Ealda calmly walked between the impaled brethren, suffering the indignity of being shown off as trophies by the cannibals, and slowly took each one of them down.
Then, in a show of strength, she punched at the ground until her right hand was buried in the soil to the elbow and forcefully pulled out with a roar.
The vibrations created by the roar were probably best felt by the Necromancer sitting beside her, who suddenly felt his internal organs being displaced.
However, what was even more unrealistic was the ridiculous ditch she created. Over five meters long and at least two deep, the Chieftain was trying to give them a decent place to rest.
Understanding her intentions, Michael used 50 Essence points to resummon his minions and had them help.
Once most of the bodies were placed in, the Necromancer ordered his skeletons to push the dirt back in.
The cannibals had other plans, though, as they rushed to the location where they heard the provoking shout.
[Leave them to me. Please finish laying them to rest.](Ealda)
Watching her take out a weapon that was an axe, a blade, a hacksaw, and a hammer all at once, Michael obediently agreed.
Seeing the type of weapon that should be handled with both hands viciously hacking at the incoming cannibals, the Necromancer decided it was better for his stomach to look away.
Unfortunately, the sound was even worse, as it painted a much more disgusting picture.
About five minutes later, a blood-soaked woman returned with the biggest skull she found among her prey and offered it in honor of those fallen.
Then, she grabbed three spears that were better-looking than the rest and placed them in her inventory.
[These three are good. Stained with both the blood of our fallen but also with that of our enemies. They will serve their rightful purpose once more.](Ealda)
Nodding, Michael inspected the three pedestals around the biggest mound and surveyed the MAP.
"Four directions. That means we'll find the three stone carvings in separate places, and the remaining direction is the Boss Room."
[The Boss Room is straight north of our location. Let's move. We'll go east first. Let the sunrise bless our fights!](Ealda)
Following behind the woman, Michael once again experienced the meaning of having an OP teammate.
It was very similar to when Helen helped him clear Nostrava's Stronghold Event by suppressing her level.
However, the skills remain no matter how much she suppresses her level.
So the Dungeon clearing continued with the Necromancer taking the backseat while the Chieftain vented on the poor mobs.
[Crane Tribe held these lands long before they were fouled by demons. The blood upon these spears proves we did not go quietly.](Ealda)
While Ealda picked up two more spears, Michael grabbed the stone carving from one of the bushes.
"Are the spears the symbol of the Crane Tribe? I haven't seen many of them used by your warriors. Most of them had different weapons. Even you used that... thing."
[*Sigh* Our tribe was famous for our proficiency with the spear. After the shame we suffered at Mt. Arreat, one of the prices we had to pay was forgoing the spear. Only after enough demon blood and Crane Tribe blood have been spilled would our honor allow us to reclaim them.](Ealda)
"I see. That's why you wanted to reclaim them now."
[Indeed. With the morale rising among my people, once the spears return to their hands, we can bathe them in blood once more. Then... maybe then we could return.](Ealda)
Hearing the sadness and longing in her voice, Michael wisely chose to remain quiet as they returned to the grand mound.
He placed the stone carving on one of the pedestals and followed Ealda south.
The process repeated twice, with the duo clearing that direction and then the western direction as well.
Now, the Chieftain collected ten different spears, two more than she initially expected.
Another gift was the sudden Dungeon Event, in which they found six prisoners they had to protect and save.
Hearing Ealda shout their names and then rush head in with bloodshot eyes, Michael sighed and followed behind her.
He ended up leeching tons of experience points from her since he had already activated both the Elixir of Antivenin and Elixir of Iron Barbs II, as well as the emblem of Mother's Blessing.
With a 41% increase in experience gain, he felt like a small shrimp being carried by a shark through the ocean, enjoying the waves.
Not only that, but the event also awarded him a Resplendent Chest, from which he got a Legendary item and 5 Angelbreaths.
[This was the right decision! The ancestors guided me true! With six more warriors, the cannibals would soon learn to fear us!](Ealda)
[[[AS THEY SHOULD!]]]
With the rescued warriors also recovering their weapons and choosing six more spears, Ealda decided to part ways here.
