Bob cautiously peered out from behind the barricade, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of movement. He had been holed up in the bunker for what felt like days, but in reality, it had only been a few hours. The Squirrel Soldiers had launched a surprise attack on the bunker at night catching Bob off guard. Bob had managed to wake up just in time to flee for his life, but he knew that the fight was far from over. He took a deep breath and began to dismantle the barricade that he had erected earlier. Each movement was calculated and deliberate, as he didn't want to make any noise that would alert the enemy to his presence. The last thing he needed was to draw attention to himself and become a target again.
Once the barricade was removed, Bob made his way over to the bunker door. He walked up and undid the locking mechanism on the door, his heart pounding with anticipation. He slowly pushed the door open, peering out into the darkness. To his relief, the coast was clear. The Squirrel Soldiers had either retreated or been defeated, leaving the area deserted. Bob let out a sigh of relief and stepped into the next room, taking in his surroundings. It was a mess. furniture was destroyed, and the halls were littered with debris, the floor was covered in swiftly melting ice leftover from Snowball's frost breath. Bob knew there was still work to be done, but for now, he needed to regroup and assess the situation. He needed to make a plan to deal with the rest of the Squirrel Army that remained in the forest surrounding the bunker. As Bob took a moment to catch his breath, the Summoner's Rolodex chimed in with a notification.
*Hey, Bob, do ya mind if I make a meal of all this essence just lying around? I'm awfully hungry and it would be a shame to let it go to waste.*
It was a request to consume all the leftover monster essence in the area. Bob hesitated for a moment, thinking about it, but then he realized that it was the best course of action. Even if the noises the Rolodex made while eating were quite disgusting. He agreed to the request, and the Rolodex began to consume the essence. As it did so, a new notification started to blink in the corner of Bob's vision.
*SQUIRREL SOLDIER INTEGRATED*
Bob couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. He had not only survived the attack, but he had also gained a new monster to add to his arsenal. It was a small victory, but it was a victory nonetheless. With a renewed sense of purpose, Bob surveyed the damage and began the cleanup process. He knew that there he had a lot to do, and little time to make a plan to eliminate the Squirrel Army problem once and for all.
Bob went back up to the roof of the bunker to scout out the remaining Squirrel Army numbers. He sees that the defeated General Squirrelius Maximus has slowly started to slink back to the forest in defeat. Bob saw him retreat into the forest and watched the forest edge for several hours, making sure they didn't try to attempt a sneak attack on him again. After waiting for a couple more hours he finally saw Squirrelius Maximus exit the forest again. With the rest of the Squirrel Army close behind him. Hundreds of Squirrel Soldiers marched in a tight formation directly behind Squirrelius. The monsters were intent on storming the bunker and finally putting an end to Bob, the perpetrator of all that has happened to them.
At that point, Bob heard the clink of glass and remembered the vials in his pocket. He was relieved they didn't break inside of his pocket, but he still wasn't sure what they did. Bob then decided to finally find out what they did by using his slingshot and launching the two vials at the Squirrel Army marching at the bunker. Bob waited until they were within range and launched the first vial at the army. It exploded and a purple cloud burst into existence that slowly expanded until it had encompassed the entirety of the army.
Bob watched in amazement as the squirrels began to slow down, their movements becoming sluggish and uncoordinated. It was like they were struggling with control of their bodies. Bob launched the second vial at the army and waited to see what would happen. He didn't have to wait long, as soon as the vial hit the ground it shattered. At first, nothing happened, but then whatever was in the vial exploded into a fireball of massive proportions that engulfed a chunk of the army, making them turn into essence immediately. Squirrelius Maximus and his Squirrel army moved away from the fiery explosion and the thick cloud of purple gas that made them lose partial muscle control, as fast as they could. Squirrelius Maximus glared at Bob with hate in his eyes, but he also knew that if he left before taking out Bob, that the Royal Family would punish him severely for failing his task.
Bob knew that he needed to take advantage of this moment of confusion and disorientation among the Squirrel Army. He quickly descended from the roof and made his way to the bunker workshop, where he grabbed an empty case and started gently putting vials in the protective slots that were designed to hold them. After filling up a case, he gently closed it, latching it shut, and quickly returned to the roof. The Squirrel Army, although confused and disoriented, were still marching unerringly to the bunker door.
Bob settled in and started launching the vials one after another into the midst of the marching Squirrel Army. They shattered upon impact and a multitude of different things began to happen. In one area a vial shattered and the liquid inside turned into a white cloud that instantly froze all those who came in contact with it. After they froze they shattered into small pieces and turned into monster essence. Another vial hit and released a lightning bolt that chained between multiple Squirrel Soldiers repeatedly until they fell down defeated.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Two vials hit in the same location within a couple of seconds. The first one released a strange puddle of liquid on the ground that smelled awful to the squirrels, making them crinkle their noses. The second vial hit and unleashed another fiery explosion, this set off a chain reaction that ignited the puddle of liquid. Bob smelled barbeque and involuntarily licked his lips. Another vial hit and released a green liquid that burst into the air and hit the squirrels like rain. They began to squeal in pain as the acid burned them, and they soon turned into monster essence as well. Bob continued to launch the vials via his slingshot until the case was empty. They were all repeat effects of what he had already seen. Bob was surprised and satisfied with the vials and their destructive capabilities.
