Chapter 324: Battle in the Underground.

Chapter 324: Battle in the Underground.

Party Leader

Name: Renee Level: 87

Main Job: Storm Knight Secondary Job: Gladiator Unique Job: Locked

Name: Fargryneill Qilinus Kargryxmor Level: 110

Main Job: Dragonkin Destroyer Secondary Job: Esoteric Pathfinder Unique Job: Locked

Name: Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor Level: 98

Main Job: Virulent Corrosion Secondary Job: Ravager Unique Job: Locked

Name: Tasianna Marina Silverpond Level: 70

Main Job: Storm Arcanist Secondary Job: Rogue Unique Job: Locked

Hrrgh! My mana surged through my glaive right into the catalyst it held on its blade, awaking the scale-dust inside it and causing flames to roar out in the face of the orc. Although protected by his helmet, the heat was getting to him.

To not allow him to escape, I pressed my strength forward, cutting through the orcs axe like butter. Staggering backward, narrowly escaping my glaive, the orc wasnt able to dodge Neills fist. With a powerful punch, Neill struck the orcs armor with a mana-infused punch, shattering the orcs black equipment in one attack, before using a knife hand to pierce through his belly.

Grrrrouuuugh! NIAKASH BAALAK

Ggugniak!!!

As the orc howled in pain and a war cry, the voices of even more orcs echoed from the tunnel behind him. Hearing his allies coming for him, the orc tried to grab and immobilize Neill, but my sister was too fast for him. She jump-kicked our enemy, pulling her hand out of his body, before tapping my shoulders as she landed next to me with a flip.

I didnt understand what she wanted specifically, but the situation was obvious enough. Channeling my mana in my mouth, I released a fiery [Hellflame Breath] into the side tunnel, scorching the first orc before the rest erected a shield wall to block my attack. From the look of their armor, these orcs looked like the black orc knights I met last time I found an organized grimgarian group. Which meant that their armor and shields were made from voldunna, making them extremely resistant to heat.

In other words, these orcs were [High Orc]s, meaning this wasnt just a normal grimgarian horde, but maybe a war party.

Experience has reached multiple breaking points. [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]s Secondary Job [Ravager] has risen from [Level 0] to [Level 4]

Attributes have increased due to level up

Tsk, theyre living. Turn to corrosive!

I turned my crimson fire into purple ones, using the toxic flames to kill the orc instead of using heat against voldunna armor. I didnt know what was happening, but Neill didnt sit around while I blasted my fire. She stomped the ground, creating thick, but less numerous, dragon paths along the tunnels walls and ceiling, before punching the start of those nodes.

With the sound of a balloon growing in size, the dragon paths bloated up, creating large bubbles as they exploded. The released mana caused the tunnel to collapse, possibly burying a couple of the orcs most likely. I wasnt sure if we killed any, but our party was sharing experience with each other, so if we did, I would have leveled up my Jobs.

Done! I snapped my head around after Neill and I were done with our side, seeing Tasianna had frozen two [Bleak Hobgoblin] rogues. She might be the lowest level amongst us, but after her training with Mother and the twins, she was stronger than her level and stats suggested.

On the other side, Renee was fending off two hobgoblins too, having injured one of them with her sword. Seeing all their allies falling, the two jumped back before throwing two bombs at us, which released poisonous gas.

Renee increased her wind shields size, blocking the gas from reaching us. She then knocked the wind shield onto the ground, capturing the poisonous gas underneath it. With our sight restored, we saw the two goblins fleeing, only for Rajah to suddenly jump out from a shadow to pounce at the one Renee injured.

Krraaah! The goblin squirmed, left behind by its companion. Rajah fangs pierced right through its neck, ending the goblins life with a resounding crunch.

Experience has reached multiple breaking points. [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]s Secondary Job [Ravager] has risen from [Level 4] to [Level 5]

Attributes have increased due to level up

Good boy! I ran up to caress him before shooting out a [Sacred Smite] at the hobgoblin, but they dodged it before throwing down another poison gas bomb to block our sight. Useless really, since I had [Detection Sensor], but before I could do anything, Renee tapped my shoulder.

I need to retrieve my fathers memento. Trap or not, that green rat will lead us to the others. And with those words, Renee charged onwards.

And so did Sis. Come on, lets level our Jobs.

Fair enough.

Tasianna, I called for my friend, signaling to her to kill the two frozen hobgoblins before we dashed behind the other two.

Experience has reached multiple breaking points. [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]s Main Job [Virulent Corrosion] has risen from [Level 14] to [Level 15]

Attributes have increased due to level up

Experience has reached multiple breaking points. [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]s Secondary Job [Ravager] has risen from [Level 5] to [Level 7]

Attributes have increased due to level up

Buffs on. Music on, lets go!

