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Chapter 27: The Masked Hero.

From a hidden vantage point near the Darkwood Forest crossroads, Eddie 'Bones' Malone watched the unfolding battle with a mix of fascination and disappointment. Argenti, his demonic aide, stood beside him, enveloped in the shadows they had chosen as their cover.

"This isn't going quite how I pictured it," Eddie muttered, his skeletal fingers drumming against his arm. "I thought the adventurers would do a number on the Crimson Overlord."

Argenti, observing the scene with a critical eye, replied, "It appears, Eddie, that the Overlord's power is far greater than we anticipated."

The Crimson Overlord, a towering figure of dark power, was decimating the ranks of the adventurers with ease. His spells tore through their defenses, his necromantic energy overwhelming even the most valiant of fighters. Each move he made was precise and devastating, leaving Eddie to grudgingly admire the Overlord's combat prowess.

"Look at him, Argenti," Eddie said, his voice laced with a hint of respect. "He's like a one-man army. And those poor saps thought they were just here for some easy gold and slimes."

Argenti nodded solemnly. "Indeed. The adventurers are struggling to even hold their ground."

Eddie leaned forward, his eyes following every move of the battle. The adventurers, despite their numbers, were clearly outmatched. The mages' spells fizzled out before they could reach the Overlord, and the warriors' blades seemed to barely scratch his armor.

"This is bad news, Argenti. If this guy decides to come for revenge at my dungeon next..." Eddie trailed off, the gravity of the situation settling in.

As the battle raged on, Eddie's strategic mind began to race. He knew that staying to watch could be risky, but he also recognized an opportunity when he saw one. "We might not be able to take down the Crimson Overlord, but that doesn't mean we can't benefit from this little scuffle."

Argenti turned to Eddie, a questioning look in his demonic eyes. "What do you propose, Eddie?"

A sly grin spread across Eddie's skull. "It's time for a little scavenging. Let's gear up and go shopping – there's bound to be some nice loot lying around."

As the realization hit him that the adventurers were no match for The Crimson Overlord, Eddie decided it was time to adjust his plans. "We'll wait for the right moment, then swoop in. But we'll need to be discreet. And maybe a little sneaky."

With a nod from Argenti, the duo prepared to make their move. Eddie, always one to find the humor in any situation, grabbed an old sackcloth and fashioned it into a makeshift mask. "How do I look? Like a hero coming to save the day?" he joked, his voice muffled by the cloth.

Argenti's response was a dry chuckle. "In a manner of speaking, perhaps."

Eddie prepared for a bit of old-school thievery. "Alright, Argenti, time for a throwback to my thug days."

The mask, reminiscent of the crude disguises he once used in his less-than-legal endeavors, gave him a comically ominous appearance. He cut uneven holes for the eyes, making him look more like a rogue from a children's storybook than a fearsome dungeon master. "Ah, just like the good old days," Eddie joked, adjusting the mask.

With a nod, Argenti began casting his smokescreen ability. Wisps of dark mist curled into the air, forming a dense cloud that blanketed the nearest area of the battlefield. It provided the perfect cover for their surreptitious operation.

Cloaked and masked, Eddie moved with a blend of nostalgia and purpose. "Remember, we're after anything that can beef up the dungeon. And, uh, help the wounded if you can. We're not heartless, it’s our fault after all," he added, a twinge of earnestness in his tone.

Argenti, weaving through the battlefield alongside Eddie, expressed his reservations despite following orders. "Eddie, this endeavor carries significant risk," he cautioned.

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Eddie glanced back, his eyes glinting through the makeshift mask. "Risks come with the territory, Argenti. Besides, a little danger makes things interesting."

They slinked through the smoke, Eddie's practiced eyes picking out valuable items amongst the fallen. He swiftly collected enchanted weaponry, potions, and trinkets, all while dodging the ongoing skirmish.

In between his efficient looting, Eddie's softer side showed through. He occasionally dragged injured adventurers to safety, ensuring they were visible to their comrades for aid. "Don't spread the word, but I'm not as bad as I look," he quipped under his breath, a hint of pride in his voice.

Eddie's unexpected act of dragging an injured adventurer to safety didn't go unnoticed. A nearby fighter, who had been desperately defending his fallen comrade, saw Eddie's intervention.

