Chapter 11 – Clash Zone

Clash Zone; A spot of land where the domains of two or more Dungeons cross, causing the monsters within each Dungeon to surge and attack each other, with the aim being to the devour the enemy Dungeon Core, which will allow the winner to create another Dungeon Boss, an incredibly powerful monster that guards the Core.

“A three-way Clash Zone…” Chase bites his lower lip as another roar echoes through the tunnel, hand tightly clenched around his small sword. “What about the team up ahead? Did you see them?” He asks with narrowed eyes, making Jessy shake her head.

“I saw two corpses, but I couldn’t recognize them.” That’s both good and bad. That means that there are two or more remaining team members in hiding, and they might attack us if they discover us. How annoying.

“Let’s go ahead and check the area first.” I suggest, receiving nods from all of them before we start moving once more, this time at a faster pace than before.

We soon start hearing sounds of battles, and the tunnel we are in shakes every few seconds, making me more and more afraid that the tunnel might collapse on top of us if it keeps going.

“There it is…” Jessy whispers as we soon see the exit up ahead, but we don’t walk out and simply lean out to observe the situation.

On the other side is an enormous cave filled with natural lights, large glowing crystals, flowing water and plants of all kinds. How in the hell did no one discover such a massive opening till now?

I move my eyes to the two clashing monsters, with one being a massive ten meters tall Cave Dweller while the other seemed to be a monster made out of rocks and stones, a Golem perhaps.

Further up ahead of them is a massive corpse of a large spider with three deep gashes in it’s side and gaping wound on the back, looking like it was punched through after a long battle, especially since several of it’s limbs seem to have been thorn off.

[Cave Monstrosity] – Lvl. 23

[Guardian Golem] – Lvl. 22

...

Yeah, that looks like suicide.

“I think I understand what happened now.” Chase speaks up as I watch the battle between the two monsters carefully, with the Cave Monstrosity clearly being at a disadvantage since the Guardian Golem just keeps repairing itself after each blow. “The team that is ahead of us stumbled in here and accidentally woke up the Dungeon Bosses from their dormant state, then retreated as they slugged it out between each other so to recover, then came back to finish them off when weakened. But it didn’t go too well it seems.” So that explains why the Dungeon Bosses didn’t start fighting the moment they were born, because they are dormant until awakened.

“Still, for three Dungeons to be born so close to each other…” I hum as I gaze at the three blinding orbs floating in the air above what looks like a stone pillar, each one being in a different spot in the massive cave.

“That massive Cave Dweller will loose soon, but we don’t stand a chance against that Golem. I can’t see any weaknesses in it.” Beth grunts underneath her breath, glaring daggers at the massive stone monster as it swings it’s large arms, causing them to explode once they hit it’s opponent, pushing it back a few steps and making it roar in anger.

I narrow my eyes as I notice a purple glow appear from within the cloud of dust left behind by the explosion, and watch as the arm soon repairs itself, this time longer than before.

[Guardian Golem] – Lvl. 22

A magical construct that can change shape and size at will. They are capable of controlling a specific element, and use said element for battle and to protect their core.

“It has a core in it’s chest, but I do not know how big it is.” I tell them as I inspect the Golem. It has massive boulders covering the area around it’s ‘chest’, so that is the most likely place for the core to be hidden, especially since the arms aren’t wrapped around anything and it’s just a series of floating stone and boulder in the shape of an arm.

“That makes it a bit easier then. Both you, Beth and Markus can easily smash through stone, while that massive Cave Dweller is just a big nope.” Jessy hums while I finally notice the two corpses on the ground a near the Dungeon Core on the right. One looks like it was stomped on, with half the body being completely flattened, while the other is skewered in shards of stone, even in the head.

“Should we wait till another one of them dies or should we go back to report?” I ask Chase, who strokes his chin while his eyes flicker between the three glowing Dungeon Cores.

