While Akira and the rest took care of things in the south far to the north in the new dukedom Begus Dekus.
Flash!
In a short span of time, several flashes appeared at the center of the city's main plaza, shocking the common folk who were going about their daily activities. Some of the people that appeared were naked while others were missing parts of armor such as their pants or chest armor.
It was the Demigods who had died the day before. They were the first to have died earlier in the day and so the rest who had died had still not re-spawned.
They were cursing under their breath as they quickly equipped their spare armor and began pushing their way through the crowd toward a basic two-story house that they had bought as their temporary base.
With the door slamming shut the trade plaza once again returned to its normal activity.
“What are you guys doing here?” asked Slytha looking up from a set of papers she was inspecting.
“The duke of Kodria along with his underlings killed us,” said one of the demigods.
“Odd,” Slytha said as she tried to take all this new information in and decipher what it meant.
“Any news from the guild leader about what's happening down south?”
“Nothing,” said Slytha, shaking her head.
“They say no news is good news,” said one of the demigods.
“Is that so?”
***
“Are you sure this is the dungeon?” asked Akira, glancing over to sister Teresa.
They had spent a large portion of the day searching and gathering the refugees and nomadic people before arriving at the area that Sister Teresa suspected was a dungeon.
The wooded area in front of them was full of thousand-year-old thick and tall red trees that were clustered so close to each other that they made a thick wall that was impossible to pass through without cutting them down one by one.
Sister Teresa seemed to stare off in a daze at something that Akira could not see. Seconds later she nodded her head.
“I have seen a similar dungeon before. It is an irregular dungeon made from nature’s plants and is unlike the normal dungeons with walls made of dirt or stone. There must have been a great mana source here in the past to spur the growth of such a dungeon.”
'Odd,' thought Akira. His eyes squinted as he stared at her upon hearing the word 'Mana'. He had only learned of the term from his status window. Everyone he knew referred to it as energy or spiritual energy. The other demigods around her did not show any reaction to the term so they must be familiar with it as well.
Akira looked over to Bo who was motionless as he scanned the thick woods from the sky using his familiar.
Teresa and her high-level bodyguards standing near her all took great interest in the werewolf shaman.
“Your werewolf shamen are quite talented with unique skills, especially your healing and cleansing skills,” said Teresa complementing the nearby shamen who had spent most of the night working on patching up the wounded.
Several of the low-level demigods that had died early the day before had revived and rejoined sister Teresa once again bolstering their force to near-max strength. They weren't too happy about messing around with the demon race but they believed in Sister Teresa, so they all kept quiet but sent sharp glares at Akira and the others that got too close to her.
“It's nothing...” said Klyn, not sure how to reply to the compliment from the odd female demigod.
Moments later, Bo opened his eyes. He shook his head in the negative while saying, “Can't see anything inside. I even tried to enter from above, but the thick branches and vines have created an impenetrable roof. Even if it is not a dungeon, this wooded area is not normal.”
Zundar was pacing back and forth near the trees looking for an alternate entrance to the only one they had found, but so far he had found nothing. He stopped in front of one of the old trees and punched forward with his full strength.
When the attack landed the tree did not even shake nor were there any leaves that fell from its branches. Zundar once again tried another punch but the results were the same.
“Why not use your weapon?” asked a nearby Orc warrior.
Zundar shook his head and said, “It's no use. If I wanted to cut through this tree I would be stuck here all year long.”
The orc warrior scoffed and stepped forward swinging his large two-handed war-ax at the tree only for it to bounce right off showing no damage to the rough red bark.
“Guess there really is no other way in but this way,” said Akira as he watched Zundar and the orc warrior.
Klyn and Varbu were still looking at Akira like he was crazy and were worried that at any minute there would be an ambush.
Dolph and Vilkas were sticking to Akira like glue making sure he was only a step away from them. The other guards were similarly antsy as the distrust and tense atmosphere filled the area.
Akira was not naive about the situation, after so many encounters with demigods he knew there were likely untrustworthy demigods inside this group. He just didn't know who or how many of them there were or what they were planning.
So this was the only way he knew how to weed out the incompatible test subj... potential future allies.
“Yap!” said Fluffball, voicing his readiness to fight off any ambush.
“Of course, I'm counting on you to help out,” said Akira as he reached down and ruffled the thick fur on Fluffball's head.
Akira looked at the entrance of the dungeon and could see right at the start it split off into two branches, one to the left and one to the right.
“It is most likely a type of maze,” said Teresa as she looked at the entrance with him.
“We will take the right path. You can take the left path,” said Akira.
“Are you sure?” asked sister Teresa. “Will it not be better to team up and clear the dungeon together?”
Akira shook his head, “No, this way we won't get into each other's way or cause any problems. If everything goes as planned we will meet back up near the Dungeon Guardian's room if there is one.”
“Okay, if that's what you want to do then we'll follow that plan,” said Sister Teresa nodding her head and accepting his suggestion.
The two forces split up and entered the dungeon heading down their separate paths.
Ding!
You have entered the [Corrupted Child Maze] dungeon!
You are the first to enter the dungeon!
