Ch. 21 Flexibility

Back at Malpetios Core Room. It's so difficult to absorb things with people inside my halls... at least I can focus on it to speed up the process, I got some of the Mages processed and unlocked [Magic Cloth] and [Magic Silk] and got myself a new skill.

[Mana Shield]: Using the mages Mana field as a blueprint and the core's natural talents, this skill was created.

A barrier surrounding the user protecting him from sources of damage. The strength of this barrier is determined by the amount of mana supplied by the core and can be enlarged or refilled at no wastage for as long as it remains in the core's life forcefield.

This skill was mentioned by Q'ill before, now that I have it I can protect myself better from sneak attacks, at that moment I felt a large amount of Elemental Wind rampage inside my halls pulling all the poison out while feeding me Elemental mana. It seems there's a lot of mages this time, a bad feeling creeping all over my Core. Q'ill! I sense so many mages is this normal?

She grimaces, no dear... the soldiers were fine it was only slightly strange for them not to send their slaves the goblins or war captives. When you told me about their mages I assume they were commanders behind this 700 strong army, but after killing all but three to still have more mages can only mean there's a higher rank commander sent personally by the Church most likely a rank higher than the mages, there should be 200 or more... Dear! Can you increase your life aura anymore? I'll support your boss while you fight at least till the real commander shows up, I may not be able to fight for long since I no longer have Elemental Mana but I can still give them a good show!

Looking at my inventory I had 18 (Life Crystals) from so many people staying in my halls for around seven hours, however, It feels like something is blocking the hundred or so crystals from being collected, I can only guess I need to be empty of invaders to gather them properly.

Looking at the entrance, twenty mages walked inside my now poison-free halls, ten of them started to cast Ice spells freezing my river rooms to the point my slimes can't escape the thick ice. More mages came soon after with sixty soldiers, they approached the gravel and sand room where they cast a mass levitating spell their goal my Blender Room. Five of the mages kept the group off the ground, ten mages quickly squeeze themselves around the narrow doors and froze the Blender room, the rest moved to the entrance of the Maze 20 mages were left behind. The soldiers started to explore my Maze while the remaining mages walked outside, now with even more soldiers they walked over the gravel and sand room causing the water to be forced out of the ceiling, the mages quickly froze the water clogging the exits not allowing for the water to build momentum.

I ordered my slimes to try and dig their way out of the sand and gravel room but was nearly impossible, the few that managed were blasted before they could even fully exit the ground, the mages clearly aware of their attempts. I was panicking! What can I do? Should I try to Evolve the Ivys so they can move on their own with no stimuli or maybe the slimes? But I need the Crystals to let Q'ill move more freely so she can help me, gha... worrying about it won't change anything! I quickly used the Crystals on myself, it was better to rely on someone as strong as Q'ill than to try to salvage this sinking ship.

Q'ill there's little time before they arrive on my last Puzzle Room, I don't know how long it would take them, but considering there are so many not more than three hours tops. I quickly drop around thirty (Prismatic Mana Ivy Fruits) at her feet. Here eat this when you are low! Q'ill looked at the fruits happily thanks dear, I'll try to wait for their commander to show up before I cast any big spells, are you ok? I can sense your distress, hehe well and your telepathy waves are blasting out at full force, you can probably knock someone out. I was a bit ashamed that I was so obviously out of my league, what can I do I have never thought I would die any second, although my Human memories are no longer so dominant I still see myself as him, I been trying to ignore the bloody scenes and strange feelings of "cannibalism" each time someone dies in my halls, I have found comfort in just pushing them aside and remind myself that I am a Dungeon Core and not a human, but I can't keep hiding from my problem, yes I am a Dungeon but I am also Human.

Thanks, Q'ill, I am really not used to all this death and fear, I can barely think properly and just push it all back in my mind somewhere. Is fine dear, no matter what we are here together, just remind yourself that you are doing this to survive ok? She said. I nodded and felt better, with a calmer mind I started to look at my options.

I thought of many different things I could do but none of them seem effective, while I was brainstorming the soldiers made it to my 9th room, I relaxed a bit thinking that my puzzle room would buy me some time, however, I was shocked to find the fountains empty, Dumbfounded I looked as the mages followed the soldiers to the room and just filled the Balance Scales with Water Magic arriving at the boss room.

Malpetios brain, if you can call it that, seemed to forget that mages can just fill the required water with magic. Huh??... Oops?!