“Too risky. Going back and building up a large enough force would take hours, which we don’t have.” He sighs softly, then fixes his gaze on one of the Dungeon Cores and looks between it and the Cave Monstrosity. I follow his gaze and hum softly to myself. My grenade might be powerful enough to destroy the Golem’s core from the outside, but I only have three chances. One because I already have a grenade on hand, and I can create two more with my reserves while keeping the rest for the bullets.

“A Dungeon Core is already up for grabs and without a Dungeon Boss, while you guys only need two more Dungeons to finish your mission. We can always destroy one.” I suggest with a shrug, and surprisingly enough Chase nods. Perhaps we thought of the same thing at the same time.

“But then we’d need to stall or take out the last Dungeon Boss.” Markus grunts while he crosses his arms as he keeps his eyes on the battle, which is drawing to an end since a large and sharp spear of stone just punctured through the Cave Monstrosity’s belly.

“That’s better than letting a Dungeon form two more Dungeon Bosses on that level though.” Chase shrugs. “Kaera, can you destroy the Dungeon Core on the right?” I go to nod, but then stop and give him a confused look.

“But then I’d be the one to get the treasure and experience.” I’m not a part of his team, I’m just here to help them for a bit before leaving, so why would he leave something so precious to me?

“So?” He raises a brow at me. “Me and my team don’t really want to grow more powerful, we just want money to help our families, and these low level Dungeons offer a good and steady income of money.” I guess… that’s a good reason. But still, it’ll leave a bad taste in my mouth if I gain something so valuable while they don’t gain anything in return.

It’s true that they’ll gain money from these Dungeons, especially all those Magic Crystals out in the open, but…

“Then I’ll take that as payment for my assistance.” I sigh, this being the only thing I can think of to just slightly even the very unfair deal. “But I’ll have to get closer to it, I doubt I can hit it from such a distance.” The Core is dozens if not a hundred meters away from us, and the only reason we can see it is because it’s very high up in the air, like the other two.

“Jessy go with her, we don’t know where the other idiots are.” I look at Jessy, who nods at me with a friendly smile, and I nod back before standing up and rushing as fast as I can towards the Dungeon Core on the right with Jessy right beside me, easily keeping up with me.

“There’s so many tunnels…” I grunt as my eyes flicker along the walls of the immense cave opening. The rest of the group that came ahead of us could be anywhere, hiding in any of these dozens of tunnels, just watching until they get an opening.

I almost trip when the ground shakes wildly, a horrifyingly loud roar nearly deafening me soon after. I glance back and pale considerably when I notice that the Cave Monstrosity had just turned around to look at directly at me and Jessy. How did it even notice us?!

Luckily enough, even as it tries to turn and stomp towards us, the Guardian Golem doesn’t let it and just keeps on hammering on it more and more.

I look away from the fight and to the rocky wall ahead of us, then pocket my grenade before throwing my rifle above the rocky wall, then I use my speed to run up the wall a bit before climbing the rest with Jessy right behind me.

“Can you hit it from here?” Jessy asks as she looks back at the now much closer Cave Monstrosity, but I ignore it and quickly retrieve my rifle before aiming up at the Dungeon Core at least a dozen meter above me.

“I’ll get closer just in case.” I hum as I walk below the pillar that is right below the floating and blinding Dungeon Core. I raise my rifle and slow my breath down, then pull the trigger.

Bang!

The gunshot rings out through the cave as the Cave Monstrosity roars, only to freeze and go quiet while doing so.

It’s scales loose all color, and I watch with wide eyes as it soon fades away into dust alongside a great portion of the plants in the cave as the Dungeon Core loudly shatters into motes of sky blue light.

A Dungeon Core has been destroyed!

A huge amount of experience has been rewarded!

I wince as several ‘Dings!’ ring inside my head from successive Level Ups, but I can’t stop the large smile that spreads across my face at that.