"Hey, thanks for saving my friend!" the fighter called out, gratitude evident in his voice as he mistook Eddie for a benevolent hero amidst the turmoil. "I thought we were done for!"

Eddie, momentarily taken aback by the thanks, quickly regained his composure and nodded, his face hidden behind the makeshift mask. "Uh, no problem. Just doing my part," he muttered, trying to maintain his rough, thug-like demeanor, even as he felt a twinge of pride for the inadvertent good deed.

Argenti, observing the exchange, offered a knowing look to Eddie, a silent acknowledgment of the unexpected role they had found themselves in.

The irony of the situation wasn't lost on Eddie. He couldn't help but chuckle under his breath as they moved away, his actions as a looter being misconstrued as heroics.

Suppressing a laugh, Eddie winked at Argenti and continued his dual mission of looting and subtle rescuing. "Hero, huh? If they only knew," he whispered with amusement. ‘But that wouldn’t be too bad.’ Those thoughts were lost in his mind as he decided now wasn’t the time for it.

Eddie and Argenti deftly navigated the battlefield, their focus split between looting and observing The Crimson Overlord's relentless assault.

As they stealthily moved from one fallen adventurer to the next, Eddie’s eyes were continuously drawn to the Overlord’s display of power. The air crackled with his dark magic, each spell casting shadows that danced ominously across the ground. "That guy's on a whole other level," Eddie commented, watching as a group of warriors was sent flying by a mere gesture from the Overlord.

The brutality of the Overlord wasn't just intimidating; it was a stark reminder of the peril they were flirting with. "Keep it quick, Argenti," Eddie urged as he scooped up a fallen mage's staff. "If red and nasty turns his eyes this way, we're toast."

Their looting was intermittently punctuated with acts of heroism, as Eddie couldn't help but pull a few more injured adventurers out of harm's way. This only added to the misconception among the adventurers that the masked figure was a mysterious ally. "There goes that masked hero again!" someone yelled after Eddie dragged a wounded archer to safety.

Eddie, under his makeshift mask, let out a muffled laugh. "Hero, huh? If only they knew," he said to Argenti, who was busy creating a diversion with a well-placed smoke bomb.

The irony of being seen as a savior while looting the battlefield was not lost on Eddie. He continued his scavenging with a mix of efficiency and a tinge of guilt, all while keeping a wary eye on the Overlord’s devastating attacks. Each time the Overlord unleashed a surge of power, Eddie felt the air shift, and the ground tremble under their feet.

The Overlord's might was overwhelming. With a wave of his hand, he conjured skeletal minions, adding to the chaos and diverting the adventurers' attention, providing Eddie and Argenti more cover for their operation. "Looks like our friend's making our job easier," Eddie noted, half-impressed, half-concerned.

The Crimson Overlord's strength was a clear and present danger – one that Eddie knew he couldn't ignore for long.

As the battle raged on, with the Crimson Overlord’s power increasingly evident, Eddie realized it was time to make a strategic retreat as the smoke had begun to fade.

"Argenti, we've pushed our luck far enough," Eddie said, hoisting a heavy bag of looted goods over his shoulder. "Let's get out of here before we become part of the casualty list."

Argenti, his arms full of various items, nodded in agreement. The pair began their careful withdrawal from the battlefield, moving stealthily through the chaos.

As they retreated, Eddie couldn't help but reflect on the day's events. "That Overlord guy, he’s no joke. If he ever finds out the location of our crib..." Eddie's voice trailed off, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.

Argenti, sensing Eddie's concern, added, "We may need to reconsider our defenses, perhaps even seek alliances. The Overlord's strength is unlike anything we've faced."

Eddie grunted in agreement, his mind racing with strategies and contingencies. "Yeah, and I thought managing a dungeon was just about scaring off some nosy adventurers. This is a whole new level of trouble."

As they put distance between themselves and the battlefield, Eddie's expression turned serious once again. "We need to up our game, Argenti. The Forsaken Crypt has to be ready for whatever comes next, be it adventurers or Overlords."

Argenti nodded solemnly, the seriousness of Eddie's words not lost on him. "I will begin preparations as soon as we return. Your leadership will be crucial in the days ahead."

Finally away from the immediate danger, Eddie took a moment to look back at the distant chaos, his face a mix of determination and concern. The battle at the Darkwood Forest crossroads was a stark reminder of the brutal world outside his dungeon walls.