“Disgusting” Hembree growled as he ripped down the last shaman totem in the town square.

Coincidentally, or rather, probably systematically done, it was the mayor’s office. The totem had been fashioned from a flag pole. At its center was a near-perfect circle fashioned from ripped cloth and small sticks. At its center, was an animal skull of sorts. I wasn’t versed in animal anatomy and given the presence of monsters in this world - I wouldn’t even begin to guess what it was.

He then ripped the totem apart in frustration before he tossed it out the door into the hallway.

I barely suppressed a smirk as I sat behind his thrashed desk and kicked my boots up on it. “Your choice of decor is… Interesting… I don’t think my father would have approved if I had chosen it myself.”

He threw an annoyed glance over his shoulder. He threw the windows open. The cold air rushed into the already cold room. I didn’t mind it. My suit hadn’t kept me warm per se, but if I kept moving, I’d be fine. Though, I did notice my face had gone slightly numb. It was the reason I was here instead of out there. Hembree pulled me with him to clear the mayor’s office once the support troops arrived.

“Speaking of your father,” He said as he threw some beds a few goblins had made out the window. “You’ve talked a little about your family, what was your dad like.”

“Ambitious,” I shrugged.

He looked at me, his expression said that was an obvious point.

I continued. “He left his homeland when war was on the horizon with its neighbors to Night City. From there, my father worked his way up through Militech, eventually parting to form his own company. He took advantage of gaps in Militechs and Arasaka’s product lines. From there, he built a massive company filling in any pain point he could find.”

“Pain points? What are those?” He asked as he started to throw broken furniture into the large fireplace.

“Pain points are problems with products and or services that can inconvenience customers. Customers can range from your own internal people to other companies, or the general populous.” I explained. “People often say, giants cannot be called for they are large and unyielding. However, what I have learned from my father is that even giants can fall from a thousand cuts.”

“Your father sounds like a man among men,” Hembree nodded with respect.

I shook my head.

“Was he not? Any who could —” He stopped speaking as a knock came from the door.

It was Renel. “The Duke has called a meeting. He has summoned you and Mercy.”

I stared at her.

“Are you coming?” She asked after a few moments when I made no move to get up.

I gave a small shake of my head. “I’m quite comfortable right here. Hembree was about to light a fire.”

Renel looked to Hembree, then down to the unlit fireplace. “I’m sure that you can’t refuse a summons.”

“I can refuse whatever I wish,” I laughed softly. “I am not his people, nor in his employee. Also, I don’t like him.”

Hembree returned to dealing with the fireplace. Renel just looked at me with an astonished expression. After a moment, she stepped into the disordered office.

“Then what do I tell the Duke?” Renel asked.

“Tell him whatever you want,” I said. “We’ve taken the town. Next is the dungeon. After the support troops bring me the cores.”

Renel pursed her lips in thought for a moment. “You know there’s a limit to being insolent, right?”

“Of course,” I gave a sly smile. “And his wife had reached that limit before he pushed it past it afterward.”

The mage stifled a laugh before leaving, throwing a parting word. “I’ll let him know.”

A fire crackled in the fireplace now. Hembree got to his feet and began to rifle through a few shelves. He found a clear glass bottle and brought it over to the desk while he pulled the last remaining chair up. “Would you like a drink of whiskey?”

“Maybe a sip,” I said. “I was never much of a drinker. That was my brother. I was more of a fruit juice person.”

“That’s quite the luxurious tongue you have,” Hembree took a sip. “Fruits are expensive.”

I nodded as he handed over his glass. The amber liquid sloshed at its bottom. “Organic anything was expensive back home. I had a taste of the common person’s options and… They were not… They were shit, to be frank.”

Hembree laughed. “I suspect that the woman who enjoys fruit juice would not like meals made for the commons.”

I shrugged, not interested in the least about food selection. The very fact that meat was plentiful meant that there was too much of a difference in the culture to explain. But also the fact that my old world probably looked like this… I’d been more preoccupied with the previous situations that I hadn’t had the choice to absorb just are mystical this world was.

Magic wasn’t too impressive. You could say technology was magic in itself. Hell, chips were just tiny little crystals we were shocked with electricity to get them to think. Circuit powers were like small board formations. So on and so forth.

[Incoming Call - A ]

I paused.

“That’s interesting,” I blinked.

“I’m guessing its your god…?” Hembree asked.

I nodded. “How’d you guess?”

“Your eyes are glowing again.” He pointed out.

I smiled. I still forgot about that. It was just too normal of an aspect to me. Putting that aside, I answered it.

“I thought you’d just talk in my head like you did before,” I said.

I heard A huff. “Situation has escalated.”

I frowned. “How has it escalated?”

“The northern area of the Valley is an entire dead zone to me,” A said. “I thought you’d been killed or something when I lost my connection to you. I only knew you were alive when you used the UAV earlier.”

“Awh,” I mused. “Did you worry about me?”

She let out a hearty laugh. “As if! If you were actually dead, I would have resorted to more scorch-earth tactics to deal with the situation with the summoned heroes. You being alive allows me to take a softer approach, but if you die, it wouldn’t matter.”