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[I need to return them to the tribe. With your friends helping us, I can heal them properly. They'll be out hunting cannibals and demons in no time!](Ealda)
"That's no problem. I'll go finish the Boss since I need to complete the Dungeon."
[Good! Haha! I can feel it! The ancestors' strength returns. I will see these spears back to the hutmoot. Together, we will show the cannibals that the Crane Tribe fears no fate!](Ealda)
[ Side Quest complete - Raising Spears
Reward 1: 17,472 experience points
Reward 2: 2,120 gold coins
Reward 3: Salvage Cache. ]
Watching the boisterous 'crowd' depart the Dungeon, the Necromancer shrugged and returned to the grand mound to return the last stone carving.
Once he did, two Elites popped up to ambush him, only to be intercepted by his Golem's taunt.
[ Cairn Defiler, Slayer of Champions (Elite) - Level 52
*Lighting Enchanted: Each attack creates a ball of lightning that moves randomly in a ten-meter radius, dealing 550 damage upon contact.
*Summoner: Creates three summoning circles through which demonic creatures can be called upon every 5 minutes. ]
Once the trashy Elites fell, the Dungeon Quest got updated.
[ Dungeon Quest updated - Champion's Demise
Objective: Travel to the Eater of Stones. ]
Heading to the Boss Room, Michael realized how shitty it must've been for the Crane Tribe.
With their prowess and courage in battle, it wasn't like they couldn't clear this Dungeon by themselves.
It was their honor that stopped them from doing so.
Because of a single person's failure a very long time ago, they suffered tremendously over the years.
Killing some more mobs on his way to the Boss, another interesting item dropped.
[ Survivor's Journal ]
Glad to add more to his 'collectible' library, Michael curiously opened it.
[ Kalib took the last of the warriors out to face the flesh-eaters. The rest of us will try to shore up our defenses here. I am loath to spill cursed blood here amidst the bones of our ancestors.
But I shall... ]
Strolling through the Dungeon while reading the journal, the Necromancer could only understand certain passages.
"In short, this might belong to the Crane Tribe ancestors. It tells the story of how they fared against the cannibals and, most probably, how they were forced to flee in defeat against their numbers. I should ask permission from the Chieftain before taking this away. Hmm? Am I already here?"
[ Khazra Abomination (Boss) - Level 52 ]
"*Sigh* Another one of these. Let's get this over with..."
While it would've been better if he had used a Poison Resistance Elixir instead of the Thorns one, the Boss fell all the same.
Checking his loot, Michael was salivating. Including the Boss drops, he now had three new Legendary items, and after opening the Salvage Cache he got from the Quest, his inventory was full.
Trying out the new teleportation mechanics, he opened a portal to Kyovashad and successfully traveled to the familiar square.
Furthermore, the blue portal didn't seem to be going anywhere, prompting the Necromancer to bolt to Orzen's shop.
After unloading most of his items to the vendor, he also salvaged the three Legendary ones since he desperately needed materials.
This quick pitstop put 234,576 gold coins in his pockets, so he quickly found Zivek next.
[What's wrong, brat? Why are you in such a hurry? Here to temper something?](Zivek)
"No, I came to... Huh? Wait. I can do that, right? I'll temper a random item to finish the Quest. Let's see... maybe the amulet?"
Following Zivek's nagging, he ended up using the Rare Utility recipe, Thorn Army.
Indeed, since the item wasn't Ancestral grade, it could be tempered only once.
The cost wasn't bad either, with only 5 Iron Chunks and 2 Veiled Crystals as a cost.
Moments later, the Affix has been magically added without Zivek doing anything in particular, prompting a careless shrug when the Necromancer looked his way.
[Don't look at me like that. I'm not young anymore. If I can make my job easier, why would I complain?](Zivek)
"..."
[Let's see... '+9% Thorns while Fortified' is what it says. And it's a new affix indeed.](Zivek)
Seeing the proud Blacksmith who literally didn't participate in the tempering, Michael rolled his eyes and chose to reroll out of curiosity.
