{Intruders have entered the dungeon.}

Kat summoned the senior minions to the shrine room with these words.

Although, since most were still working in the lower regions, there were only Rocky, one of the Pantaloons (the Left, to be specific), and the replacement shrine guard (Not-quite-so-big Green, who dutifully guarded the spot in the tunnel Arc had marked despite the shrine's entrance now being mobile). The three crowded over the shrine's reflecting pool to observe Kat's mirage.

There were four groups of intruders this time. They each seemed to have different goals, and were moving independently of the others. There wasn't anything like a detailed map of the dungeon, though, so their positions could only be approximated.

Kat quickly made her assessments of them.

{Kat really doesn't like these ones here.}

She enlarged the image of the biggest group, which looked like nothing more than a gang of thugs armed with cudgels, ropes, and sacks. They weren't very well-equipped in terms of armor though, and didn't move like they had much training.

The size of their group meant they had to stick to the larger tunnels, but also scared away the more clever rats. At least they would be easy to track down.

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{Rocky, go and take care of them.}

"Yes, Master!" came the dutiful reply.

{These ones also worry Kat a bit... Especially the short one.}

The group she referred to was the second-largest, numbering five people... Although one was much smaller than the rest, and another was a clear non-combatant dragging a sled with several boxes and jars loaded on it.

Unlike the first group, they seemed much more well-equipped and well-organized: a proper dungeon-diving expedition. Although their mobility was also hampered by the sled, it was small and light enough that they could quickly unload it, pick it up, and carrying up or down stairs or even change it's direction in a tight space.

Left Pantaloon didn't even wait for the order.

"Will fight for Master!" he boasted loudly.

“What of, the others Master?” Rocky asked.

There were two groups remaining. Both seemed to have a level of preparation somewhere between the previous two extremes.

The smallest had only two members: one wielded a short sword and buckler in light armor, while the other seemed to be armed with nothing but a long stick. However, despite their lack of supplies, each of their actions seemed to complement the others' well.

The final team numbered four, one of whom had a familiar face. Unlike the others, they weren't moving deeper, instead seemingly content with clearing the uppermost levels, the tunnels that carried clean water instead of waste.

{Hm...}

Kat spent a moment, as if analyzing the situation. However, Rocky could instinctively feel that she was mobilizing her power for something.

Suddenly, Not-quite-so-big Green (who'd been silently watching from a distance up to this point) stepped forward. A faint blue-silver glow appeared in his eyes.

{Kat will just play around with them a bit. *fu fu fu*}