I feined being hurt. “Oh, that was cold. It makes me want to cry.”

“Cry me a river,” A said. “I had to rip out of your world’s communication satellites and repurpose them for our use.”

“As much as I want to know whos Sat you took and what you did, I think I need more details on the situation now.” I sat up. I dropped the playfulness.

Stealing a corporate communication satellite would have been as easy as taking candy was a medically comatose kid. However, repurposing it would have been quite a technical undertaking. One I’m sure that even with A’s power, would have been a lot of work. I was no stranger to powerful people, and people with power didn’t just pull moves like that for the fun of it. At least, most didn’t…

A sighed. “Mana signals and whatnot are being blocked out of your area. At least, mine are. I can’t look or connect to anything in that part of the region. That was until your UAV appeared. I was able to connect to it using technology. No magic. Therefore, I’ve deduced that either a powerful ritual, or minor god is at play here.”

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Please tell me you have something in mind,” I said. “I’m only familiar with the concept of rituals with video games and movies, but a minor god? I’m not going up against that and –”

Hembree jumped up. “A god?!”

I shushed him as the Duke came in, his expression none too pleased. I only shot him a warning glare before I continued the conversation.

“And I’m not sure I’m equipped to deal with the situation,” I said.

Given the former situation, it would mean there would be an organization or a powerful caster behind it. An organization would mean I needed numbers. A powerful enemy meant I needed more firepower. The latter, a god, would be out of my league in general.

“If it’s a god…” A paused for a moment. “If it is one, I’ll personally make an appearance. If it’s a ritual, you’ll get support. I’ll need you to pitch me what you’ll think you’ll need and I’ll see what I can do. I won’t be able to send you an army but… We’ll work something out. I hear you have company, so contact me via this method now.”

The call ended.

The Duke looked to Hembree, whose expression wasn’t good. It appeared he was a smart man as Hembree had a deathly white expression and kept his mouth shut. He did suppose the rest of the officers, the Viscount, and Guild Observer by runner though.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts and sat down. Hembree also took a seat as well, but on the edge this time.

After a minute, I sighed and looked at Hembree. “What’s the dungeon like?”

He thought for a moment. “Specifically?”

“Where is it? Ground, underground, or in the sky?” I asked. “I don’t remember ever getting the specs on it.”

“This one is underground. The entrance is in the largest building –” He jutted his finger out the window, which overlooked the large brick building. “It runs as a tunnel archetype and in a progressive progression style. Symmetrical stone construction, two wide wagons, and tall. Goes approximately a mile down with a few offshoots.”

“Okay, first off, what does tunnel archetype mean?” I asked. “I’m guessing that it means that its tunnel-based by it, but does that mean there are other types? Are dungeons not all tunnel based?”

The rest of the people arrived. They looked to have been rushed over. Hembree looked and saw the Guild Observer. “I think it’s best if the Observer explains.”

Hembree gave them a brief on the discussions and told them about me questions.

“Ah, yes. There are multiple types of dungeons.” The Guild Observer was a middle-aged man. He looked more scholarly than a warrior. “Dungeons come in all manners of shapes, styles, sizes, and areas. We try to classify them as best as possible so teams can prepare. There are over at least 20 types –”

I cut him off. “To the point… Please.”

“... Yes…” He said and gathered himself. “Dungeon came in five different types before. Tunnel, Cavern, Underwater, Temple, and Ruins. Aside from the first three, temple and ruin types are above-ground dungeons. However, recently, new dungeons have started to appear. So the Guild has been in talks about removing the archetype system to move forward with a tag system. Which I think would be better to better describe what the teams could possibly need in the —”

“Thank you.” I cut him off again.

It certainly was an interesting topic, but right now, we needed information on this dungeon. I needed to prepare as best as possible. Thus, I needed information on the fighting conditions to better select the equipment I’d need.

“Do you have information on this one?” I pointed out the window.

He looked perturbed but answered. “This dungeon’s tunnel runs in a staggered downward spiral. There are several offshoots attached to the main tunnel, which is the largest. Here is a map.”

He pulled a large rolled-up paper out of his hand, magic most likely. He then began to make room on the table in a respectful fashion. I leaned forward and brushed everything off the table. Hembree managed to catch the whiskey bottle. The observer looked startled but put the map down. The runner lit a few candles to help them see.

“The main tunnel runs in half-mile runs. From there, the last offshoot tunnel will connect you to the next stretch.” The observer pointed to the diagram. “The offshoots are only two people wide, so taking a wagon past the first stretch will not be possible. On the second stretch, it will be the third last offshoot. Afterward, it alternates between the first and third. Its supposed to be only goblins up until the boss room.”

“Boss room?” I asked. “How does that work?”

“The boss room is guarded by a squad of orcs.” He said and pointed to the bottom of the paper. “The boss room is only supposed to be a moderately strong shaman. Upon clearing the boss, you have the option to push your mana into a chest to get meager random rewards. Quite honestly, only good for starting adventurers. But we can assume all combatant information has been changed. I suggest only using the layout information. Prepare for anything.”