After paying another 5 Iron Chunks and 2 Veiled Crystals, the Affix changed to 'Golems Inherit +18% of Your Thorns.'
With time running out on the expensive Elixirs he consumed, the Necromancer chose to salvage all three items, resulting in one Iron Chunk, 3 Rawhides, 5 Veiled Crystals, 2 Coiling Wards, and 1 Abstruse Sigil.
Rushing out of the forge without saying goodbye, Michael jumped back into the portal and found himself back in the Dungeon.
His minions recovered their spirits upon seeing his return and followed him out.
Opening the MAP, he chose the next target.
"Closest is the Charnel House, huh? Let's go there then."
[ Dungeon: Charnel House (Level 50)
Description: Bodies are stored here, some still alive. Food for demons. ]
With the location less than fifteen minutes away on horseback, Michael rushed to get there, as he had less than an hour left on his Elixirs.
Galloping through the Galtmaa Bushlands, he was carefully planning his route on the MAP when an oddly familiar exclamation mark appeared in the Crane Tribe area.
Checking his Quest interface, it appears that he somehow gained the Quest after completing the previous one, but without it popping up in its usual manner.
[ Side Quest issued - Fury Against Fate
Objective: Speak with Ealda at the Crane Tribe Hutmoot
Description: You and Ealda collected the spears of the Crane Tribe's ancestors. It's time to see whether they can rally her kin to rise against the cannibal horde. ]
Realizing that the continuation of the previous Quest was bringing the Barbarian warriors to flatten the cannibals, Michael strangely looked forward to it.
Still, for now, he would prioritize two more Dungeons. If all goes well, he could meet with the Chieftain by noon.
Stepping through the thin film covering the entrance, the Necromancer checked his surroundings while holding back his breakfast from climbing up his throat again.
"What's this disgusting smell!?"
The area was named Meat Storage, but nothing remotely resembling a freezer was in his field of view.
It was more a prison than anything, making him understand he would deal with cannibals again.
[ Dungeon Quest issued - Charnel Housed
Objective: Free the Prisoners (0/9). ]
After finding four people - none of which were Barbarians, but rather victims from the nearby settlements - he asked them to stay hidden in a cell near the entrance.
That way, he could 'collect' the others and escort them after clearing the Dungeon.
Unfortunately, the Prisoner count decreased from 4/9 to 4/8, signifying that someone died. In a very gruesome way, no doubt.
Among the Elites that stood in his way, only one was slightly decent, as it was a Unique one.
[ Rutkah (Elite) - Level 52
*Vampiric: Each successful hit on an enemy heals you for 85% of the damage dealt.
*Waller: Manipulates the earth to create a wall around the target.
*Summoner: Creates three summoning circles through which demonic creatures can be called upon every 3 minutes. ]
Maybe if this small giant had faced against a Rogue or a Mage, things might've been different once he trapped them with his Waller modifier and started bashing their heads in.
In Michael's case, though, Rukah had to dance with Quarterback instead, while the minions it summoned became nothing but fodder for Corpse Explosion and Corpse Tendrils.
With the stingy Elite dead, only a Magic-grade item box dropped, which the Necromancer didn't bother bending over for.
Instead, he was more interested in something else.
[ Vardok's Note ]
That's right! Another 'collectible' dropped!
[ Ruthkah,
We raid for flesh at the new moon. Go to the cells and gather. If the new ones are weak, feed them to the maggots.
We need more meat! - Vardok ]
Much to the Necromancer's surprise, not only had he already killed the one to whom this letter was addressed, but as soon as he rescued the remaining prisoners and sent them to the entrance, Vardok himself popped up.
Apparently, he wasn't particularly pleased with his food reserves escaping his grasp.
[ Vardok (Elite) - Level 52
*Poison Enchanted: All attacks create a poison puddle on the ground. Enemies affected by poison are dealt 350 damage per second for a duration of 3 seconds.
*Hellbound: Summons two Hellbinders that latch chains on enemy targets in a five-meter radius.
*Vampiric: Each successful hit on an enemy heals you for 95% of the damage dealt. ]