Exp will be boosted for the next week or until the dungeon is cleared!
Fame +10
The light inside the maze pathways all had a green tint from the sunlight being filtered through all of the green leaves far above their heads.
Akira and co were weaving in and out of the winding paths as they searched for the Dungeon guardian room. Some of the many branching paths intersect with each other or curve back around causing them to have a hard time finding the correct path to the heart of the maze.
As Akira rounded another corner his sword slashed out sending a blue moon crescent as he used a quick [Sword Slash] skill to slice apart a green vine monster that had been waiting to ambush them.
Fluffball ran over to the dead plant monster and tore it apart as he looked for something for several seconds before finally finding it.
“Yap!” said Fluffball sounding slightly muffled as he ran over with a green monster core in his mouth.
Stolen story; please report.
Akira bent over and rubbed his head before taking the core and looking at it.
Minor Stamina Leaching plant core
The sound of a muffled battle on their distant left could be heard constantly as several battles broke out where Akira guessed the Demigods were.
“This place is definitely a good place to farm these plant monster cores,” said Akira as he placed the core into his bag joining the others.
“Indeed,” said Klyn as he inspected one of the cores that had been given to him.
“Another X intersection is ahead of us,” said Zundar looking frustrated. He was starting to get frustrated with all the winding paths and backtracking they had to do.
Fluffball stopped and started to sniff the ground as he caught an interesting scent.
Boom!
As soon as Akira and the rest reached the X intersection they were attacked!
Blood spurted out of several soldiers' bodies as the colorful skill attacks landed direct hits.
'What's going on!' thought Akira. These were not the attacks of low-level demigods that he had been expecting. Several of the warriors had been careless thinking that even if there was an ambush it would only be small scratches, burns, and frost that they would receive from such weak demigods.
Akira dragged several of the wounded back behind the shield wall that had been formed where they were continuously passed to the center rear so that they could be treated by the shamen.
Klyn and several other shamen near the well-protected center began to hurriedly chant several buffs for everyone.
The attacks had come from one of the paths directly next to them which had been hidden from their view.
Instead of retreating, the attackers exited the pathway and started raining colorful skills down on Akira and the shield wall that blocked them.
Akira scanned over the attacking group of demigods and found that he had never seen them before. They were an entirely different group of demigods from Sister Teresa's group.
“Who did you piss off this time!” shouted Varbu who was standing near Akira.
“Honestly, I have never seen them in my life!” said Akira as he traded sword attacks with a demigod.
Akira and the rest of the shield wall slowly retreated toward the path they had come from to help defend and get a better understanding of what was going on.
“Yap!” said Fluffball warning him of new arrivals.
“Hey! Why are you attacking our allies?” shouted a low-level demigod that appeared out of a second path with several other low-level demigods.
“Stop attacking our allies!” shouted another low-level demigod that led another group of low-level demigods from the third path.
Several warriors slightly paused their attacks to look towards Akira while they still held their shields up to protect from the demigods' attacks.
Akira was completely unsure of what was going on. He motioned for them to continue to retreat into the path they had exited from so that they could defend against any more attacks until the situation could be sorted out or they killed all of the attackers.
The attacks were still raining down when the low-level demigods charged forward to attack... launching a large cluster of skills that hit the retreating combined demon race shield wall!
They were now surrounded from three directions. Several Orcs and werewolves dropped to the ground from heavy wounds after being pounded by the combined power of dozens of skills.
The low-level demigods rushed forward to finish them off.
“Serves you demons right!”
“We will not allow you to corrupt our Idol Sister Teresa!”
“Sister Teresa and her bodyguards may have been fooled by your nice talk, but we have not fallen for it and we will do what we must to save her!”
“You all must die so that she can stay pure!”
Their true colors appeared revealing a rabid fanaticism for their idol that they wanted to protect.
Akira supported by Fluffball, Dolph, Vilkas, and Zundar sliced, crushed, and smashed anyone that tried to come close to the fallen wounded while other nearby soldiers grabbed the wounded on the ground and pulled them to safety.
The shield wall tightened as the last of the wounded was pulled back and they reached the pathway once again where they held off the attackers.
Individually the low-level demigods were nothing much but the constant barrage of minor debuffs and various attacks that were pouring out like no tomorrow were nothing to laugh at as you could still die from 1000 paper cuts if you bled to death.
While Akira was fighting off one of the high-level demigods, movement from the fourth intersection caught his attention as a new group appeared!
It was Sister Teresa and personal guards along with a few low-level demigods that were trying to talk her out of entering into the fray before them.
“What are you all doing!” shouted Sister Teresa, her voice loud enough to pierce through the din of battle.
Her followers already engaged in battle did not pay attention to her as they were focused on their task with great determination!
The majority of her followers had been saved or had been greatly helped by her which had ended with them worshiping her. They were sacrificing themselves with this attack all in order to protect their idol!
“Stop fighting! We are all allies!” shouted sister Teresa. But neither side listened to her as one wrong move could be fatal.
“Block Sister Teresa! Don't let her interfere!” shouted a low-level demigod that seemed to be in charge of the mob attack.
