow and aimed for the highest obsidian spike, on which stood 23 Mortar Monkeys firing wildly at her. From her position it seemed around 25 were on each of the 4 spikes large enough to support her would be snipers.

Loosing the projectile as she began to fall Mary yelled out “[Volatile Arrow]!” and shifted her right arm into a weapon her master had come up with, the hookshot. Using a sizable chunk of her mass to create the chain needed to pull herself along Mary imbedded the movement tool into the nearest obsidian spike. As she rapidly accelerated towards the spike she laughed aloud at the screams of 23 Mortar Monkeys as her arrow exploded into the spike they’d been standing on, sending them falling into the canyon below.

Landing on the spike she’d chosen with her hookshot with a loud crash Mary wasted no time activating [Dodecagon] + [True Body], releasing 12 clones of herself to deal with her foes. Each of the 12 equipped a different weapon as they rushed the 26 Mortar Monkeys. It didn’t take long to finish them off as the Mary’s could dive in and out of the different monkey’s shadows holding a different weapon each time.

Falling into her shadow Mary slid along the canyon wall until she was on the edge of the 2nd highest spike. The apes hadn’t noticed her movement and were still blindly firing at the clones fighting above. After lining up her shot Mary dove out of the wall, shifted her right arm into a lance, and used the remainder of her stored mass to extend lance forward. Once she’d impaled the first monkey Mary shifted the lance’s point into her fingers and launched another 5 lances equal to the first in power from each of them. From each new lance another 5 would sprout until every Mortar Monkey had been impaled through the chest.

Pulling the [Sprouting Spear], a weapon of her own creation, back into her storage with a forceful yank Mary set her sights on the final spike housing the final 25 monkeys. Unluckily for them they were standing directly below her. And she’d been meaning to try a new copy out.

Jumping off the spike Mary held both hands above her head in a prayer like clasp. After properly reinforcing her shoulder the Stalker sent all of her mass into her hands, shifting them into an enormous black sword. The new weight of her mass pulled Mary downward as she aimed directly for where the spike met the canyon wall with intent to sever the rock. But she wasn’t going fast enough.

Her lipless grin spread wider than ever before Mary yelled out “[Comet]!” and was forcefully pulled towards the ground below. Of course she’d been trying for [Meteor] but that skill was slightly beyond her reach right now.

The massive black blade accelerated downwards as well and Mary felt minimal resistance as the final spike was severed and the last of the hundred Mortar Monkeys was sent falling to their deaths. Mary hardly had to wonder about her clones as she could feel them swimming along the canyon walls towards her. She’d won without a scratch on her.

Using her hookshot one last time to fly back towards the entrance Mary heard Megun yell “Why!? Think how much greater you could have become with me!”

Laughing as she landed and turned to leave Mary answered simply “Bitch, I’m not just a [Named]. I’m the Final Boss.”