I nodded. “Large stretches with close-quarter sections. CQB sections are two people wide… A minotaur is a no go… It would have been nice to have one… Also can’t take tanks or infantry fighting vehicles. Its underground, so no aerial drops can be made…”

“M-Minotaur?!” The Observer gasped. “You can control a minotaur?!”

“Easily?” I said. “My cyberware allows me to connect to any electronic.”

“Cyberware…?” He asked.

I paused for a moment to think that over before I asked a question back. “What is a minotaur to you?”

“Large bipedal monster with a large mans upper body and a bull head.” He said. “They’re fierce A-ranked monsters that plague the western mountain ranges…”

I chuckled. “The minotaur I’m talking about is closer to Yang than those. Mechanical.”

The observer looked at Yang who stood in the corner. “Oh…”

“Speaking mechanical… what’s the projection time from top to bottom?” I asked.

“8 hours to the bottom, another 5 to 8 for sleep…” He thought for a moment. “That’s in a normal situation. If it’s jampacked, probably two days. We’re likely to get hung up on the offshoots. We’ll need to clear each offshoot and there are 7 offshoots on each stretch with seven stretches. Yeah, two days if we’re aggressive… 3 to 5 if we’re cautious.”

I looked to the Duke. It was his call on his forces. What he decided to do would effect what I would do. He looked back at me without saying anything. I decided to make it obvious I wanted his input.

“Well, what are you going to do?” I asked. “I am going in either way.”

“Oh?” He said with a sneer. “I thought you were the leader of this subjugation since you seem to be acting as the leader right now.”

I gave him the coldest look I could muster, which he returned. “Nothing I’ve done so far involved your own people. So, if you want to throw a temper tantrum, do it somewhere else.”

His face turned red. “You are quite the disrespectful wench, you know that?”

I looked at Hembree. “What the hell does “wench” even mean?”

Hembree looked flustered at the question, or maybe the situation. “Its… An insult… Like Whore…”

I looked back to Duke Reverie. “That’s quite bold of you to say to a woman who’s in striking distance of you…”

He puffed his chest and stared down his nose in an almost comedic fashion. Almost daring me to do something.

“Hembree,” I cooed the name. “How much do you like your boss?”

Hembree was taken aback by the question. He looked to Duke Reverie then back to me. “I think he’s a good lord who looks after his charges well…”

“If he was a good lord, why is he asking to be killed right now?” I asked.

“There are hundreds of soldiers outside that would come for your life if you did!” The Duke growled.

“Yet, that wouldn’t stop me from killing you and the rest of the people in this room,” I said coldly.

As if on cue, Yang’s mantis blades came out, and his glowing optic eye turned to the man. The seemed to throw a bucket of water on the heated official. His eyes went wide and he stiffened.

“I think you take after your wife quite a lot,” I growled. “You seem to think I’m interested in your power or being in your good graces. I’m not. In fact, I could care less about whatever happens here, or to your duchy. I’m here because my patron has offered me a reward for handling this mess. There was no stipulation on keeping anyone alive - only clearing the dungeon.”

Hembree stepped to my side and I glared at him. I took myself down a notch when I saw his worried expression. I took a breath and simmered down a little. He got to his knee next to me.

“Lady Mercy,” He said softly. “I know you are angered, but please do not kill my Lord, or anyone here… You are a good woman, with a good heart. You may not show it, but I’ve seen glimpses of it. You can cut through our army and take anything you could want. But you haven’t. You’ve been quite accommodating. Lord Reverie is… Old fashion and I hope you can forgive him.”

I took another breath and stared at the Duke. He looked half-offended and half-scared.

I wasn’t inclined to murder. Despite the reputation of “Corpo-rats” or “suits”, I’ve only killed three people in my whole life. The three people who cut off my arms. I’ve found many ways to get business dealings wrapped up. Some required intimidation, while most were just reasonable compromises. Ones that were easily given. The ones I’ve had to intimidate were people like the Duke.

The ones who lacked the sense to understand that the other party could take their life. Even if they didn’t want to. But could.

Given my own modus operandi, I preferred mutual agreements that made both sides happy. Unlike my father or brother - definitely from my brother… In fact, he’d lost his position as Head Acquisition Officer because he was more likely to put a gun to someone’s head than sit down and talk. Modus operandi that I personally experienced. Though, I figured he was just the extreme of my Father…

“I apologize for… Offending you, Lady Mercy,” The Duke said bitterly.

I looked to him as he bowed his head slightly. I had Yang put his blades away. I weighed the words for a few moments before I decided there was no point to continue this conflict.

“Let’s just put it out of mind,” I said, clearly sidestepping the part where I suspected they expected me to say I forgave him. I didn’t. “I wish to continue with the attack plan. We have the information and we have an idea of what to expect inside. So, what are your plans?”

“We all rest for a few hours being delving into the dungeon.” Duke Reverie said. “We can judge how often to break or make camp after we finish the first stretch. It will be an endurance run however.”

“Alright, I’ll rest with everyone and enter with everyone else,” I said. “This should make life easier for everyone else.”

I got up and left without another word.