Several of the demigods in the rear turned around and moved to intercept Sister Teresa but were stopped by the small group of courageous low-level demigods that had stayed with her.
Although the demigods that blocked the rabid demigods were the weakest of the entire group of followers, which was why many of them had stayed with sister Teresa because they feared that they might die if they strayed away from the higher-level demigods. They were also the most supportive of Sister Teresa as she continued to help them every day and always encouraged them as they worked hard to get stronger as the world around them became more hostile and dangerous.
“Step aside! What you are doing is against sister Teresa's wishes!” shouted a loyal low-level demigod.
“No, we will not stop! You have been brainwashed! You must see the light and join us in protecting and keeping Sister Teresa pure!” shouted one of the fanatics.
The two forces were stuck in place with their verbal fight not getting anywhere when Rondie stepped forward and... launched a skill attack with her fist!
The attack pierced the stomach of one of the low levels that were blocking the way forward.
“GET OUT OF MY WAY OR I WILL PUNCH AS MANY HOLES IN YOU AS I CAN BEFORE YOU DISAPPEAR!” yelled Rondie as she started a rampage smashing up the fanatic demigods in front of her.
Having no other choice, the fanatic demigods launched their own attacks at the weak loyal demigods and Rondie to stop them from interfering. They all made sure to aim their attacks so that none of them would go near their idol.
Rondie stepped forward and blocked several of the attacks that were about to cut down several of the weaker loyal demigods behind her.
As she grunted from the new small cuts and burns all over her arms and face she felt a jolt of pain in her butt!
“WHAT THE...!”
A fanatic that had hidden among the loyalists had stabbed her in the rear while she was protecting them!
Before she could turn around to punch their head in, the real loyalist all mobbed the attacker, killing him before he could attack anyone else again.
With a sad sigh and a few tears dripping from the corner of her eyes, Sister Teresa gave an order to the rest of her guards. “Take care of this situation. Maybe they will have cooled off when they come back tomorrow.”
“I highly doubt that!” roared Rondie as she smashed the head of another fanatic.
With the help of Sister Teresa's guards and the few weaker loyal demigods, the fanatics and their allied demigods were the ones now caught in the pincer attack.
Several of the higher-level demigods that had attacked first saw the situation turning for the worse and tried to disengage from the fight to escape.
Akira and the allied soldiers under his command did not allow them such a chance.
Akira stabbed his sword into the ground as he activated the skill [Dark Shockwave] causing the majority of demigods in front of them to trip or fall all over each other. Nox 1 and 2 and Fluffball all launched themselves at those who managed to keep their feet even with the ground trembling fiercely.
Their throats and limbs were all torn from their bodies leaving them bleeding and on the ground for several seconds before they disappeared into hundreds of fragmented lights.
Only after a few more minutes of intense fighting did Akira let out a long breath as the last of the fanatics were killed. He still did not let his guard down as he inspected the surviving demigods that stood next to Sister Teresa.
The weak low-level demigods stood in front of her trying to protect her from any attacks that Akira might launch. Both groups were on high alert for any attack the other might launch.
“Was it really necessary to kill them all? Some of them were trying to surrender at the end,” said Sister Teresa.
“We can not offer such leniency to an enemy that wants us dead. In the matter of life and death, there is no gray area to be found for myself and the people of Kodria, it's kill or be killed. If you are an enemy we will not stop until you are cut down,” said Akira as he stared directly into her eyes watching her reaction and those around her.
A brief silence filled the air as sister Teresa thought over his words.
“I understand your concerns over your... weakness. We do not have such a problem, so it is sometimes hard for us to remember and fully understand the problems it causes you.”
Akira did not answer her and only continued to stare at her and the other demigods still alive.
A long stretch of silence passed by with only the heavy panting of those trying to catch their breath and moans from the wounded who were being treated.
“Are we just going to stand here like mutes or are we going to finish the dungeon?” asked Rondie who was uncomfortable with such wordy back-and-forth games. She would rather just punch her way out of whatever obstacle was in her way.
Akira looked to Varbu, Zundar, and Klyn to see what their thoughts were.
“Let's clear the rest of this dungeon and get the hell out of here,” said Zundar, he really wanted to get out of this maze that was causing his head to hurt as he tried to remember the way out.
“The faster we can finish this dungeon and return to Kodria the happier I'll be. But that does not mean I trust you guys,” said Varbu pointing his finger at the demigods.
“Nor us of you!” said one of the loyal demigods.
“As long as we understand each other and agree to not stab the other in the back, then we can continue working together,” said Akira, holding out his hand to sister Teresa.
She pushed the low-leveled demigod out of the way and stepped forward grabbing onto his hand and lightly shaking it in a well-mannered way.
While this happened most of the soldiers under Akira turned their attention to cleaning up the battle area taking the loot that had dropped from the attackers before returning next to Akira.
They had to wait for a short time for Klyn and the other shamen to patch the wounded up to the point where they could defend themselves from attacks.
When everything was settled and they had caught their breath from the battle, they all turned to the path that had a large swirling white portal door.
“Let's do this!” said Akira.
“YAP!” said Fluffball.