Squirrelius Maximus looked upon the battlegrounds with horror in his tiny, tear-filled eyes. Shaking with bitter regret and rage. He hated that he had been forced into wasting precious squirrel lives for the whims of a few spoiled Royal Squirrels. He was also filled with loss and anger because he had been friends with the Crown Prince. But this was over and done with, he couldn't turn back the clock now. It was just him now, and he was honor-bound to finish this fight, no matter the outcome. Either way, he was a dead Squirrel, whether Bob defeated him or he returned a failure and angered the Royals. Squirrelius Maximus, marched straight up to the bunker door and knocked.
"I challenge you to a duel!" Squirrelius shouted in a chirping tone.
"Why shouldn't I just finish you up from here? Why should I come down there and fight you face to face?" Bob replied.
"Coward! Too scared to fight a little Squirrel one on one?"
"I'm not scared. Ok, have it your way. I'll come down there and end you personally."
Bob exited the roof and made his way out to the main door. He unlocked it and walked boldly out to face the Squirrel General. Bob had considered just ending him from above, but he was confident that with his summons he could easily defeat the Squirrel General. Bob activated the Summoners Rolodex and it began the familiar sight of its summoning. It locked in at Squirrel Soldiers, and then to Bob's surprise the multiplier locked in with the rare 10x option. 10 Squirrel Soldiers materialized in front of the General. Also to Bob's surprise, the curse didn't turn him into a Squirrel. That's a relief. Wouldn't want to fight a Squirrel as a Squirrel!
"Let's do this, Squirrel!" Bob said.
"How are you summoning those of the mighty and proud Squirrel Race now? You are a monster, and I will end you if it's the last thing Squirrelius Maximus does!"
"Your name is Squirrelius Maximus? Well then prepare to be annihilated!"
Squirrelius Maximus, the relentless and annoying enemy of Bob, stood before them with a smug expression on his face. He was twice the size of the summoned squirrels and looked like he could crush them with a single paw. But the squirrels were not deterred. They had been summoned by their master, and they would not back down.
The first squirrel charged at Squirrelius, darting back and forth in a flurry of movement. Squirrelius swiped at him with a massive paw, but the squirrel was smaller and just as agile as he was, dodging the attack and sinking his sharp teeth into Squirrelius's leg. Squirrelius let out a roar of pain and tried to shake the squirrel off, but the little creature held on tight, biting down harder.
The second squirrel joined in the fray, leaping onto Squirrelius's back and clawing at him with tiny but sharp claws. Squirrelius howled in frustration, trying to dislodge the squirrels from his body, but they were too fast and too nimble for him in his exhausted state.
The third squirrel darted in, grabbing onto Squirrelius's tail with his teeth and pulling with all his might. Squirrelius stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet and falling to the ground. The other squirrels quickly took advantage of his vulnerability, swarming over him and biting and clawing at his exposed flesh.
Squirrelius thrashed and roared, trying to fight off the relentless assault, but the squirrels were too many and too determined. They leaped and darted around him, attacking from every angle and never giving him a moment's rest.
One squirrel managed to get a bite in on Squirrelius's ear, causing the giant squirrel to yelp in pain. Another squirrel dug his claws into Squirrelius's fur, holding on for dear life as Squirrelius tried to shake him off. The battle raged on for what felt like hours, with Squirrelius trying desperately to fight off the relentless assault of the tiny but fierce squirrels. But in the end, the squirrels emerged victorious, their enemy lying on the ground panting, utterly defeated.
Squirrelius Maximus was panting on the ground, moments away from his life force fading away forever. He looked at Bob and gasped for breath.
"You may have ended my life and the life of every Squirrel Soldier under my command, but you shall not rest easy. The Royal Squirrels might not care that I am dead, but they will send more. They will send Squirrels after you until your life has been snuffed out or you cause the extinction of my great race. It doesn't matter to me, I go to join my friend in the afterlife."
"Hey, little squirrel, I didn't start any of this. I'm just trying to make it out of this nightmarish Tower. Your precious Crown Prince and his cronies attacked me. I was defending myself from a monster attack. I will continue to defend myself against any threat that comes my way. It's basic human nature. Sorry that your friend, you, and all the squirrels under your command had to perish. But I will always strive to survive. You guys attacked me first. Not my fault you turned out to be the weaker party." Bob said with finality.
With that Squirrelius Maximus took his last breath, before passing on to whatever afterlife awaited a Squirrel. The Summoners Rolodex greedily consumed all the monster essence in the area, before Bob walked back into the bunker and locked the door behind him.