Kaera

Race – Artificial Fallen Angel

Class – Soldier Lvl. 16

Stats;

(Body) – 12

(Vitality) – 12

(Agility) – 12

(Mind) – 15

(Spirit) – 20

[Available Status Points: 30]

Personal Skill/s;

[Analyze] – Lvl. 2

Class Skill/s;

[Frost Bullet] – (3/10)

[Healing Bandage] – (2/5)

[Grenade] – (1/10)

[Stun Bullet] [+]

[Flare] [+]

Holy- Six Levels?! And more Skills?!

This is so much to take in so suddenly! And I barely have any time to rejoice or process it!

Whatever, let’s quickly spread everything, I have another monster to deal with.

I put ten in Spirits and ten in Mind, then four in Agility, three in Vitality and three in Strength.

As for the Skill, I remember it from when I first woke up in that throne room, and a bullet that isn’t lethal might do me well, especially one that hits very hard.

Kaera

Race – Artificial Fallen Angel

Class – Soldier Lvl. 16

Stats;

(Body) – 15

(Vitality) – 15

(Agility) – 16

(Mind) – 25

(Spirit) – 30

[Available Status Points: 0]

Personal Skill/s;

[Analyze] – Lvl. 2

Class Skill/s;

[Frost Bullet] – (3/10)

[Healing Bandage] – (2/5)

[Grenade] – (1/10)

[Stun Bullet] – (1/5)

Perfect!

“Kaera, the treasure!” Jessy’s shouts pull me out of my thoughts, and I snap my eyes to the top of the stone pillar just in time to see motes of lights flow together and form a long but thin and familiar shape.

Don’t tell me it’s-!

The motes of light soon fade away, revealing a long pitch black rifle with two barrels and golden flame-like markings all over it.

[Medium Grade Weapon: High-Caliber Magic Rifle.]

A powerful rifle capable of shooting two bullets at the same time. By keeping the trigger pressed down, it is possible to charge up and empower the next bullets shot.

Now that is indeed a wonderful treasure!

My rifle might pack quite a punch, but it’s clear as day that it is too weakened by the erosion of time. The bullets barely changed in power even after I raised my Spirit stat quite a bit, so maybe a change will do me good.

And a charged shot at that too? That’s going to help a lot against enemies that have armor like the Cave Dwellers.

I watch as the new rifle clatters on top of the pillar before rolling off and dropping down, making me step forward and stretch my hands out to catch it.

“Kaera watch ou-!” The sound of rushing footsteps and Jessy’s shout reach me just as I grab my new rifle, and I turn my head to my right just in time to see a large bearded man rush towards me.

My eyes go wide in alarm, but I’m unable to move out of the way fast enough and the man ends up barreling into me, tackling me into the ground and making me grunt as the back of my head hits the hard rocky floor.

Pain shoots through my head as I grit my teeth and glare up at the bastard that just tackled me to the ground, my new rifle having flown out of my grip and rolled a few meters on my right. I try and fail to push the much stronger man off of me as he grins down at me with a malicious look in his eyes.

My panic grows even more as the Golem draws closer to us, together with the screams and shouts of Chase and the others. I don’t even know what happened to Jessy!

I lower my left hand down to my waists, making the man smirk and reach down before me to grab at my hidden knife, but I smirk and instantly reach down with my right hand to grab it before he realizes the fluke.

I wrap my hand around the handle, pull it out, and instantly stab the bastard into his side.

“Agh! Fuck!” He shouts and glares down at me, my head recoiling to the side as he punches me, making me see stars for a few seconds before I recover as he pulls the knife out of his side.

The moment he leans to the side to cradle his injury is the moment I unfold my wings and throw him off of me, then roll to the side and grab my new rifle as he jumps to his feet.

He’s too close for me to be able to lift my rifle and shoot him in time, but a knife digs into the back of his right knee, toppling him over and giving me the chance to stand up and place a bullet in his head, the force of the two bullets being so great that his head explodes in a shower of blood and gray matter.

I grin and turn towards Jessy to thank her, but my eyes go wide when I see a sword stab through her back and come out from her belly.