Inside the lab.

Various weapons scattered about the room, some glowed while others were broken. Strange potted plants lined the walls, an ongoing or even forgotten experiment. The room was lit up by a small flame in Lucifer's hands. The mana crystals in the roof having exploded to uncontrolled magic earlier.

He was practicing magic using only his body, with limited success. After learning the basics to human controlling methods he let loose a flame and blew up both himself and half the lab.

Now Lucifer was focusing on a single ball of flame in his hands, with every breath in it would grow brighter, and on every exhale it would shrink. He had shrunk a meter wide fireball to the size of a tennis ball, but whenever he tried to shrink it further, the magic would become unstable. If he continued it would become uncontrollable and explode in his face, he would then have to get used how magic interacts with the new body.

Lucifer unraveled the magic and sighed. Using his dungeon powers he could make the fireball pea sized easily, however, his dungeon magic used pure magic which was both unusable when people are nearby and uncontrollable by his human hosts.

Just before he was going to start again he felt a massive mana enter his dungeon. He stood up, then realized it was someone he knew. Lucifer didn’t really want to meet this person so he just projected his dungeon voice.

“what brings you here”

Merlin jumped slightly, he didn’t expect to be greeted the moment he walked in. other people in the entrance were looking around nervously. Some chose to just leave. Merlin walked further into the dungeon until he was alone before he replied, “am I not allowed to enter the dungeon like everyone else”

Lucifer replied, “cut the pleasantries”

…

Merlin said, “The Magedom army is in Swadia”

“how” Lucifer explained, “I have people scouting the border and would know the moment an army came through the pass”

Merlin said, “they have dug under the mountain range”

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“is that even possible, the rock is absurdly tough, so much so that it takes me significant effort to expand my dungeon” Lucifer questioned.

Merlin answered, “the dragon vein moving around throughout the ages has hardened the rocks along the mountain range making it practically impossible to dig through. However, practically impossible is not impossible and a sentient dungeon is worth any price to them--”

Lucifer interrupted “they couldn't have known about my existence for long how could they set up a tunnel so quickly. And its not just a tunnel either, because an army in a small and long tunnel would die without proper infrastructure supporting them, they would need fresh air food--”

“I know” said Merlin, “AS I was saying, I believe they have somehow allied themselves with the Dwarves, they are the only ones who could have set this up so quickly”

Lucifer said, “the Dwarves hate humans, especially mages, why would they work with the Magedom”

Merlin answered, “you truly are worth any price to the Magedom, they probably lost an arm and a leg in the deal just to get to you a little quicker”

Lucifer asked, “how do the Dwarves feel about dungeons”

Merlin pondered for a moment before replying, “it's hard to say, you being sentient complicates the question further, but they would likely ambush the Magedom in the tunnels on the way back once they found out what they had”

“one doesn’t like seeing their enemies growing stronger” Lucifer mused.

Merlin affirmed, “no one does, the Dwarves probably think the Magedom is declaring war and would weaken humans as a whole, not steal a gold mine of infinite wealth and power”

…

Lucifer said, “so why are you telling me this, it can’t only be hedging your bets can it”

Merlin replied, “I’m unfamiliar with the term, but no, I’m not playing both sides for the sake of it, think of it as a trade”

Lucifer said, “information is hard to trade, especially when you have already given it”

“think of it as trading in good faith, like when you allowed the continued use of the plant cultivation room by my university,” Merlin said.

Lucifer asked, “so what do you want”

Merlin took a breath then declared, “I want Ahri to stay at the university until th--”

“I don’t mind,” said Lucifer surprising the old mage.

“your awfully easy to convince,” Merlin said skeptically.

Lucifer chuckled, “we are trading in good faith apparently, and I want something from you too. I will leave Ahri in the universities care if you contribute to the battle in her stead”

Merlin said, “you don’t like me ‘hedging my bets’, or are you that unconfident”

Lucifer laughed, “said by the one pulling his little girl out of the battle”

…

Lucifer continued, “I don’t care what political reason you give to justify it, but I want you to at least do as much as last time… besides, its not a bad trade, an assassin mage that wouldn’t be effective against real mages, or the most powerful mage on the continent”

“its a good trade for you” Merlin countered.

Lucifer said, “if they do ‘get me’, how long do you think it will take before they unite the continent. Perhaps it wouldn’t matter to a normal person, but you will live long enough to see you and your university become a stain on the Magedom’s prestige”

Merlin argued, “wouldn’t you self destruct before being caught, I seem to remember a negotiation going far less favorably than it could have because of that”

Lucifer smiled to himself and said, “perhaps my survival instinct will be too strong, perhaps I will live just to spite you, who knows. would you care to gamble with whatever grand plan you have”

Merlin flinched slightly, “I don’t know what you're talking about, but I am a quite good judge of character, and MY instincts are telling me you aren’t the type to get taken alive”

Lucifer replied, “nothing is certain, its possible that they could bribe me in a deal of some sort, although unlikely… talking any more with just be an exchange of sophistry, so lets end it here. Think hard about crossing me” then sent a message to Ahri.

Soon he said goodbye to Ahri and sent the furious fox-girl to Merlin after knocking her out.

Merlin received the unconscious girl with an odd expression then left the dungeon. Whatever happened was not under Lucifer’s control and wasn't worth further thinking about.

Lucifer, sighed once more and growled, “it has began”, he stood up with a grin and began to prepare.