[Various Spell Buffs] [Music Resonation (Moderate)] inflicted on [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]

All my buffing spells are up! Go wild, people, I announced after my music began to play, sharing my buffs with everybody using [Idol]s effect.

Appreciated, Lady Priestess!

Wreak some havoc, ladies!

We ran through the tunnel, following the sounds of the scurrying hobgoblin through this maze. As the number of signals in my [Detection Sensor] suddenly increased, I notified everybody we were close by, only for everybodys [Danger Perception] to erupt into action the second we turned around a corner.

At the end of the tunnel wasnt only a bright yellow-orange light but also a huge, blue one. I suddenly had a deja vu moment, remembering what happened during my time in the Belzac forest. A glowing blue light; I felt a chill run down my spine.

Mana cannon! Terra Wall!

Brace yourselves! I told everybody before moving the wall to our left, shoving us all right back over the corner. In the next moment, an ear-piercing explosion boomed, shaking the tunnel.

Those things have a mana cannon?! Renee exclaimed, having also recognized that blue light. That was far too much for a trap! How do goblins and orcs get their hands on something as sophisticated as a cannon?!

It seemed Renee didnt know about the grimgarian warband over the Avitor Peaks, which made sense since it was confidential information in Artorias. However, to me, if these grimgarians had a siege weapon like a mana cannon, then I was now 100% sure these grimgarians must be in some way related to the ones over at Avitor Peaks. The ones working with the demon.

Which meant

I had to start taking this more seriously.

Follow me, I have a plan. I rushed back to where we came from after I heard Yeostar voice his concern about the situation.

H-Hey, Lady Priestess?!

Itll be clear when we get there! Now, come!

Rajah and Tasianna followed after me without hesitation, Neill shrugged before doing it herself, and, lastly, Renee darted her head back and forward from the blocked passage and my back, before finally running after me. After passing the goblin Rajah killed, we ended back at the tunnel entrance Neill and I destroyed.

Seeing as the orcs we caved in hadnt died yet, it was obvious to me there had to be others on their side, otherwise, how could they survive this long trapped inside so much rubble? Well, maybe the orcs were super sturdy, but my point was this tunnel must lead somewhere. No way could it only be a dead-end, right?

Oooh, I get it. Sounds better than getting shot at by a mana cannon, thats for sure, Neill agreed with my plan. But, how are we gonna do this? If I blast through all the rock and earth, well just attract their attention.

She was right. We were already detected, but I 100% didnt want to tank a mana cannon, even with all my power boosts since the last time I got hit by one. As such, we needed to be stealthy for a moment, until we could attack. And for that, we needed to get to their base without alerting the cannon crew.

I only need a precise hole which I could look at the other side with. Ill get us over with no problem. I used my [Detection Sensor] to check the other side, making sure nobody was over there at this very moment, which also confirmed my suspicion somebody was in the tunnel when it collapsed to help the orcs.

On clean look through? Got it. Neill nodded and went over to the rubble and laid her hand on it. With one deep breath, she created a glowing dragon path through it.

At this point, Neill hadnt really explained to me how her ability really worked outside of harnessing the lands mana for her attacks. However, I had the feeling these dragon paths were probably her mana sent through the ground, where it connects with the mana in the earth to create whatever effects she wanted.

Every time her mana paths appeared, she had to be in physical contact with them. She was like the stem and all these dragon paths were the roots. There probably were more nuances with it, and I could imagine her creating dragon paths in the air, but I was starting to get what she could do. Although, what exactly the effects of her dragon paths were was something I could only guess at this moment.

For example, the fact she was pulling that dragon path out was surprising to see.

You can do that? I was flabbergasted at how she was holding a blue glowing rod. She literally pulled out a long cylinder area of earth and rock from the rubble, and the moment she dispersed the mana, all of that fell to the ground.

Well, every dragonkin needs a racial ability, right? It might look useful, but you need focus and time to create something like this, so it's pretty useless in a battle. Although I could create my own weapon, I have my fists and legs for that job, Neill explained with a sigh. Anyways, Sis, your turn.

I nodded and looked through the hole Neill made, noticing how near perfectly round the sides were. There were only a few gaps, probably from how the rubble was layered. In any case, I looked through the other side and sent Rajah over with [Shadow Dash]. I kept my [Detection Sensor] on just in case.

With him scouting the area and confirming there werent any assassins or rogues who dodged my sensory skills, I cast [Warp Point: Exit] on the other side and the entry point on our side. With the portal open, our way forward was clear.

Tasianna, Renee, I need you two to muffle our steps and fights.

Understood, Lady Priestess. You would make a fine commander. Resourceful. Adaptable. I appreciated Renees flattery but I felt some ulterior motives behind her tone. Miss Tasianna, I can create silence zones wherever we need with my catalyst. Could you keep the [Air Shield] active? My magic skills are humbled by a [Storm Arcanist] like you.

My pleasure. Tasianna cast [Air Shield] before we entered the portal, and once we were on the other side, I let Rajah guide us. My senses were currently better than his, but if I didnt allow him to train himself, he would never get better.

And after a couple of moments, we encountered the group of orcs from before. They were still injured but their armor didnt show any signs of cracks and heavy damage. Aside from them, I also noticed a couple of blue-skinned hobgoblin shamans and alchemists treating the injured. Probably the crew who saved the orcs.

Upon seeing them, Renees posture changed as she walked before me, letting the ring on her left hand shine green. I couldn't know exactly what was happening, but as time went by, the noise from the orcs and hobgoblins began to disappear, replaced by complete silence at the appearance of a dome of wind.

Renee said her silence zone was down. I thought it was just an [Air Shield], but Renee corrected me as it literally was a silence zone. No sound could be made inside the area, meaning it could counter mages who relied too heavily on voicing their chants out, instead of chanting inside their head. It was deployable with her catalyst from a range, but it had none of the defensive qualities of [Air Shield] nor could it stop air from coming in or out.

My [Ring of Freedoms Winds] isnt an artifact you can make or find randomly, she stated proudly as she pointed her sword at the grimgarians. As she said, she made a silence zone, and without any noise, the grimgarians immediately became agitated.

Graaaouuuuuuuuuuuuuuh! it roared, drawing everybodys attention to it. Its growls and grunts muffled the pained cries of its companions, making it the only thing our focus was direct at right now.

A hulking beast around the size of an ogre but smaller than a troll lumbered over to us with two troll sorcerers flanking it. Its body was completely covered in fur like a kobold but its appearance resembled more that of a pug mixed with a hyena. Its short snout sported a wide mouth, filled to the brim with sharp black fangs, as it quivered it at us in either rage or anticipation.

It was covered in voldunna armor with some pieces of monster materials attached to them. A long polearm-like flail with three spikey balls was in its right hand as it dragged it on the ground over to us. Clutching its bone amulet, it began speaking to us.

Interlopers. Become sacrifices to the Goddess of Monsters! Mother of us all! I, Knokhut, shall cleanse your sins! Gguuuuugniak! Shrah!

And with the appearance of their commander, the grimgarians rallied under him, screaming Ggugniak!!! into a huge chorus. Motivation was high again and I suddenly felt like we were in the situation I honestly hope we wouldnt be in trapped like a mouse.

It was only a matter of time before that mana cannon would arrive as reinforcement. Nevertheless

That blue-skinned hobgoblin woman on that gnoll has my medallion! Renee pointed at the one hobgoblin shaman riding on the beasts back, sneering wildly as she prepared a black magic circle with glee.

Mana Eyes!

Noghu Gnoll

A monsterized kobold whose worship to the Goddess of Monster and Fertility, Edna, has granted it an evolution path for its devotion and belief. At the cost of its racial ability to commune with most monsters, this gnoll has obtained the size and incredible strength of an orc. Although it doesnt have the heightened regenerative abilities of an orc or troll, this beast possesses a rallying shriek to empower and temporarily reduce all Stamina costs of its allies. Rank B

This is all your fault, Neill! I complained to my sister as I readied my glaive and spells.

W-What?!

Agreed, we could have solved this in an easier fashion, Renee agreed before materializing a wind flag from her catalyst.

H-Hey, Renee!

Lady Fargryneill, I shall have some tea ready for you once your scolding starts. However, let us pour our effort into eliminating these threats first, Tasianna unintentionally silenced Sis before creating a [Winters Golem] for our incoming clash.

Hold on, you two?!

[Master, I shall help you!] Although, in Rajahs case, he simply went with the flow. Honestly, I would bet on Krim-Slak having infected my poor virigress with his carefree attitude.

Sis pouted at everybodys reaction and response to her, but she readied herself in either case.

We had a warband to stop.

Lets break their bones, ladies!

A note from AbyssRaven

Grimgarian, no grimming.

If you guys want to support me, Hestia and "A Dragon Idol's Reincarnation Tale" (or just read up to 20 advance chapters + any Patreon-only chapters) please check out my Patreon: Rawr!

For two dollars, for the cost of a coffee, you can read up to four chapters for the whole month! You will have my eternal gratitude for any support you can give me! Please.

Thank you for reading this chapter.

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Wednesday, August 3, 2022 2:06:03 AM Germany [Member of Zard Skwad]

Bio: Hey there, AbyssRaven here. I'm just an avid Light Novel and Fantasy story reader who randomly thought of a story and began writing about it.

I eventually found out that I've been spending a bit too much time with building, planning, and researching for the story, that I've decided to just share it with others.

Writing is mostly a hobby for me, but I would still love any kind of criticism to improve on it.

I'm also german, so please excuse anything that sounds a bit weird...I wouldn't mind you pointing it out though.

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